The Stylish Vacuum

When I first saw the Kone advertised, I thought it was the most unique hand vac I’d ever seen. So, while I was in my local Target, I took a look at it and was a little surprised to see how big it was (it somehow looked smaller online – it’s a good 1 1/2 feet tall or so). I considered it for a while and finally gave in and bought one – the champagne colored one (that’s the fancy way of saying the beige one LOL).

The reason I did is that I own a Black and Decker Cyclonic CHV1500 handheld dustbuster for downstairs and an older model dustbuster (that lasts for about 2 minutes LOL) for upstairs, and having two (I know, hard to believe) wasn’t enough for me with my cats’ litter boxes and my husbands crumb trail LOL! So, I wanted something that was stylish enough to leave out (dustbusters aren’t so stylish and are hidden behind tables and in kitchens in my house) so I would have the convenience of on-the-spot cleanup. Enter the Kone.

So what is it and how does it clean? Well, as I said, it’s a tall little cone shaped work of art (or so it looks on the outside). The champagne is a little shiny too, almost gold, so it’s very attractive. It’s two parts, the top of the Kone (which is the vacuum itself) and the base (which is the charger), which the vacuum part tucks into. On the top of the Kone is the button to turn on the vacuum when in use. When plugged in, it has a rather bright little white light that comes on (letting you know it is placed back in properly and is charging). So it doubles as a night light – rather cool BUT keep this in mind if it bothers you (you can always turn it around). The light does not change color or anything to let you know that the vacuum is fully charged, which I wish it would, but that’s okay.

So after an initial charge of 24 hours, I was off to use my little vacuum. How did it work? Well, it is a good 7.2 volts of power, so it works quite well actually. It has a little rubber tip, which is nice to prevent it from nicking any surfaces (this is the tip that hides in the charger base so nobody sees the actual vacuum tip part). The tip is on the small side though, so it is nice for getting into the hard to reach areas, BUT it is not as good at picking up crumbs/litter from larger areas because of it. It did pick up a multitude of hubby’s crumbs and lots of cat litter too and it lasted for a good long time (without running out of steam) on one charge, so that was nice. I have to say, the button on the top is aesthetically nice, but a little hard to manage while cleaning though, as is the fact that you get a hand cramp while using it since you are gripping the top of the Kone without a handle. Minor, but I guess good looks come with a price.

Emptying is pretty easy, just unscrew the vacuum tip from the top of the Kone, remove the filter by pulling it up and empty into a trash can (also, make sure to kind of dust off the filter too before placing it back in. Then just screw back in the top and you’re set. Keep in mind that the filter and receptacle area is small, so if you have a lot of dirt/crumbs/litter, you will have to empty the vacuum during your cleaning. Place the vacuum back in his base and you’re done!

So what do I think overall? I like the Kone a lot. He’s nice to keep out in the open, and therefore be available for quick cleanups on the go. He lasts far longer than my older model dustbuster and is more powerful too. It’s a nice looking thing and a fun conversation piece. BUT compared to my Black and Decker Cyclonic CHV1500 (15.6V), the cyclonic wins on function and performance (as well as ease of use and emptying). SO, if you’re buying a hand vac solely based on performance and you don’t care how it looks or where it will sit in your house, I’d go with the Black and Decker Cyclonic CHV1500. It’s handle is easier to hold, it’s more powerful, and the onboard tools are much nicer.

For me, it’s nice to have both the Black and Decker Cyclonic CHV1500 AND the Kone, as the Kone is aesthetically so nice and handy to have around. For the big jobs, I can go and get my hidden cyclonic, but for everyday crumbs and litter, I have my handsome little Kone sitting on my living room shelf (with his built in night light to guide me to him LOL)!

All in all, an beautiful vacuum that works like a charm.

UPDATE: I was able to find filters (they come in a nice 2 pack) in my local Bed, Bath, & Beyond, which was very convenient. Also, I see this color is called "Chrome," even though it is not Chrome in color, it's actually more of a gold.