Let’s be real – window washing is a chore, and it’s not always easy to get that perfect finish, without smudges or streaks. It’s no wonder so many people save themselves the hassle and choose to hire a window cleaner.
If you don’t want to fork out on hiring a professional window cleaner every week, but want windows with crystal clear glass all year round, then you need a window vac.
These new window vacuums are basically squeegees, with a vacuum attached – an ingenious design that leaves your windows super clean, dry, and streak-free after washing.
Clean all your home windows, shower screens, mirrors, kitchen or bathroom tiles to perfection. In fact, any wet flat surface can get squeaky clean using a window vac’s powerful suction and squeegee system, even those accidental spills.
With various models popping up from top brands such as Karcher and Bosch, it’s becoming tricky for the average consumer to make the right pick. Help is at hand – our team has compiled a list of the top five best window vacs to clean and vacuum up condensation water from glass and other surfaces, without leaving streaks.
1. Best Karcher Window Vac Cleaner: WV 6 Plus
- Advanced Liquid Silicone Technology gives edge-to-edge flawless finish
- Made by Karcher, the original inventors of the window vac
- 100 minutes runtime on a full charge, covering 300 m²
- Low noise operation of just 53dB
- 50% larger water tank and faster charging for uninterrupted cleaning
- Comes with exchangeable suction heads
- Includes cleaning spray bottle and microfibre cloth heads
- Great for removing condensation from bathroom tiles after steamy shower
- Large, clear, green LED battery life indicator (minute countdown)
- Voted Best Window Vacuum 2024
What springs to mind when you hear BMW, Audi, or Volkswagen? It’s German engineered precision and performance, and Karcher, is the BMW of cleaning equipment. Karcher invented the window vac, they are the original designers, and their flagship WV 6 Premium is a deluxe model that tops our list for its incredible performance and rugged build quality.
This model is a step up from the wv5 premium and is equipped with two exchangeable suction heads, one a smaller 170mm width and one larger 280mm, this versatile window vac works on mirrors, shower screens, tiles, and of course dirty or foggy windows.
Its most attractive feature is the 100-minute battery life, meaning you’ll get to spend less time waiting for a battery to charge and more time cleaning your windows. This model can clean nearly 100 windows (305m2) in a single charge. The removable dirty water tank is 50% larger than Karcher’s other models, holding up to 150mL, which means less running to the sink to empty a full tank and more time getting your chores done.
Not only is this Karcher WV6 window vac convenient and powerful, it comes with everything you need to do the job right. A premium spray bottle, microfibre cloth, abrasive cloth, dirt scraper, and a packet of glass cleaning concentrate are included in this package, making this premium Karcher window vacuum cleaner a complete system.
2. Best Budget Window Vac: Karcher WV 1
A simple, yet powerful model from the original, the Karcher Window Vac WV 1 is a classic and functional model perfect for quick clean-ups around the home, without the bells and whistles. Its Lithium-ion battery lasts for 25 minutes, so it’s ideal for cleaning up car windows, mirrors, or even spills on floors.
The LED battery indicator lets you know beforehand when your vacuum needs a charge so you won’t be caught mid-window if the battery dies.
The WV 1 Window Vac’s compact size makes this model easy to manoeuvre and quick to use. No more using wet towels to smear soap and water all over your windows, just one click and this machine do the cleaning for you with its 250mm squeegee head and impressive suction.
Plus, when you’re finished, you’ll just remove the 100mL water tank and pour the dirty water right down the drain. This lightweight and easy to handle model from Karcher can tackle any flat surface, leaving it shiny and streak-free.
This machine, like all the window vacuums on this list, are also useful for removing condensation, helping to prevent a build-up of mould, and can even be used to quickly clear up small spillages. Their non-complicated, user-friendly, cordless design makes them great for every homeowner and you’ll be amazed at how you ever get on without one.
3. Bosch GlassVAC Window Vacuum
Bosch makes it onto nearly every “best” appliance list and it’s easy to see why. Their products are trustworthy, long-lasting, and a well-reviewed favourite among homeowners and renters alike. The chunky-looking GlassVAC window vac is no exception.
Winner of the 2019 Red Dot award for design, this window vac from Bosch features a compact design ideal for handling tight spaces. Its battery runtime is a full 30 minutes and it can clean up to 35 windows (105m2) in a single charge.
Bosch’s window cleaning vacuum squeegee features a “power protective plus” automotive rubber coating that offers a smooth and streak-free clean on mirrors, tiles, windows, and more. The interchangeable head sizes allow you to get a glossy shine on a wide variety of projects, including cars windscreens, and narrow glass inserts in your door.
Much like the Karcher WV 6, the GlassVAC also comes with two different sized suction heads. Use the smaller 133mm head for tight spaces and car windows and the larger 266mm speeds up cleaning large areas by sucking up moisture with fewer passes.
The Bosch GlassVac also comes with a spray bottle and two sizes of microfibre cloths as well as a wide range of optional accessories for convenient and stress-free cleaning.
4. Vileda Windomatic Power-vacuum For Glass and Mirrors
A versatile and convenient window vac, the Vileda Windomatic Power-vacuum is a small but mighty cleaning machine. The only window vac on our list with two power modes for tackling different sized spills and messes.
Its regular mode is ideal for normal window cleaning and small stains while the MAX-mode, which is 50% more powerful than the regular mode, will quickly clean up large spills before they become a bigger problem.
A flexible neck and its compact size make this machine ideal for confined spaces and hard to reach spots while the ergonomic handle makes it comfortable to handle.
Its removable dirty water tank has a 100mL capacity and is dishwasher safe, making this vacuum as easy to clean as it is to use. Cleaning up to 120 windows on a single charge, the Vileda Windomatic takes all the work out of glass cleaning and leaves you with clean, shiny, and streak-free windows, all with very minimal effort.
5. TACKLIFE Cordless Window Vacuum Cleaner Set
A great option for those looking for a hard-working window vac at a very affordable price, the TACKLIFE Window Vacuum Cleaner Set is a top choice.
A powerful vacuum with a quiet motor, window vac is ideal for home or office and can do its job with very little interruption. Its Lithium-ion battery with a 30-minute runtime can tackle up to 35 windows (105m2) in a single charge and the indicator light lets you know when it’s time to take a break and charge the battery.
Much like the Karcher WV 6, this model from TACKLIFE has a 150mL removable dirty water tank which allows you to suck up spills in one swoop, without having to dash to your sink to empty mid-clean up. Its 280mm squeegee head makes for quick and effortless suction on even larger windows.
Also included in the TACKLIFE Vacuum Cleaner Set is a handy spray bottle with three different jet settings, so you get the perfect application of washing fluid for every job. It also includes window cleaner, and 2 microfibre cloths, making this a one-and-done purchase when it comes to cleaning your windows.
Points for Picking The Best Window vac
Now that we’ve shared our top picks for the best window vacs, it’s time to talk about all the features to help you decide which one you need in your home. We’ll walk you through size and capacity, battery life, as well as all the available extras to make sure you get the best window vac within your budget.
Window washing can be hard work. You spend time spraying just the right amount of washing fluid, scrub all the specks and grime away, then you have to wipe everything clean and what are you left with after all that hard work? Streaks. It’s beyond frustrating. But there is a way to get a clean glass without streaks. You just need to purchase yourself the right window vac.
Battery Life and Run Time
The average window vac’s battery life run time is about 30 minutes on a single charge. In those 30 minutes, most vacs can clean about 35 windows or about a 105m2 area of flat surface. While 30 minutes may seem like a short amount of time, since window vacs do such a quick job of suctioning up moisture, you’ll be surprised just how much you can get done in that half an hour.
Look for models with LED indicator lights so you can keep an eye on your battery life and not end up with a dead vac in the middle of cleaning your windows. This can really slow you down as many window vac models have long charge times, which we’ll cover in the next section.
Battery Charge Time
Most window vacs take around three hours to fully charge a battery. When your run time only averages 30 minutes, that’s a long wait if you need to recharge before finishing. If you’ve got quite a few windows or large areas to clean, it may be worth spending more upfront to get a vacuum window cleaner with longer battery life.
The Karcher WV 6 window vac listed above has one of the longest battery lives we’ve seen and while it does have a higher price tag than the other models, if you’ve got a lot of windows to do, inside and outside – it’s a worthwhile expense.
Water Tank Size
A window vac is suctioning up all the dirty water or liquid from a spill into a tank connected to its body. The last thing you want to deal with is an overflowing mess of dirty water in the middle of cleaning your windows.
Most water tanks have around a 100mL capacity and while we don’t think you need to rush out and buy the biggest window vac for additional water tank capacity, we do think you should stick to something 100mL or above. The models on our list are all very affordable options and all have water tanks at 100mL capacity or higher.
Size and Weight
While window vacs are compact in size compared to some other household cleaning tools, keep in mind that you’ll be holding it up, one-handed, for up to 30 minutes. Also remember that the water tank, as it fills, will add to the overall weight.
Most window vacs weigh about .5 to .7 kg with an empty water tank. If you’ve got high windows or hard-to-reach areas to clean, a lighter model may be a better option for you to give your arms a break during the cleaning process.
Cleaning Extras
- Exchangeable suction heads – This is a wonderful perk if you plan on using your window vac for multiple jobs within your home. While the big windows in your front room will need a large squeegee to cut down on cleaning time, a larger squeegee can be a hindrance when trying to clean your car windows. Having a large and small suction head to change out depending on your job, makes for a much more versatile and convenient window vac.
- Removable water tank – While all window cleaner vacs come with a water tank, not all of them come with one that is removable. A removable tank allows for much easier cleaning after the job is done. Some tanks are even dishwasher safe so cleanup after window washing is an absolute breeze.
- Flexible necks – Models that have flexible necks where the suction head attaches will allow for easier reach in hard-to-fit places. Car windshield and rear windows are easier to clean when you can adjust the angle of the squeegee head before use. It also comes in handy when you’re reaching high up a wall or lower towards your floor’s baseboards for cleaning.
- Sets and package deals – Several of the models on our favourites list come as full window cleaning sets. These sets generally come with spray bottles to apply window cleaning fluid, microfibre cloths of various textures, and window cleaner to use in the included spray bottles. While buying a window vac that comes as part of a set is not necessary, it is very convenient.
- Optional accessories – If the windows vacuum cleaner you purchase does not come as part of a set, it is worthwhile to look into what kinds of optional accessories are available for purchase later in case you do end up needing them. Check for options like spray bottles with microfiber heads for cleansing and squeegee heads in various sizes if you have hard-to-reach areas in your home.
A window vac is an excellent, versatile tool to have in your home. It can be used not only to clean your windows but also to suction up spilt liquids before they cause any damage and to remove condensation from your car windows so you can drive safely in inclement weather.
Be sure to consider your home size and window count and get a model that will clean everything on a single charge to make cleaning as smooth and painless as possible. By looking through our list of window vac reviews you can be confident in your next purchase.
