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I’ve been testing one of the tiniest robot vacuums you can buy – and while it might be small, its cleaning power is mighty

9:30 pm | September 25, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Robot Vacuums Smart Home | Tags: UK, US | Comments: Off

SwitchBot K11+: two-minute review

The SwitchBot K11+ is a scaled-down robot vacuum that's perfect for cramped homes. It delivers solid vacuuming and navigates with surprising speed and confidence, even if it doesn't always avoid all the obstacles it should. If you have a home with lots of nooks and crannies, it will be compact enough to squeeze into them, although note that while it's small in width, it's about standard height.

The dock is perhaps the smallest auto-empty option I've seen – sitting happily out of the way beneath my bed – and packs a surprisingly generous 4L dust bag. For that reason alone, it's a contender for the best robot vacuum for small homes.

The only major disappointment here is the "mop", which takes the form of a disposable wet-wipe that the bot drags across the floor. For the level of cleaning it delivers, it isn't worth the effort of attaching it. In fact, if you ignore the mopping capabilities altogether and just treat the K11+ as a vacuum-only bot, it becomes a far stronger proposition overall.

It isn't perfect, however. Aside from the dodgy mop, the app has a few weird quirks – and the auto-empty function is rather noisy. Overall, though, there's something very charming and appealing about this little bot. At full price it's clear you're paying a bit of a premium for the small size, but discounts are easy to come by, and if you snag one of these it can be very strong value for money.

That's the short version; read on for my full SwitchBot K11+ review.

SwitchBot K11+ robot vacuum — (Image credit: Future)

SwitchBot K11+ review: price & availability

List price: $399.99 / £399.99
Available: US, UK
Launched: September 2025

The SwitchBot K11+ launched in September 2025, and is available to buy direct from SwitchBot, but also via Amazon. At list price it costs $399.99 in the US and £399.99 in the UK. However, at time of writing, there were significant discounts available one both sides of the shore. You're paying a bit of a premium for the dinky size here, although even at full price I think it's decent value for money.

Two of the best cheap robot vacuums on the market, the Dreame D9 Max Gen 2 and the Roborock Q7 M5 are both cheaper and offer far more capable mopping than the K11+, but neither come with an auto-empty dock. You'll be able to pick up better-value auto-empty hybrid robot vacuums if you're happy to go for an older model – a good example is the Roborock Q5 Pro+. Note, though, that the dock is much bigger, and is unlikely to fit under your bed.

Value for money score: 4 out of 5

SwitchBot K11+ specs

Max suction:	6,000Pa
Robot diameter:	9.8in / 24.8cm
Robot height:	3.6in / 9.2cm
Dock dimensions (W x D x H):	9.4 x 7.1 x 9.8in / 24 x 18 x 25cm
Dust bin volume (base):	4L
Water tank volume:	None
Base type:	Charge, auto-empty
Max threshold clearance:	0.7in / 1.7cm
Smart home compatibility:	Matter (Apple Home, Alexa, Google Home)

SwitchBot K11+ review: design

Small (but not short) robot with rubber roller and side brush
Mop is a wet-wipe dragged across the floor, then disposed of
Compact dock with auto-empty and storage for mop plate

The SwitchBot K11+ is a dinky robot vacuum with an equally compact base. The bot itself measures 9.8in / 24.8cm in diameter, whereas most bots these days are about 13in / 33cm. This means it can clean in narrow spots – although note that at 3.6in / 9.2cm, height-wise it's pretty average, so it won't be sneaking under a low sofa – for example – to clean.

Below you can see it next to the Roborock Saros 10 – while the K11+ is significantly smaller in diameter, its puck makes it taller; the Roborock's puck is retractible.

SwitchBot K11+ next to Roborock Saros 10 — The pint-sized K11+ next to the more normally proportioned Roborock Saros 10 (Image credit: Future)

On the top of the K11+ you'll find buttons for On and Return to dock. Lift off the cover (which appears to just sit in place – I'd prefer some magnets to hold it a little more securely – and you'll find the dust cup clipped to the side.

There's a raised LiDAR puck, bumpers around the edge, and a camera at the front. Flip the K11+ over and you'll find a rubber roller. Sensibly, SwitchBot has made this almost the full width of the robot, which means the suction area is actually relatively large. There's also an angled side brush, to avoid hair from becoming tangled around it.

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SwitchBot K11+ robot vacuum flipped over to show underside — The rubber roller takes up most of the width of the robot (Image credit: Future)

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Bin removed from SwitchBot K11+ robot vacuum — The dust cup clips on the side of the bot (Image credit: Future)

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SwitchBot K11+ robot vacuum in mopping mode — The mopping setup is just a wet wipe (Image credit: Future)

The K11+'s mopping capabilities appear to have very much been an afterthought. To launch the function, you attach a wet-wipe to a base plate, and clip this to the underside of the bot, on top of the suction area. The wipe is then dragged across the floor, and disposed of afterwards. Note that the wet-wipe isn't biodegradable.

Although you need to attach the mop plate to activate "mopping", it is possible to specify carpet and no-mop zones on the map, to avoid the mop wiping down any areas that should not be wiped. However, you can't set a no-mop zone where the dock sits.

Dock for SwitchBot K11+ robot vacuum with lid removed to show dust bag — (Image credit: Future)

Speaking of the dock, the K11+'s station is far smaller than those you find accompanying the vast majority of bots nowadays. In fact, it's significantly more compact than the already-small dock that came with this model's predecessor, the SwitchBot K10+ (specifically, 2.9in / 7.3cm shorter and 0.8in / 2.1cm narrower).

SwitchBot K11+ in its dock, under a bed — (Image credit: Future)

This dock has TARDIS-like properties, though: lift the lid and you'll find a far larger than usual 4L dust bag. SwitchBot has also added storage for the mop plate beneath the lid – just one of a number of thoughtful design touches (my other favorite is that the handle on the onboard bin doubles up as a clip to secure it in place).

It's far from the most fully featured dock in town, though. There's no mop pad cleaning or refilling of water tanks (because there is no mop pad, nor is there a tank to fill). However, I'd wager that there are plenty of people who'd prefer a smaller dock with a large dust bag to a gigantic one with tanks included.

Design score: 4 out of 5

SwitchBot K11+ review: performance

Navigates quickly and confidently, decent obstacle avoidance
Good suction performance but bin emptying rather loud
Mopping not worth the effort, and dock can't be in a no-mop zone

When I set the SwitchBot K11+ off on its first cleaning run, the first thing that struck me was its speed. This bot powers up and down floors like there's no time to waste.

Despite that, it seems to do a good job at picking up dust and debris – I paused it before it could auto-empty, and the onboard bin had plenty in it, even though the room had been vacuumed the previous day, and I was using the second-weakest suction mode. (You can choose to clean a room once or twice, and there are four suction options: Quiet, Standard, Strong and Max.)

As usual, you can request the bot clean a room or a zone. However, the "Spot clean" function – where a robot will clean an area that's about a square meter or so around a chosen position – was still in beta testing at the time of writing, which is a little annoying if you want to clear a spillage.

Although fairly quiet in operation, the auto-empty process is really rather noisy. However, you can set different auto-empty durations via the app, to save at least some unnecessary disruption.

SwitchBot K11+ robot vacuum driving away from its dock — The auto-empty process is a little noisy (Image credit: Future)

Mopping is a different story. Attaching the wet wipe is fiddly, and ends up with a lot of the wipe on the underside of the base plate. It barely left my bathroom floor damp – imagine trying to clean the entire floor of a room with half a single wet-wipe. It also deposited bits of grime next to every grouting line.

I'll get into the results of the mopping tests in a second, but the short version is that if I owned this bot, I just wouldn't bother with the mopping functionality – in my opinion, it just isn't worth the effort.

As a result of its speed, you might assume the K11+ experiences a fair few collisions, but this isn't the case. On test, it skirted its way around furniture and avoided permanent obstacles with impressive accuracy and reliability.

Ad hoc obstacle avoidance was less consistent. During one cleaning run, the K11+ drove into the dog (who, thankfully, remained unbothered) and then went on to push his water bowl across to the other side of the room.

During my set obstacle avoidance tests it hit my shoe, but on encountering the same shoe a second time, the bot carefully skirted around it before continuing. The K11+ also sucked up a red ribbon I'd used in place of a charge cable, but I wound't say that was surprising – I've yet to find a robovac that can successfully avoid cables, whatever the manufacturers may claim.

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SwitchBot K11+ robot vacuum avoiding a candle — The K11+ didn't always avoid obstacles (Image credit: Future)

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SwitchBot K11+ robot vacuum flipped over to show ribbon wrapped around roller — Definitely tidy away cables before sending it out (Image credit: Future)

Cleaning tests

Next I moved on to TechRadar's official suction tests. For this, I sprinkled dry tea (from a tea bag) and a handful of oats onto the carpet, and monitored how effectively the bot sucked them up.

A single pass in Standard mode took care of most of the oats but only the top layer of tea, and a second in Max sucked up the rest of the oat crumbs and a decent amount of tea. That's a good result – the tea test is purposefully tricky (I used a Dyson V15 Detect to clear it completely).

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Tea and oats on carpet, ready for suction tests (Image credit: Future)

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Remaining tea and oats on carpet, after a single pass with the K11+ — This was what remained after a single pass with the K11+... (Image credit: Future)

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Remaining tea and oats on carpet, after two passes with the K11+ — ... and after two passes (Image credit: Future)

Moving onto the mopping tests. This one felt unfair because it isn't so much a mop as a wet-wipe. Nevertheless, I persevered. I smeared a tiny amount of ketchup on a tiled floor and left it to dry, and also spilled a little soy sauce, to see how the K11+ could clear it.

Predictably, it could not. The soy sauce ended up smeared all over the floor and the ketchup was completely unaffected. I sent my Roborock Saros 10 in to clean up after it.

If I owned this bot, I wouldn't bother with the mopping function at all. For the level of cleaning it delivers, it isn't worth the effort of attaching the wet-wipe. It also limits where you can position the dock, because it can't live in a no-mop zone.

Performance score: 3.5 out of 5

SwitchBot K11+ review: app

Pretty well designed and easy enough to use
Fine-tuning options are limited
Some minor illogical quirks

Since SwitchBot is a brand that makes a number of smart home products, its app is a hub for any SwitchBot gadgets you might own, rather than being dedicated to robovacs only. That means you'll have to click through twice from the homescreen to reach the K11+'s control options.

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Screenshots from the SwitchBot app — (Image credit: SwitchBot / Future)

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Once you reach the right section, it's much like most other robovac apps I've used. Editing a map is straightforward, and you can easily add no-go zones and merge or split spaces. The control options are more limited than you'll find in other, pricier robot vacuums, but all the main bases are covered.

There are a few niggles, though. I was pleased to find a Boost mode for carpets. However, specifying an area of carpet adds a pattern on top of the map that's so dark you then can't see the robot's cleaning path. Slightly annoyingly, there's an 8-character limit on room names that prevents you from, for example, labelling "Top floor", and bafflingly, there's no "Hall" or "Corridor" type option within the room defaults.

App score: 3.5 out of 5

Should you buy the SwitchBot K11+?

Attribute	Notes	Rating
Value	Budget / mid-range at full price, but big discounts are common. Paying a bit of a premium for the small size, but still decent value.	4 / 5
Design	Tiny robovac with an equally compact dock. Not exactly feature-packed, and mopping is very basic, but it looks great with some useful design features.	4 / 5
Performance	Vacuuming is solid and navigation is good, but emptying is noisy and mopping isn't worth bothering with.	3.5 / 5
App	Decent app with a few illogical quirks.	3.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You don't have much space for a dock
If you want auto-empty capabilities but don't have room for a massive dock, this bot is perfect – it has perhaps the smallest auto-empty dock I've seen.

You're dealing with lots of dust or hair
Although the dock is small, its internal dust bag is far bigger than you'll find in most auto-empty docs, with space for plenty of dust or pet hair before it needs replacing.

You want a speedy cleaner
The K11+ rattles along at quite a pace, which means despite its small size, it will get your rooms clean quickly.

Don't buy it if...

Your priority is mopping
The mopping here is really very basic, and for most people, not worth the effort.

You don't have lots of dust or hair
If you're dealing with low levels of dust, you could consider not bothering with auto-emptying at all. There are plenty of excellent full-sized bots with very compact, charge-only docks, for less money than you'll shell out for the K11+.

How I tested the SwitchBot K11+

I used the SwitchBot K11+ as my main vacuum for a fortnight, to get a feel for its general cleaning performance and ease of use. I also ran a series of set suction tests to assess this bot's cleaning powers, seeing how effectively it cleared fine (tea leaves) and chunky (oats) spillages. To assess the mopping, I spilled soy sauce and smeared ketchup on a tiled floor. To test obstacle avoidance, I scattered common items you'd usually find around a home across my living room floor to see if it could correctly identify and avoid them.

During my review period, I assessed how easy it was to set up the SwitchBot K11+, how accurately it made its way around my home, and if there were any annoyances with its performance. I compared my experience with other robot vacuums I've tested, both budget and premium models.

Read more about how we test robot vacuum cleaners

First reviewed September 2025

I tested the Baseus Security S2 – a camera powered by a solar panel that rotates to follow the sun – and it really works

2:10 pm | September 23, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Home Security Smart Home | Comments: Off

Baseus Security S2 Outdoor Camera 4K: two-minute review

Founded around 15 years ago, Shenzen-based Baseus Security is one of a number of Chinese brands whose products are now available across the world. Under review here is a new model, the Baseus Security S2 - an outdoor camera with a twist (quite literally). It’s the follow up model to the 2024 Baseus S1 Pro which was billed as the world’s first 4K security camera with a sun-powered tracking system.

Like its predecessor, the S2 also features an innovative twisting solar panel above the main camera unit to maximize power from the sun. However, the big difference is that the video resolution of this latest model has been improved from 2K to 4K. Rather than 8GB of local storage, the S2 upgrade also features a MicroSD card slot capable of storing up to 256GB local storage.

Baseus Security S2 Outdoor Camera 4K — (Image credit: Chris Price)

That’s particularly useful in avoiding costly monthly cloud storage fees and reducing a potential cybersecurity risk (hackers have been known to access video footage from security cameras stored in the cloud). Unfortunately, however, the memory card isn’t provided as standard so you will have to buy it separately.

Designed to be installed on the outside of a property with an unhindered view of the sky, the S2 comes with a reasonably sturdy mount complete with wall plugs and screws. Once installed, a process that takes around 20-30 mins, it’s simply a case of downloading the iOS/Android app and adding the camera via the QR code on the side of the device.

Whereas some outdoor models are dual-band Wi-Fi compatible (some will even work on 4G/5G cellular networks), the S2 is only compatible with the 2.4GHz, not the 5GHz, band. That said, we didn’t have any issues connecting the camera at the end of the garden to the broadband repeater at the back of the house. With an IP67 waterproof rating, the Baseus Security S2 can, claims the manufacturer, be used in temperatures from -20 degrees centigrade to 50 degrees centigrade – though it never got above 25 degrees centigrade during my testing.

Once the app is installed, it’s simply a case of tailoring the camera’s settings to suit your setup. This includes naming the camera depending on where it’s located (eg backyard) and checking to see if it captures all the areas you need it to.

The field of view of the Baseus camera is 145° which should be wide enough for most applications. You can set up privacy zones to exclude certain areas (handy to prevent accidentally capturing your neighbour’s property) as well as activity zones to detect motion in certain parts of the frame.

Whereas many outdoor security cameras are overly sensitive capturing footage of passing cars, even swaying tree branches, this doesn’t seem to be an issue with the Baseus Security S2. Although it is possible to adjust sensitivity between 1 and 5 we found on the standard 3 setting the camera it didn’t trigger any false positives. Baseus claims the inclusion of radar detection in addition to standard PIR (passive infra-red) detection, reduces false alerts by 99% so you only get relevant notifications.

Best of all are the facial recognition settings which enable you to add the images and names of family members or house mates on the app. It will then detect when it sees these faces on the camera and send you an alert telling you who it has spotted. It’s a feature that is now available on other outdoor security cameras but you usually have to pay a monthly subscription fee for it. With the Baseus, you can even set up motion alerts if the camera spots a vehicle or a pet. Alternatively, these can be excluded if you want to reduce the number of notifications you receive.

Baseus Security S2 Outdoor Camera 4K: price and availability

How much does it cost? Baseus Security S2 £199, $US129, $AU129
When is it available? Available since July 2025
Where is it available? UK/US/AUS

Generally, outdoor security cameras and video doorbells are fairly cheap to buy. That’s because manufacturers can subsidize the price of them with monthly subscriptions, costing anywhere between £2.50 and £15 a month.

Not so the Baseus Security S2 outdoor camera. Rather than being stored in the cloud for a monthly fee, your footage is stored locally on a MicroSD card. And while you will have to buy a MicroSD card if haven’t got one already (I paid £10.99 for a 128GB Samsung EVO Select with SD adaptor), this is still a far cheaper option than being locked into an expensive subscription.

What’s more, the camera offers smart detection/facial recognition features as standard which are normally only available to premium users paying a subscription fee. Plus of course another bonus is the inclusion of solar panel.

That said, the Baseus Security S2 certainly isn’t the cheapest model on the block, particularly in the UK where prices are significantly more expensive than in the US and Australia. It’s also a lot more expensive than its predecessor, the Security S1, which you can currently get for £59 from Amazon. Like the S2, the S1 also features a rotating solar panel. However, the key differences are that it is only offers 2K resolution and 8GB of built-in storage rather than up to 256GB via a MicroSD card.

Value score: 4/5

Baseus Security S2 Outdoor Camera 4K: design

Simple installation
Flexible battery/solar power options
Sleek design

Looking more like a Bluetooth speaker than a conventional security camera, the all-white Baseus Security S2 is long tubular design with an innovative rotating solar panel mounted on top. Screws and wall plugs are provided for mounting the bracket on the wall and the camera can be angled easily to obtain the optimum view.

I had worried that the long and narrow design might make the camera a little unstable when mounted on my wooden summer house, but actually this wasn’t a problem at all. Set up didn’t take too long either (less than half an hour), though obviously if you are mounting on a brick wall you will need to use a drill and wall plugs for installation, which will take longer.

Underneath the device is a USB-C socket for charging the camera up via the mains (a 7800mAh rechargeable battery is built in), as well as a slot for a MicroSD card. Up to 256GB is supported but we used a 128GB card for recording. There’s also a sync button for use during set up and a modest-sized speaker underneath.

On the front of the camera there are PIR and radar sensors for detecting movement more accurately, a small microphone for two-way audio and a powerful spotlight capable of illuminating the night at distances of up to 12 meters.

Next to the circular radar sensor is a similar shaped camera lens, giving the impression of two eyes on a face! Capable of recording in 4K and providing a 145° Horizontal field, the camera displays a flashing blue light on the front of the camera when recording footage. Finally, there’s the solar panel on top of the camera which auto tracks the sun moving 40° to the left or the right from the horizontal position depending on the sun’s location.

Design score: 4.5/5

Baseus Security S2 Outdoor Camera 4K: performance

Excellent 4K image quality
Stable video connection
Smart detection is still work in progress

Never having tested a Baseus security camera before I didn’t really know what to expect. However, I was more than pleasantly surprised. There are really two main issues with outdoor security cameras.

Firstly, images can sometimes be a little unstable because of the longer distances between the router and the camera. Secondly, when you do eventually get a stable image, the onboard sensors are usually so sensitive that they end up recording far too much, draining the battery and creating lots of false alerts.

Not so the Baseus. On both counts, performance was flawless. Despite it only being compatible with 2.4GHz and not the 5GHz Wi-Fi frequency I didn’t have any signal problems at all.

What’s more, it also triggered fewer false alerts than other cameras I’ve tested, in part because of the combination of PIR (passive infra-red) and radar technologies to detect movement. Images are superbly detailed during the day and the spotlight is excellent for illuminating the garden at night to ensure high quality footage in the dark.

That’s not to say everything was perfect. When testing the camera’s two-way audio talking to my wife in the garden, I didn’t think the speaker was the best. Also it’s fair to say that the smart detection/facial recognition system (billed as being in beta) is still a work in progress.

During testing I added images from my phone’s camera roll of family members and friends to see if it recognzsed them when it saw them on camera. Sometimes it did, especially when standing right next to the camera, but often it didn’t. One on occasion it even mistook me for my dog which was a little odd (we don’t look much alike).

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Undoubtedly, what’s really good about the Baseus device is the rotating solar panel. While living in the UK and testing at the beginning of Autumn/Fall wasn’t ideal for testing, we had enough sun to get a pretty good idea of the panel’s performance. After a week of rainy days, power had dropped to 85% but just four days of sunshine was enough to bring it back up to 96%.

Considering I installed the camera practically under the eaves of a summer house and it only received around three hours of direct sunlight a day it really wasn’t bad at all. Usefully, a solar panel image appears on the display to show you when the camera is being powered by the sun and with the detection statistics option in the app you can see how much solar is contributing to the device’s overall power – a nice touch.

Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Baseus Security S2 Outdoor Camera 4K?

Baseus Security S2 Outdoor Camera 4K score card
Attribute	Notes	Score
Value	In the UK, the camera isn’t particularly cheap (although it works out cheaper in the US and Australia). However, the main bonus is you don’t have to pay an expensive monthly subscription so it does work out better in the long run.	4/5
Design	A white tubular design, the Baseus Security S2 is a pretty classy looking security camera. Best of is the solar panel above that rotates towards the sun to maximize power.	4.5/5
Performance	Picture quality is excellent and thanks to the inclusion of radar there are far fewer false alerts than with many cameras. However, facial recognition technology is still a work in progress.	4.5/5
Overall	An excellent outdoor security camera with an innovative rotating solar panel. Though it’s a little more expensive than some models, the lack of a monthly subscription fee means in the long term it’s much better value.	4.5/5

Buy it if

You want to maximize power from the sun

A large rotating solar panel means that this outdoor camera is able to maximize power from the sun so you shouldn’t need to charge it very often especially if you live in sunny climes.

You want high quality images

Boasting 4K resolution, the Baseus device provides some of the sharpest images I’ve ever seen from an outdoor camera. Connectivity is very good too.

Don't buy it if

You want to locate it in a shaded area

Of course you can still power the security camera from the mains via the USB-C socket if you are located in the shade. But where this device really comes into its own is with the solar panel.

You just want a cheap solution

Costing nearly £200 in the UK, there are simply much cheaper options out there. However, always bear in mind that you may need to pay a monthly subscription fee with some devices.

Baseus Security S2 Outdoor Camera 4K: also consider

Camera	Baseus Security S2 4K	Reolink Altas PT Ultra	Eufy 4K S330 Security Camera	Ring Outdoor Cam Plus
Subscription price	None	From £3.49 a month	None	From £4.99 a month
Viewing angle	145 degrees horizontal	355-degree pan / 90-degree tilt camera view	360-degree view	140 degrees horizontal
Network connection	Wi-Fi (2.4GHz)	Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz)	Wi-Fi/4G	Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz)
Audio	Two-way audio	Two-way audio	Two-way audio	Two-way audio
Video	4K video resolution	4K video resolution	4K video resolution	2,560 x 1,440 (2K)
Power	Battery, solar	Battery, solar	Battery, solar	Mains, battery, solar
Hardware price	£199 (with built-in solar panel)	£229 (with solar panel)	£189 (with solar panel)	£69 (£99 with solar panel )

Reolink Altas PT Ultra

A very advanced home and business security solution boasting a large rechargeable battery and solar panel. Can record footage 12 hours a day for over a week with colour night vision facility.

Read our full Reolink Altas PT Ulta review

Eufy 4K S330 Security Camera

An extremely innovative battery and solar-powered camera, the Eufy can be used with the supplied 4G Sim card to capture recordings - ideal for those who live in areas with poor Wi-Fi/broadband.

Read our full Eufy 4K S330 Security Camera review

How I tested the Baseus Security S2 Outdoor Camera 4K:

I used the camera outdoors
I installed it myself
I tested the facial recognition technology with family and friends

To test any outdoor security camera you really need to use it regularly over a period of time to get used to its quirks and idiosyncrasies. I decided to use this camera for a period of two weeks in the back garden. It was placed on my summer house at a height of about 2.5 metres and connected to a wireless repeater in my kitchen around 13 metres away.

During this period, we experienced a range of weather conditions to challenge the IP-67 rating of the camera. This included heavy rain and cloud followed by a period of around 4 to 5 days of sunshine. It was during this sunny period that the solar power really came into its own, charging the battery back to nearly 100% despite regular daily alerts via the app.

I was won over by this affordable cordless vacuum’s lightweight build and excellent edge cleaning

1:37 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances Vacuums | Comments: Off

Levoit LVAC-300 cordless: two-minute review

The Levoit LVAC-300 is a simple, cordless stick vacuum designed to deliver effective cleaning for an affordable price. I tested it out for three weeks and while its cleaning powers aren't up there with the best cordless vacuums on the market, it's still a solid performer for the price. California-based (Chinese-owned) Levoit may be best known for its purifiers and fans, but this cordless proves it knows what it's doing on floors, too.

In my tests, the LVAC-300 was strong on hard floors and low-pile rugs, quieter than expected, and was especially good at cleaning the edges of rooms. It's also lightweight and easy to maneuver – in fact, it can even stand upright on its own. There are are few compromises, however. It's not great at cleaning thicker rugs, the floorhead gets in a tangle when faced with long hair, and the filter clogs quickly too.

It won't be the best vacuum cleaner for everyone, but the LVAC-300 is perfect for frugal shoppers who have mostly hard floors are aren’t easily wooed by fancy frills or cutting-edge tech. That's the short version; read on for my full Levoit LVAC-300 review.

Levoit LVAC-300 vacuum being used on hard floor — The black, bronze and silver livery is easy on the eye, if not swoon-worthy (Image credit: Future)

Levoit LVAC-300 cordless review: price & availability

List price: US $349.99/ GBP £249.99
Launch date: March 2025
Availability: US and UK

In the US, the Levoit LVAC-300 hit shelves in Spring 2025, following an official debut at CES in Las Vegas. It has a list price of $349.99, but the good news is you’ll almost never pay that. Levoit’s own site, Amazon and Best Buy regularly kick it down to around $269.99, and I even spotted it for $249 in a recent Prime Day sale.

The LVAC-300 went on sale in the UK a few months later, with an RRP of £249.99. Again, it’s worth digging around – you can find it closer to £199 if you know where to look (spoiler, head to Amazon). Discounts aren’t quite as plentiful as in the States, but it’s worth keeping an eye out around major shopping events.

Either way, you're getting a bit of a steal for a cordless that promises 60 minutes’ runtime, comes with a motorized floor head, mini brush, crevice tool and wall mount in the box. Filters and spare batteries are extra, but that’s standard practice, even when you shell out twice as much. At this price point it sits in the lower-mid range; not a bargain basement buy, but without the wallet-burning tag of a Dyson.

All told, the LVAC-300 seems fairly priced for what you’re getting. It’s not going to out-muscle a top-end Shark or Dyson (especially on thick carpet), but for everyday cleaning it’s quietly capable. It feels well pitched for anyone wanting a competent cordless without the bling of flashier brands.

Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Levoit LVAC-300 cordless specs

Weight:	6.6 lbs / 3kg
Dimensions (H x W x D):	43.3 x 9.8 x 7.7in / 110 x 24.9 x 19.6cm
Floorhead width:	10in / 25.4cm
Filter:	HEPA
Bin capacity:	0.8 quarts / 0.75L
Battery:	21.6V 3.0Ah
Max runtime:	60 minutes
Charge time:	3.5-4 hours

Levoit LVAC-300 cordless review: design

Light and easy to swing about, though the grip position is odd at first
Aesthetics not exactly premium, but inoffensive
Small info screen, and buttons to scroll between the 3 power modes

Unboxing the Levoit LVAC-300 cordless was a total delight. It arrived in the tiniest box imaginable – I genuinely thought half the vacuum was missing. Turns out Levoit has cleverly shoehorned it in to save on packaging waste. Slot the pieces together, give it three hours to charge, and you’re good to go. Easy.

The Levoit LVAC-300 cordless is also refreshingly lightweight. The handle is angled slightly oddly, which threw the ergonomics off for me, but I got used to it quickly enough. Looks-wise, I’d describe this as 'utility chic'. I’ve certainly tested uglier vacuums, but this one won’t be winning any design awards. The plastics felt a smidge cheap, especially when swapping out tools, and the buttons have all the glamour of an office photocopier (showing my age there).

Levoit LVA-300 vacuum in box on marble counter — Carbon footprint-friendly compact packaging (mug for scale!) (Image credit: Future)

And then there’s the quirky design choice of perching the bin above the main wand – rather than tucking it neatly underneath in the more familiar style. It looked a bit back-to-front to my eye – although, to be fair, this is the configuration used in the best Dyson vacuums these days. On the plus side, you do get an unfiltered view of the dust, hair and fluff collecting, which is always satisfying, not to mention useful for avoiding overfilling.

Levoit LVACC-300 vacuum being used to clean under a sofa — Because the bin is on the top size, it can get very low to the floor (Image credit: Future)

The control panel is pretty basic. A little lozenge-shaped screen, a chunky on/off button right under your thumb, and two smaller buttons to scroll between Eco, Mid and Turbo modes. The screen also shows battery life, mode, and warnings for blockages – though you’ll need good eyesight to notice them. That’s it. No apps, no smart integrations – refreshingly simple.

Levoit LVAC-300 vacuum with Crevice tool being used to clean curtains — The 2-in-1 nozzle is a nifty bit of multitasking design (Image credit: Future)

The LVAC-300 only ships with two extra tools: a 2-in-1 crevice nozzle with a slide-down brush and a mini motorized brush. That doesn’t sound like much, but in practice, between them, these tools handled everything I threw at them.

Some vacuums ship with a wide variety of random detail tools, but I think that's unnecessary – they'll generally end up cluttering my utility cupboard, never to be used. The main floorhead here is the real workhorse anyway, with a powered multi-surface brush, rubber fins and an anti-tangle roller designed to shrug off hair-wrap.

Design score: 3.5 out of 5

Levoit LVAC-300 cordless review: performance

Maneuvers like a dream – light, nimble and even stands up on its own
Filters clogged quickly and occasionally dirt made it past them
Cleaning power is solid, but it's not great with hair and larger debris

Using the Levoit LVAC-300 cordless day-to-day was a breeze. It’s light enough that my RSI-riddled wrist didn’t complain (even on the staircase), and it corners beautifully, picking up right to the edges. I loved that it stands upright on its own and reclines with a little nudge of your foot, which meant I could steer it one-handed while my other hand shoved chairs and pets out of the way.

Levoit LVAC-300 in bedroom — The freestanding design is far easier than resting on the floor while you move obstacles. (Image credit: Future)

Because the bin sits above the hose, you can also get it completely flat to the floor and reach right under sofas. On the downside, it defaults to Eco mode every time you turn it on, which drove me a bit bonkers. I always had to ramp it up manually, and I really missed my Miele DuoFlex’s Auto mode, which adapts to different floor types so I can vacuum while listening to my audiobook rather than paying attention to the task in hand.

It also clattered noisily over my reclaimed terracotta tiles, though suction didn’t seem affected. Noise-wise, I measured it between 61-68 decibels, which is actually quieter than most cordless vacs I’ve tested. Eco is almost gentle on the ears, and even Turbo never reached eardrum-spitting territory.

Close up of full dust cup on Levoit LVAC-300 vacuum — The 0.75L bin is relatively generous for this type of vacuum (Image credit: Future)

Emptying the bin was blissfully mess-free. No dust clouds, no digging about with a wooden spoon handle or kebab stick. Plus, every component is washable, which makes maintenance straightforward.

The only downer is that the filters clogged quickly during testing. They’re simple enough to rinse under the tap, but with no spares included, the vacuum had to sit idle while they dried. Worryingly, some dirt and dog hair somehow managed to get past the two filters and were gathered around the motor entrance. At this point I did need my trusty kebab stick to clear it away.

(And don’t get me started on the sticky residue left behind when I tried to peel the maintenance instruction sticker off the bin canister. Very upsetting.)

Hair that has got past the filter on the Levoit LVAC-300 vacuum — The double filters should have stopped this debris getting through (Image credit: Future)

Hair proved quite the challenge for this cordless, despite promises of a no-wrap roller. I dumped an entire brush’s worth of my daughters’ long locks onto the floor (yuck) and set the LVAC-300 loose. It managed a fair amount, but the roller inevitably clumped up. In good news, the Levoit’s brush bar pops out in seconds, so a quick snip with the scissors and I was back in business.

Hair wrapped around the roller on the Levoit LVA-300 vacuum — I wasn't impressed by the no-wrap roller (Image credit: Future)

Suction tests

Now for the fun bit: the tests. I started with fine dust; a teabag’s worth scattered across my wooden engineered flooring. On eco, the LVAC-300 gobbled it up in a single pass, even from the grooves between planks. On carpet, Eco barely made a dent, so I cranked it to Turbo. Better, but a faint smudge of tea leaves still lingered, like my husband’s five o’clock shadow – and I am afraid I had to reach for my Miele to get the carpet fully clean again.

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Levoit LVAC-300 vacuum review — (Image credit: Future)

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Next came 30g of oats to represent bigger debris. On hard floors, the LVAC-300 struggled at first because the floorhead acted more like a snowplough than a vacuum, pushing the oats into little drifts. Lifting the head slightly and hovering over the oats worked, but it’s not ideal. Turbo helped, but I still had to chase some strays.

Again, this isn’t unique – even Dyson vacuums sometimes bulldoze big debris across tile – but the best Shark vacuums tend to have edge here, with heads that are better designed to funnel large bits straight into the suction path. Switch to carpet, however, and the LVAC-300 was surprisingly effective, scooping up oats cleanly even on Eco.

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The edge cleaning test was genuinely impressive. I lined a corner with tea leaves, expecting to need the crevice tool, but the LVAC-300 slurped up every last bit in Eco mode. Honestly, it matched my Miele here, which is high praise – so many cordless models leave frustrating crumbs in the corners. I also tried it over the sheepskin rug in our spare bedroom and it did an admirable job of fluffing up the fleece without the rollerbrush getting blocked and stopping rotating, which made a refreshing change.

Levoit LVAC-300 vacuum cleaning up to the edge of a room — The edge cleaning test was a complete success (Image credit: Future)

In summary, the LVAC-300 did what it promised and offered reasonable suction, easy handling and quieter operation than many. It doesn’t quite topple the big names in every test, but it put up a very respectable fight at a far friendlier price. Fine dust removal on carpet could have been better, but for everyday cleaning it got the job done with minimal fuss and zero arm ache.

Performance score: 3.5 out of 5

Levoit LVAC-300 cordless review: battery

41 minutes in Eco, 22 minutes in Mid, 14 minutes in Turbo
Just under 4 hours to recharge, with flexible charging options
Easily enough juice for a decent clean on one charge

Levoit reckons you’ll get 60 minutes out of the LVAC-300 in Eco mode, but that figure is with the nozzle attachment, not the powered floorhead, which is a little misleading. I have never spent an hour vacuuming with a nozzle in my life.

The fine print in the User Manual promises 40 minutes with the floorhead attached, which was pretty accurate. My stopwatch recorded 41 minutes in Eco mode with the floor head, which was good enough for me. I’d actually run out of things to vacuum and left it buzzing on the floor just to see it die.

Turbo gave me 14 minutes, which doesn’t sound like much but was plenty to whip round the ground floor and staircase of my four-bed family home. For a cordless at any price point, that’s seriously respectable.

Recharging takes around four hours, which is par for the course. I like that you can either click it onto the dock or pop the battery out and plug it in elsewhere, so you’re not at the mercy of having a wall socket in the perfect spot.

Despite the 60 minute 'fake news' on Levoit's marketing, the battery life impressed me. I got through a full clean on a single charge without breaking a sweat, and that’s really all most people will need. However, there are models – even in this budget-friendly bracket – that offer longer runtimes if you need them.

Battery life score: 3.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Levoit LVAC-300 cordless?

Attribute	Notes	Rating
Value	Strong mid-range pricing with regular discounts. Offers features you’d usually pay more for, though can’t quite match pricier rivals on power.	4/5
Design	Lightweight and easy to maneuver, though the styling is a bit basic. Simple controls and easy setup win it back points.	3.5/5
Performance	Excellent on hard floors and edges, but struggles with fine dirt on carpet, and long hair in general. Overall solid cleaning results.	3.5/5
Battery	40 minutes in Eco with the main floorhead is decent but other models give you longer. A solid 16 mins in Turbo mode.	3.5/5

Buy it if...

You have mostly hard floors

The LVAC-300 performed very well on hard floors, and is especially impressive at clearing dirt from the edges of rooms. It's also lightweight and very easy to wrangle.

You're on a budget

At list price the LVAC is mid-range, but big discounts are rare and can deliver very strong value for money.

You appreciate a simple life

If the thought of downloading an app to run a vacuum makes you want to lie down in a dark room, take note. Big on/off button, three modes, no Wi-Fi pairing fails. Even your nan could suss it out.

Don't buy it if...

You have lots of carpet

This vacuum struggled a little with cleaning carpets. Turbo helps, but it’s still not great at dragging dust out of thicker pile, no matter how much time you spend dragging it back and forth.

You're obsessed with high-end tech

If you want a vacuum that looks like it belongs in an Apple Store, step away. The LVAC-300 is more functional than fantasy.

You live with Rapunzel

Although it had no problem with pet hair, long human hair wrapped around the roller like a clingy baby koala that isn’t ready to leave its mum.

How I tested the Levoit LVAC-300 cordless

I lived with the Levoit LVAC-300 as my main vacuum for nearly three weeks, putting it through its paces in our four-bed home, which is home to our family of four, plus two dogs and a budgie. That meant daily whizzes around the kitchen and hallway (the main crumb/fluff zones), plus regular runs up the stairs, rugs and on the wool bedroom carpets to see how it coped. I timed battery life in each mode with my Garmin watch and used a decibel app on my phone to check out noise levels.

I also made sure to test all the attachments: the mini motorized brush was drafted in for sofas and pet beds, while the crevice tool was sent hunting for dust bunnies under radiators and cobwebs along the curtain rails. The main floorhead got the biggest workout, smashing through a mix of pet hair, school-run debris and general family chaos. I played around with setup, docking and charging too, trying both the wall mount (admittedly not screwed to the wall but I recreated the effect just fine propped against the wall) and popping the battery out to plug it in elsewhere.

In short, I didn’t just whizz it round the house for 10 minutes before hitting the keyboard, both set tests and real-life use was long and thorough, and I really got to know this impressive little vacuum during the process.

Read more about how we test vacuum cleaners

First reviewed September 2025

The Terra Kaffe TK-02 brings the high-end coffee shop to your home

4:00 pm | September 21, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Coffee Machines Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Comments: Off

Terra Kaffe TK-02: two-minute review

Who knew excellent coffee could be so easy? Fill up the water tank and pour your bag of whole coffee beans into the hopper. If you like milk-based drinks, put your milk of choice into the milk carafe and attach it to the machine. The Terra Kaffe TK-02 will craft your favorite drink that rivals your local coffee shop with just a tap.

Choose from a limited menu on the Terra Kaffe TK-02's screen, or select from a longer list in the app. Create custom beverages to suit your personal taste. You can also teach (Amazon assistant) Alexa to brew your drink of choice on your voice command.

Terra Kaffe TK-02 making a flat white — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

While it's certainly not perfect, this is the be-all, end-all coffee maker that replaces the two Nespresso machines, drip coffee machine, and coffee grinder I had in my coffee nook. The Terra Kaffe TK-02 is an expensive machine, though one could argue that if this gets you to eliminate your daily coffee shop runs it could pay for itself in a couple of years or less. The footprint is pretty large, though not nearly as big as the four machines it replaces for me. And like any coffee machine, it does require regular cleaning and maintenance, though none of it is difficult.

The bottom line is this: I've tested a lot of coffee machines in my personal and professional life, but I have never made better-tasting coffee and espresso drinks more quickly and easily than I have with the Terra Kaffe TK-02.

Flat white coffee — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

Terra Kaffe TK-02: price and availability

Available at Terra Kaffe and several high-end online and brick-and-mortar retailers
Retails for $1,995 (£1,461 / AU$2,991)
Terra Kaffe has a rental program

You can purchase the Terra Kaffe TK-02 directly from Terra Kaffe's website, where it retails for $1,995 (£1,461 / AU$2,991). Currently, there is a $300 discount offer if you pair the machine with a coffee subscription. You can also rent the machine from Terra Kaffe for $119 per month.

Other places you can purchase the machine include high-end retailers like Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, CB2, and Seattle Coffee Gear. The Terra Kaffe TK-02 is available in two colors: black and white.

Terra Kaffe TK-02 on counter — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

Terra Kaffe TK-02: specs

Name	Terra Kaffe TK-02
Type	Automatic
Dimensions (D x W x H)	17.5” (D) x 10.4” (W) x 14.3” (H) / 44.45 cm (D) x 26.42 cm (W) x 36.32 cm (H)
Weight	29.5 lbs / 13.38 kg
Water reservoir capacity	75 fl oz / 2.22 liters
Milk frother	Yes
Bars of pressure	9

Terra Kaffe TK-02: design

Modern, sleek design
Everything you need except coffee and cups included
So easy to use

The Terra Kaffe TK-02 is sleek and modern, basically a giant rectangular cube with a drip tray sticking out the front. It's not immediately identifiable as a coffee machine, on looks alone. I tested the white model, but it also comes in black. I'd recommend the black version if you don't have a strong preference, since white shows the coffee spatters. The touchscreen on the top left front of the machine comes awake when you tap it.

Terra Kaffe TK-02 with all its accessories — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

The Terra Kaffe TK-02 is pretty big and heavy, at 17.5” (D) x 10.4” (W) x 14.3” (H) / 44.45 cm (D) x 26.42 cm (W) x 36.32 cm (H) and weighing in at 29.5 lbs / 13.38 kg. Still, it easily fits into my coffee nook with plenty of room to spare. And it takes up a lot less room than the four machines I had in there previously. My husband likes to use his own beans, so his coffee grinder and drip machine, plus my two pod machines (both coffee and espresso) were previously filling up that entire nook. The Terra Kaffe TK-02 eliminates the need for all the other machines.

It comes with a milk carafe that hooks up to the Terra Kaffe TK-02 to make lattes and other milk drinks, a wooden spoon for measuring ground coffee, a water filter, cleaning solution, and descaling solution.

Terra Kaffe TK-02 top of machine — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

There are two coffee compartments on top. The main hopper holds up to 16 ounces (a typical bag) of whole bean coffee. A smaller, secondary compartment is for pre-ground coffee. If you use this option, add just one scoop of ground coffee and select the pre-ground coffee option from the brewing menu. Note that Terra Kaffe does not recommend using oily or flavored coffee beans.

A dial on the right side of the machine adjust the amount of steam you get in your milk. Dial it to the top to just heat your milk, or dial it to the bottom marker to froth.

Terra Kaffe TK-02 water tank — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

The water tank sits behind a door on the front of the machine. As with all maintenance, the Terra Kaffe TK-02 will alert you when the water is running low, though the water level is visible even with the door closed.

The touch screen is the brain of the machine, and it will also let you know when the grounds container (which holds nine pucks) or drip tray needs to be emptied, when you need to descale or deep clean the machine, and when you need to refill the coffee hopper.

Terra Kaffe TK-02 removing grounds — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

Design score: 4.5/5

Terra Kaffe TK-02: performance

Crafts amazing coffee and espresso drinks
Steam or froth your milk of choice
Could not be easier to use

What you really want from a coffee machine is delicious coffee, and the Terra Kaffe TK-02 delivers. You probably also want flexibility to create different kinds of beverages, easy/quick brewing, and easy clean-up. You get all of that with this machine. There are definitely some quirks, but overall, this machine's performance is excellent.

Double espresso over ice in front of Terra Kaffe TK-02 — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

The Terra Kaffe TK-02 has lots of pre-set coffee and espresso settings, but any of them can be altered to your tastes. You can adjust the grind size, the amount of coffee, the amount of water, and the amount of milk. When making espresso, you can choose between "TK Standard" and "TK Specialty" brew. The TK Specialty tastes slightly stronger to me, so I reached out the company and they confirmed that it is indeed a stronger brew.

You can create your own custom beverages to your exact specifications, so the possibilities are nearly endless. You can only put 10 drinks at a time on the machine's touchscreen menu, but it's easy enough to add and remove your favorites in the Terra Kaffe app.

Terra Kaffee TK-02 brewing iced coffee — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

I brewed an iced coffee, which comes out at a slightly lower temperature and is specially designed for drinking over ice. I found it a bit weak, so I just changed the recipe, reducing the amount of water and increasing the amount of coffee. That made it perfect for my tastes. I also created a drink just for my husband, which is basically a standard Americano with an extra two shots of espresso. You can literally create anything and make it an option on your touchscreen menu.

The touchscreen menu is limited to ten drinks, so put your ten favorites there. You can still access plenty more (or create more anytime) easily with the Terra Kaffe app. You can teach your Alexa Amazon Assistant to work your Terra Kaffe TK-02, but I found that connection to be rather inconsistent.

The machine has to be on already; Alexa won't turn it on. Then you have to ask Alexa to launch the machine, because if you just ask to brew right away, she won't get it. Even then, sometimes she doesn't do what you ask. And she keeps asking you questions when you're done brewing, which is kind of annoying. Frankly, I found myself not really using Alexa much; both the touchscreen and the app are so easy to use. I open the app and wake the machine while I'm still in bed; by the time I get downstairs, the Terra Kaffe TK-02 is ready to brew.

Terra Kaffe TK-02 brewing a macchiato — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

Though I'm not really a milky coffee drinker, I did test out a number of milk-based drinks such as latte, cappuccino, macchiato, and flat white. They were all quite good, the milk frother heats and froths the milk as you'd expect. How much foam you get can also depend on the sort of milk you use. I used 2% dairy milk.

Terra Kaffe TK-02 brewed latte — (Image credit: Karen Freeman /Future)

The Terra Kaffe TK-02 automatically grinds your beans to the correct size for the type of coffee you're brewing. For drip coffee, the beans will be ground on the coarser side. For espresso, you'll get a finer grind. Both of those can be adjusted to your preferences. Like all the best espresso machines, the Terra Kaffe TK-02 brews espresso at 9 bars of pressure.

If you prefer to use pre-ground beans, you put them in a separate designated hopper and select the pre-ground beans option before brewing. This is helpful for the occasional cup of decaf or using gifted grounds, but otherwise I'd stick to fresh whole beans.

Terra Kaffe TK-02 brewing Americano — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

Cleaning is pretty simple, but the machine does require regular attention. The Terra Kaffe TK-02 self-rinses frequently. I got in the habit of keeping a cup under the spout when not in use to catch the majority of rinse cycles. You can expect the machine to rinse out a few ounces of water when warming up, and again when shutting down. It also just rinses itself at random times.

We drink four cups a day on average, and even with the cup under the spout, I still have to empty the drip tray roughly daily. This is because water comes out directly into the drip tray sometimes too. If you froth milk, you'll need to run a rinse of the milk system right after. As you might expect, the water tank needs to be refilled pretty frequently as well.

Cleaning up the grounds couldn't be easier. All of the grounds end up as pucks in the grounds bin, you just have to pull it out and dump it roughly every nine brew sessions.

At some point, I'll need to do a deep clean and a descale. But in several weeks of use, it has not come up yet. You do not have to guess when to do any of this maintenance, as the machine will let you know when to do it and offer guidance if you're not sure how to go about it.

Terra Kaffe TK-02 cappuccino — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

Performance score: 5/5

Should you buy the Terra Kaffe TK-02?

Terra Kaffe TK-02 score card
Attribute	Notes	Score
Value	It's expensive, but is it cheaper than your daily coffee shop runs?	4/5
Design	It's cleverly designed and looks sleek on your countertop.	4.5/5
Performance	There's no learning curve. Brewing amazing coffee and espresso drinks is so easy.	5/5

Buy it if

You want delicious coffee and espresso drinks

Both the coffee and espresso are just delicious. Drip coffee, iced coffee, espresso, Americano, latte, cappuccino, macchiato, flat white: all amazing. I have no notes.

You want to kick the daily coffee shop habit

I can't imagine wanting to pay for a drink in a shop when the Terra Kaffe TK-02 is at home. Other than buying your whole coffee beans of choice, you might not even go to the coffee shop anymore.

You want easy

It literally couldn't be easier to make coffee from whole beans. Touch a button or tell Alexa to make your drink of choice in seconds. It's no harder than a pod machine but offers so many more options and produces excellent results.

Don't buy it if

You don't have it in the budget

If you have an expensive coffee shop habit and do the math, you might find that the Terra Kaffe TK-02 pays for itself—eventually. But this machine is quite pricey, even if you do a monthly rental.

You don't have space

While the Terra Kaffe TK-02 fits quite nicely in my coffee nook, it's not a small machine by any means. If you have a smaller kitchen, you'll need to decide how much counter space you can give up.

Terra Kaffe TK-02: also consider

Jura J10

In a similar price range but slightly cheaper, the Jura J10 makes all the espresso drinks you'd expect. But its specialty is incorporating your favorite flavored syrups into your milk foam.

Read our full Jura J10 review

De'Longhi La Specialista Touch

Looking for something smaller and cheaper? A semi-automatic espresso machine like this one might be for you. It has a built-in frothing wand, coffee bean grinder, and touch screen. It makes nine different drinks with ease.

Read our full De'Longhi La Specialista Touch review

How I tested the Terra Kaffe TK-02

Over the course of two weeks, I brewed multiple variations of coffee, espresso, iced coffee, and Americanos. I also made espresso-based milk drinks such as latte, cappuccino, macchiato, and flat white using cold 2% dairy milk. I performed maintenance on the Terra Kaffe TK-02 as directed by the machine: emptying the drip tray, refilling the water, emptying the coffee grounds, and adding new coffee beans.

First reviewed September 2025

The Casabrews CM5418 is a small but mighty espresso machine for the casual coffee lover

6:00 pm | September 17, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Coffee Machines Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Tags: UK, US | Comments: Off

Casabrews CM5418: one-minute review

For many folks attempting to recreate the cafe experience at home, the absolute best of the best espresso machines just aren’t a practical choice.

Not only do luxury options come with a pretty crushing price tag, they also tend to be larger and offer fewer beginner-friendly modifications. Although, you could argue that this is by design; those who approach espresso as a deeply-involved hobby won’t mind trading off some extra counter space and time in exchange for perfectly dialled-in shots. Meanwhile, if your goal is a consistently pretty tasty output with very few bells and whistles, something like the Casabrews CM5418 really hits the mark.

At just $139.99 / £149.99, the CM5418 is a seriously budget-friendly espresso machine, even when compared to the rest of Casabrews’ already low-cost lineup. There are a few areas where cut corners feel like an obvious downgrade: mainly in the feel of the portafilter and the accessories the machine comes with. However, it performs consistently with the aid of its double-walled baskets, continually producing well-extracted espresso with noticeable crema that the majority of coffee enjoyers would be pleased with.

It may be worth investing in a couple of upgrades if you want to be able to pull espresso that wows, but in the meantime, you can enjoy perfectly pleasant americanos, lattes, and more from the CM5418 as is.

Casabrews CM5418: price and availability

List price: $139.99 / £149.99 (price varies depending on color variants)
Available in the US and UK
Discounts available on Casabrews' website

When it comes to espresso machines that are kind to your wallet, the price of the Casabrews CM5418 is close to as good as it gets.

In the US, you can purchase the Casabrews CM5418 for $139.99 at the Casabrews site and on Amazon. Though it’s worth noting that the MSRP for colored versions is a little higher, at $169.99. The Casabrews site has regular coupon codes and sales, so you may be able to score this machine for even cheaper.

Casabrews ships to the UK as well, but all the prices are listed in US dollars. Alternatively, you can pick up the CM5418 from Amazon UK. Unfortunately, the full color range isn’t available on Amazon UK, but this won’t be an issue if you had your heart set on a silver or black version.

Value score: 5/5

Casabrews CM5418: specifications

Type	Semi-automatic espresso machine
Drink options	2 (single and double espresso)
Pump pressure	20 bar
Water tank capacity	34oz / 1 liter
Steam wand	Yes, manual
Side (H x W x D)	12.28 x 5.47 x 11.97 inches / 31.19 x 13.89 x 30.14cm
Weight	8.6lb / 3.9kg

Casabrews CM5418: design

Small-scale, charming design
Available in seven colors
Cheap-feeling portafilter and disappointing accessories

The Casabrews CM5418 is a compact little espresso machine that’d be right at home in small kitchens, office spaces, or even on the road in a campervan. With it coming in at under six inches wide, you really shouldn’t have any difficulty finding a home for it, even in living areas that are tight on space. What’s more, it’s exceptionally light too. So even if you do decide to store in the cupboard between uses, you’ll only have to shift 8.6lbs in and out each time.

I’d prefer to keep my machine out of the counter though, and not just for convenience’s sake; the CM5418 actually looks rather cute. The pressure gauge on the front face is not only a very practical clue of how well your espresso is extracting but also adds some visual interest to a machine lacking a LCD screen. Though this is actually inline with my own preferences, to be honest: I found the four simple, tactile buttons on the CM5418 to be far more satisfying to use than the digital displays or touchscreens found on some expensive espresso machines.

If you fancy jazzing up your coffee station a bit, there’s a decently wide range of color options to choose from: silver, black, beige, sapphire blue, baby blue, pastel green, and pink. This is a win for anyone who’s a sucker for color coordination, but you will end up paying a $30 premium for any color other than silver. Such is the cost of beauty, I guess.

True to its lower price point, the CM5418’s build doesn’t feel composed of particular high-end materials. But, in my time testing it, I never found the slight compromise on component quality to be much of an issue. That is, with the exception of the machine’s 51mm portafilter.

Not only is the portafilter handle made from a hard plastic that really doesn’t feel especially pleasant in the hand, but the mechanism for securing the basket into it is a little unwieldy too. The standard method involves having a spring clip to maintain tension when the basket is pushed into the portafilter, but the CM5418 baskets have a notch that has to be threaded into a gap in the portafilter’s lip instead. As a result, the basket wobbles and clacks around noisily when the portafilter is moved, and it’s not difficult to disturb your puck preparation with this instability. I didn’t have any problems with the basket outright falling out of the portafilter during my tests, but it’s not hard to imagine that the looseness of the threads could occasionally lead to you accidentally sending your basket flying into your knock box.

The CM5418 comes with a one shot basket and a two shot basket, both of which are pressurized. Casabrews’ decision to not include a non-pressurized basket says a lot about how beginner-friendly this machine is supposed to be. Instead of relying on the resistance of water traveling through your coffee puck, the extra wall in a pressurized basket does the heavy lifting when it comes to regulating extraction pressure and creating the appearance of crema. As a result, less precision is needed for a consistent output and you can even get away with using preground coffee. However, the trade off is that you just won’t achieve the same peak in flavor.

If you do find that you’d prefer to use a non-pressurized basket with your CM5418, you’re in a bit of a pickle. Not only does the machine have a relatively uncommon grouphead size of 51mm but as mentioned before, the portafilter doesn’t use a spring clip. Not even on the Casabrews website is there an option to buy single-walled baskets that are compatible with the CM5418’s stock portafilter. So, if you want to make this change, you’ll have to purchase a whole new portafilter.

Even if you don’t opt for a single-walled upgrade, there are some accessories you’ll want to pick up that aren’t covered by what you get in-box. For example, the CM5418 doesn’t come with a stainless steel jug to steam your milk in. So, if you’re going to try your hand at lattes, that’s worth chucking in your basket. A plastic tamp-scoop is included that’s extremely lightweight, and the scoop end makes it difficult to position your hand for proper tamping. It’s fine in a pinch, but definitely not ideal. For the price, these are less ‘deal breakers’ and more annoying yet understandable cut corners.

Design score: 3.5/5

Casabrews CM5418: performance

Quick heat-up time and simple operation
Consistent espresso output
Impressive steam wand

As with most entry/mid level espresso machines, the CM5418’s water is heated using a thermoblock rather than a traditional boiler. The main benefit of a thermoblock heating system (other than cutting down cost) is just how speedy it makes the preheating process. As a matter of fact, the CM5418 is ready to go in about 40 seconds. While this isn’t quite as fast as the 5-second heat up time promised from the CM5418 Pro, it’s still far from anything that would disrupt your morning routine. After all, 40 seconds isn’t the kind of wait that would get in the way of your coffee-making flow; it's like the perfect amount of time to grab your favorite mug and weigh out your beans.

Thanks to the double-walled baskets, pulling a tasty shot of espresso with the CM5418 is a lot more foolproof than it would otherwise be. Of course, the beans you choose still matter – as does your grind size, extraction time, and dosage – but pressurized baskets help to crank the difficulty meter down a bit. You’re still aiming for that bullseye although the area of the bullseye is just that bit bigger. So, while I still dealt with some fussing adjusting my grind for the best extraction, it didn’t take too much effort to get to something tasty.

For the majority of my test shots, I used Mask of the Mire from Dark Arts Coffee. These beans yielded espresso which was nutty and sweet, if lacking in complexity just a bit. Though it’s not hard to imagine that my shots could fare better with some slight upgrades to the machine, what I had was consistently great for the basis of an americano or a milk drink …despite being a tad boring on its own.

Even right out of the box, the steam wand had a fluid range of motion that made it easy to position it at the right point in my milk jug. It’s operated by a knob on the side of the machine and responds quickly to activation, meaning you can get straight into aerating your milk without much fuss. Some other budget espresso machines like the (non Arte) DeLonghi Dedica have what’s called a panarello wand, which is best suited to making fluffy, dry cappuccino foam, but majorly falls down when it comes to creating microfoam. Meanwhile, the CM5418 has no trouble delivering velvety milk well suited to a flat white.

As mentioned before, the water (and subsequently, the steam) is heated with a thermoblock and while this makes the process faster, it does mean that pulling espresso and steaming milk can’t be done at the same time. Switching between modes takes mere seconds. So, this is really only a problem if you anticipate making multiple milk-based drinks in a row.

4.5/5

Should you buy the Casabrews CM5418?

Casabrews CM5418 score card
Attribute	Notes	Score
Value	Espresso machines don't get much more affordable than this.	5/5
Design	Small, charming design in a choice of colors, but accessories feel cheap.	3.5/5
Performance	Quick to heat up, easy to use, and more consistent than many of the budget espresso machines we;ve tested.	4.5/5

Buy it if

You’re looking for an espresso machine under $150

Putting together a coffee setup can get pricey really quick, and if you’re trying to keep costs low, it’s worth splurging most of your budget on a good grinder.

You tend to follow the same espresso recipe daily

The CM5418’s single-walled baskets and lack of temperature controls make it a little more difficult to finetune your recipe to get the very most out of a new bag of beans. If you’re a creature of habit who doesn’t experiment too much with their coffee, this shouldn’t be a problem.

You’re a fan of milk-based drinks

The CM5418 has a steam wand that does a superb job at whipping up steamed milk, foam, or microfoam. If you’re not the type to drink your espresso straight, this machine is a winner.

Don't buy it if

Your budget for an espresso machine is $250+

If you can afford to drop hundreds of dollars on an espresso machine, it’s worth considering more high-end options than the CM5418. It’s an impressive performer at its price range, but it would definitely get blown out of the water by luxury models.

You want a bean-to-cup machine

After you pick up a CM5418 (or any espresso machine for that matter), a great grinder should be the next thing on your shopping list. Though if you’d prefer to save yourself the hassle, you can always opt for a bean-to-cup machine instead.

Casabrews CM5418: also consider

If you’re unsure of whether the Casabrews CM5418 is the right espresso machine for you, it’s worth checking out these alternatives:

Breville / Sage Bambino

The Breville Bambino (or Sage Bambino, as it’s known in the UK) is a definite jump-up in price from the CM5418, but it’s still good value. This machine heats up lightning fast and is a good fit for those beginning their journey with coffee as a full-blown hobby.

Read our full Breville / Sage Bambino review

De'Longhi Dedica Style EC685

Our reigning champion in the arena of the best budget espresso machines, the DeLonghi Dedica Style EC685 is another fun-sized espresso machine that’s well-suited for beginners. It’s just a tad more expensive than the Casabrews CM5418 and less suited for producing microfoam, but it comes from a much more established brand (making upgrades and repairs an easier process).

Read our full De'Longhi Dedica Style EC685 review

How I tested the Casabrews CM5418

I tested the Casabrews CM5418 over a period of four weeks, using it regularly to make black and milk-based espresso drinks.

During my tests, I alternated between using light, dark, and omni-roasted fresh espresso beans bought from specialty coffee roasters. All beans were ground using the Baratza Encore ESP, with the grind size adjusted a number of times to achieve the optimal result.

The steam wand was tested with fresh, full-fat dairy milk, semi-skimmed milk, and oat milk. After each steam, I made sure to purge and clean the wand to keep it operational. For more details, see how we test, review, and rate products at TechRadar.

First reviewed September 2025

The Casabrews CM5418 is a small but mighty espresso machine for the casual coffee lover

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Author: admin | Category: Coffee Machines Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Tags: UK, US | Comments: Off