From The Straits Times    |

Hitachi CV-SA8200RJ D
PHOTOGRAPHY Zaphs Zhang ART DIRECTION & STYLING Ann Neo

HITACHI CV-SA8200RJ ALLERGY CARE
$1,299, from major electrical stores

THE MACHINE
In addition to a floor nozzle, upholstery brush head and crevice tool, this workhorse comes with a roller nozzle called the Electric Linen Beat Head. The attachment has a plate that vibrates to loosen dust from upholstered surfaces like sofas and beds, so the vacuum can pick them up. It also comes with an Auto Drive function that makes it easy to manoeuvre. 

USING IT
The suction was decidedly strong and the dust pick-up was good across different surfaces. The Electric Linen Beat Head slid easily across my fabric sofa and, being bigger than the brush head I usually use, got the job done faster. I could feel it vibrating as it moved, but was not able to tell if it helped with dust pick-up. 

When I turned the Auto Drive function on, the floor nozzle seemed to be pushed along by a force, and it glided easily with just a little prodding. The 180-degree swivel of the floor nozzle made cleaning under low cupboards a piece of cake. 

The handle is ergonomic, with handy access to the control buttons. Releasing a catch on the handle lengthened the main tube, which beats having to bend down to pull out the extension. 

VERDICT
Great for heavy-duty cleaning – you won’t feel tired even after a long session. 

This article was originally published in Simply Her September 2015.