Consumer NZ: Kmart’s Anko window vacuum sucks, for all the wrong reasons

Consumer NZ trialled Kmart’s Anko window vacuum but found it didn't do a great job of combating condensation.

Retailing for $35, the Anko window vacuum is a quarter of the price of popular window cleaners from Karcher but is weak and ineffective when it comes to sucking up water.

"When attempting to remove condensation, this window vacuum’s suction didn't cut the mustard. Its rubber squeegee head pushed more water around than it sucked up. Our verdict was you'd be better off wiping down wet windows with a cloth," Consumer NZ product test manager Paul Smith said.

"This gadget is also a window cleaner, with a spray nozzle, separate clean and dirty water compartments and a cleaning cloth on the back. We found it awkward to keep spraying and flipping and is probably more trouble than it's worth."

Consumer NZ trialled the Anko window vacuum next to the Karcher window vacuum and tested its suction power by suctioning a feather. The Anko failed to pick up a single feather from a table and keep it in the air, which the Karcher kept in the air effortlessly.

"Consumer NZ previously trialled popular window cleaners from Karcher and found them to be high performers. Sometimes, a low price seems too good to be true – which is very much true in the instance of this Anko window vacuum. After using the Karcher window vacuum, windows were dry to touch. That wasn’t the case with the Anko. Based off our trial of the Kmart Anko window vacuum, we wouldn't put a lot of faith in this product as a stellar household performer - you're better off wiping your windows manually or using a Scoopy."