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  • Accessories

  • Handling

  • Cleaning Performance

  • Conclusion

  • By the Numbers

  • Sound

  • Edge Cleaning

  • Carpet Cleaning

  • Bare Floor Cleaning

  • Accessories
  • Handling
  • Cleaning Performance
  • Conclusion
  • By the Numbers
  • Sound
  • Edge Cleaning
  • Carpet Cleaning
  • Bare Floor Cleaning

Aside from the noteworthy body, the F700G has a couple nice features: Its user interface is well designed, and you can control most of the functions from the handle. That means you don't have to bend over or look away to make adjustments when vacuuming. (Unfortunately, if you do need to step away, the power brush has a tendency to fall over.)

All these nice design features, however, don't make the VC-700G any better at cleaning. Our tests show that it has trouble picking up food debris from kitchen floors or even picking up simple dirt from high-pile carpet.

Accessories

The multitool approach

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Most vacuums come with separate crevice and dusting tools, even though the two are often used in tandem: You dust a tight space and then you get the corners. So, we can't complain that Samsung decided to combine these two into a single attachment. And they're built right into the handle, so you'll never lose them.

In the box, you'll also find a parquet floor head, power brush plus, and two-step brush. The brushes both have dust sensors to tell you if an area is completely clean.

Handling

It's like the canister doesn't know what the brush is doing.

It's strange to see a superbly designed canister paired with a disappointing brush head. The canister is specifically designed to roll over gaps between floor and tiles, and turn as the user pulls it along. However, the brush head feels flimsy, and the wand is so poorly balanced that it falls over if you pause while vacuuming and step away. The brush does swivel, but after dirt got into the mechanism, it made an awful scratching noise.

As for the canister itself, it follows along with only a slight tug. But the mobility ends when you have to take it upstairs—at 23.6 pounds, this machine is a bit of a lug. But once you get it where you need it, the VC-F700G is easy to use. Most of the controls are on the handle for quick access, and the cord will retract at the touch of a button.

Cleaning Performance

Good at dirt, bad with debris

In our lab tests, the Samsung VC-F700G did fine at picking up dirt off carpets, but struggled with deeper carpets. On average, it picked up 74 percent of all dirt on normal carpet and 14 percent on high-pile. Compared to all the other vacuums we've tested, those numbers aren't particularly impressive.

For example, the Miele S6 is closer to the top of the canister pack, but it costs about $200 more.

These large wheels are hallow. They allow you to go over lifts in your house.

These large wheels are hallow. They allow you to go over lifts in your house.

The VC-F700G faltered when it came to debris. It picked up rice and macaroni off the bare floors we use for testing, but once we placed the debris onto a carpet, this Samsung struggled. It went from getting a kitchen floor nearly spotless to leaving a visible mess on normal and high-pile carpeting.

For in-depth performance information, please visit the Science Page.

Conclusion

Me and My Samsung Shadow

The Samsung VC-F700G is a competent machine that ranks in the middle of the pack. It performed well on bare floors in our tests, though it struggled on carpet. Overall, other vacuums in its price range do a better job cleaning.

However, the user interface is where this Samsung shines. The controls on the handle and body are easy to navigate. The multitool attachment built right into the body will keep you from losing track of separate crevice and dusting tools. If you want a simple, bagless canister that will follow you wherever you go, this Samsung is a good choice.

By the Numbers

All vacuum testing takes place in a sealed room with positive pressure, so we can keep external dirt and dust out of our testing area.

For performance tests, we use a 90-gram mixture of dirt made up of particles of varying size, from coarse sand to talcum powder. We spread this mixture across three surfaces: high-pile carpet, normal carpet, and bare floor. We also use uncooked macaroni and rice to simulate large debris, and cat hair for all the pet-lovers out there.

After the test run is complete, we weigh the dirt the vacuum picked up.

Sound

We placed the Samsung VC-F700G into a sound-proof room and turned it on. Standing ten-feet away, we measured just how much noise it made. Our instruments picked up an average of 74 dBA when this canister is fully active. That's a lot of noise for such a small vacuum.

Edge Cleaning

This Samsung is not able to perfectly clean edges. We measured a quarter-inch gap between the front brush head and the wall. However, from the side, it was able to get completely flush with the wall.

Carpet Cleaning

On high-pile carpet, the Samsung VC-F700G picked up 15.5 grams of dirt of the 90-gram mixture we put on our testing areas. That places this Samsung near the back of the pack when compared to higher-end vacuums. Comparatively, it fared no better on normal carpet. It picked up 59.6 grams out of 90, but that still lags behind other canisters.

Bare Floor Cleaning

Although the VC-F700G did not perform as well as its fellow canisters, it did leave only specks of food debris on our bare floors test. Out of the 70 pieces of macaroni and rice we placed out, this canister left less than a gram of it behind. When you take price into account, that makes this Samsung a relatively good value if most of your home is hardwood.

Meet the tester

Jonathan Chan

Jonathan Chan

Senior Manager of Lab Operations

@Jonfromthelab1

Jonathan Chan currently serves as the Lab Manager at Reviewed. If you clean with it, it's likely that Jon oversees its testing. Since joining the Reviewed in 2012, Jon has helped launch the company's efforts in reviewing laptops, vacuums, and outdoor gear. He thinks he's a pretty big deal. In the pursuit of data, he's plunged his hands into freezing cold water, consented to be literally dragged through the mud, and watched paint dry. Jon demands you have a nice day.

See all of Jonathan Chan's reviews

Checking our work.

Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.

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