The Kärcher WV 7 window vac doesn’t quite manage a clean sweep
With the WV 7 Signature Line, Kärcher has paid tribute to its founder and rolled out a number of accessories. The window vac works great, but it struggles to get into corners.
The WV 7 is a window vac. But it’s not just any old window vac. It’s part of Kärcher’s esteemed Signature Line. The kind of premium label you might find attached to a piece of sports equipment or a musical instrument. A unique characteristic of special editions like these is the willingness of celebrities to endorse them. The fact that Kärcher’s Signature Line is endorsed by checks notes its founder Alfred Kärcher strikes me as grotesque. First off, it’s not like Mr Kärcher’s going to bad-mouth his own product. Secondly, he died over half a century ago, so he can only vouch for the quality of the window vac from beyond the grave.
But let’s get down to the product itself. I get the chance to test the window vacuum just in time for my annual spring clean. Winter has left its mark on my windows, and they’re long overdue for a glow-up. Cue the WV 7 window vac, which will supposedly get the job done quickly without leaving streaks.
The vac comes with two suction nozzles of different widths, a spray bottle and two microfibre cloths. It’s worth mentioning here that the battery-operated window vac doesn’t wet the windows – it just sucks up water you’ve sprayed onto them.
The device is charged via a proprietary charging cable, but I’d prefer a typical USB-C option. Plus, you can’t change the battery. Mind you, with a battery life of 100 minutes (manufacturer’s specification), that’s probably not a big deal. At the end of the day, I just want to clean the windows of my apartment, not a skyscraper.
Slurp up that dirty water!
Using the vac is straightforward. First, you wash down your windows using the spray bottle and microfibre cloth included with the device. You’ll find a detergent sample in the box too. Once you’ve done that, you vacuum the windows dry with the WV 7. At the touch of a button, the WV 7 sucks up the water from wet windows or other smooth surfaces. Vacuuming up water from my glass ceramic hob turns out to be incredibly satisfying.
I have a little more trouble with my windows. The suction nozzle struggles to get into the corners, so I end up having to dry them by hand. Another problem is dirty water. The vac doesn’t quite manage to catch all of it, leaving some to trickle down the window frame. Nevertheless, you can avoid this issue by taking a little extra care when cleaning and vacuuming. Sometimes, less is more. When I first tried the vac, I well and truly flooded the windows.
I’m not sure which technique works best. If I vacuum from one side of the window to the other, less dirty water ends up on the bottom. If I vacuum from top to bottom, I finish faster, but drag a small amount of dirty water down onto the frame.
Both techniques leave a streak by the window frame that the vac doesn’t get rid of. I have to touch it up with a cloth or kitchen roll. Still, even taking this extra wipe into account, the vac is much faster than using «just» kitchen paper.
In a nutshell
Fast, but not quite squeaky-clean
The WV 7 Signature Line offers the whole window-cleaning package. When I test the vacuum, it gets my windows and other smooth surfaces clean and dry in a jiffy. Although, having to give the windows a few touch-ups by hand is unavoidable. I’ve knocked off one star because of the proprietary charging cable and non-removable battery. The other deduction is down to the vacuum being unable to clean the window frame properly.
Pro
- Cleans and dries windows and surfaces fast
- One charge lasts for 100 minutes
- Comes in two sizes
Contra
- No USB-C
- Non-removable battery
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Simon Balissat
Teamleader Editorial
Simon.Balissat@digitecgalaxus.chWhen I flew the family nest over 15 years ago, I suddenly had to cook for myself. But it wasn’t long until this necessity became a virtue. Today, rattling those pots and pans is a fundamental part of my life. I’m a true foodie and devour everything from junk food to star-awarded cuisine. Literally. I eat way too fast.
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