The Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra Vacuum Boasts the Strongest Suction of Any Cordless We've Vetted, and Cleans Every Surface Meticulously

The Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra is the brand's latest upgrade to their flagship vacuum, bringing stronger suction, longer battery life, more advanced 'AI' features – and the highest price of any cordless vacuum we've tested.

It's certainly a high performer, with the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra boasting near-flawless cleaning performance in every test, and the highest suction we've seen in a cordless stick.

But does this performance justify the price tag as one of the best cordless vacuums on the market? I rigorously vetted it in our test center and a local pet shelter to see exactly how good it is.

My One-Minute Summary

The Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra is a robust, well-designed appliance that does an exceptional job of cleaning floors. Boasting corded-level performance on carpets and hard floors in a slim, lightweight design, it's the type of upgrade that can genuinely make cleaning your home easier.

It can pull fur from thick carpets, and its motorized handheld attachment is highly effective at cleaning upholstery. It grips firmly to all surfaces, even wood, which is rare for any vacuum, let alone a cordless stick.

Its four suction levels are useful when transitioning across different surfaces, but it's a shame that the 'AI' features don't achieve much, taking a long time to calculate the battery life, and never really adjusting the suction power, leaving you to do it manually every time.

Its cleaning station is great for allergy sufferers, minimizing how often you're exposed to allergens, but it uses vacuum bags that demand recurring costs.

Its price is not to be ignored. The Dyson V15 Detect cleans just as well but for $200 less, and the Shark PowerDetect Cordless has more advanced smart features, but doesn't clean as thoroughly.

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra: Specifications

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra: Design and Features

The 'Ultra' marks a significant upgrade from the previous iteration of the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet, a cordless vacuum that we found performed exceptionally well, but was overpriced. The Ultra has stronger suction power, reaching up to what Samsung claims to be 400 air watts compared to the previous AI Jet's 280 air watts.

For comparison, our current best-on-test cordless vacuum, the Dyson V15 Detect, has 240 air watts of suction, and it's so strong that it picks up all mess on the first pass, virtually every time.

In real terms, this performance can vary, so I test the best vacuums using an anemometer, which measures airflow in miles per hour, so we can see the performance at each suction mode.

The Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra generates the strongest airflow out of the 42 cordless vacuums we've tested. Reaching a maximum of 27.7 miles per hour, that puts it higher than the best Dyson vacuums and the best Shark vacuums.

And on its lowest setting at 10.7mph, it is stronger than the maximum power of certain budget vacuums, like the Ultenic U16 Flex.

Having four suction modes is useful in a cordless vacuum to make sure that each surface is properly cleaned, without using up precious battery life when it isn't needed.

Many modern cordless vacuums do this automatically, and this is what the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra's 'AI' mode is.

But actually, I found the AI mode disappointing. I tried passing from hard floors to carpets to see if the suction would adapt, and I also passed over heaps of dust, but the suction never changed all that much. I always needed to change the suction mode manually, which completely defeats the purpose of the AI mode at all.

It is often an overstatement when brands insert 'AI' into product names, as it simply reflects 'smart' technology. It's a shame that Samsung's flagship vacuum is the same, particularly as more affordable vacuums, such as the Dyson V12 Detect Slim and the Shark PowerDetect Cordless, adapt suction much more effectively.

The cleaning station is a nice addition, particularly for anyone who suffers from allergies. Trapping up to 2.1 quarts of dust means that you have to empty it less frequently, up to weeks at a time.

When you place the vacuum on the dock, its contents are rapidly sucked out in three loud bursts.

What Is the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra Like to Use?

The Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra is a robust, powerful vacuum that grips firmly to floors, cleans most messes in one pass, and has thoughtful features that make cleaning your home a little easier.

It has a maximum runtime of 100 minutes, too, which far surpasses most cordless vacuums.

At 7lbs, it's a standard weight for a cordless stick, which I found surprising considering the ultra-powerful motor that's packed into it. It doesn't feel 'cheap' whatsoever, it feels like a premium, well-built machine, and it even has a thin rubber pad on the battery so that you can lean the vacuum against walls without it toppling over.

I found that maneuvering left and right was a little stiffer compared to other vacuums, but it was dependant on the surface. On stickly linoleum, it was harder to tilt, but on other vinyl or wooden floors, I didn't face much resistance, and it was easy to navigate it between chair legs and around corners (as seen in the video above).

Unlike most cordless vacuums, the wand extends for greater reach:

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This is useful for reducing strain on your back. Cordless vacuums tend to be shorter than corded upright vacuums, so you often have to bend down to get into difficult cleaning spots like under the sofa or behind furniture.

The extendable wand meant that I could reach a large area of the floor from one position, too, which I found to be a helpful improvement compared to others.

There's also a light on the floorhead, which is amazing at revealing hidden dust and pet hairs, even on carpet that’s of a similar color. Although it isn't as effective as the green laser we love in Dyson's vacuums, such as the Dyson V15 Detect, it doesn't reveal any dust particles that you can't usually see.

It's a minor inconvenience, but the vacuum always starts on MIN mode when you power it up, so if you take frequent breaks (such as when moving cables or furniture out of the way), you'll have to cycle through the modes again to find the right one.

The strong suction is undeniable, though, whatever surface you're cleaning. I could feel it grip firmly to the carpet, as corded vacuums often do, but I could feel it on wooden floors too, which is rare.

And as I delve into it below in greater detail, no matter the mess I was vacuuming, the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra almost always picked it up in one pass, making it one of the most effective vacuums we've tested.

Test 1: Flour and Sugar

I tested the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra using half a cup of flour and sugar. This test assesses how well each vacuum can pick up fine material such as dust, dander, and pollen. I run the tests on wood, linoleum, and carpet flooring.

On hard floors, the performance was really strong. On MIN mode (shown in the video above), only a tiny bit of residue was left in cracks between the wooden panels (most cordless vacuums leave some behind).

On MID and MAX, everything was picked up in one, and the cleaning line was visible right up to the end of the floorhead, demonstrating strong edge cleaning.

On the carpet, the performance was just as impressive. The sugar pieces danced around as the floorhead approached, showing robust carpet agitation from the brushroll, then were easily sucked up without leaving a trace behind afterwards.

At one point, the screen alerted me to a blockage, but it was actually just the suction gripping the carpet fibers. Once I’d turned it off and on again, it was fine.

It's one of the best carpet vacuums I've tested for a cordless model.

Test 2: Pantry

I tested the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra using a cup of cereal and lentils to assess its ability to vacuum medium and large debris. This test poses a challenge for many vacuum cleaners as the large cereal pieces can block inlets or be flung around by the brushroll.

On hard floors, it picked up everything in about three passes. No blockages (which is rare), but a few lentils and cereal leaked out on the pull-back when on MID. On MAX, there was no leakage, but it still took around 3 passes to get everything. Strong performance, but not quite as effective as the Dyson V11 or Dyson V15 Detect, both of which cost less.

On carpets and in MAX mode, everything was picked up on the first pass. No fuss whatsoever. This performance could not be stronger or more efficient, for any vacuum type, not just cordless.

Test 3: Pet Hair

I assessed the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra's performance on pet hair in a local cat and dog shelter, Bristol ARC, that's full of fur on hard floors, low-pile carpets, high-pile carpets, thick rugs, and upholstery. It is also a great opportunity to test the vacuum cleaner in a busy, messy environment.

On low pile carpeting on MIN and MID modes, most small debris and hairs were picked, but a noticeable amount of hair remained. This is good performance, but you can find better in more affordable models like the Miele Guard L1 Cat & Dog.

However, when I turned on MAX mode (which had a shorter max battery life of about 20 minutes), almost every strand of hair was picked up in one or two passes, which is outstanding for a cordless vacuum and makes the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra a contender for the best vacuums for pet hair.

On the entrance mat, the trickiest surface to clean at the pet shelter, it did a good job of getting all the long and medium hairs, but stubborn short hairs remained. For reference, it's usually only the corded best Miele vacuums and the Dyson V15 Detect that can pick these up, and even they miss some.

On hard floors, the cleaning was effortless, basically picking up everything in one motion. Only a few times was a speck or thread left behind, and they were always vacuumed up the second time. It maneuvers nicely and can lie completely flat, which is always a bonus.

After a few hours of vacuuming at the pet shelter, the dustbin filled twice with fur, but there were a few bits of hair and thread that had wrapped around the brushroll (swipe to see both photos):

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Test 4: Attachments

The Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra comes with a motorized pet hair tool, an extension hose, and a dusting brush, and there's a neat storage holder to keep them all together, with a handle if you want to carry it around the house as you clean.

The pet tool is highly effective. It angles to the surface you’re cleaning, it spins rapidly, and it does well to remove hairs – even if it takes a few attempts. This is completely expected, but Samsung’s performance is above what I see most of the time.

It cleared every pet hair off one padded chair, which is somewhat of a miracle with these tricky surfaces. I found that if you keep it in one spot for a long time, the hairs are vacuumed, demonstrating the strong performance.

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra: Setup and Maintenance

The Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra arrived in a huge box that was surprisingly not too heavy, and everything was packaged with soft plastic and polystyrene molds to avoid scratching.

The base comes already set up. All I had to do was charge the battery, which took just over two hours (as it wasn't starting from 0%), then I assembled the vacuum by attaching the floorhead and wand to the main vacuum unit.

The cleaning station keeps maintenance to a minimum. Emptying the vacuum means that you only have to do it yourself every 1-2 months, vastly reducing your exposure to allergens like dust and pollen that can trigger allergies.

This also reduces the level of vacuum maintenance required. As it uses a powerful motor to suck the dust contents out, less residue is left behind in the internal parts that can quietly erode them.

However, it's worth noting that the cleaning station stores dust in a vacuum bag, which you have to dispose of once full. This means that using the cleaning station comes with recurring costs, as a pack of five replacement bags costs $39.99 at Samsung, which should last 6-12 months depending on usage.

To avoid the recurring costs, you don't actually have to use the cleaning station, and there's a small switch on the back to turn off auto-empty. This means it can simply be a charging dock, and you can empty the vacuum yourself into a dustbin.

How Does the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra Compare?

The Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra costs $1,099.99 at Samsung, making it the most expensive cordless vacuum we have ever tested. Its incredibly robust performance somewhat justifies this price tag, but other vacuums clean as thoroughly and cost less.

The closest example is our best-on-test cordless vacuum, the Dyson V15 Detect, which costs $849.99 at Dyson at full price, but is often on offer for $550 to $750. They clean about as effectively as each other, often picking up messes in the first pass.

However, the Dyson V15 Detect's floor sensors are more precise and actually optimize suction in a fraction of a second, and it never wraps with hair. But the Samsung has a cleaning station that reduces allergen exposure and neatly stores the vacuum, and it reaches a higher maximum suction power.

The Shark PowerDetect Cordless is a more affordable alternative to both, costing $449.99 at SharkNinja at full price, but often discounted to as low as $299.99. It also adapts suction automatically, cleans well across hard floors and carpets, and can handle pet hair – but it doesn't clean nearly as deep as the Samsung or Dyson. There is the option of a cleaning station, though, with the full package costing $549.99 at SharkNinja.

Next, see which vacuums top our guides to the best robot vacuums, the best vacuums for pet hair, and the best Dyson alternatives after rigorous testing sessions.

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