The spray tool is very easy to use and the vac did a good job of cleaning up the dirty water first time. We only had to re-do a few small areas. We only used washing up liquid in the cleaning bottle but overall the windows looked clean and streak-free when we’d finished. We must mention that there was some stubborn bird poo on the window and we had to redo this area. We feel that if your windows are extremely dirty then some preparation might be needed beforehand to ensure the vac is as efficient as possible. Another good use for the window vac is cleaning up liquid spills from hard floor surfaces, such as laminate, tiles or hardwood flooring. For this test, we simply poured water on the laminate/tile floor surface and the window vac handled this with ease. Again the surface was left clean and streak-free but we were surprised to find that the floor was almost entirely dry to the touch. We judge how comfortable each window vac is to hold and empty. We also do this wearing Cambridge Simulation Gloves – a piece of kit that helps replicate the experience of users who suffer with limited hand movement. Karcher has a strategy of offering “basic” products alongside “premium” versions with extra (admittedly useful) accessories; this is common with their pressure washer range as well as their window vac range. It can sometimes be frustrating to choose which is better because it’s the tools and attachments that are useful to us and not really the base unit.

Mel has been using the Kärcher Window Vac for several years, on a daily basis throughout the winter months, to remove water from single-glazed windows. It is also frequently used on the shower and to vacuum up spillages from the kitchen worktop. About the author Battery charger, standard spray bottle with microfibre cleaning cloth, window cleaner concentrate (1 x 20ml), interchangeable suction nozzle

The Karcher WV2 Plus Review: In summary

However, the WV2 does have some minor disadvantages. We found that the spray bottle/cleaning head tool was a little bit fiddly to put together and on the first attempt we did not screw the trigger head on correctly and ended up with a wet floor. Most of the issues seem to be surrounding the water bottle. It has a tiny capacity which may be annoying for extended cleaning periods or if you live in a larger house. Additionally, there are no volume lines to measure out the mixture of cleaning fluid to water. We think that volume lines would be a useful feature as the instructions provided state that you should add 230ml water to the 20ml of cleaning fluid. All said and done we managed perfectly fine in our small window cleaning test and we think we could live with the small problems that we have discovered. Test no.1: Window cleaning We would like to point out that lowe have stumbled upon some forum posts that seem to highlight that the Karcher Vac does seem to have a vulnerability when it comes to the battery. People have mentioned that after only a few months the battery life has significantly decreased. While we can’t vouch for that as that hasn’t been our experience the battery on the WV2 is not interchangeable. Therefore, if you are worried about this potential problem then maybe the WV5 premium with the interchangeable batteries might be the better option for you. We recommend you follow the manufacturer’s instructions to help protect and prolong the battery life of your window vac. Karcher Window Vac Accessories You use a separate spray bottle with window cleaner concentrate to help lift the dirt from the surface. While not exactly groundbreaking, a microfibre cleaning cloth head can be attached just above the spray nozzle to wipe over the spray when triggered. Ensure that the trigger is securely fixed to the bottle to avoid any leaks.

Extendable pole: A few models on our list come with, or are compatible with, telescopic or multi-section poles to help you reach high windows and skylights without wobbling up a ladder. On the downside, a pole can make the vac hard to control, especially if it’s heavy. I also have a Karcher window vac. It's brilliant for clearing condensation and also for cleaning the windows.” Rated by Mumsnet user Clarice99 Our verdict The water tank/collection bottle can be easily emptied by undoing the rubber bung and the whole water tank can be removed for cleaning (although you have to detach the vac head to do this). The cleaning cloth is attached by Velcro so can easily be removed for washing (in a washing machine). Log in now or join Which? to see our full results and find out if any Karcher window vacs are good enough to earn our Best Buy recommendation.I have to say I was impressed by the results. Surprisingly, I didn't have to repeatably go over the area with the spray bottle, and the squeegee blade wiped away all of the diluted concentrated cleaning liquid to reveal a shiny surface – with no water marks to be seen. LED charge indicator: Useful for revealing how much longer the battery will last before it needs a recharge. The Karcher Window Vac WV 6 Premium is a cordless, handheld vacuum designed to remove drips and streaks from smooth surfaces. It weighs 0.8kg and measures 126 x 280 x 310mm (l x w x h), which makes it relatively easy and comfortable to use. Spurred on by the success on my bathroom tiles, I turned my attention to the shower screen – which was in a pretty dire state. Although we have a squeegee sitting on the tiles for use after each shower, we seldom use it – which results in a buildup of limescale on the shower screen. Among its many included accessories are a smaller 170mm suction head for hard-to-reach areas and a microfibre attachment to spread detergent on your windows. There’s a built-in LED battery indicator and you can buy additional batteries so that you’ve always got a fully charged one ready to go.

The best window vacs you can buy in 2023 1. Karcher Window Vac WV5: Best all-round window vacuum cleaner

The range: Karcher Window Vac compared

Mel uses her Kärcher on 11 panes of glass every morning during the winter months. She says that not only does this save time (as well as her paintwork), it also means that she is not going through tea towels at a rate of knots. “I was getting through three or four tea towels each time, wiping the water up and then wringing them out,” she said. “I fill up the reservoir on the Kärcher twice while doing the windows. It's amazing actually how much water you get. "It saves me hours."