If you're after one of the best vacuum cleaners, cordless vacuums can make all the difference. But, not all of them are created equal. I have a dog, a kid, and a lot of hobbies that track dirt through my house (mountain bikes, running, and anything else that will give me an excuse to get dirty are all fair game). As a result, our house gets pretty dusty and grimy with a frequency that might embarrass a more cleanliness-obsessed household.
So the LG CordZero Q3 Cordless Stick Vacuum has been a welcome addition to my household for obvious reasons. And it’s been wonderful to have around. It’s powerful, light, and easy to empty. It’s packed with clever features that make it a useful tool not only for vacuuming carpets and hardwood floors, but also for sucking up messes on my workbench in the garage — sawdust, dirt, metal shavings, and the like.
Among the stick vacuums I’ve tested recently, the LG CordZero Q3 easily claims the top spot as the best choice for tackling a wide range of messes. Here’s why.
LG CordZero Q3 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner review: Specs
Price |
|
Bin volume |
0.9 liters |
Max runtime |
Up to 60 min |
Battery charging time |
4 hours |
Battery |
Lithium-ion, detachable |
No. of tools |
2 |
Filters |
HEPA |
Dimensions |
10 x 12 x 44 inches |
Weight |
6.2 pounds |
Bagged or bagless |
Bagless |
LG CordZero Q3 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner review: Price & availability
The LG Cordzero Q3 costs $299 on Amazon and $329 on LG’s website. You can purchase it outright or use Affirm for financing. LG offers a 1-year warranty at purchase.
Additionally, you can buy the LG CordZero at other retailers, and the LG website has a handy dealer locator button if you’d prefer to buy in person.
LG CordZero Q3 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner review: Design
The LG CordZero weighs under 7 pounds in its largest configuration. Design-wise, a curved, ergonomic handle mates to the main dust bin and motor components. The top of the handle has two prominent buttons in a plus and minus configuration, useful for adjusting the power modes, of which there are three: normal, auto, and turbo.
Additionally, the power switch and the LED battery indicator are on the front of the handle, and the battery inserts into the back of the handle. It’s easily detachable for charging.
The unit comes stock with three attachments: a crevice tool, combination tool, and Dual Floor Max Lite Nozzle. The latter is the main vacuuming attachment and has an LED light mounted to the front of it to make it easier to see dust and dirt in low-light areas. The other attachments are useful for getting into corners, or cleaning furniture or tabletops.
The Dual Floor Max Lite Nozzle features an Auto Floor Detect feature, which automatically senses what type of surface you’re vacuuming. It will then automatically adjust suction power depending on whether you’re on carpet or non-carpeted surfaces.
The modular vacuum unit is detachable so you can use it as a handheld vacuum, a’la Dustbusters of old. The crevice tool and combination tool are the attachments you’ll use for this setup.
The CordZero Q3 features 150 Air Watts of suction, which is pretty darn powerful for a vacuum of this size. That’s due to the Smart Inverter Motor, which, according to LG, enhances suction and improves airflow. There isn’t a ton of information on the LG website that explains exactly what that means, unfortunately.
Within the suction process, LG incorporates 15 ‘cyclones’ that separate dust particles from larger detritus. This helps improve suction and keeps suction power consistent over the life of the product.
From there, a 5-step filtration system further filters out dust and separates it within the dust bin. With all that debris within the dust bin, LG has wisely added what it calls Kompressor technology, which is essentially a lever that you pull to compress the collected dirt further back into the bin. This frees up more space within the dustbin so you don’t have to empty it as frequently.
LG CordZero Q3 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner review: Performance
First, I started vacuuming with the CordZero Q3 in my living room, which is vinyl plank flooring with a rug on top of it. The rug is low-pile, but this is also where the dog tends to hang out most often. It’s a high-traffic area too, so it’s most susceptible to ground-in dirt and dog fur.
The CordZero actually surprised me a little with how aggressively the brush digs into the carpet pile. It was almost too much, in fact; it was a bit difficult to glide the vacuum over the rug. I actually had to muscle it a bit. Strangely, on my higher-pile carpet in my office (it’s basically a shag carpet. Hold your giggles.), the CordZero moves a lot more freely, yet still aggressively sucks up dirt and dog fur.
That said, it felt good knowing the CordZero was digging in deep to get at the grit and dust. The clear dust bin shows as much: it filled up quickly with all the yucky nasties I could and couldn’t see in the living room. The lever that pushes the dirt further into the bin is a nice touch, allowing you to free up more space and necessitating emptying less frequently.
On the vinyl plank flooring, I could see the dog fur zipping up into the brush head. The brush head pivots nicely, allowing me to get into corners often neglected by our full-size vacuum. It’s also fairly compact, again allowing me to get into oft-neglected spaces. The brush itself is close to the edge of the brush head body, which means it’s possible to get closer to walls and mouldings to pick up dirt hiding out in edges and corners.
I was particularly impressed by how bright the lights on the front of the brush head housing were. I turned off the light in one of our windowless hallways, and the CordZero’s lights brighten up the space enough to spot dirt and dog fur easily.
Transitions from carpet to hardwood floor are nearly seamless. The vacuum automatically detects what surface you’re on and adjusts its function accordingly. The vacuum also automatically sections off dust particles you’ve sucked up, which apparently keeps the motor working more efficiently for better suction and cleaning.
Swapping out the various attachments is quick and easy, and turns the CordZero into a modern man’s dustbuster. A wand and a brush give you plenty of flexibility for cleaning up desktop messes (I found this particularly handy in the garage) and scrubbing the pet fur off furniture.
I thought the battery life held up very well. LG says you can get up to 60 minutes of vacuuming from a single charge. I used the vacuum on its highest setting and got about 22 minutes out of it. With more judicious use, the battery life claims seem spot-on.
LG CordZero Q3 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner review: Accessories
The LG CordZero Q3 comes with a few accessories included, like the crevice tool, combination tool, and wall mount. You can order more accessories on the LG website.
Most of these accessories appear to work for several different LG models, so you’ll have to ensure the accessories you choose will work with the CordZero Q3. Replacement parts like batteries, filters, chargers, and attachments are all on the menu.
LG CordZero Q3 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner review: Competition
I tested the LG CordZero Q3 alongside the Eureka ReactiSense 440 and Bissell PowerClean cordless vacuums. The CordZero bested both of those vacuums in just about every category, though the Bissell was a very strong contender and has a better front light.
Additionally, the Bissell has strong suction and good battery life, but its brush head is a bit bulkier, making it difficult to get dirt and dust that has accumulated in corners and along baseboards. In any case, the LG and the Bissell beat the Eureka in pretty much every relevant category.
LG CordZero Q3 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner review: Verdict
The LG CordZero Q3 Cordless Stick Vacuum outperforms its competition in all relevant categories. First, it’s got excellent battery life, strong suction, a powerful brush, and smart features to keep dust from blasting back into your rooms as you vacuum. Plus, it’s light, convenient, and easy to operate.
Perhaps my only real complaint is that I wish it was free-standing. However, the LG CordZero Q3 does everything I want it to do and is versatile enough to use in any room in the house — even in the garage, where I frequently vacuum my workbench from sawdust and other debris. More importantly, it conquers dog fur with ease too, which is a must in my house. I give it full marks.
