Halo Capsule X Cordless Vacuum Review: ‘Light as a bag of flour with suction as powerful as a Dyson’

When it comes to buying the best vacuum, there’s so much choice on the market, making it hard to decide which model is right for you. That’s why we decided to test out the new Halo Capsule X as this vacuum is super lightweight, weighing just 2.6kg (similar to a 2.5kg bag of flour) due to its carbon-fibre body shell. So, if (like us) you suffer with back, neck or shoulder pain or have mobility issues then this could be a great option for you.
Depending on which bundle you purchase, it also comes with several handy attachments- one in particular that is gentle on hard floors such as wood, or tile.
This new vacuum, designed by the British husband and wife team behind the independent brand Halo, comes just four years after the launch of the Halo Capsule. This earlier model proved popular when it was launched due to its lightweight, and handy mess-free bagged dustbin, a feature that cordless Dyson vacuums don't have. It was also a much cheaper cordless vacuum option than a Dyson, being priced at less than £200.
Read on to find out how the Capsule X fared when our Yours.co.uk Editor put it to the test.

How we tested the Halo Capsule X cordless vacuum

I gave this vacuum a thorough test throughout my four-bedroom family house. We have real wood floors that scratch easily and a polished concrete floor that is very susceptible to marks and scuffs. I also tested the Capsule X on carpets that are often covered in both dog and human hair!
The cleaning power of this product was also tested on my car, which was heavily soiled with dog hair, dried mud and grass.
I suffer with lower back pain so I was very keen to see if this super light vacuum caused me less discomfort when hoovering than my usual upright cleaner does.
Although I've never owned a cordless Dyson before I have tested a number of them and always been impressed with their suction power, so I was interested to see how the Capsule X would measure up.

Setting up the Halo Capsule X

You can choose various bundle options with the Capsule X, all starting at different price points, but we tested the Pet Ultimate 2-Battery Bundle. This came with three motorised cleaning heads (for hard floors, carpets and upholstery), the main carbon-fibre vacuum body and wand, a crevice tool, mini pet-hair brush, two swappable batteries, a hose, a wall-mounted dock and spare compostable bin bags.
There was very little 'setting up' involved the only thing I really needed to check the instructions for was how to place the bin bag into the dustbin cylinder. This is done by opening the cylinder with a simple press of a button allowing you to place the bag inside and line it up correctly.

Testing the Halo Capsule X on hard floors

I used the hard floor, soft motorised brush head to clean my Quorn Stone limestone tiles, oak wooden floor and polished concrete floor. I was very impressed with how this gentle brush completely glided over all three surfaces, not causing any scratching or buffing. It did take me a while to realise that I needed to press the small rectangular button under the on/off button to make the brush spin. Once I'd figured that out I was amazed at how well this delicate brush picked up practically all the dirt and debris that got in its way. It even sucked up large bits of tissue and paper- these are the sorts of things that would normally get stuck in my Shark cordless vacuum so I was pleasantly surprised.

There are three different power suction settings; eco, normal and boost. To be honest I kept it on normal as eco didn't feel powerful enough for my messy floors and I never really needed the boost as it seemed to pick up everything. The Capsule X has 185AW (air watts) of suction, compared to the Dyson V15 which has 210AW. Having previously tested a Dyson V15 I really didn't see much difference in the suction between the two and it's worth bearing in mind that although the Dyson offers an mere 25AW of extra suction it is twice the price.

Like most vacuums the floor tool wasn't able to get into all the crevices I needed it to, so after giving the main areas of the floor a good going over it was easy and simple to remove the stick and attach the crevice tool. When using this you really notice how incredibly light the carbon-fibre body is. I was able to hoover nooks and crannies in cupboards, along shelves and skirting boards with absolute ease and zero back and arm pain.

Testing the Halo Capsule X on carpet

The motorised head for carpets features a headlight which can be easily turned off and on to save the battery. This is really useful when hoovering under beds, sofas and chairs. We have a dog and three long-haired girls in our household so the brush roller was certainly put to the test and after a thorough clean of the upstairs it had a lot hair wrapped around it. It's very easy to remove the roller brush (no tools or coins needed) by twisting one of the blue edges of the roller that on the side of the head. The brush pops out easily and I found it fairly simple to remove any debris caught around the brush using scissors.

I found the small upholstery roller tool was great on my stairs as it was just the right size to get into all the corners and comfortably swept over each step. I also liked that that there was no need to use the wand here. I just clipped the small roller into the main body, meaning it was light, compact and safe as I climbed up the stairs.

Testing the Halo Capsule X pet hair tool

I put the pet hair tool to the test on my dog's bed, which is always covered in fur. The brush at the end of the tool was able to encourage and lift the hairs so that they could be sucked up. I did find that for the best results I needed to use the boost button here. It successfully cleared most of the hairs from the bed, but being on boost, it did drain the battery quickly.

Cleaning a car with the Halo Capsule X

When it came to cleaning my car with the Capsule X it didn't disappoint. The upholstery tool is great for cleaning floor mats and the crevice tool fitted nicely into all those annoying little spaces that gather dirt. When it came to cleaning the floor of the car I did need to use the boost button to get those stubborn bits out and this did drain the battery. When using continually on boost mode you're looking at about 15-20 minutes before the battery dies. When used on the lowest setting Halo say you'll get 60 minutes usage out of a fully charged battery.

You really reap the benefits of the light carbon-fibre body here as bending over and using this vacuum for a good 20-30 mins did not strain my back or muscles. I did however find that because the body is quite a bulky and a bulbous shape it was sometimes hard to get in the right position to hoover in my small Mini. This wouldn't be an issue in a larger car though.

Changing the bag

I really liked the fact that this vacuum has bags because in the past when emptying out bagless models I've found that the dust and debris will inevitably escape as you attempt to put it in the bin. I also find that over time this can make the vacuum look a bit unsightly as no matter how you try and clean out the bagless cylinders, they always end up looking grubby. The Capsule X also features a HEPA filter which is great if you, or a family member suffers from dust allergies or eczema. This means, unlike many other cordless models you won't come into contact with any dust when emptying it.

Storage

If you choose to purchase one of the ultimate bundles you will have a number of accessories to find a home for. They are all small enough to keep in a medium sized bag in a cupboard though. The wall mount is a great way to keep your vacuum safely stored away and out of sight.

Final verdict

I was really impressed with the Halo Capsule X. Its suction power is excellent and on a par with a Dyson, plus it's incredibly light (500g lighter than a Dyson V15) and so really comfortable to use and move around the house. I found cleaning the stairs was so easy and and pain-free, compared to lugging an upright vacuum up and down.

Some reviewers have commented that when vacuuming up high for long periods of time it can cause your arm to ache but I personally didn't find this an issue.

One small issue that occurred was that after changing the battery the vacuum would cut out intermittently. I think this was because it hadn't quite slotted properly in and certain movements caused it move and therefore cut out. To resolve this I had to remove the battery and replace it again a few times.

I absolutely loved how gentle this vacuum was on my hard floors, giving me peace of mind that they wouldn't be scratched or marked. It performed excellently on carpeted areas and when cleaning my car floor.

In general the battery life is ideal when you're using it in normal mode, it does drain quickly when used on boost but was only on a few occasions that I needed to use this. This vacuum is ideal for using everyday to give your floors a quick hoover.

If you have hard floors and pets I would certainly recommend spending a little extra money and buying the Pet Ultimate 2-Battery Bundle as the attachments are very useful. The only one I didn't really use was the hose. You can buy all attachments and extra batteries separately on the Halo website so work out what's for you as it may be cheaper to purchase the attachments you want rather than opting for a set bundle.

When comparing the Halo Capsule X to a Dyson V15, I'd definitely choose the Capsule X because for me the difference in suction power is minimal, it's lighter, cheaper and much cleaner and more convenient to empty.

Claire Tapley is a digital editor for Yours.co.uk. She is a journalist with over 16 years' experience writing for women over 50. In her previous role she was Deputy Editor on Yours magazine for nine years.

Claire is extremely passionate about all things health related, specifically fitness and healthy eating. She has a huge amount of knowledge on all areas that interest women over 50 including health, wellbeing, finance, food, tech, beauty and fashion.