Modern Castle is supported by readers. When you buy with our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more

Simplicity S65 Review

Derek Hales

Written By: Derek Hales

Updated on:

Budget-friendly cordless stick vacuum

Simplicity S65

Simplicity S65

The Simplicity S65 is a cordless vacuum with solid performance. It removed 90.5% of all debris on our cleaning tests, only really struggling with cereal on hardwood flooring. In addition, the S65 removed all of the long hair, but had some tangles. The vacuum handled pet hair well, has a runtime of 32:27 on low power, and makes 54 dB of noise on average. One of the biggest selling points is the easy to use design of the vacuum. It lacks many bleeding edge features, but it’s still a solid value at this price.

Pros

  • Budget stick vacuum
  • Solid cleaning performance, removed 90.5% of all debris in our tests
  • Simple usability

Cons

  • Long hair tangles easily
  • Standard version has few accessories

Scoring

Simple effective stick vacuum
  • Design - 95%
    95%
  • Performance - 95%
    95%
  • Quality - 96%
    96%
  • Usability - 95%
    95%
  • Value - 98%
    98%
96%

Summary

Just like the namesake the Simplicity S65 is just that: simple. It comes with few accessories and is easy to set up, use, and maintain. Even though it has a simple design, it is still quite capable. In our cleaning tests it removed 90.5% of all debris. If you exclude the one case where it really struggled (cereal on hardwood flooring), it removed 98.7% of all debris. Its price makes it a solid option for a budget-friendly stick vacuum.

In This Review

Cleaning Test | Long Hair Test | Pet Hair Test | Runtime Test | Noise Test | Usability | Accessories | Size | Specs | Summary

Performance Tests

At Modern Castle, we test stick vacuums with 6 different tests to measure cleaning performance and usability.

These tests include:

  • Cleaning test
  • Hair test
  • Pet hair test
  • Runtime test
  • Noise test
  • Usability test

Cleaning Test

To test cleaning performance of the Simplicity S65, we use 4 different debris types (sugar, kitty litter, rice, and cereal) on 3 different floor types (hardwood, low pile carpet, and high pile carpet).

Simplicity S65 cleaning
Simplicity S65 cleaning

We then use the vacuum on the max suction power and clean up the debris. After which, we check how much of the debris was removed by weight. 

Overall

90.5%

Hardwood

75.7%

Low Carpet

98.0%

High Carpet

98.0%

Simplicity S65 body
Simplicity S65 body

Cleaning performance for the Simplicity S65 was good, especially on carpet. However, specifically on hardwood flooring, the vacuum struggled with removing cereal, the largest debris type.

Hardwood Floor Cleaning

On hardwood flooring the Simplicity S65 handled all debris types with ease except cereal.

Sugar

100%

Kitty Litter

100%

Rice

100%

Cereal

2.60%

In the case of cereal, the S65 pushed the debris around rather than sucking it up. The cleaning head lays low to the ground therefore lacking space to pick up larger debris. This is a common issue among stick vacuums, but it is disappointing nonetheless.

Simplicity S65 before hardwood test
Simplicity S65 before hardwood test
Simplicity S65 after hardwood test
Simplicity S65 after hardwood test

If we remove cereal from the equation, hardwood cleaning performance would be 100%, making the overall cleaning score 98.7%.

Low Pile Carpet Cleaning

The Simplicity S65 didn’t struggle with cereal on low pile carpet like it did on hardwood flooring. 

Sugar

94.8%

Kitty Litter

97.0%

Rice

100%

Cereal

100%

Instead, it had some minor issues picking up all of the sugar and kitty litter, but easily tackled rice and cereal. 

Simplicity S65 before low pile carpet test
Simplicity S65 before low pile carpet test
Simplicity S65 after low pile carpet test
Simplicity S65 after low pile carpet test

The carpet texture creates more space for the vacuum to get on top of the larger debris and clean it up. 

High Pile Carpet Cleaning

High pile carpet cleaning performance is similar to low pile carpet. 

Sugar

93.8%

Kitty Litter

97.0%

Rice

100%

Cereal

100%

Simplicity S65 before high pile carpet test
Simplicity S65 before high pile carpet test
Simplicity S65 after high pile carpet test
Simplicity S65 after high pile carpet test

Some of the smaller debris types remained, while all of the larger debris types were completely removed.

Long Hair Test

Our long hair test checks how well the stick vacuum manages long hair and tangles. To test this, we place long hair on hardwood flooring and run the Simplicity S65 over it. After cleaning up the hair, we check to see if any remains on the floor or if any is tangled in the brushroll. 

Removed?

100%

Tangled?

Moderate

While the Simplicity S65 was easily able to clean up all of the hair, it really struggled with tangles. After checking the brushroll, we noticed a moderate amount of hair remained, which needed to be cut away with scissors. 

Simplicity S65 after hair test
Simplicity S65 after hair test

If you commonly clean up long hair from pets or people, you will need to diligently check the brushroll to remove tangles. 

Pet Hair Test

In addition to a long hair test, we also check how well the stick vacuum can remove pet hair nestled in carpet. We rub pet hair into high pile carpet and run the Simplicity vacuum over it on the max suction power. After, we check the carpet to see how much hair remains. 

Removed?

99%

Cleaning Passes?

One

The Simplicity S65 vacuum managed pet hair very well. It was able to remove the majority of the fur embedded within the carpet fibers.

Simplicity S65 after pet hair test
Simplicity S65 after pet hair test

That said, some of the hair more deeply embedded into the carpet remained.

Runtime Test

To check the runtime of the Simplicity S65, we fully charge the battery and run the vacuum on each mode with the motorized cleaning head attached. After the battery runs out, we stop and record the time.

Here are the results:

Low

32:27

High

8:32

Simplicity S65
Simplicity S65

Simplicity states you can expect up to 25 minutes per charge. On lower power, we found this to be much higher at 32:27. Furthermore, you can expect these times to vary based on the attached tools. 

Noise Test

For our noise test, we run the Simplicity S65 on high pile carpet on each power mode. We simultaneously measure the level of noise generated with a sound meter from about 3’ away. 

Low

54.5 dB

High

55.0 dB

The noise level was incredibly similar between each mode.

Simplicity S65 internal cylinder
Simplicity S65 internal cylinder

This level of noise is similar to the hum of a refrigerator and about average compared to other stick vacuums. 

Common noise levels:

  • 20 dB – rustling leaves
  • 30 dB – whisper
  • 40 dB – quiet library, babbling brook
  • 50 dB – refrigerator, moderate rainfall
  • 60 dB – normal conversation, dishwashers
  • 70 dB – traffic, showers
  • 80 dB – alarm clock, telephone dial tone

Usability

Overall usability for the Simplicity S65 is good, but nothing all that unique. Setup is incredibly quick, controls are simple, and maintenance is straightforward.

Simplicity S65 lay down height
Simplicity S65 lay down height

It can lay low to the ground and can take tight corners, although it feels a little different than other stick vacuums we’ve tested. Due to the wheel placement on the cleaning head, the S65 rolls across the floor more like an upright vacuum.

Simplicity S65 multi-floor cleaning head
Simplicity S65 multi-floor cleaning head

When testing on low pile carpet, I noticed high suction created a seal which can be hard to push. If you find pushing the vacuum difficult, you can switch to the lower suction mode.

Setup

Setting up the Simplicity S65 took 5-10 minutes for a single person. Essentially, you plug in the power cord to the charging base, plug that into the wall, and charge the vacuum. After the vacuum is fully charged, you can attach the desired tools and get to cleaning. 

Simplicity S65 accessories
Simplicity S65 accessories

Here is what comes with the Simplicity S65:

  • S65 vacuum body
  • Combination crevice tool / dusting brush
  • Extension wand
  • Multi-floor LED cleaning head
  • Wall charger
  • Wall mount
  • Battery
  • Power cord
  • Mounting template and screws

The wall charger can be placed on the floor to charge the vacuum. However, all tools need to be removed to do so.

Simplicity S65 wall bracket template
Simplicity S65 wall bracket template
Simplicity S65 wall mount
Simplicity S65 wall mount

You can use the wall mount with the mounting template to attach the charger to the wall.

Controls

There are 2 buttons on the Simplicity S65 that control the vacuum. The first is a trigger that turns the vacuum on/off. This trigger doesn’t need to be held down, but rather pressed once to turn on and once again to turn off.

Simplicity S65 power control
Simplicity S65 power control
Simplicity S65 mode button
Simplicity S65 mode button

On top of the S65 is a single button that can toggle between the two power modes. 

Maintenance

Just like the other aspects of usability, maintenance is simple. You will need to empty the dustbin as it fills, as well as replace the HEPA filter as needed. 

Simplicity S65 filter
Simplicity S65 filter

Simplicity recommends replacing the filter every 1 year unless someone in the household has allergies. If you have allergies you should replace the filter every 6 months.

Accessories

With the standard Simplicity S65 vacuum there are only a few included accessories.

Simplicity S65 on docking station
Simplicity S65 on docking station

These include:

  • Combination crevice / dusting tool
  • Multi-floor LED cleaning head

The combination crevice and dusting tool is the standard attachment we see with many  cordless stick vacuums, but it has a unique twist. Instead of two separate attachments, the dusting tool can attach to the crevice tool when needed. 

Simplicity S65 combo tool
Simplicity S65 combo tool

For the majority of your cleaning you will use the multi-floor LED cleaning head. It uses LEDs to illuminate debris in the direct cleaning path and can be used on all indoor flooring. 

Simplicity S65 Multi-floor cleaning head
Simplicity S65 Multi-floor cleaning head

Simplicity S65 Standard vs. Premium vs. Deluxe

If you need more accessories than the few included with the standard S65, there is a Deluxe and Premium version available as well. Both of these come with more accessories, but cost more as well. However, the base vacuum model remains the same between all three variants. 

Below is a table comparing each model and their included accessories:

S65 StandardS65 PremiumS65 Deluxe
Digital motorS65S65S65
Runtime~25 mins~25 mins~25 mins
Dust Bin0.5 liters0.5 liters0.5 liters
Weight6.0 lbs6.0 lbs6.0 lbs
Batteries112
Combo Crevice / Dust toolYesYesYes
Multi-floor LED cleaning headYesYesYes
Upholstery toolNoYesYes
Pet turbo toolNoYesYes
Angle adapterNoNoYes
Soft roller cleaning headNoNoYes
Docking stationYesYesYes
Wall mountYesYesYes
PriceCheck PriceCheck PriceCheck Price

Notable inclusions with the Deluxe version are the upholstery tool and pet turbo tool. The upholstery tool can be used to clean car interiors, while the pet turbo tool is a motorized head designed to clean up pet hair. 

Simplicity S65 Premium accessories
Simplicity S65 Premium accessories

Both of these tools are included with the Premium version. In addition, you get an extra battery, angle adapter, and a soft roller cleaning head. The soft roller brush roll is designed to clean hard surfaces. While we were not able to test with this cleaning head, I expect it would resolve the issues the vacuum had with cereal in our cleaning test. 

Size & Dimensions

In terms of size and weight the Simplicity is very similar to other stick vacuums on the market. 

Simplicity S65 height comparison
Simplicity S65 height comparison

Here are the exact dimensions:

  • Width – 10.0″
  • Length – 9.0”
  • Height – 45.0”
  • Weight – 6.0 lbs

Simplicity S65 Specifications

Specifications
TypeStick vacuum
ManufacturerSimplicity
ModelS65
Height45.0″
Width10.0″
Length9.0″
Floor TypeAll (indoor)
Dust Bin Capacity0.5 L
CordlessYes
BaglessYes
ReturnsVaries by retailer
Warranty1 year
PriceCheck Price

Should you buy the Simplicity S65?

I would recommend the Simplicity S65 if you are looking for the following features:

  • Budget-friendly stick vacuum: While the Simplicity S65 doesn’t come with smart or bleeding edge features, it offers solid performance at a budget-friendly price. Cordless stick vacuums can get pricey, so it is nice to have a cheaper alternative that still performs. 
  • Great cleaning performance: In our cleaning tests the Simplicity was able to remove the majority of debris in most cases. It did struggle with cereal on hardwood flooring, but if you exclude that, it removed 98.7% of the debris. 
  • Easy to use: The Simplicity S65 is simple to set up, use, and maintain. Excluding charging time, you can set up the device in 5 minutes. What’s more, the controls are basic by design and easy to understand.. Maintenance is straightforward, but does require you to keep an eye on the brushroll for tangles.

For more information or to buy the Simplicity S65, click here.

About Derek Hales

Derek HalesDerek Hales is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of ModernCastle.com. He has been featured in Fast Company, Reader's Digest, Business Insider, Realtor.com, She Knows, and other major publications. Derek has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Kansas State University. Hales has been testing and reviewing products for the home since 2014.