Proscenic P11 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Review

You don't need to be able to connect to the Internet or even just smartphones to be smart, even though the marketing term has been appropriated exactly to describe that. Sometimes, you just have to be smart about squeezing the best out of features to make life more convenient for people. The Proscenic P11 cordless vacuum cleaner isn't exactly smart in the Internet-connected sense but does try to be smart in its use of a powerful brushless motor to suck the dirt out of your life. We give it a spin, almost literally, to really see if it can stand up to its promises, even if the vacuum cleaner can't literally stand on its own.

Without the brush head, the Proscenic P11 almost looks like some sci-fi gun prop. Indeed, it even has a trigger design below the main "barrel" that houses the motor as well as the 0.65-liter dust bin. Unlike a regular trigger, however, you don't need to keep your finger on it to work the vacuum cleaner. It works more like a switch to turn it on and off.

As a cordless vacuum cleaner, the Proscenic P11 is designed to be lightweight, just a little under 1.8kg. Part of that, however, is thanks to an overgenerous use of plastic, which might not inspire confidence in the product's long-term durability. At the same time, it also makes it convenient and comfortable to lift the P11 to reach higher places.

Although the operation of the cordless vacuum cleaner is mostly manual, it does have a touch of modern technology on its back. It has a touch LED screen that shows the battery level, operation mode, and even error codes. Despite being touch-sensitive, the only area you'll really be touching is the bottom button that cycles through the three different modes available.

The battery, which is composed of 8 lithium-ion Samsung batteries, is removable and rechargeable. You can recharge it on the wall dock either on its own or with the P11 still attached. This is also the best way to store the vacuum cleaner since it can't stand upright on its own so you'll have to lay it down horizontally if you ever want to stow it away from the dock.

Cordless vacuum cleaners never really had problems with looks. The biggest concern most people will really have is how strong these will be. Traditional vacuum cleaners are able to draw more power and have larger motors, something that's pretty much contrary to the very nature and design of their cordless counterparts.

That's why Proscenic is pretty proud of its 450W brushless motor that can reach 130,000 rpm speeds to generate 25,000 Pa (atmospheric pressure) of suction power. It is definitely a step up from their previous P10, almost twice the power, but there will always be compromises to be made between portability and power. That compromise, more often than not, boils down to battery life.

Proscenic advertises almost 60 minutes of use on the lowest power setting but even that is far too generous an estimate, averaging between 45 to 55 minutes in reality. Maximum power can drag that figure down to 10 to 12 minutes, even. In short, the Proscenic P11 seems to be better equipped to handle light and short cleaning loads, something its actual performance seems to confirm.

You would presume that with such a strong motor, the Proscenic P11 would make short work of dust, dirt, and even pet hair in your house. As always, the answer is pretty much "it depends". To be more specific, it really depends not just on what you're trying to suck up but also the surface you're working on.

On hard and flat surfaces and dry objects, the P11 works like a champ, drawing in beans, hair, dust, powder, and other sources of cleaning headaches. Stains or wet materials, however, can be a bit tricky even with the mopping unit that can be magnetically attached to the back of the floor head. It has a built-in tank for water but mostly uses gravity to feed-drip into the microfibre cloth. It might not always be enough for tougher stains.

The Proscenic P11, however, pretty much falls on its face with carpets. Larger particles on the surface of the carpet are no problem but it has a harder time sucking out those trapped deep into the material. Worse, the brushes may even end up spreading and pushing things like powder deeper into the carpet. Proscenic recommends using Auto mode when cleaning carpets but Max might not even be enough for this job.

At only $259, the Proscenic P11 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner definitely looks like a steal. Its lightweight design makes it comfortable to use when reaching certain places, with the right brush head, of course. The easily removable batteries are definitely convenient, especially if you have spares to cut down on the downtime.

Unfortunately, it seems that the P11 isn't designed to handle more serious work. It is fine for light and regular cleaning but won't cut it for major disasters. It could be an ideal tool to add to your closet or wall if you don't have much of those or don't have a carpet. Otherwise, you might be forced to look for stronger alternatives that may be a bit over your budget.