Our Verdict: The Miele C3 Pure Power is everything you’d expect from a Miele cylinder vacuum. It’s powerful, easy to use, and provides great value. Our only complaint is that it doesn’t come with a turbo brush, which makes it less effective on thick carpets. Still, it’s an excellent vacuum that can handle pretty much any cleaning task.
Miele C3 Pure Power
Pros:
- Great performance on all floor surfaces
- Easy to use and foot controls for suction settings
- Cord rewind function
- Large capacity and hygienic emptying
Cons:
- No motorised tool for pet hair
- Relatively heavy vacuum cleaner
- Difficult to push on thick carpet
Thinking of buying the Miele C3 Pure Power? Read our in-depth review of this vacuum cleaner to find out if it’s the best model for your home.
The Miele Complete C3 Pure Power is another cylinder vacuum in the popular C3 range. It features a large 4.5 litre bagged dirt capacity, six-stage motor, and a combination Allteq floorhead.
We think the Pure Power is an excellent vacuum cleaner. It’s great for hard floors and low-pile carpets, while the wide radius and cord rewind feature make it easy to use. We wish it had a turbo brush for pet hair, but it provides enough suction to do a decent job on all surfaces still.
So, what makes this Miele vacuum cleaner stand out from the crowd? And is it a worthwhile investment compared with other C3 vacuums? Keep reading our Miele Complete C3 Pure Power review to find out.
Overview of the Miele Complete C3 Pure Power’s Features
- A powerful bagged cylinder vacuum cleaner with multiple suction modes
- 4.5-litre dirt capacity
- Self-sealing dust bags for more hygienic emptying
- 3 non-motorised accessories with onboard storage
- Large operating radius (12 metres) minimises the need to swap plug sockets
- 360° rotating hose and telescopic pipe to suit different users
- Multi-surface floorhead for both carpets and hard floors
- One-touch comfort cord rewind feature
Miele C3 Pure Power Appearance and Design
Miele has almost perfected cylinder vacuum cleaner design, so it’s no surprise that the Pure Power looks similar to others in the C3 range.
The vacuum has a compact design, with onboard tool storage and an internal power cord. We like that it looks neat and streamlined, much like the Pure Red version, but we think some people may prefer the Obsidian Black colour scheme.
Like other C3 vacuums, there’s a selection of power settings that are controlled via foot pedals. These are our favourite upgrades from the C1 series, as foot controls are much more ergonomic to use than manual dials.
Moving onto the technical specs, the Miele C3 Pure Power has a large 4.5 litre bagged dirt capacity. This means it can hold plenty of dirt, dust, and hair before needing to be emptied.
For comparison, the Miele C1 Compact Powerline has a smaller 3.5 litre dirt capacity, while bagless models tend to have a 1-2 litre capacity. The classic Numatic Henry does have a whopping 9 litre capacity, but there’s a trade-off in terms of its poor manoeuvrability.
The C3 Pure Power has an 8.5m power cord and a 1.8m hose to give you a decent cleaning radius. It’s not the biggest we’ve seen, but it’s plenty for cleaning most rooms. And, best of all, the one-touch rewind feature takes the hassle out of tidying the cord away.
We’re also impressed by the high-quality construction of the Pure Power. Miele crash tests their products to ensure they’re built to last, which is why they are amongst the most durable vacuums for home use.
Manoeuvrability and Ease of Use
We think the Miele Complete C3 Pure Power is both powerful and intuitive to use. The castors make it easy to move in any direction, while the telescopic tube can be adjusted for the height of each user.
An interesting feature is the 360° rotating hose. This allows the cleaner to follow you without jerky movements, making it easier to reach awkward areas.
A minor downside is that the extendable hose can start to feel heavy after a while. The curved pipe also isn’t the most comfortable design to hold, plus the vacuum is heavy to carry around (although most of the time it’ll be supported by the castor wheels.)
On the upside, we found that it’s easy to switch on the Pure Power and adjust suction settings using the foot pedals. This removes the need for bending down, which is a bonus for anyone with backache.
Finally, we love how the accessories are neatly tucked away in the body of the Pure Power. The onboard storage, combined with the cord rewind feature, make the C3 a convenient vacuum to use for almost any cleaning job.
Filtration
Like most models in the C3 range, the Miele Complete C3 Pure Power has an AirClean filter, along with HyClean dust bags.
While a HEPA filter would be more effective for allergy sufferers, the AirClean filter still captures 99.9% of particles without releasing them back into the air. The dust bags also have nine layers of filtration to make sure allergens are contained.
To maintain their effectiveness, the filters also have strips to let you know when they need changing.
Emptying and Cleaning
The bagged design of the Miele C3 Pure Power makes the vacuum more hygienic than bagless alternatives. HyClean dust bags are self-sealing when you open the vacuum’s body, which minimises the chance of dirt and allergens escaping when you need to empty it.
Emptying is as simple as removing the sealed bag and putting it into the bin. There’s even a colour-coded system inside the vac to make it easier to insert the correct dust bag.
Miele has included an indicator light that alerts you when the bag needs changing, but it’s not the most reliable. It sometimes flashes up when the bag isn’t full, so it’s often worth checking before you throw away the bag.
Miele C3 Pure Power Tools and Accessories
Floorhead
The Miele Complete C3 Pure Power comes with Miele’s Allteq combination floorhead. It’s a simple floor tool with retractable brushes, although there’s no motorised brush bar. This means the vacuum relies on suction power alone to clean floors.
As you would expect, the Allteq cleaner head is designed for both hard floors and carpets. You retract the brushes for carpeted areas, then flip them back down using the footswitch when moving onto hard floors.
The wide 30cm floorhead means you can cover large areas in less time, but we don’t think it’s as good for getting into tight corners or around furniture. For comparison, the Samsung Jet 90 Pet has a narrower 25cm floorhead, which is less efficient but more manoeuvrable. It really comes down to personal preference – and the C3 certainly doesn’t feel difficult to steer.
There also aren’t any headlights, which some people prefer. But overall, it’s a quality universal floorhead that feels sturdy to use on a mix of floor types.
Other Tools and Accessories
Three non-motorised attachments are included with the Miele Pure Power: a crevice tool, dusting brush, and upholstery tool. These are standard accessories for most vacuums, but the tools are built to a high-standard and are helpful for a range of surfaces and tricky corners around the home.
The dusting brush is small enough for skirting boards and windowsills, while the upholstery tool is surprisingly useful for pet hairs. Our only complaint is that the crevice nozzle is very short, which makes it less useful for getting into tight spots.
We must also mention the lack of a motorised turbo tool. Motorised tools are better for pet hair and deeper cleaning, as the bristles can agitate carpet and upholstery fibres. It would be nice to see one included, although it’s common for non-pet models to lack a turbo tool.
Miele C3 Pure Power Suction Power and Cleaning Performance
We’ll start by saying that we think the Miele C3 Pure Power is a powerful vacuum with brilliant cleaning performance. It generates strong suction, due to the well-designed motor and optimised airflow. The mix of settings, attachments, and combi floorhead also make the C3 a versatile choice.
As we mentioned earlier, the C3 Pure Power has six suction power settings that are controlled by foot pedals. These are useful for a range of surface types, as indicated by the illustrations on each setting. You can preset for delicate surfaces, like curtains, all the way up to the top suction for carpets.
Combine these settings with the retractable floorhead brushes, and we think it’s easy to move across different surfaces with a simple push of a button (or two.) It’s far less hassle than having to swap floorheads depending on the type of flooring.
It’s worth noting that the suction power is almost too strong when on the max setting, which makes it hard to move the floor tool – especially on thick carpet or rugs. The strongest suction setting is also relatively noisy.
Fortunately, the C3 Pure Power’s cleaning performance is still top-notch on medium settings. You don’t always need to use the strongest power to achieve good cleaning results.
Carpets
Despite the lack of a rotating brush bar, the Miele C3 Pure Power performs remarkably well on carpets. The strong suction brings life back to carpet fibres that have become flat due to high footfall, and the crevice tool comes in handy for any grooves around skirting boards.
You’ll often need to use a medium setting for carpets, however, to make sure you can comfortably push the cleaner head. But it’s nice to have the stronger power available for stubborn dirt.
With that said, we recommend upgrading to a Miele turbo or power floorhead if you have thick carpets. These tools provide better fibre-agitation for deeper cleaning.
Hard Floors
Hard floors are an area where the Miele C3 Pure Power excels. There’s no issue with manoeuvrability, so it glides around even on the highest setting. It also has powerful suction for pulling dirt out from between floorboards.
It’s not the best vacuum for larger debris though. Bigger items, such as cereal, can sometimes be pushed around until you lift up the floorhead.
Stairs
The Miele C3 Pure Power isn’t the best vacuum for cleaning stairs. While it’s compact enough to balance on a step, the power cord isn’t long enough to cover a whole flight of stairs. This means you’ll need to carry the heavy vacuum with you.
There’s also no motorised turbo brush, which is a big downside for carpeted stairs. A pet tool would make deep cleaning steps much easier.
On the upside, the onboard storage means the tools are always to hand. There’s also no issue with running out of battery, as is the case when using a cordless vacuum cleaner to thoroughly clean a flight of stairs.
Pet Hair
Again, the lack of a motorised attachment for pet hair makes it hard to recommend the Miele C3 Complete Pure Power to pet owners.
Even so, the floorhead and strong suction make light work of cleaning pet hair from floors without causing clogging. While it’s not really a pet vacuum, the C3 Pure Power certainly won’t struggle with the occasional patch of hair on carpets or hard floors.
Tip: If you have pets or thick carpets, it’s worth opting for the Complete C3 Cat & Dog or buying a separate powered floorhead/mini turbo tool.
Miele C3 Pure Power Price and Value for Money
The Miele C3 Complete Pure Power is a relatively expensive cylinder vacuum, although it is still cheaper than a lot of cordless models. It’s also a powerful and user-friendly vacuum that’s great for all types of cleaning tasks.
For the price, it would be nice to see more than one dust bag included. But Miele products are designed to last for 20 years, so the longevity balances out the initial outlay.
A bigger issue is that there aren’t any features that make this version a clear step up from cheaper models in the C3 range. For this reason, we’d be tempted to buy a cheaper base model, or pay a bit extra for a model with more tools.
It’s still an excellent cylinder vacuum cleaner though, so it provides decent value for money.
Miele C3 Pure Power Specification
| Ninja Column 1 | Ninja Column 2 |
|---|---|
| Type | Cylinder |
| Bag | Bagged |
| Filter | AirClean |
| Price Range | £££ |
| Power (W) | 890 |
| Cord Length (m) | 8.5 |
| Weight (kg) | 7.3 |
| Capacity (Litres) | 4.5 |
| Motorised Tool | No |
| Hose | Yes |
| Hose Length (m) | 1.8 |
Miele C3 Pure Power Review Verdict
We think the Miele Complete C3 Pure Power is another strong vacuum cleaner from Miele. It’s ergonomic and easy to use, plus it generates excellent suction power. It’s also great for cleaning almost any type of flooring.
However, the lack of a motorised floorhead or attachment is the main drawback for us. The cleaner is good for low-pile carpets and hard floors, but it’s not as effective on thicker carpets. It can also be difficult to push when on the highest suction setting.
Still, it’s a worthy choice if you have low-pile carpets, hard floors, or a mixture of both. It’s powerful and easy to manoeuvre, so you won’t be disappointed with the results.