Why You Can Trust CNET Samsung vs. Tineco: Which Brand Makes the Better Cordless Vacuum?
It's hard to beat the cleaning power of a traditional stick vacuum cleaner. Here's how the top models from Samsung and Tineco compare.
- 10 years writing about technology for Newsweek, PCMag, Wired, and more
Cordless vacuums are better than ever: That's the big-picture takeaway. The more nuanced observation is that both Samsung and Tineco are making solid cleaners across a variety of categories. So which brand makes the best vacuums? We took a closer look at how they compare, head-to-head.
Both of these manufacturers have an edge over the competition in various ways, from robust performance and included accessories to cleaning modes and overall value. That's not to say Dyson, LG, Shark and others aren't worth considering, but Samsung and Tineco are heavy favorites amid the list of options.
Among each brand's lineup of cleaners, the Samsung Jet 90 and Tineco Pure One S11 are the models that stand out as prime considerations. Each had great cleaning performance in our lab-based tests, plus they bring different benefits to a wide range of people in the market for a cordless vacuum. Let's take a closer look at how the two compare, starting with a rundown of the specs that set them apart.
The Samsung Jet 90 is a premium cordless vacuum, but for the money it does offer a long 60-minute cleaning time, five-layer HEPA filtration system and multiple brushes, including the Turbo Action Brush which is safe and effective on both carpets and hardwood floors. Having a single brush that works on most surfaces really simplifies things when you're trying to clean quickly.
The long runtime when using the lowest power setting makes it easy to hit every room before the vacuum needs to go back to its free-standing charging station. But if you do have an extra large house or want to make sure you there's a charged battery ready to go whenever you want it, the Samsung Jet 90 supports dual battery charging, both in the vacuum itself and with a secondary slot in the stand. A second battery isn't included with this model, but extra batteries are available for purchase at $150 each.
Included with the Jet 90 are a crevice accessory and the ability to turn the stick vacuum into a small handheld unit for the car or couch cushions. Unfortunately, the cordless vacuum and its free-standing charging dock don't include a way to store all of the accompanying accessories.
Wattage: 550-watt motor
Dustbin capacity: 0.8 liters
Battery capacity: 2,850 mAh
Runtime: 60 minutes
Charging dock: Free-standing
Filter type: HEPA
Warranty: 1 year
Retail price: $649
Other Samsung cordless vacuums we've tested
Samsung's other cordless cordless vacuums, such as the Jet 75 and Bespoke, offer a lot of what the Jet 90 does. In the case of the Jet 75, it foregoes the telescopic pipe and free-standing wall stand for a retail price of $400. The Bespoke vacuum sits at the high end of the market and comes with lots of extra accessories. Each is worth consideration, but we think the Jet 90 captures the best of all the options.
The Tineco Pure One S11 vacuum doesn't quite match the Jet 90's power, its dustbin capacity or its battery capacity. But it still did a fantastic job in our cleaning tests and it undercuts the Jet 90 vacuum significantly on price. Plus, it offers a two-year warranty over Samsung's one-year coverage.
The Pure One S11 has five-layer HEPA filtration and different brush types for traditional and hand vac needs, but its charging dock will need to be wall-mounted near an outlet. This is a cordless vacuum that straddles premium features and performance without alienating budget-conscious buyers.
The vacuum doesn't have a companion mobile app like the Pure One S15 Pet that connects to the vacuum from your phone over Wi-Fi to change the settings, but in our experience this functionality isn't critical to the product.
Wattage: 450-watt motor
Dustbin capacity: 0.6 liters
Battery capacity: 2,500 mAh
Runtime: 40 minutes
Charging dock: Wall-mounted
Filter type: HEPA
Warranty: 2 years
Retail price: $399
Other Tineco cordless vacuums we've tested
While the Tineco Pure One S11 sits in the midrange for the company, the higher-end S15 Pet could be an option for people who are set on a free-standing docking station, fancier display or Wi-Fi app connectivity. The S15 Pet performed similarly well in our cleaning tests, but it does cost more. Meanwhile, the Tineco A11 Hero serves as a strong budget option at $260, though its cleaning power wasn't quite up to par with the company's S11 or S15 models.
That's the quick rundown on how Samsung and Tineco's cordless vacuums measure up. Now let's take a closer look at how the companies' two top models compare.
The Tineco Pure One S11 uses a wall-mounted charging dock, so you'll need a drill to install it. If you want a free-standing charging dock that sits flat on the floor, you'll need to step up to an S15 model like the one in the background here, or go with something like the Samsung Jet 90.
Design differences
The Samsung Jet 90 and Pure One S11 look similar at first glance, but Tineco does leave out some minor niceties, presumably to keep costs lower. One design aspect that could play a significant role in daily cleaning is the Jet 90's telescopic pole to shorten or extend the length and make the vacuum more comfortable for different sized people to use.
Both models have a similar hand grip for holding the vacuum and maneuvering it over floors. Each weighs around 6 pounds with the S11 coming in slightly lighter than the Jet 90. Both of these cordless vacuums also come with a charging dock, but those docks are where the similar builds begin to diverge.
The Samsung Jet 90's sleek, dark-bodied design, telescoping frame, and faux metallic accents give it a more premium look and feel than the Tineco Pure One S11.
The Jet 90 has a free-standing design that sits flat on the floor, complete with a slot for a spare battery to charge. Meanwhile, the charging dock for the Pure One S11 will need to be drilled into a wall. This is less ideal for renters, and can generally limit the places where you can store the vacuum.
Samsung's dock has room to keep two of the included accessories -- the two smallest ones, the crevice tool and combo brush -- while the S11's wall mount can hold three attachments.
In terms of design, the telescoping pole is enough for the Jet 90 to edge out the S11. Additionally, Tineco's charging dock is perfectly fine and might even be preferable for some people to get the vacuum off the ground, but the Jet 90's free-standing charging dock provides even more versatility.
Winner: Samsung Jet 90
The display on the Tineco Pure One S11 features a ring of colored light that glows red whenever dirt and debris are detected below. Once the mess is cleaned, the ring of light returns to blue.
Features and accessories
The Jet 90 and the Pure One S11 both feature a five-stage HEPA filtration system, including washable filters. Plus, each has multiple power levels for different degrees of messes -- from picking up simple crumbs to more embedded dirt.
The displays on each of these vacuums provide basic information, but Tineco's shows dirt detection colors around the perimeter, and they change from red to blue as the dirt disappears. It's somewhat satisfying to see that visual affirmation as you clean, but whether or not that's useful in the long run is up for debate. Samsung's screen showing the power level and any errors is minimally sufficient.
In terms of accessories, Tineco's Pure One S11 comes with a mini power brush, a two-in-one dust brush, and a crevice tool. Tineco advertises its main brush as not getting tangled with hair -- a particularly neat feature if you're using it in a bathroom or a house with furry friends. This is similar to the Jet 90, except Samsung also offers a flex tool for reaching around corners or on top of curtains, for example, and a soft brush for extra-sensitive floors. You can add a particularly popular mop attachment to Samsung's unit, but it's not included and costs an extra $130. It's close between the two, but we like Samsung's extra accessories and the way they give you the option to add even more as needed, including a self-emptying station.
Winner: Samsung Jet 90
The Tineco Pure One S11 edged out the Jet 90 in five out of our six cleaning tests. The exception is our most challenging test, removing fine-sized sand from thick, midpile carpets. The Jet 90 removed an impressive 98% of the sand in that test, compared to 78% for Tineco.
Cleaning performance
Cleaning performance will vary depending on the types of messes you're trying to clean up and the types of floors in your home. That's why our cleaning testing covers hardwood floors, low-pile carpet, and thicker, plushier midpile carpet, with dozens of cleaning runs across each surface that measure how well each vacuum sucks up sand (our analogue for dust and other fine particles) and black rice (our stand-in for crumbs and other larger pieces of debris).
The Pure One S11 led the way throughout most of our tests, with slightly better numbers than the Jet 90 in all of our rice tests and two out of three of our sand tests. In fact, Tineco's cordless vacuum was top-five among all of the cordless vacuums we've tested in recent years on all three flooring surfaces we test, making it a well-rounded cleaner for the price.
Where the Jet 90 excelled was in the midpile carpet tests, particularly in the sand test, where it pulled an impressive 98% of the stuff out of our plushest carpet sample. That's the best score we've ever recorded in that test. The S11 struggled in comparison, with a more pedestrian score of 78%. It's still the better cleaner overall, but the Jet 90 makes sense as an upgrade pick for homes with thick carpets.
Winner: Tineco Pure One S11
Cordless vacuum value
Samsung's Jet 90 cordless vacuum retails for $650 while Tineco's Pure One S11 retails for $400. While $250 can be a significant delta between the two, the Jet 90 does provide some advantages in most categories to justify the extra cost. Sale prices may also shrink the gulf in price between these two; as I write this, the Jet 90 is on sale for $499 on Amazon, while the Pure One S11 is down to $290. Generally speaking, you're likely to find the Pure One S11 available for considerably less than the Jet 90, and given that the two are relatively close in terms of their capabilities, the S11 represents the better overall value.
It's worth calling out that the Samsung Bespoke vacuum, an even higher-end vacuum than the Jet 90, is currently down to $660, which is over 25% off of its retail price. If you're leaning toward the Jet 90, we would recommend getting the Bespoke at that price instead of these two units. Along with comparable cleaning power to the Jet 90 and a longer two-year warranty, the Bespoke comes with a self-emptying charging dock, two batteries, and an accessory storage caddy that also charges the spare battery.
Winner: Tineco Pure One S11
The verdict
In a head-to-head comparison, the Tineco Pure One S11 and Samsung Jet 90 are a good example of what midrange and high-end cordless vacuums have to offer. While Tineco is a better value, it doesn't offer all the benefits and niceties that Samsung does. The decision here primarily comes down to how much a buyer is willing to push their budget.
You can't pick wrong based on cleaning performance as both did a commendable job. The S11 was strong all around, rated top five among all the cordless cleaners we've tested with both fine, dust-like particles and larger, crumb-like debris. That said, the Jet 90 is our top performing model in our most challenging test, vacuuming sand out of plushy, midpile carpet. If very small, fine, debris is more of a problem in your home, or if you live with lots of thick carpets, then the Jet 90 might have a slight edge over the S11.
For people who do have bigger homes or tend to use the vacuum for long stretches whenever they clean, the Jet 90's battery life can stretch an extra 20 minutes based on manufacturers' ratings. Paired with the stand's ability to charge two batteries at once (assuming you're willing to splurge on a spare), longevity is a constant theme of this Samsung cordless vacuum.
On the flip side, Tineco Pure One S11 still provides a solid 40 minutes of runtime, and isn't quite as heavy. Tineco's midrange cordless vacuum gets close to the Jet 90 in a lot of ways without spending extra dollars. But above all, it's hard to ignore our cleaning tests, which tilt in Tineco's favor.
Winner: Tineco Pure One S11