The best window vacs for clearing condensation: seven expert picks for streak-free shine

The Guardian

28-01-2025

They may sound similar but window vacuums aren't like regular vacuum cleaners – you can't wave one across your windows and watch the dirt leap in. That's because window vacs don't combat dust, but instead suck up water.
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These handy gadgets lift excess moisture off windows and collect it in their water tanks. This makes them particularly useful in places prone to condensation and to help combat damp problems, such as black mould and rotting woodwork. They can also suck up the water after you've washed your windows or remove moisture from the shower and mirrors in a busy family bathroom.
Best overall window vacuum:
Kärcher WV2£54.99 at Amazon
Best budget window vacuum:
Tower TWV10 £31.49 at Amazon
Best window vacuum for smaller living spaces:
Kärcher WV1£39.99 at Kärcher
To all intents and purposes, window vacs look like regular window squeegees, except the handle is expanded to include a suction device and a tank is added to collect water.
As with a regular squeegee, you wipe the window with the rubbery blade and the liquid is collected underneath. However, window vacuums have a secondary flap with holes in, into which water is sucked. From here it travels to the collection tank, leaving your windows dry and streak-free. The tank can be emptied into the sink by removing it and tipping it out, or sometimes by opening a plug on the side.
I've been deeply immersed in testing cleaning gadgets for several years, having now trialled more cordless stick vacuums than you probably realised existed. I've also tested mops, hard floor cleaners, carpet cleaners and various robots designed to do such jobs automatically. I've got a keen nose for a labour-saving device, and live in a busy household that never seems short of a dirty surface to put things to the test.
I approached the testing of all seven of these window vacuums in a similar way to how I'd test a regular vacuum cleaner, so I started with a battery test. I ensured each device was fully charged, switched it on, and timed how long it lasted before giving up and switching itself off.
I'll usually measure the suction on a vacuum cleaner, but the long, wide apertures of window vacuums' squeegee funnels aren't compatible with my usual test equipment. Instead, I removed the fin section from each and measured the airflow with an anemometer – a little gadget that measures wind speed.
During testing, however, I found that other factors were arguably more important than the strength of the suction. I was generally underwhelmed by the airflow results, being more used to powerful cordless vacuums, but was intrigued to see whether it provided enough suction to lift water from windows.
My final testing was practical. I used cleaning fluid and a spray to dampen a window, before applying each device to the area to gather up the residue. I tried them on windows, tiles and shower screens, and noted how much liquid was left behind after a good wipe down with each vacuum.
Kärcher has positioned itself as the main player in the window vacuum arena by sheer weight of numbers. It has four different window vacs, some of which also come in a Plus version with a squirty spray bottle and cloth attachment for washing the windows before you vacuum them. The WV2 is the brand's mid-range cleaner, available with and without the additional spray-and-wipe tool.
Why we love itI thought the WV2 offered the best balance between size and usability. The device is simple to operate, with a single button that switches it on and off. This is positioned on the handle, so the button sits nicely under your thumb during use.
In my tests, the squeegee wiped across glass surfaces cleanly and without excessive squeaking. It picked up most of the water as it went, leaving only a small residue at the end when the device was lifted off the window.
Some of the window vacs I tested explicitly state that they can only be used in an upright orientation. The opposite is true of all Kärcher devices, with the Kärcher website showing the WV2 being used to lift liquid from a horizontal work surface. That meant I had no qualms twisting it about to use on other surfaces, including a curved shower screen, and it didn't drip any water out of its collection tank.
It's a shame that … it's one of the more expensive devices. I tested the Plus version, which comes with a squirty bottle and an integrated window-wiping cloth. This felt like an unnecessary extra, and it's overpriced considering what you get, so I've recommended the standard version here.
Suction nozzle width: 28cm Water tank: 100mlTested battery life: 40mins Weight: 606g
£45 at Wickes£54.99 at Amazon
When it comes to the crunch, most window vacs are fundamentally alike. They do a similar job to a similar standard, with the biggest difference being the price. The TWV10 is the cheapest by some margin.
Why we love itYou wouldn't guess its price from its specs. It has a 150ml water tank, which is at the larger end of the scale, and it doesn't compromise on the length of the wiper, either, measuring a full 28cm. For the money, you don't get any fancy extras such as spray bottles and cleaning cloths, but I can't argue against the price. Its battery life is quoted to be 30 minutes, yet it actually lasted 45 minutes in my tests.
In use, I found it largely similar to its rivals. It's a little bulkier than the Kärcher WV2, thanks partly to the larger water container, but it performed its job well on my windows. If your main aim is to lift water from vertical windows for as little expense as possible, this is a very decent budget option.
It's a shame that … the seal on the water tank wasn't great, and it leaked a bit when I was moving the device around to pick up the last few drips. Best kept upright.
Suction nozzle width: 28cmWater tank: 150mlTested battery life: 45minsWeight: 765g
£29 at Argos£31.49 at Amazon
Just to prove the point that Kärcher has a window vac for all occasions, this is the company's small model. Its 25cm wiper blade is shorter than any of the other devices I tested.
Why we love itIt's basically just a smaller version of the WV2, so there isn't much not to like. It's better suited to smaller hands, is very light and could be used for gathering moisture from little windows.
Once again, Kärcher embraces the fact that it can be used on horizontal surfaces as well as vertical ones, making it more versatile than its rivals. A useful compact device for small flats or to keep in the bathroom.
It's a shame that … the water tank sits a bit strangely on the device and looks like it isn't properly connected, even though it is. It also doesn't have a quick-release plug, so you need to dismantle it and unscrew the lid to empty it. Despite its size, it's only marginally more affordable than the WV2.
Suction nozzle width: 25cmWater tank: 100mlTested battery life: 25minsWeight: 484g
£39.99 at Kärcher£39.99 at Amazon
Best for: battery life on a budget
This Basics window vacuum is Amazon's own take on the concept. While it undercuts Kärcher in terms of price, it doesn't attempt to make a play for the absolute budget end, instead coming in at mid-range. It comes with a squirty bottle and integrated wiping cloth, which you can fill with your favoured detergent solution.
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In my personal airflow tests, this is the model that appeared to gather in the most air. However, it didn't seem to make it any better at picking up water, leaving behind a little more moisture at the end of the wipe than its best-performing rivals. However, the battery lasted over an hour, second only to the much more expensive Kärcher WV6.
It didn't make the final cut because … there's no option to buy without the spray and wipe tools, which you may not want.
Suction nozzle width: 28cmWater tank: 120mlTested battery life: 1hr 1minWeight: 761g
£37.18 at Amazon
Best for: lots of features
If you want the flashiest window vacuum available, Kärcher has thrown the kitchen sink at the WV6. The Plus version I reviewed comes with a spray-and-wipe bottle like some of the others, but it's also available in an 'N' version that also includes a secondary smaller nozzle for the device itself.
The wiper is a softer silicone than on the other vacuums and can be removed for easy cleaning, but I found it squeaked a bit more when pulling it across my windows (unless I applied quite a lot of pressure). It has an LED screen on the back, which shows how much battery charge is left as a percentage. You'll wonder if it's not working, though: the battery lasted a phenomenal 1hr 40mins in my tests.
It didn't make the final cut because … it's nice to have those extra features but they bump the price up considerably.
Suction nozzle width: 28cmWater tank: 150mlTested battery life: 1hr 40minsWeight: 800g
£80 at Argos£79.99 at Currys
Best for: being a better-value package
Like Kärcher, Beldray also has a range of window vacuums. The cordless XL is available on its own or in a Plus version, which includes a squirty bottle and cleaning cloth. Refreshingly, however, Beldray only increases the price of the Plus version by £3, which feels like a more appropriate increase than on Kärcher's similar offerings.
The device proved effective at collecting moisture in our tests – except for one thing: the squeegee fin doesn't go right to the end of the plastic nozzle that holds it in place. When cleaning my windows, that meant I couldn't get the fin right up to the edge.
It didn't make the final cut because … of the edge-cleaning problem. It can also only be used upright.
Suction nozzle width: 28cmWater tank: 100mlTested battery life: 32minsWeight: 713g
£34.99 at Beldray£34.95 at Sonic Direct
Best for: a similar alternative to the Beldray
Screwfix's own-brand Titan window vacuum cleaner looks identical to the Beldray model above, with the main external difference being colour variation. There may be more differences inside, though: they're a slightly different weight, and the battery on this unit lasted only 25 minutes, whereas the Beldray stretched out to 32 minutes.
Like the Beldray, however, it was good at collecting water from my window. For the size of the device, the water tank is fairly small at 100ml. It's easy to empty, though, so its smaller size shouldn't cause any problems.
It didn't make the final cut because … it suffers from the same problems as the Beldray, with vertical-only operation and a wiper blade that doesn't reach the edges of the device. It's a bit cheaper but only comes with a USB cable, whereas the others all have power adapters with plugs.
Suction nozzle width: 28cmWater tank: 100mlTested battery life: 25minsWeight: 720g
£29.99 at Screwfix
Before you buy a window vacuum, make sure you understand exactly what you're getting. These devices won't leave your windows sparkling with nothing more than a quick wipe. They don't supply water, detergent or even elbow grease to help you get cleaner windows. The job they actually perform is to remove moisture from surfaces so that you can easily deposit it down the nearest drain.
Clearly this is still a useful proposition. If your home has a condensation problem, these devices could revolutionise your day. You can use them to wipe down windows, gather up most of the moisture and tip it into the sink without having to wring out and dry an endless supply of cloths.
That isn't to say they're a useless tool for people who like shiny windows. You'll still need to clean your windows as you would normally, by wiping them with some form of detergent or cleaning solution. But where you'd usually have to lift the water off with a dry cloth to stop streaking, the combined action of the squeegee and the water suction will leave your windows much drier, with a professional shine.
I can't pretend there are huge differences between the window vacuums I tested for this review. However, there are a few things to look out for. Most of the models came with 28cm wiper blades, except for a single smaller model. If you have small windows, it may be worth opting for the diminutive model, simply because the larger ones might not fit your panes. If your windows are large, then a wider wiper will mean fewer cleaning strokes.
If you have a lot of cleaning or condensation-gathering to do, then a device with a larger water tank will help. We saw differences ranging from 100ml to 150ml. A larger tank means you won't have to empty it as often, but if you're only collecting sprayed-on detergent, you'll be surprised how many windows you can wipe before it fills up.
The seal on the tanks is also important if you want to use your window vacuum at an angle. I found those appliances that advertise horizontal as well as vertical use seem to be better sealed.
Batteries also last for different times. For small spaces, a short battery life is fine. However, you probably don't want to get halfway around a window cleaning job and then have to wait three hours for your vacuum to recharge.
Andy Shaw is a freelance consumer journalist and technology addict. Having reviewed tech products professionally for more than 30 years, his favoured working environment is a small desk surrounded by big boxes. His greatest weakness is that he never, ever remembers how things came out of their packaging, so they rarely fit back in again when it's time to return them