PRODUCT REVIEW


wheels that enable it to sit stably on rough surfaces. The rear 130mm diameter wheels are fi xed on an axle while the smaller front wheels are casters, making it easy to tow the vacuum around by its hose when it needs moving.


The bright yellow features like the quick- release cable cleats, the three metres of anti-static hose and the fi ve-metre- long cable really stand out as hi-vis, which enables users to easily avoid them. Of course, all the hose and cable also mean that the work radius is eff ectively around nine metres which is enough to clean up quite a large area without having to change mains plugs or rely on an extension cord.


“


These tools all work well (especially the fl oor cleaner head that I used on some shaving and sawdust in my workshop) leaving a clean and dust-free surface.


Other specs


The 1200W motor is powerful enough and reasonably quiet – certainly not loud enough to upset a client at clean-up time - and is available in 240 and 110 voltages.


The all-important suction lift power is 2400mm or 18KPa and has an M-Class H13 HEPA fi lter. The supplied fi lter bags have a capacity of 18 litres and are really


easy to install and dispose of without spilling out dangerous dusts.


The plastic tank is rugged enough for site use and is also corrosion free, so it is


shows when things are getting too clogged for effi cient extraction. There is also a small external outlet fi lter that can be quickly removed and cleaned to prevent collected dust from being blown back out.


My overriding impression of the V-TUF M-Class MINI PLUS is that it is an extremely practical no- nonsense machine that has a lot of appeal.


possible to use the vac to pick up liquids as well. I liked the touch of the drainage stopper on the base of the tank to make emptying less diffi cult than having to up- turn the machine to tip a large quantity of weighty water down a drain.


I was quite taken with the cable cleat because it is well placed at the top of the machine where it is very easy to wind the cable around the cleated ends. By simply pulling the cleats upwards and moving them sideways, the cable is quickly released with less danger of it being coiled and tangled.


The hose can be stored by winding it round the body, but it is true to say that most extraction vacs haven’t yet sorted out a good way to store the hose when not in use. At the back of the body are a series of lugs where the collection of supplied tools can be stored. The tools cover a useful range to include a very eff ective smooth fl oor and carpet head and brush, a small round brush, a crevice tool and a power tool adaptor.


To use the vac in ‘wet’ mode, the user needs to remove the fi lter bag and fi lter. Two yellow clips, one on each side of the body, are simply released to allow the fi lter/motor head to be removed. The washable fi lter is held in with a quick- release system that takes just half a turn to enable it to be lifted out.


Operation


A protected on/off switch on the front of the vac is big and easy to use even with gloves. Underneath the cable cleats are the fi lter cleaner and the all-important extraction velocity warning light which


Using it in a variety of cleaning scenarios like cleaning up shavings from under my wood lathe, general workshop cleaning and then picking up the leftovers at the base of a wall that had been recently repointed, the V-TUF did a very good job. Like any vac, when it is clogged or overloaded, effi ciency tails off , but kept within the working parameters it kept up with the competition. I was actually amazed that it picked up lumps of discarded pointing mortar up to 3cm long and sucked them right through into the fi lter bag.


Overall


My overriding impression of the V-TUF M-Class MINI PLUS is that it is an extremely practical no-nonsense machine that has a lot of appeal, not only because of its very competitive price but also because it just works in a simple and straightforward way to pick up and contain dangerous dust. It is quiet, powerful and easy to operate with simple controls. I guess some users might like to have a power take off socket to connect corded power tools to automatic extraction, but at the last count my corded tools are outnumbered by my cordless tools by about 4 to 1.


To fi nd out more please contact us on: 01522 515767 or visit our website: www.v-tuf.com


“


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36