Name: Title of Tech review
Item: Bosch Unlimited 7 Aqua
Rating: 4

Bosch Unlimited 7 Aqua

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Price: €530

Where To Buy: Power City

I like devices that save time. I like them even more when they don’t take up a lot of room in my house, or when I can replace two of them with one.

Take for example the Bosch Unlimited 7 Aqua. It is a two-in-one cordless vacuum and mop, a first for the company and a win for consumers who might not have the space or the desire for two entirely separate devices to clean floors.

The Unlimited 7 Aqua is a new addition to the range. It does everything you would expect of the Bosch vacuum, but throws in the new twin-in-one mop head so you can wash the floors, too.

That isn’t entirely unusual; other vacuums offer a wet cleaning head, but Bosch’s decision to build the two into one attachment means you can vacuum and mop without having to swap attachments, or do the same floor twice. And the dirt goes into a separate chamber, so it doesn’t form a damp, disgusting paste that you have to clean.

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The attachment in question has two spinning mop pads to lift dirt, and a small water tank built in. As you move throughout the room, it sucks away the dirt, and wets the spinning pads to scrub your floors.

The water supply is automatic, so you don’t have to worry about leaks or overly wet surfaces. And there is no dirty mop to wring out at the end.

It works surprisingly well. It tackled the usual child-related grime in my home without too much complaining. The mop left the floors clean but not wet afterwards. It only struggled with an unreported spill that had been allowed to set into something resembling cement – possibly Weetabix-filled milk from a bowl – but a quick spray and a few minutes to settle saw it lift the dirt on the second go.

It also tackled loose dust and debris quickly. Anything tougher will require the big guns: the dynamic power brush.

This is suitable for all floor types and has LED lights so you can really highlight all the dirt you’ve missed in the past. It’s not quite as soul-destroying as Dyson’s laser cleaning head, but it will certainly make you rethink your cleaning schedule.

It also tackles carpets with ease, with the power brush making quick work of the task.

According to Bosch, the cleaner will pick up 99.9 per cent of dust and allergens, with HEPA filtration system filters to make sure it stays gone.

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It is powered by a motor with up to 66,000rpm, and you can choose between eco or turbo mode, or flick it on to auto and let the device make the choice, depending on the floor type.

The Unlimited 7 Aqua has some great features. It is lighter than some of the other cordless devices I’ve used in the past, which makes it easy to use in all areas of the house, especially on the stairs.

The Bosch vacuum also comes with more flexible tools. It has a flexible crevice nozzle – great for getting down the side of the dishwasher in this house, or tackling the car – and the hinged “flex tube” that lets you get to harder-to-reach places without having to bend over too much.

If you suffer with any sort of back pain, you’ll know why this is a good thing: if you don’t, congratulations and long may it last but, trust me when I say, at some point you will welcome this. The 90-degree bend means it goes low so you don’t have to.

The machine has a 3aH battery that gives you about 40 minutes of run time before it needs a charge. That should give you enough time to whizz around the house, but if you need extra, the batteries are easily swapped out.

Good

Great space saver, and the two-in-one mop head works well. The spinning mop pads will lift some of the medium level dirt from your floors, but heavy-duty grime might require a bit of extra intervention.

Battery life is enough to do the average sized house, and can be easily changed if you need longer running time. They are fairly generic Bosch batteries too, so shop around for a good deal.