Samsung Jet 90 Complete review: A very nice vacuum but with compromises

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The Samsung Jet 90 Complete is the flagship of Samsung's stick vacuum range. It has some improvements, including improved battery, but at a premium price point.

Samsung Jet 90 Complete review: Design

Image: Angharad Yeo/Finder

The Jet 90 boasts award-winning design, picking up a gold Good Design Award. However, it appears it was awarded based primarily on how it pairs with Samsung's Clean Station. Without it, I personally don't think it is worthy of recognition for excellent design. The Jet 90 by itself is good, but has its flaws.

The dustbin can be completely removed for debris disposal and washing. It's a nice bonus, but I rarely feel the need to wash a vacuum dust bin. The filter is washable, which is a pretty standard feature nowadays. It also has an impressive multi-cyclone system. The filter acts like a lid on top of the bin, and needs to be removed along with the cyclone element to empty the dustbin.

This has 3 main issues for me. There is a hole that connects the bin to the intake tube that becomes exposed when you remove the bin. This can, and will, drop crud if anything hasn't made it fully into the bin. This can happen even if there is a minor obstruction.

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If you were to think that you could simply take the dustbin off above the trash can, to catch anything that falls, that leads to my second issue: Emptying the dustbin is a 3-hand job.

You need to remove the dustbin, then place the body down so you have a second hand free to remove the filter to be able to empty everything. Not a huge deal, but it makes opening the whole thing above the trash can much more cumbersome.

Issue 3 is putting everything back together. The tip of the cyclone fits somewhat snugly into a tall ring at the bottom of the bin, and if the angle is a little off it won't fit together. The filter also doesn't lock into the top easily. It isn't clear where you need to line the pieces up to get them to lock together, which just left me spinning the filter around over and over until it eventually found its way home. The reassembled dustbin then clicks back into the unit at 2 perpendicular points, which is not smooth. There were numerous times I failed to attach it properly without realising, or had to smack it into place.

The Jet 90 also comes wrapped in more plastic than a Barbie doll. Every accessory was in its own plastic bag, with plastic film anywhere it would stick. The plastic carnage really stuck out to me, as more and more companies are working to reduce unnecessary plastic in their packaging. This includes Samsung, which has taken steps to make its TV packaging more sustainable.

A minor complaint, perhaps, but I feel the risks of it getting scratched in the cardboard box are low. Plus, I'm going to immediately take the vacuum and scrape it along my skirting board anyway.

Image: Angharad Yeo/Finder

It also feels a bit odd that this is called the Jet 90 Complete, as it doesn't actually offer the complete line-up of compatible accessories. The Jet 90 Pro includes the Spinning Sweeper mop attachment, whilst the Complete replaces it with the Soft Action brush.

However, you do get the free-standing Z station with both, which holds the vacuum and 2 accessories, and has a spot to charge a spare battery. I would have much preferred more accessory spots, given you still need somewhere to put 2 more plus whichever powered head you don't keep attached to the unit. Also, an extra battery costs $249. I've never needed to extend my vacuuming time that badly. I just plug it in.

The battery cradle can also easily become a cradle of filth (not the band), collecting falling debris if you remove the dustbin while the vacuum is docked.

On the plus side, the Jet 90 feels well-built and durable, which is a real positive for the aforementioned skirting board slamming. The unit is operated with an on button, and 2 buttons to change the power level. I like that the simple LED display which indicates power level is ergonomically tilted to be easily visible when in use.

Image: Angharad Yeo/Finder

At 2.8kg it is a little heftier than its cheaper siblings, but it's not overly noticeable, thanks in part to the comfortable handle. However, you do start to feel the weight after the vigorous back and forth of car cleaning, or when holding the unit out with your arm fully extended to vacuum the ceiling.

Unlike the other Jet vacuums, the 90 has a telescopic wand, with 4 adjustable lengths. At its longest it's roughly equal to the full length of the other vacuums in the line-up, and it needs to be at its shortest to fit neatly into the Z station dock. It feels more about compact storage than ergonomic use for people of different heights. I'm fairly short, around 5'3", and found the full extension most comfortable. As such, it's not quite a grab-and-go situation.

Samsung Jet 90 Complete review: Performance

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The Samsung Jet 90 Complete boasts 200W of vacuum suction power, but in real terms it only felt a little better than the Jet 60 or Jet 70, which are 150W. The maximum power on the cheaper models felt somewhat equivalent to medium on the Jet 90. Of course, that does mean you get that extra power, but it also means it's really loud. But we'll get to that. You do get a considerably longer run time with the Jet 90 on medium versus the others on max.

For a point of comparison in testing, I vacuumed the hallway with the Jet 90 very thoroughly on max, then immediately went over it again with the Dyson V15 Detect on auto. Each time I still picked up a considerable amount of dust and pet hair with the Dyson.

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The V15 is $400 more expensive than the Jet 90, but it was the same story with the comparably-priced, but older, Dyson V10. When I tested in the reverse (V10 on max, then Jet 90), the Jet 90 picked up much less excess than either Dyson had.

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While I did this a few times with similar results, this is by no means an entirely scientific or perfect test. Sometimes my dog would walk down the hall between vacuums. Perhaps I just missed a spot. But it very much felt like the Dysons were doing a more thorough job.

The other issue is the noise. The Jet 90 is decently loud, and on maximum it's almost unbearable for me. Whilst I would say that the Dyson V10 is arguably louder on max, the pitch is also different, and I found it more tolerable. I would highly recommend ear plugs in either case, though. You don't want to be the loser who has damaged hearing because of a vacuum.

This would be less of a cause for concern if the suction was more powerful on medium. However, the maximum setting gave the best result, particularly during car cleaning. Unfortunately, vacuuming the car was a wholly unsatisfying experience. The mini motorised tool lacks any brushes, instead using rubber ridges which seem incapable of properly sweeping things into the vacuum. It also struggled with loose dirt on undulating surfaces, like car seats.

Samsung Jet 90 Complete review: Battery

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The Jet 90 has a slightly better battery than the rest of the line-up, boasting 60 minutes on minimum (compared to 40 minutes on the Jet 60 and Jet 70), and 6 minutes on maximum power (compared to 5 minutes on the others). I personally don't find minimum power worth using, nor 60 minutes all that necessary unless you don't charge between use or have a huge space to vacuum. In testing, maximum power usually had a run time of around 8.5 minutes.

Charging takes about 3.5 hours from empty to full, so you'll want to make sure you redock it after use. And that you don't unplug the dock to use the outlet for something else then forget to plug it back in.

Samsung Jet 90 Complete review: Should you buy it?

Being so similar to its cheaper siblings, it's difficult for the premium Jet 90 to stand out. You get a few more accessories, free-standing dock, a little more battery and a little more suction, but it doesn't feel significant enough to warrant the jump in price.

When you consider how loud the unit is at maximum, I barely wanted to utilise the extra firepower anyway. It's also unsatisfactory at car cleaning, but not everyone has a car, and some people pay someone else to do it. I personally believe you'd be better off picking up a Dyson V10 or V11, which both sit at a somewhat comparable price point but offer floor heads that glide much more smoothly and have far better suction power.

If you're looking for something a little cheaper in the range, we also have full reviews of the Samsung Jet 60 and Jet 70 Complete.

Image: Angharad Yeo/Finder

Samsung Jet 90 Complete review: Pricing and availability

Price

RRP: $999.00

Where to buy

Check price at eBay

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The Good Guys

How we tested

The Samsung Jet 90 Complete was tested in a 2 bedroom, low-pile carpeted apartment, inhabited by 2 long-haired people, a long-haired dog and a cat. Hard floors tested were tile (kitchen and balcony). It was also used for car cleaning. Testing was done over a period of weeks, with daily vacuuming (yes, I vacuum every day and you should too).

Specifications

Images: Angharad Yeo Finder