Tineco A11 Hero – the review of an affordable cordless vacuum

Cordless stick vacuums have become a popular option for many homeowners. As more and more users move towards these cleaning devices, one particular brand is giving established companies a run for money – Tineco. The latest models in the Tineco line of cordless sticks include the A11 Hero and the A11 Master. There’s also the Tineco Pure One which comprises high-end stick vacuums. In this review, I will look at the versatile Tineco A11 Hero, the features it comes with and why you may want it for your home. Also, I get into how it compares with the other 2 Tineco models I was mentioning above.

Looks

Tineco may be a relatively unknown brand, but not so its parent company, Ecovacs. Popular for robot vacuums, Ecovacs has been around for years and competed with the big companies on the robots market. The new Tineco series of cordless sticks seem to offer the same promise; quality devices that clean impressively:

Let us start by looking at the specs of the A11 Hero.

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Specs table

Here’s a short specs table to help you out:

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Cleaning/Suction Power

The vacuum comes with a 450W motor that delivers 120AW of suction. For a cordless stick, that’s quite impressive. The abilities of the A11 Hero to clean is further enhanced by its 10″ wide powered brush roll. It spins and agitates the dirt in carpets, which makes the vacuum suitable for the cleaning both hard surfaces and carpeted floors.

Tineco A11 Hero at work

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Input Power

Being a cordless vacuum, the Tineco A11 Hero runs on a battery. The battery is a 2,500mAh lithium-ion, and the vacuum comes with a pair of these. Each battery powers the unit for about 30 minutes on the normal mode and 7 minutes when on the MAX mode. When combined, it means you can clean for 60 or 15 minutes non-stop depending on the speed that you choose. The batteries take around 3 hours to charge, and come with a dual charging base so you can charge both at the same time.

Battery specs

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Dust Capacity

The A11 Hero features a large enough capacity for the dust compartment, at 20 oz. (0.6 liters), and allows you extended hours of vacuuming before it requires emptying. And when you finally have to discard the contents of the bin, a simple button allows you to do so. The dust bin detaches and opens in an instant, plus it’s washable under running water.

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Filtration Efficiency

The vacuum uses a 4-stage filtration system that ensures efficient trapping of dust and other particles. The pre-motor filter is micro-fiber material while the post-motor filter is HEPA. Additionally, the unit is fully sealed to prevent the escape of allergens. That means you or a family member who suffers from seasonal allergies can use the A11 Hero without health worries.

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Weight and Dimensions

The Tineco A11 Hero is a lightweight unit that also doesn’t take a lot of space. Because it converts into a handheld, it’s necessary that we look at the values for both versions of the device. The unit weighs 5.5 pounds and measures 43.7″ × 10.4″ × 11.2″ as a stick vacuum. When converted into a portable handheld, the weight drops to 4 pounds and the dimensions to 17″ × 8″ × 5″.

Tineco A11 Hero main body parts

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Warranty

The manufacturer has backed up the device with a 2-year guarantee. Although not as long as what some vacuum brands come with, the warranty is about the industry standard and decent enough. As usual, some situations void a vacuum’s warranty, and you would need to observe them when you consider purchasing the A11 Hero. These include buying your A11 Hero from trusted sellers and using it as indicated by the manufacturer.

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Accessories

If there’s one area where the manufacturer was generous, it has to be in the number of accessories and attachments. The vacuum offers one of the widest range of tools. Some come with the new vacuum while others are available to order. In the box you will find the main unit, main cleaning head, mini motorized brush, crevice nozzle, combination dusting brush, extra pre-filter, additional battery, pre-motor filter cleaning tool, hair cleaning nozzle, charging base, and user’s guide.

Accessories for Tineco A11 Hero vs Tineco A11 Master

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Special Features

This vacuum, despite being a cordless stick, comes with different features aimed at increasing its versatility as well as cleaning ability. They are:

Powerful 450W Motor

Vacuums cleaners need powerful motors to provide the required cleaning abilities. The A11 offers that with its 450W motor and cleans the average home superbly. To compensate for the increased power consumption, the device uses two batteries to extend the runtime. It also comes with a charging station that holds two batteries and charges them at the same time. That means you won’t have to wait for each battery to attain full charge and waste cleaning time.

2 batteries

Multitasking Cleaning Head with LED lights

The main cleaning nozzle allows you to vacuum both sensitive surfaces and carpets. It doesn’t damage hard floors, and the brush spins to agitate the dirt in carpet fibers. That means you can use the A11 Hero if your home is multifloored, and vacuum safely yet effectively. The two cleaning heads also come with powerful LED lights that let you clean in low lighting or hidden spots.

Main brush roll

Pre-motor Filter Cleaner

It comes as part of the vacuum’s tools and helps to keep the pre-filter clean without having to wash it in water. The tool uses the vacuum’s suction to remove dirt from the filter, which means it plugs to the unit to work. You will find the pre-filter cleaning attachment an innovative tool that makes maintaining the A11 Hero a lot easier. The main filter is the washable type, and you need to clean it regularly.

Conversion From Stick to Handheld

The versatility that the A11 Hero offers is impressive. You can be using the device as a full height stick one moment and as a portable handheld in the other. As you can see, you will not need two different vacuums when you have the A11 Hero. You will vacuum the floors with the effectiveness of a standard vacuum, clean the high areas such as window sills and ceilings with ease, and practically any vacuuming task you can think of.

Various heads

Clear, Detachable Dust Bin

Many people like to see what their cleaning device picks up as the vacuum away. They also want to tell when the bin is almost full and needs to be emptied. The Tineco A11 Hero offers that. Its main body – and the dust bin – is made of a transparent material that allows you to monitor everything. Besides being transparent, the bin detaches from the unit easily, and you can discard its contents in a minute.

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Usability

One thing you will like about this Tineco vacuum is its ease of use. It doesn’t come with fancy features, only those that matter. In addition to being lightweight, the A11 Hero maneuvers effortlessly, with a smooth pivot that allows you to clean in every direction. As a stick, the device doesn’t weigh much which means almost every family member can use it. The handheld version is even lighter and more usable even by the younger and senior family members.

Storing and Recharging

While cleaning, you don’t have to press the power button continuously. The vacuum comes with a switch that you only press once. There are two modes for the motor’s speed, the normal one and the maximum. These allow you to conserve battery power when there’s not much to pick up and increase suction when you encounter stubborn debris.

The Tineco A11 Hero features powerful headlights that allow you to clean dimly lit spots. That’s in addition to offering you an easy way into the far to reach areas. The dust compartment also detaches easily from the unit, opens in a second, and allows you to empty the contents easily and safely.

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Price

Priced around $270, this cordless is a steal IMO.

Tineco A11 Hero Pros and cons

The vacuum has its upsides and, of course, downsides. Here is a quick summary of the things I like about the A11 Hero as well as areas that I think need improvement.

Pros

• Impressive suction power that lets you clean both bare and carpeted floors with a high level of effectiveness
• The multi-floor cleaning head for the vacuuming of different floors
• Ease of use that allows different members of the family to use it, from the young to the elderly
• Excellent filtration that protects you and your family from allergens
• The ability to convert from a stick vacuum to a lightweight handheld which makes the device suitable for a wide range of cleaning tasks
• The LEDs on the cleaning heads that allow the vacuum to be used in poorly lit places
• The effortless pivot that improves the vacuum’s maneuverability
• Comes with useful tools and attachments that make cleaning easier and more effective

Cons

• Being a battery powered vacuum, it’s not suitable for heavy-duty cleaning that requires immense suction power and long clean times
• The main nozzle doesn’t clean edges well, and you may need to use the accessories such as the crevice tool

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Tineco A11 Hero vs Tineco A11 Master vs Tineco Pure One

How does the Tineco A11 Hero compare to its sister vacuums, the Tineco A11 Master and Tineco Pure One? Which one offers the cleaning capabilities that match your requirements.

The A11 Hero and A11 Master models are identical in many ways. They have the same suction power of 120AW and are powered by similar 450W motors. Both feature easy-to-empty dust cups, washable post-motor filters, and a pre-motor filter cleaning tool among other features.

The only major difference between the two is in the number and type of tools and attachments. The two vacuums come with multi-floor LED cleaning heads, hair cleaning tool, a crevice nozzle, mini brush, a 2 in 1 dusting nozzle, a pre-filter cleaner, two batteries, and a spare pre-motor filter. The A11 MAster offers additional tools, such as a bare floor soft brush, a flexing hose, a multi angle wand, a flexing crevice nozzle and a soft dusting tool.

The Tineco Pure One series of stick vacuums, on the other hand, consists of high-end, smart-cleaning stick vacuums. The models in this line come with auto cleaning capabilities, complete with a smartphone app and self-adjusting suction. They’re also more powerful. A Tineco Pure One vacuum delivers 150AW of suction. It’s powered by a 500W motor and uses two high-capacity batteries.

Depending on the model, a Pure One vacuum will feature an LED display to indicate the suction and battery levels. A smartphone app uses the vacuums WiFi connectivity to provide you with cleaning reports and other data. You also get maintenance reminders through the app, allowing you to keep the vacuum in good condition.

Which Tineco vacuum offers the best option? It depends on your budget, cleaning needs and, of course, preference. The A11 Master model comes with additional tools and attachments than the Hero model, but do you need all these? That should determine your choice. The Pure One series comprises high-end cleaners, with higher specs, but which require you to dig deeper in your pockets. You may want to consider your budget when choosing between these and the other Tineco vacuums, not to mention, your home’s vacuuming needs.

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Final Comments

Tineco A11 Hero brand

The Tineco A11 Hero is a powerful and versatile cordless stick vacuum. It offers the cleaning capabilities of an upright and the ease of use of a handheld. The device comes with useful features that make your cleaning not only effortless but also effective. With its multitasking cleaning head, you will vacuum both hard floors and carpets. The filtration level is superb and not allergens will contaminate the air in your home during vacuuming activities. The device is easy to maintain, with a washable filter and a dust bin that detaches easily to allow emptying and cleaning. I would recommend this vacuum if:

• You have multiple floors – it comes with an appropriate nozzle for all surfaces
• You do both heavy and light cleaning tasks – you can use it as a stick vacuum and as a powerful handheld
• You have poorly lit areas to clean – it comes with powerful headlamps
• You want a cleaning device that different family members can use – it’s both compact and lightweight
• Any family member suffers from seasonal allergies – the filtration is HEPA and the unit adequately sealed
• You want a vacuum that’s easy to maintain – the main filter is washable, and there’s a tool to clean the pre-filter

Feel free to share your thoughts below.