SEBO Vacuum Cleaner Reviews
| | ||
|---|---|---|
| Corded | Battery | Corded | 40 ft | |
| Bagless | X | |
| Filter | Hospital-Grade | |
| Weight | 16.7 lbs | |
| Hose | 6 ft | |
| Brush Roll | ✓ | |
| | ||
|---|---|---|
| Corded | Battery | Corded | 31 ft | |
| Bagless | X | |
| Filter | MicroFilter | |
| Weight | 15.75 lbs | |
| Hose | 9 ft | |
| Brush Roll | ✓ on/off | |
| | ||
|---|---|---|
| Corded | Battery | Corded | 40 ft | |
| Bagless | X | |
| Filter | MicroFilter | |
| Weight | 15.9 lbs | |
| Corded | Battery | 7 ft | |
| Brush Roll | ✓ on/off | |
SEBO, unlike larger consumer vacuum brands like Dyson or Miele, keeps a rather low profile when it comes to name recognition. However, if you’ve worked with or owned a SEBO vacuum cleaner before, you’ll know that the premium build quality, advanced filtration, and focus on professional use makes this brand an underrated powerhouse. SEBO vacuum cleaners are often compared to Miele vacuums, which tend to occupy the same space in the market. There are many other similarities between the two companies, such as a focus on bagged vacuums and filtration, which can make choosing between the two complex.
Today, we’ll be breaking down the best of the current SEBO offerings and taking a closer look at what makes this premium vacuum cleaner brand worth your time and money. We’ll also be taking a closer look at SEBO’s history and how they garnered their reputation and justified their asking price. If you’re still unsure of whether or not one of our SEBO vacuum picks are right for you, stick around because we’ll be examining the best vacuum on our list for different home layouts and setups.
SEBO Overview
SEBO has focused exclusively on vacuums and home cleaning solutions since its inception in 1978. Two engineers founded the company in Velbert, Germany, with the intention of focusing on a premium home cleaning solution that could outperform and outlast the competition.
Since its foundation, SEBO has expanded far beyond its German roots. Selling vacuums to consumers across markets throughout North America, Africa, Europe, and Asia, SEBO has worked to put their products in the hands of millions of homeowners across the world.
SEBO also focused heavily on commercial offerings in the early years, and only started with vacuums for personal use in their recent history. Their offerings are known for their ease of use, long-lasting build quality, and maintenance-friendly design choices. These features, alongside extensive warranties, means that SEBO is focused on making sure that their customers are able to use their SEBO vacuums for years to come.
SEBO’s history and market sector strongly resembles the Miele brand, another German vacuum manufacturer. Miele seems to come up most often as the counterpoint to SEBO by offering vacuums at relatively more affordable prices and having a greater focus on canister vacuum cleaners. To set itself apart, SEBO vacuums are often more carpet-focused than Miele and come with features adequate to entice almost any homeowner.
HowToHome Pick
Upright | 40 ft cord | Bagged | Hospital-Grade Filtration | 16.7 lbs | 6 ft Hose | ✓ Brush Roll
SEBO’s flagship Automatic X4 has some unique features and specs that set it apart from almost all other bagged uprights. You’ll find maintenance a breeze with this durable and long-lasting product and can expect to rely on the Automatic X4 for years to come.
Pros
- Advanced automatic floor adjustment
- Large 1.4 gallon capacity great for bigger homes
- Unique, powerful hospital-grade filtration
Cons
- Expensive
- No manual suction control/brush roller control
- Can be damaging to hardwood floors
Features
- S-class Premotor MicroFilters
- Attachments: Instant-use wand, suction hose, brush tool
- Warranty: 5-year Limited
When most people talk about the power and the performance of a SEBO vacuum cleaner, they tend to refer to the Automatic X4 specifically. The SEBO Automatic X4 9558AM, as the name implies, is a fully-automatic upright vacuum cleaner that comes with several features unique to both SEBO vacuums as well as the Automatic line. Much like with Miele’s model numbering system, SEBO keeps things simple and dictates the difference between products with a simple number. In this case, the Automatic X4 is the current mid-range Automatic and the brand’s best-seller.
To adjust to various types of flooring, this SEBO vacuum comes with a built-in microchip that informs the vacuum exactly what height is optimal to agitate carpets of any pile. That means that you won’t have to worry about stopping to raise or lower the brush roll during cleaning. This can be a bit of a blessing as well as a curse, as the SEBO vacuum doesn’t allow you to change the power of the motor or stop the brush roll. The Automatic X4 does come with a rubber stopper to ensure hardwood floors aren’t damaged by the brush roll, but this does mean that the vacuum isn’t optimized for anything beyond carpet.
Speaking of the brush roll, however, we have to commend the SEBO manufacturers for building in a brush roll that can be removed and maintained with no tools and no effort. This element, on top of S-class premium filtration and a massive 1.4-gallon capacity bag, makes the Automatic X4 a no-brainer for any carpet cleaning need. Provided the price is not alarming, we highly recommend the Automatic X4 for larger homes, carpeted homes, and even carpeted locations in the professional world.
Budget Pick
Upright | 31 ft Cord | Bagged | MicroFilter Filtration | 15.75 lbs | 9 ft Hose | ✓ Brush Roll (on/off)
SEBO’s response to the growing stick vacuum market is the Felix 1, which includes lots of attachments and a more flexible design while still maintaining an upright appearance. However, splitting the difference between an upright and a stick vacuum means that overall weight and above ground cleaning are somewhat impaired.
Pros
- Parquet tool great for hardwood floors
- Flexible neck means this vacuum can maneuver around most furniture easily
- More affordable than most other SEBO vacuums
Cons
- Above ground cleaning attachments are somewhat lacking
- A bit heavy in comparison to other upright/stick vacuums of this type
Features
- Flat-to-the-floor 6-inch profile
- Variable Suction control
- Attachments: Parquet floor tool, crevice tool, upholstery nozzle
- Warranty: 5-year Limited
As a counterpoint to the Automatic X4, the SEBO Felix 1 Premium 9807AM comes with features that are more specific to homes with several types of flooring. The Felix 1 is technically an upright vacuum but functions almost entirely like a stick model. The unique bottleneck design allows for the actual brush roll or attachment to have further reach and versatility than the more monolithic Automatic X4.
Also unlike the X4, the Felix 1 comes with adjustable heights for the floor tools as well as a dedicated parquet tool so that hardwood cleaning won’t leave any permanent damage. The flexible neck also means that working around furniture, pets, and other smaller items won’t be much of a problem. The included varied-speed motor is a great feature that aids in the use of the above ground tools, but aside from this, upholstery and furniture cleaning feels a little more like an afterthought than a feature. Likewise, at nearly 16 pounds, the Felix 1 Premium hovers in an odd spot between a standard upright and a very heavy stick vacuum.
Still, the features built into the Felix 1 Premium make it a better choice for smaller homes or homes with large square footage of uncarpeted floor but that still want premium performance on carpets of any height.
Canister | 40 ft cord | Bagged | MicroFilter Filtration | 15.9 lbs | 7 ft Hose | ✓ Brush Roll (on/off)
SEBO’s top-of-the-line canister offering, the Airbelt D4, comes with the power and control you need to clean just about any surface in the home—above ground or otherwise. Those features come at quite the cost, but for some, the price is more than right for this total and comprehensive cleaning solution.
Pros
- Massive 50-foot radius
- Long, flexible hose and varied attachments
- Ergonomically designed and easy to move
- Easy-to-access suction controls
Cons
- Quite expensive, even by SEBO standards
- Weight makes it difficult to take up stairs
Features
- Airbelt technology means no damage to vacuum or walls during cleaning
- Adjustable suction switch on the handle
- Attachments: Parquet tool, crevice tool, dusting brush, upholstery tool
- Warranty: 5-year Limited
SEBO is more known for their upright offerings, but make no mistake: their canister vacuums, and particularly the higher end Airbelt D4, are some of the best canister models in the market today. The SEBO Airbelt D4 Premium 90641AM is an all-in-one solution to cleaning floors, carpets, rugs, furniture, upholstery, and more. A long and flexible hose allows users to place any of the attachments in the end and control suction power with an easy to use control switch on the handle. The unit also comes with SEBO’s MicroFilter filtration system, adjustable brush roll, and has a reach of 50-feet.
The Airbelt title comes from the built-in Airbelt technology, which allows the canister to bump into walls and corners without causing damage to itself or the surface it’s bumped in to. The canister design itself houses an impressive 1.5-gallon bag, and like all other SEBO vacuums, an indicator will let you know when it is time to swap out bags.
There are lots of attachments and a great amount of control that come with the Airbelt D4, but this also means a great amount of money was spent making the product. As such, the Airbelt D4 rarely moves below four figures. SEBO does offer the more affordable Airbelt K2 along with other models that are more wallet-friendly. The Airbelt D4 is also a 30-pound behemoth, and while the cleaning radius makes it a no-brainer for ranch-style homes, anyone with more than two stories is not going to appreciate lugging this beast up several flights of stairs. Overall, if you’re sold on a canister vacuum that cleans your entire home, the Airbelt D4 is going to bring both versatility and power in spades.
Final Thoughts
As you’ve probably already realized, there are lots to love about SEBO vacuums. As a whole, SEBO works to create premium carpet-focused vacuums that are covered by generous warranties and are built to last. This helps to set them apart from Miele, which seems more focused on hardwood solutions and a more consumer-friendly company focus.
That being said, not every SEBO vacuum is going to be right for everyone. If you think you’re sold on the SEBO but are still unsure which model specifically will work best for you, here are some final points to consider: the Automatic X4 is a great place to start for an all-around SEBO vacuum, featuring attachments and lots of automatic adjustments that make home cleaning a breeze. The Felix 1 Premium is more of a wallet-friendly design that splits the difference between a carpet-heavy and hardwood-focused vacuum. The Airbelt D4 is for those who want a vacuum that cleans everything, and finally, the 370 Comfort is for those who are serious about great filtration and carpet cleaning only.
