I used the Halo Capsule X for three weeks and didn’t miss my Dyson 

Dyson revolutionised the vacuum cleaner market forever when they introduced the first bagless model thirty years ago and fixed the then problem of suction loss. Since then, other manufacturers have followed suit and now a bagless model is the norm.

That’s not to say that the bagless brigade don’t have their nuisances though: dust clouds, clogs, the required filter cleaning and so on. Halo, a brand developed by veteran engineer Paul Bagwell, aims to break the cycle of sameness in the industry and tackle the product flaws in leading brands by creating his own. Has he succeeded? We tested the new Halo Capsule X to find out….

Halo Capsule X: what’s the deal?

So, what is it? The Halo Capsule X is essentially the supercharged version of the Halo Capsule, which has enjoyed a lot of success since it launched – it has twice as much power and a larger capacity (2L) than it’s non-X predecessor. At 2.6kg it’s a super light, cordless stick vacuum that runs on rechargeable batteries (much like the ones you get with power tools) which each run for sixty minutes. There were two batteries in the set I tested, giving me 120 minutes of power cleaning – much more than my cordless Dyson and more than I need to clean my home. 

Halo Capsule X: light as a feather  

The first thing I noticed about the Capsule X was its feather weight – it really does make you wonder why vacuums are so heavy, but this positive train of thought came to an abrupt end when I put the bag in – it just felt like a stap backwards environmentally. However, I then read that the pouches are compostable, and all was forgiven, plus I’d been won over by the H13 HEPA standard filtration by that point. 

For those not in the know, H13 HEPA standard filtration  is considered medical grade and means the devise can remove 99.95% of particles in the air, measuring 0.2 microns in diameter. As I have both asthma and hay fever sufferers and a crazy dog in my household, not encountering dust and debris when changing the bag is a biggy for me. 

I tried the Capsule X ultimate two battery bundle, which consists of the Capsule X cacuum, 2 x removable 32V batteries, charger, extension tube, full size brush head, hard floor roller, mini power brush, hose, crevice tool, combination tool for dusting and upholstery, wall dock, accessory clip and 20 dust pouches. Phew! I won’t lie – unpacking the kit was harder work than the actual vacuuming. This kit is currently on offer for £319.99, which offers exceptional value in my opinion. 

There are three power settings on the Halo Capsule X – I used it on the highest setting as I would with any hoover, as I don’t believe in a light hoover – I just don’t get it. Anyway, I found the suction to be tremendous and battery life very good indeed – two batteries surpassed a full house clean for me, with the X on highest suction mode the whole time. Two hours for a full battery charge is pretty sweet, too. 

Halo Capsule X: super sucker

My home is mostly carpeted, with hard floors in the hallway, kitchen and bathrooms. The Capsule X made very light work of the carpets – the stairs in particular usually feel like hard work to me, but the mini power brush made them as easy as they are going to get. Similarly, the upholstery tool got a good work out in my car and did an excellent job. 

I found the hard floor roller also worked very well and importantly although it sucked up everything my eyes could see, there was no scratching to any of the floors. Also, I really haven’t missed emptying my Dyson while I’ve been testing the Halo Capsule X, which has given me some food for thought.

I have (and rate) two iRobot vacuums at home, which I use alongside my cordless, bagless Dyson – yep, I like it clean!  If my Dyson packed up for good tomorrow, would I buy another (newer) version, or would I opt for the Halo Capsule X instead? I would in truth go for the cheaper Halo Capsule X, in part because of the price and in part because I feel it cleans as well as my Dyson but I prefer the lighter weight of the Halo Capsule X. No point of tiring yourself out with housework, right?