— Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed’s editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission.When it comes to vacuum cleaners, you probably know the big names like Dyson, Miele, Hoover, and Bissell. Sebo is more of a niche brand and a specialized tool. For example, the Sebo Automatic X7 Premium (available at Amazon for $949.00) is a vacuum cleaner, but it also has three layers of filtration, including an electrostatic filter that removes odor. People who suffer from allergies, and who want to create a sanctuary within their own home, will want to check out what Sebo has to offer. If the price is putting you off, we've got the skinny on the best affordable uprights as well.
As a vacuum cleaner, the X7 offers some of the most comprehensive filtration we’ve ever seen. However, its dirt pickup performance lags behind other vacuums in its price range. It also lacks the easy of movement many vacuums provide, even at lower price points.
About the Sebo Automatic X7 Premium
• Motor: 1300 watts
• Dirt container: Bag
• Attachments: Crevice tool, dusting brush, upholstery brush
• Cleaning reach: 40 ft.
• Weight: 17 pounds
• Warranty: Five-year warranty on the body and lifetime on the belt
What we like
The S-class filtration on the X7 is hospital grade
It features an impressive amount of filtration
The X7 we tested had three levels of filtration—the first was a pre-motor S-class filter. This specialized filter is designed to remove 99.9% of particulate matter larger than 0.3 microns. To put that perspective, the thickness of a human hair is about 100 microns.
The bag inside the body also acts as a filter, and it’s up to HEPA standards, meaning it can remove 99.97% of practices that are at least 0.3 microns big. Finally, there is an exhauster filter, similar to what you’d find on other high-end vacuums. When you combine all three, you get a level of filtration similar to what you’d find at hospitals.
It has a low profile
The X7 has a low profile that allows it to get under furniture.
In the lab, we have what we affectionately call the “limbo test.” It’s just a wooden dowel with an adjustable height, but it can help show how a vacuum might maneuver around furniture in your home.
With 2 inches of clearance, the X7 can reach 5 inches in, meaning it can thoroughly clean under toe-kicks. And it only takes 6 inches of clearance to fit the entire vacuum body underneath. Dust bunnies hiding under tall couches and beds won’t stand a chance.
What we don’t like
Lacking a swivel joint, it's tough to turn corners with the X7.
Suction performance is weak for the price
A major component of our testing involves covering carpet in a special dirt mixture. The X7 picked up about 39% of our testing dirt per pass. That’s much higher than your typical $50 throwaway vacuum, but it’s about half of what our top-rated vacuum, the Miele U1 Cat & Dog, picked up. The X7 is one of the more expensive options on the market, so we expected a better performance.
Poor turning
It’s common for most upright vacuums now to have a swiveling joint near the brush head to allow the unit to turn corners easily. The X7 doesn’t, so it’s quite a chore to weave around furniture. While the motor is engaged, it goes forward and backward fine, but turning a tight corner with its 17-pound bulk can be challenging.
What are users saying?
The X7 has 40 feet of cleaning range.
There are very few reviews for the Sebo Automatic X7 Premium online because of how expensive and specialized it is. Of the 81 reviews that we found, users give it an average rating of 4.7 stars out of 5.
Should you buy this vacuum?
Unless you’re sold on the filtration prowess, probably not. The Sebo Automatic X7 Premium promises high levels of filtration and powerful suction, but its cost makes its cleaning performance fall short.
While our carpet cleaning tests show that it can’t hang with top-shelf vacuums, it provides special features that others don’t. People who suffer from strong allergies or asthma could consider it, but for the rest of us, there are more powerful vacuum cleaners out there for the same price.
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