So you can use it on the BBQ, a fire pit, wood-burning stove, coal fire, and some you can even clean the bottom of your chimney. But, the Karcher is made with flame-resistant material and heat-resistant metal so that if your ashes are still warm in the morning you’ll be able to vacuum them up no problem. Best wait till they’re as cool as possible but this provides that extra safety net and won’t ruin your vacuum. Only if you’re looking to break it on purpose as an excuse to get a new vacuum cleaner, otherwise I wouldn’t recommend it!

Knowing which brands develop the most faults and how long a model can be expected to last is vital when you're buying a new cordless vacuum. That's why we ask thousands of people each year whether they're pleased with their cordless vacuum, or if they've experienced problems. Most ash vacuums are designed for cold ashes, so you have to let the fire cool overnight and sometimes into the day before you vacuum it. It’s also got a nice and long 1.5 m hose so you can get right into every nook and cranny of your stove and get rid of all the wood ash.Hot ash vacuums, on the other hand, are designed to handle hot ashes, but this normally means up to about 50 degrees Celsius. So please don’t try and vacuum up ashes while they’re still on fire! Well in Ash Vacuums it does matter a little but still not majorly. Unless you know you have an especially big fire pit then most standard sizes will be fine. What I love about this ash vac, in particular, is it comes with a regular head on it so you can use it as an everyday vacuum too! It’s got good suction power and a nice big canister so you can get all your clean up done in no time. But the fire underneath is way easier to clean with an ash vacuum, and some come with a blower that helps get rid of the last of the dust of an outside fire. According to our annual survey, cordless vacuum cleaners are less reliable than their corded cousins, but you don't always need to buy a new one if your cordless vac develops a fault. In fact, the three most common faults can be simple to fix. 1. Battery not lasting as long as it used to (22% of all faults reported)

Pellet stoves can create a lot of ash so you need a good quality vacuum to help you deal with it and clean it out. As with all ash vacuums they are only designed for cold ash, the next day when you’re getting ready to light the fire again.

But if you’re only looking at occasional use, or you don’t mind the extra hassle it does a great job with the vacuuming itself. A nice wide 1.2 m long hose to reach right in any wood burner, stove, charcoal grill or whatever other ash you’re vacuuming out. I found for my wood burner the wheels don’t add much as I carry it inside from the shed. But they do stop the floor getting scratched if I accidentally yank the hose so I suppose that’s a plus. Washing your filters with warm water, or not letting them dry completely, could damage your vacuum's filtration system, allowing fine dust particles to escape while you clean. The whole thing is nice and lightweight so lugging it out the cupboard is easy. Yet the suction is powerful and the HEPA filter allows for effective clean up with no fine dust getting sprayed around your room. Compared to the Karher or the Deville it doesn’t quite hold up, they have better filtration systems and more capacity but for the price I’m impressed. Only Which? members can log in to get our verdict on the brands listed below and whether they are worth buying.

You’ll want to empty the ash vacuum and hand wash it in the sink, don’t put it in the dishwasher, run it under the tap and rub down with a brush or your hand to clear out all the dust.

Top Sellers in Pifco

I’m afraid not, neither shop vacuums or household vacuum cleaners are up to the job of vacuuming up ash which involves big chunks and small dust particles at the same time. Not to mention residual heat.

They are just big metal canisters made with more durable and heat resistant motors and metal lined hoses. The ash gets put in the canister then the air that has to escape goes through one or two filters to get rid of any small dust particles before fresh air is expelled out the exhaust.We've pulled together our reliability data, customer insight and the average performance of the vacuum cleaner models in our independent tests to give you an in-depth look at each brand. Again, to be clear, please don’t vacuum up ashes as soon as you’re finished with the fire, wherever it is. Don’t vacuum up immediately after you’ve had a barbeque, or before going to bed as a way to put your wood stove out. The table below summarises this year’s results. Brands are ranked by their customer score, which relates to whether customers would recommend the brand.