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In Karcher’s traditional black and yellow colour scheme the body of the machine incorporates the motor, filters and the bag-less dust container. The handle is built into the top of the body while the telescopic suction tube is at the lower end. When not in use the overall height of the machine is less than 30 inches and so the machine can be stowed unobtrusively in a cupboard or in a corner and just pulled out when needed. The machine weighs just 3.2kg without accessories.

Despite this apparent small size the machine can have a maximum height of 4ft when the vacuum tube has been fully extended. Hence, the cleaner is suitable for users of all heights as well as giving a good “reach” when cleaning large carpets or floors or when using one of the attachments that is supplied with this Premium version. The release catch for adjusting the height is in the handle together with the on/on pushbutton and the slide lever suction control. This control is conveniently situated within reach of one’s thumb so that it is easy to increase or decrease the level of suction as required.

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The suction base (described by Karcher as the floor nozzle) is about 10 inches wide and has on its top surface the two-position foot operated rocker lever used to switch between carpets and hard floors. The machine steers very easily using just one hand around the furniture on both carpets and solid floors and, as one goes, it is easy to increase or decrease the suction. However, if set too high the suction was so powerful that it became impossible to move the cleaner.

Emptying the collected dust is straightforward – there are no bags to worry about. The filter and small dust collector unit pulls out from the body of the machine and, once the cap of the collector has been unscrewed the collected dust can be tipped out. This is a quick and easy task.

There are two hooks on the rear of the machine so that the 25ft cable can be stowed away neatly. (This cable is long enough for virtually any need.)The lower hook can be rotated to release the cable quickly. When the machine is shrunk down to its minimum “collapsed” height the body of the machine is held against the base unit in the parked position by a magnetic catch and so keeps the machine in the upright position.

The VC5 Premium comes supplied with three additional attachments: a upholstery nozzle, a crevice nozzle and an upholstery brush. Once the suction base has been removed any one of these can be attached to the end of the telescopic suction tube. With the tube extended one can easily reach above the top of curtains and drapes. However, unlike many lightweight vacuum cleaners, one really needs both hands when using the VC5 in conjunction with one of these attachments.

There is a vast range of vacuum cleaners on the market to that the prospective buyer is spoilt for choice. The Karcher VC5 Premium will appeal to those who want a fairly lightweight machine which is mains powered and so is not restricted in runtime.