If you share your home with a four-legged friend, you know the struggle is real. It’s a constant, often losing, battle against an ever-regenerating tide of pet hair. You vacuum the living room carpet, and within hours, new fur tumbleweeds gather in the corners. You put on a clean black jumper, only to find it decorated with a fine layer of your beloved companion’s coat. It clings to sofas, works its way deep into rug fibres, and creates a fine dust that seems to settle everywhere. We’ve been there. We’ve used underpowered vacuums that merely skim the surface, pushing clumps of hair around rather than picking them up. This isn’t just an aesthetic issue; it’s about home hygiene, allergies, and the simple desire to feel truly clean in your own space. The search for a machine that delivers overwhelming suction power without costing a fortune is a familiar quest for many, and it’s this exact challenge that the Vax Air Lift 2 Pet Plus Corded Vacuum Cleaner claims to solve.
- HIGH PERFORMANCE, PORTABLE CORDED UPRIGHT LIFTOUT PET VACUUM CLEANER - Multi-cyclonic performance with extra long reach from 9 metre power cord and 1.65m Stretch Hose to easily clean a full staircase...
- VERSACLEAN AND STEERABLE TECHNOLOGY - Designed for optimum pick up throughout the whole home with two brushbars to tackle both carpets and hard floors by agitating and lifting debris while easily...
What to Consider Before Buying an Upright Vacuum
An upright vacuum is more than just a cleaning appliance; it’s a key solution for maintaining a healthy and comfortable home, especially for those with large carpeted areas and pets. They are designed to provide deep-cleaning power, using motorised brush rolls to agitate carpet fibres and dislodge embedded dirt, dust, and allergens that cylinder or stick vacuums might miss. The primary benefit lies in this sheer, unadulterated power and typically larger dustbin capacities, which means more effective cleaning and fewer trips to the bin during a whole-house session.
The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing a significant cleaning challenge: families with pets, homes with extensive carpeting, or individuals dealing with allergies who need powerful filtration and deep-cleaning capabilities. They value performance and capacity over the lightweight convenience of a cordless stick vacuum. However, an upright might not be suitable for those with limited storage space, mobility issues that make a heavier unit difficult to manage, or homes with mostly hard floors and delicate rugs where aggressive brush action might be overkill. For those users, a lighter stick vacuum or a canister vacuum with specialised hard floor tools might be a better fit.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Dimensions & Space: Upright vacuums are not small. Consider where you will store the unit. The Vax Air Lift 2 Pet Plus stands at 117cm tall, so it will require a dedicated spot in a utility cupboard or corner. Also, consider its weight (6.5kg). While not excessively heavy, it’s a factor to bear in mind for carrying it up and down stairs, although its lift-out feature is designed to mitigate this very issue.
- Capacity/Performance: This is where uprights excel. Look for bin capacity; the Vax offers a generous 1.5 litres, reducing how often you need to empty it. More importantly, assess its power (950W motor) and suction technology. The Vax boasts “multi-cyclonic performance” to ensure no loss of suction, a critical feature for maintaining performance as the bin fills up with stubborn pet hair and fine dust.
- Materials & Durability: The construction of a vacuum determines its lifespan. Premium models often use more robust plastics and metal components. Based on our testing and user feedback, the Vax Air Lift 2 Pet Plus Corded Vacuum Cleaner is constructed primarily of plastic, which keeps it relatively lightweight but raises questions about long-term durability. We’ve seen reports of certain components feeling flimsy, a common trade-off in more budget-friendly, high-performance machines.
- Ease of Use & Maintenance: A powerful vacuum is useless if it’s a pain to operate. Look for features like a long power cord (the Vax has an excellent 9-metre cord), swivel steering, and easy-to-empty bins. For maintenance, consider how easy it is to access and clean the filters and, crucially for a “pet” model, the brush roll. An easily tangled brush roll can turn a quick cleaning job into a frustrating maintenance session.
While the Vax Air Lift 2 Pet Plus Corded Vacuum Cleaner is an excellent choice for many, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:
- HIGH PERFORMANCE, PORTABLE CORDED UPRIGHT VACUUM CLEANER - Multi-cyclonic performance with lightweight design to easily clean around the home
- 【600W/60Kpa Powerful Suction】This corded vacuum cleaner features a 600W motor, delivering strong suction power up to 60Kpa. It effectively removes dust, dirt, and debris from various surfaces,...
- Lightweight & Compact Design: Designed for effortless maneuverability, this upright vacuum cleaner makes cleaning stairs and navigating tight or large spaces a breeze. Its compact, upright build...
First Impressions: Unboxing the Vax Air Lift 2 Pet Plus
Pulling the Vax Air Lift 2 Pet Plus Corded Vacuum Cleaner from its box, assembly was a straightforward and intuitive affair. The main components click together satisfyingly, and we were ready to go in under five minutes without needing to consult the manual. The grey and purple colour scheme is modern and in line with Vax’s branding. In hand, the vacuum feels substantial but not overly cumbersome. The plastics, while not feeling as dense or premium as those on a top-tier Shark or Dyson, don’t immediately scream “cheap.” It feels like a well-considered balance between cost and function.
What immediately stands out is the design’s focus on versatility. The large, clearly marked blue buttons for power, brush bar control, and the lift-out mechanism are easy to identify and use. The main unit detaches from the floorhead with a simple press, transforming the machine from a traditional upright into a portable canister. This versatility, combined with an impressive suite of included tools like the Turbo Tool, promises a complete home cleaning solution, from floors to ceilings and everything in between. It immediately gives the impression of being a workhorse, a machine built for power and flexibility. You can see its full feature set and user reviews here.
What We Like
- Absolutely phenomenal suction power that deep-cleans carpets effectively
- Versatile Lift-Away feature makes cleaning stairs, cars, and upholstery much easier
- Extra-long 9-metre power cord provides fantastic reach around the home
- Excellent value for money, offering performance that rivals more expensive models
What We Didn’t Like
- The main brush roll clogs very easily with pet and human hair, undermining its “Pet” credentials
- Significant user reports concerning the durability of the power cord and plastic components
Performance Deep Dive: Power, Pets, and Practicality
A vacuum cleaner lives or dies by its performance on the floor. Features and design are secondary to one fundamental question: does it clean well? We put the Vax Air Lift 2 Pet Plus Corded Vacuum Cleaner through a series of rigorous tests in a real-world family home, complete with a perpetually shedding Golden Retriever, to find out exactly where it excels and where it falls short.
Suction Power and Cleaning Performance: The Roaring Heart of the Machine
Let’s be unequivocally clear: the suction on this vacuum is astonishing. In its upright mode, the 950W motor and multi-cyclonic system generate a level of pull that genuinely rivals machines costing two or three times as much. We tested it first on a medium-pile living room rug that had been cleaned just the day before with a popular cordless stick vacuum. The results were both gratifying and slightly horrifying. The Vax’s bin filled with an almost embarrassing amount of fine dust and embedded pet hair that the other cleaner had missed entirely. As one user noted, “The suction is outstanding, 10x better than my Shark that was 3x the price.” We can confirm this sentiment; it pulls so hard on the carpet that you can feel it lifting the pile, leaving those satisfying, clean “V” patterns in its wake.
The VersaClean Technology, which uses two different brush bars within the floorhead, adapts reasonably well between surfaces. On carpets, it agitates fibres aggressively to dislodge dirt. Transitioning to laminate or tile, the suction alone is sufficient to pick up debris, crumbs, and dust without scattering them. However, this immense power is a double-edged sword. On some low-pile rugs or deep carpets, the suction is so strong it can feel like a workout to push it, making the vacuum feel heavier than its 6.5kg weight suggests. One user described it as “heavy and impossible to be used on low pile rugs,” a point we found to be valid on certain surfaces. But for us, this was a small price to pay for a truly deep clean. This level of power is what makes this model stand out from the crowd.
The “Air Lift” Feature: True Versatility for Whole-Home Cleaning
The standout design feature of the Vax Air Lift 2 Pet Plus Corded Vacuum Cleaner is its lift-out capability. With a single button press, the main cylinder containing the motor and dustbin detaches from the upright frame. This transforms it into a portable, carry-able canister vacuum that untethers you from the bulky floorhead. This is, without a doubt, a game-changer for tasks that are traditionally awkward for uprights. Cleaning the stairs became infinitely easier. Instead of precariously balancing a heavy upright on each step, we could simply carry the lightweight pod in one hand and use the hose and attachments with the other. One user summed it up perfectly: “The cylinder… can be detached… and the long power lead that’s attached to it makes the whole thing light and easy to carry up and down the stairs.”
This portability extends to cleaning the car, reaching cobwebs in high corners, and deep-cleaning upholstery. The 1.65m stretch hose and 9m power cord provide an enormous cleaning radius, meaning we could leave the pod at the bottom of the stairs and easily reach the top. The included attachments, particularly the Turbo Tool, pair perfectly with this mode. However, we did agree with some user feedback that the hose could feel a bit short and stiff when you’re trying to reach the step directly above where you’re standing, requiring a bit of practice to get the angle right. Despite this minor ergonomic quirk, the lift-out function elevates this from a simple floor cleaner to a comprehensive cleaning system, a feature that truly adds to its versatility.
Designed for Pets… But Does It Deliver?
Here, our review becomes more nuanced. For a product with “Pet Plus” in its name, its performance in a pet-filled household was a mixed bag. The raw suction power is certainly a huge asset, pulling deeply embedded fur from rugs and carpets. The included motorised Turbo Tool is fantastic; it’s a miniature version of the main floorhead and it absolutely decimated the stubborn, woven-in hair on the dog’s favourite armchair and fabric bed. In these specific applications, it performs flawlessly.
However, the main VersaClean floorhead has a significant design flaw for pet owners. The brush roll becomes very quickly and very tightly tangled with long pet and human hair. After vacuuming just one medium-sized room, we had to stop and clean the roller. One user detailed this exact frustration: “Shouldn’t be described as a pet vacuum cleaner. The roller immediately gets clogged up with pet hair… I have a three bed house and have to clean the roller after every room.” We found this to be an accurate representation. Cleaning it requires using a coin or screwdriver to unlock a cover, then manually cutting the hair away with scissors. This frequent, hands-on maintenance is tedious and feels like a major oversight for a vacuum specifically marketed for pet hair. It doesn’t stop the vacuum from cleaning effectively, but it adds a frustrating step to the process that negates some of the machine’s convenience.
Build Quality and Longevity: The Price-Performance Conundrum
This is arguably the most critical area of concern for the Vax Air Lift 2 Pet Plus Corded Vacuum Cleaner. To deliver such incredible suction at its price point, compromises have clearly been made in the materials and construction. While functional, the plastic chassis lacks the reassuring heft of its premium rivals. We read numerous user accounts of plastic parts breaking, with one person resorting to “some super glue, to keep it together.”
More alarming, however, are the repeated and serious complaints regarding the power cord. Multiple users reported that the thin cable wears down quickly, with some even seeing exposed live wires after only a few weeks or months of use. One user stated, “There is a design fault where the wire is too close to the floor do gets sucked in. The wires are now exposed and its too dangerous to use in only 6 weeks.” This is not just a durability issue; it’s a significant safety concern that cannot be ignored. While we did not experience this in our short-term testing, the sheer volume of similar reports suggests a potential design or material flaw. It’s a critical trade-off to consider; you get top-tier power, but you may be sacrificing the long-term reliability and safety you’d expect from a major appliance. It is a balance worth considering when you compare its features against its price point.
What Other Users Are Saying
Diving into the collective experience of other buyers, a very clear picture of the Vax Air Lift 2 Pet Plus Corded Vacuum Cleaner emerges. The feedback is highly polarised, centering on the same key points we discovered in our testing. On the positive side, the praise for its raw power is almost universal. One happy customer exclaimed, “This hoover is exllent overhall the suction power is unbeatable… carpets have never looked so clean.” Another compared it favourably to a more expensive brand, saying the “suction without the rotator is miles better than the shark.”
However, the negative feedback is just as consistent and focuses on two main areas: its performance with pet hair and its durability. One disappointed user noted, “The roller keeps getting jammed with and kind of hair so no good for pets.” This sentiment was echoed by another who said the vacuum “just moved the fur to different parts of the carpet rather than suction it up!” The most troubling feedback, however, relates to build quality and safety. We saw numerous serious complaints like, “The electric cable is very thin and easily wears leaving near wires,” and “the build design is useless, it all relies on one very flimsy but of plastic to keep the whole thing together.” This feedback confirms our assessment that the Vax is a high-performance machine with potentially serious long-term reliability and safety drawbacks.
How Does the Vax Air Lift 2 Pet Plus Compare to Alternatives?
No product exists in a vacuum (pun intended). The Vax Air Lift 2 Pet Plus Corded Vacuum Cleaner competes in a crowded market, primarily against the well-regarded Shark range. For those considering the Vax, it’s essential to see what you might gain—or lose—by choosing a key competitor.
1. Shark AZ3900UKTBK DuoClean Upright Vacuum
- THE BEST OVERALL CLEANING OF ANY CORDED UPRIGHT VACUUM (*Based on average performance, across IEC 62885-2, Clauses 5.1, 5.2, 5.4, and 5.3, 5.5 in forward and backward starting directions. Comparison...
- DUOCLEAN DETECT: two brush-rolls and multiple sensors that react and adapt for optimal performance.
The Shark AZ3900UKTBK represents a significant step up in features and, typically, in price. Its headline feature is Anti Hair Wrap Plus technology, which is specifically designed to remove hair from the brush-roll as you clean. This directly addresses the single biggest weakness we found in the Vax. Furthermore, its DuoClean floorhead combines two brush rolls to seamlessly clean carpets and hard floors, and its PowerDetect feature automatically adjusts suction for different floor types. If your primary frustration with vacuums is constantly cleaning tangled hair from the roller, and your budget can stretch, the Shark is likely a much better long-term investment for a hassle-free experience.
2. Shark NZ850UKT Upright Vacuum Anti Hair Wrap
- ANTI HAIR WRAP: Removes hair from the brush-roll as you clean, perfect for long, short & pet hair.
- FOR ALL FLOORS: DuoClean floorhead glides from carpets to hard floors, with 2 motorised brush-rolls in 1 floorhead. LED headlights illuminate hidden dust & pet hair.
The Shark NZ850UKT is another strong contender that directly targets the Vax’s shortcomings. Like the AZ3900UKTBK, it features Shark’s excellent Anti Hair Wrap technology. It also boasts “Powered Lift-Away,” which is a crucial distinction from the Vax’s standard “Lift-Away.” In the Shark, power continues to be delivered to the main motorised floorhead even in lift-away mode, allowing you to push the head under low furniture while holding the canister. The Vax’s lift-away mode only works with the non-motorised hose tools. For those who want the ultimate in versatile, under-furniture cleaning without sacrificing the deep-cleaning power of the main brush roll, this Shark model offers a tangible advantage.
3. Shark NV602UKT Upright Vacuum Lift-Away Pet
- TRANSFORMS INTO A PORTABLE VACUUM: Go portable with Lift-Away to comfortably clean stairs, sofas, up high & more
- 2 FLOOR MODES: Switch between carpet & hard floor modes with controls on the handle & adjustable suction control
The Shark NV602UKT is perhaps the most direct competitor to the Vax in terms of core functionality. It is a Lift-Away pet model that has built a reputation for solid performance and reliability. While it may lack the more advanced Anti Hair Wrap feature of its more expensive siblings, it is generally perceived as having a more robust build quality than the Vax. It also includes LED headlights on the floorhead, a genuinely useful feature for spotting dust and hair under furniture that the Vax lacks. For buyers who are wary of the Vax’s reported durability issues but still want the lift-away versatility at a competitive price, the NV602UKT offers a compelling and reliable middle ground.
Our Final Verdict: Is the Vax Air Lift 2 Pet Plus Right for You?
After extensive testing and analysis, our verdict on the Vax Air Lift 2 Pet Plus Corded Vacuum Cleaner is one of qualified recommendation. This is a machine of extremes. On one hand, its suction power is absolutely ferocious, providing a deep, satisfying clean that can genuinely revitalise tired carpets and pull out an incredible amount of hidden dirt. Its lift-out feature is brilliantly executed, adding a layer of versatility that makes cleaning stairs, cars, and other awkward spaces a breeze. For its price, the raw performance is almost unmatched.
However, this performance comes with significant compromises. Its “Pet” branding is undermined by a main brush roll that tangles far too easily, requiring frequent and frustrating manual cleaning. More importantly, the widespread user reports of poor long-term durability and, most critically, a dangerously fragile power cord, cannot be overlooked. Therefore, we can only recommend this vacuum to a specific type of user: someone on a strict budget who prioritises raw suction power above all else and is willing to accept the trade-offs of regular brush maintenance and potential longevity issues. For most pet owners, especially those with long-haired breeds or family members, investing more in a Shark alternative with Anti Hair Wrap technology will likely lead to a much more satisfying and less frustrating ownership experience. If you understand the caveats and still crave that incredible power for value, the Vax Air Lift 2 Pet Plus is a compelling option worth investigating further.
Last update on 2025-11-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API