We know they’re cheap, but can the best Kmart vacuums hold their own against the rest of the top dogs?
Vacuum cleaners are a sizeable investment for most middle-income Aussie homes.
Chinese-made Kmart vacuums may be affordable, but serious question marks over product quality plague the brand!
We are afraid to recommend Kmart vacuums because there is a massive chance that you may receive a dud item.
Why take a chance when you can straightaway purchase some of the better brands around like Dyson, Miele, Bissell, Bosch, Shark?
If you end up having to go for a premium vacuum ultimately, then any punt on a Kmart vacuum will be an added cost!
If you want to save some cash, we reckon you should consider the following quality cheap vacuums instead:
The Enigma 2800W cylinder vacuum comes from U.S-based Hoover with a highly impressive build quality. The Puppyoo WP536 is a stunningly lightweight stick vacuum that swivels 180 degrees as well as convert to a handheld. Finally, take a look at Japan-based Akitas' 2400W bagless beast which has an excellent 2-in-1 floor brush.
| Product | Best Kmart Vacuum | |
|---|---|---|
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Kmart 2400W Bagless Vacuum
An easily affordable stick vacuum that runs for 25 minutes and makes it super-easy to clean filters. |
| Product Details | |||
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Kmart 2400W Bagless Vacuum
An easily affordable stick vacuum that runs for 25 minutes and makes it super-easy to clean filters. |
Best Kmart Vacuum Reviews Australia 2021
These are the best Kmart vacuum cleaners that we have seen sold in Australia and will be reviewing today:
- Kmart Cordless Vacuum
- Kmart 2400W Bagless Vacuum
- Kmart 2000W Bagged Vacuum
- Kmart 1200W Upright Vacuum
- Kmart 2 in 1 Corded Stick Vacuum
- Kmart 2-in-1 Vacuum & Steam Cleaner
Are Kmart Vacuums Good?
We have selected five cheap vacuums for completing our best Kmart vacuum review, after scouring through Australian Kmart outlet stores.
Before we dive into the best Kmart vacuum reviews, let us discuss the most distinguishing features of a cheap Kmart vacuum.
From cordless stick vacuums and bagless barrel vacuums to powerful uprights, Kmart vacuums come in all sizes!
Take a quick look at the four most distinctive features we've identified from our best Kmart vacuum reviews:
Chinese-made
Kmart vacuums and even replacement bags are all made in China.
While Chinese-made items sometimes get a bad reputation for no reason, we do think the quality of Kmart vacuums is inferior.
The suction losing power over time is a particularly nasty problem, which kept resurfacing in most models we got our hands on!
Losing Suction
One issue that seems to plague most Kmart vacuums is that mostly their vacuums begin to lose suction power as the months roll on.
Regardless, you could easily replace your Kmart vacuum a couple of times and still be saving the investment you would have to make on a Dyson vacuum or Miele!
Affordable
If there is one thing that has kept Aussies interested in Kmart products for decades, it is the affordable pricing!
Vacuums from Kmart are no different and in many cases much, much cheaper than the more premium brands in the market.
You don’t have to worry too much about receiving a dud model when you invest in Kmart.
You can rest easy knowing that the company has a full refund policy for damaged items up to 12 months!
We reckon that guarantee makes it worth it to take a punt on a cheap Kmart vacuum.
6 Best & Top Kmart Vacuum Reviews Australia
Our best Kmart vacuum reviews focus on five products currently sold in Australian Kmart outlet stores:
Kmart Cordless Stick Vacuum
Best Stick Vacuum Cleaner
Kmart Cordless Vacuum
An easily affordable stick vacuum that runs for 25 minutes and makes it super-easy to clean filters.
Stick vacuums from Kmart are practical and come cheap!
On a single charge, this stick vacuum from Kmart will run for a little under 25 minutes.
Compared to the premium stick vacuums in the market that run for about 40-45 minutes, this was a little disappointing.
Most premium brands also have a charging time ranging from 1-3 hours.
The Kmart Cordless Stick Vacuum, however, disappointingly takes a full 5 hours to recharge.
We did like the rotating brush motion of this vacuum, helpful for ‘beating’ dust out of the carpet for easy suction.
Kmart has made it extremely easy to do clean-ups of the filter on this vacuum.
We were, however, slightly miffed with the dust canister capacity of only half a litre, meaning we had to empty the canister regularly.
Overall, at this price range, it is easily 5-6 times cheaper than the top-end brands available in this market, and that just cannot be overlooked.
The suction quality, however, plummeted over time.
Within a couple of weeks itself, our team of testers could see that carpet performance was dropping.
If you were looking for a stick vacuum that just about gets the job done on super quick clean-ups, think about this stick vacuum from Kmart.
Kmart 2400W Bagless Vacuum
Best Cylinder Vacuum Cleaner
Kmart 2400W Bagless Vacuum
An easily affordable stick vacuum that runs for 25 minutes and makes it super-easy to clean filters.
With a massive dust canister of about three and a half litres, this bagless vacuum provides plenty of conveniences.
With 2400 watts of power coursing through, the suction power on this vacuum is unparalleled for this price range.
We were also impressed with the HEPA filtration system in place, keeping the dust collected out of your home.
But the nature of the ‘multi-cyclonic’ airflow technology used by this vacuum makes regular cleaning of the filter necessary to preserve suction power.
We also liked that there were two turbo brushes provided as accessories for pet hair.
This vacuum does just about an average job in picking up the fur left behind by pets.
There is a marked difference with the quality of pet hair pickup premium vacuum models provide.
One difficulty we did have with this model was pet hair and other fluff regularly getting caught in the inner barrel and having to remove it manually!
Our testers also noted how the suction power fell drastically as a few months rolled by!
Overall, the filtration and the brush accessories on hand, make this Kmart vacuum worth the (small) investment.
Kmart 2000W Bagged Vacuum
Best Bagged Vacuum Cleaner
Kmart 2000W Bagged Vacuum
With a big dust bag and plenty of power to boot, this bagged vacuum is easy to empty and great on hard floors.
The most striking feature of this bagged vacuum, however vain, is that it looks quite good.
With an airflow regulator available, the suction power on this vacuum is excellent for this price range.
Compared to other premium bagged vacuums though? The suction power may seem underwhelming.
Although we found that it did a great job on hard floors, it did not do too well on carpeted surfaces in our tests.
We also found that 2000 watts of power come at a price - this vacuum is pretty noisy!
We were delighted to know the reasonable pricing of Kmart replacement bags.
HEPA filtration is excellent at keeping nearly 99.5% of all dust captured within, up to 0.5 microns.
With a 3.5 litre bag, we would only need to empty the contents rarely.
We also knew precisely when it needed emptying because of an indicator denoting when it was nearly full.
Given that two separate models we tested were losing suction pretty fast, we were disappointed once again with a Kmart product.
According to our review experts, this bagged vacuum from Kmart would only make sense for homes with hard floors.
Kmart 1200W Upright Vacuum
Best Upright Vacuum Cleaner
Kmart 1200W Upright Vacuum
An attractive looking upright vacuum, that provides excellent cleaning on carpets along with HEPA filtration and a huge dust bag.
If you took a quick glance at this vacuum from Kmart, you wouldn’t guess it was as cheap as it is.
Tight curves and sharp edges give this cheap upright vacuum a fantastic look.
With a huge dust canister capacity of 3.5 litres, this 1200 watt machine will get the job done.
It is clear to see why this vacuum from Kmart has developed a little bit of a cult following on social media, with many Australian homemakers sharing rave reviews.
We loved the pet hair turbo brush as it was great in picking up pet hair in the tests we ran, both on a carpet and hard floors.
The suction performance for this vacuum was better on carpet than on hard floors though!
HEPA filters on this vacuum make it a cheap yet effective option for homes that have members with severe dust allergies or breathing difficulties.
We did have a few bones to pick with this vacuum model though.
Firstly, this vacuum is by no means light and is absolutely not an option for people with back pain or sore arms.
We were also more than a little annoyed with the noise made by this vacuum!
Although the models we tested did not lose suction, we note that there are over three dozen reviews online of people complaining that this vacuum dies in under 12 months!
The cord length was also limited at only 6 metres, so perhaps not the perfect option for homes with spacious rooms.
While the cleaning performance can’t quite match it up with the expensive brands, the price tag on this upright vacuum makes it extremely attractive.
Kmart 2 in 1 Corded Stick Vacuum
Best Corded Stick Vacuum Cleaner
Kmart 2 in 1 Corded Stick Vacuum
A corded stick vacuum that can fold itself for hard-to-reach spots as well as convert into a handheld vacuum.
This stick vacuum from Kmart also doubles up as a handheld vacuum, making those tight corners and staircases easy to clean!
We also loved that this vacuum can fold to reach underneath furniture or for storing neatly after use.
HEPA filters on this stick vacuum will keep the dust away!
We were not too happy with the length of the cord on this vacuum.
We were also a little miffed that the cable could not be retracted with a push of the button like most modern vacuums!
On carpets, our tester had a horrid time pushing this vacuum around!
This vacuum, however, does a great job in cleaning up pet hair for the price tag!
We were also impressed with how quiet this vacuum is!
We can easily see how people that live in small apartments, or homeowners that want to do a quick spot clean, would love this compact vacuum!
Kmart 2-in-1 Vacuum & Steam Cleaner
Best Affordable Vacuum Cleaner
Kmart 2-in-1 Vacuum & Steam Cleaner
An upright vacuum cleaner that can vacuum and steam on hard floors, such as laminate, wood, and tile floors.
This Kmart vacuum and steam cleaner work in three modes for a price we’d expect for nearly $700 cleaners.
The Vacuum + Steam mode is a favourite time-saver for people with hectic schedules.
Ideal for hard floors, this cleaner also features HEPA filters that trap allergens and keep the air clean.
We love the 6 kPa cyclonic suction power that works fine on mats and cork tiles.
However, we don’t recommend using it for long-hour cleaning because it can be heavy.
Like other Kmart vacuums, this model is foldable, so storage is not a problem.
It’s easy to use and comes with a 1.2 litre dust canister and a crevice tool.
Considering the price, most people are surprised by its cord length and steam function that leaves the floor sparkling.
It’s a great vacuum cleaner for no-carpet, bare floors, but the heavy weight can be a bummer.
When Did Kmart Start In The Vacuum Business?
When it comes to Australia’s fascination with Kmart, love has been there from the very beginning.
The company, which began in America, opened its first store in Australia in early 1969 out of Burwood East in Victoria.
On the very first day itself, 40,000 people walked through the doors!
Today, there are over 200 Kmart stores in Australia, and for a good reason.
The discounts available on a range of homeware, entertainment good, clothing, stationery and hardware have been too good to pass!
Now Kmart has dipped its toes into the home appliances market with its Homemaker brand.
But they’ve captured Aussie hearts with their range of powerful, low-cost vacuums that perform at a level reserved for the premium offerings in the market.
Kmart provides high-performance vacuums in an affordable, if not a downright cheap package.
Our Review on Kmart Cleaners
We do find it worrying that a disproportionate number of people have complained about their Kmart vacuums losing power.
Although on initial testing our best Kmart vacuum review team were extremely pleased, with time that changed.
We could easily see from our best Kmart vacuum reviews that the suction on most models were plummeting as a few weeks passed!
All things considered, the 2400W Bagged vacuum has suction (in the first few weeks at least!) that would rival premium brands.
The 2 in 1 Corded Stick vacuum does everything the top brands can do such as fold itself or convert to a handheld device.
Ultimately, if Kmart can improve the build quality, their best vacuum cleaners are seriously competitive.
We hope that day isn't far away.
Last update on 2023-10-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Re Kmart 1200W Upright Vacuum. Yes, heavy and awkward to use; however, we felt it really did clean the carpets better than the more expensive ones we’ve had. But, yes, it appeared to lose suction as the months rolled by and today just over a year since purchase, it has died. It was not overly used either, maybe once a month as we had another vacuum in use.
Hi Frances,
We too were highly impressed with the initial performance of the Kmart 1200W upright vacuum, but the low price does mean poor build quality! Ultimately if you are going to spend again on a vacuum in less than a year, we reckon it should be a decent vacuum that lasts!