Brigii H5 handheld vacuum review

Best Prices Today: Brigii H5 standard handheld vacuum

A handheld vacuum is one of the most useful tools to keep around the house. Use it for clean-ups, to give the sofa a quick-once over before sitting down to a movie, to tidy up pet corners and high chairs, and get crumbs and mud off car upholstery.

We’re reviewing the small but powerful Brigii H5 standard model.

Design and build

• USB-C charging
• 1.7lbs/ 770g

The H5 is a cordless handheld vacuum which charges via USB-C. It has a maximum running time of 30 minutes in its eco mode but it takes a fairly lengthy 4-5 hours to charge.

The body of the Brigii is 33cm long and 27cm in diameter at its widest point. It weighs just 1.7lbs/ 770g – so it’s very light in the hand.  

It comes with three cleaning heads, a grey stand that can hold the vacuum and its accessories, and a charging cable.

It’s made of matt grey plastic, with a smoked grey dustbin. No one is likely to accuse it of being particularly attractive but it is, at least, quietly designed.

The H5 has a maximum of 60AW (air watts) of suction in boost mode – not bad at all for a small handheld

It’s simple to use, with a two-button operation system. There’s one button to switch it off and on and another to switch between eco and boost mode.

There’s just one oddity with it. When switched on, the digital screen displays three dots and a fan symbol. The pricier model has a full digital display that shows remaining battery life but, on this model, it’s of limited use.

The onscreen dots will flash when the vacuum is charging, but that’s it.

Performance

• Three cleaning accessories
• Up to 60AW of suction

Switching on the H5 isn’t as easy as it should be, considering that it’s just a matter of pressing a button. But press it too hard or not hard enough and nothing happens.

But once you’re past this little annoyance, it’s a handy vacuum.

The H5 has a maximum of 60AW (air watts) of suction in boost mode – not bad at all for a small handheld. For comparison, the full-size luxury flagship Dyson V15 Detect has 240AW.

It’s powerful enough that you’ll really only need to use the boost mode if you tip a box of cereal on the floor, or cause similar high-level chaos, which means you’ll be able to use the full half hour running time. In boost mode, you’ll only get a few minutes before you need to charge it again.

It can handle anything from dust and larger debris to pet fur and hair. It’s much easier to grab than it is to drag out the vacuum, which means that if you spot a dusty shelf or some crumbs on the table, you’re more likely to sort it out right away.

Once it’s charged and ready to go, it’s a handy tool to have around.

The Brigii comes with three cleaning attachments that pop in and pull out easily. There’s a vacuum head with an adjustable comb and a lint strip for upholstery, rugs and car seats. I found it particularly useful for giving the sofa a quick going-over to remove cat hair.

There’s also a wide mouthed tool with an optional brush for shelves and skirting boards, and a narrow crevice tool.

Emptying the bin is easy: you just twist it off the handle. There’s nowhere for dust and hair to get stuck inside, so you won’t need to poke around to clean it out. The only exception is the filter, which has concertina-like pleats that can get dusty quickly.

We wish it came with a spare filter but you can easily buy replacements: a four-pack of spare filters costs $14.99 from Amazon US or £16.99 from Amazon UK.

The only issue we have is with the lack of a battery life display. Buy the more pricey H5 model and you’ll get a battery percentage indicator. As it is, there’s no sign that the battery is getting low until you try to switch it on to boost mode and it refuses. That’s the sign to plug it in.

Price and availability

The H5 standard model is available from Amazon US for $79.99 and Amazon UK for £79.99. For its price, it delivers a lot of power – but there are no frills. If you’re considering buying it, we’d recommend spending a bit more if you can and getting the more expensive model with a battery display (Amazon US, $99.99; Amazon UK, £105.99).

Verdict

This is a genuinely useful handheld vacuum with excellent suction and handy attachments. As its design is so simple, and it feels fairly robust, we’d hope it will last as well. Still, we missed having a display.

For more vacuum cleaner options, have a look at our round-up of the best vacuum cleaners we’ve tested.

Best Prices Today: Brigii H5 standard handheld vacuum