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Miele Classic C1 Review

Derek Hales

Written By: Derek Hales

Updated on:

Not a fan of the traditional upright vacuum and think you want to try something other than a robot vacuum? Are you familiar with canister vacuums?

This week we will be taking a look at the Miele Classic C1 canister vacuum.

Does this canister vacuum have what it takes to compete robots or uprights? There’s only one way to find out!

Continue reading below to discover if the Miele Classic C1 is the best canister vacuum for you.

High Performance Canister Vacuum

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Miele Classic C1

The Miele Classic C1 is a powerful canister vacuum designed to clean a variety of surfaces in a convenient manner for the user. Six different cleaning modes are available in addition to multiple accessories. If you like the idea of a handheld vacuum, but want the power of an upright, the Miele C1 could be a good option to consider.Check Price

Pros

  • The Miele Classic C1 has a 29.5 foot cleaning radius.
  • This canister vacuum has several floor surface options for more specific cleaning styles.

Cons

  • Disposable debris bags are more costly to replace and may require additional maintenance
  • Images on the cleaning control mode knob are difficult to understand
YouTube video

Table of Contents

Design

The Miele Classic C1 canister vacuum embodies an egg shape with a vast majority of the unit utilizing a gray color scheme with hints of black and white. The glossy look helped to create a sleek appeal overall.

A small handle is built into the top of the Miele C1. Just below the handle is the hose connection point. This is where users can insert the suction hose into the canister to ensure dirt and debris is placed into the bag after being sucked up. As you continue to move down the vacuum, there is a knob that rotates between eight different cleaning options.

Lastly, the power and cord retraction buttons are located next to the cleaning cycle knob, and are big enough to be pressed with a foot.

  1. Power button
  2. Cord wrap
  3. Cleaning knob
  4. Hose attachment
  5. Cleaning wand
Labeled image of the design components on the Miele Compact C1

The cord is stored inside of the Miele Classic C1 vacuum. As the cord is pulled it will unwind from the inside of the vacuum but it can also be put right back into the vacuum with the push of a button.

This is a nice addition as users don’t have to look at the cord since it is stored away while not in use.

How It Cleans

As a canister vacuum, the Miele Classic C1 has a multitude of cleaning options. That said, each one of these options uses the same vortex motor and filtration system to ensure the dirt, debris, and dust is sucked up and stored properly until thrown away.

All of the cleaning modes are shown on the vacuum by a small image and described as follows:

  • Curtains & lightweight fabrics
  • Upholstery & cushions
  • High pile carpet, rugs, & runners
  • Energy saving mode (low noise)
  • Low pile carpet
  • Hard floor surfaces

Some of the images shown on the vacuum can be difficult to understand. That said, the image of the curtains is one of the more clear options.

Once you spot this image on the power knob, you can work in a clockwise direction to pair the image with the style of cleaning listed above.

Close up shot of the interior cleaning components of the Miele Compact C1 vacuum

The Miele Classic C1 uses a bagging system instead of a dust bin. Debris is sucked up and filtered into the bag as shown in this image.

Size & Dimensions

With the egg shape of this Miele vacuum comes a slightly heavier weight. In total, the unit weighs 16.1 pounds.

Additionally, the Miele C1 is 18.2″ long, 8.7″ tall, and 11″ wide.

Miele C1 canister vacuum size and dimensions

Although this is not a small unit, it does not feel like a large one by any means. The low-profile design keeps it from feeling bulky or unnecessarily large.

Accessories & Parts

The Miele Classic C1 canister vacuum came with quite a few parts and accessories, including:

  • Pure suction combination floorhead
  • Pure suction parquet floorhead
  • Hose
  • Dusting brush
  • Upholstery tool
  • Crevice tool
  • Accessories clip
Parts and accessories included with the Miele Compact C1
1) C1 Base, 2) Wand, 3) Hose, 4) Cleaning Heads, and 5) Cleaning Tools

Cleaning Tests

The following vacuum cleaner tests are designed to show how the Miele Classic C1 canister vacuum performs on different surfaces, picking up a variety of debris types.

Overall

100%

Hardwood

100%

Low Carpet

100%

High Carpet

100%

We test on three different floor types, including hardwood floors, low pile carpet, and high pile carpet. For each floor type we test the vacuum cleaner against:

  • Rice – 3 ounces
  • Dry Cereal – 1 ounce
  • Kitty Litter – 3 ounces
  • Sugar – 3 ounces

Each of the aforementioned debris types was spread across our testing lane. The base surface of our testing lane is an engineered hardwood floor. For our carpet tests, we slide in a low pile and high pile carpet insert on top of the hardwood floor.

Cleaning test debris types
Testing Debris – From left to right: Rice (3 oz.), Kitty Litter (3 oz), Cereal (1 oz), Sugar (3 oz)

Our vacuum cleaning process strives to be as consistent, fair, and true to real world use as possible. Our tests utilize the following procedure:

  1. Measure the weight of the testing debris and the weight of the empty vacuum debris container.
  2. Spread the respective debris type evenly across the central portion of the testing lane.
  3. Run the vacuum cleaner over the testing lane.
  4. Measure the weight of the now filled container and take notes on the cleaning performance.

UPRIGHTS – Think you’d prefer an upright vacuum? See our reviews for SharkDyson, and Bissell.

Hardwood Floor

The hardwood floor tests were no match for the Miele Classic C1 vacuum as each debris type was cleaned up at a level of 100%. 

Cereal

100%

Kitty Litter

100%

Rice

100%

Sugar

100%

The vacuum did not struggle with any of the debris on the hardwood floor and was able to capture each one with a single pass over each specific section.

Miele C1 canister vacuum hardwood cleaning test

Low Pile Carpet

Once again, this Miele canister vacuum was able to eliminate the debris fields without any issues.

Cereal

100%

Kitty Litter

100%

Rice

100%

Sugar

100%

After changing the floor type setting to low-pile carpet, I was able to clean up each debris type with the Classic C1 vacuum quite easily. There were no pieces of debris remaining after the four low-pile carpet tests.

Miele C1 canister vacuum low carpet cleaning test

High Pile Carpet

Last but not least, the high carpet tests. Both rice and cereal did not stand a chance against the Miele Classic C1, as each was cleaned up to a level of 100%. Sugar and kitty little showed the slightest of slight struggles, cleaning up 99%.

Cereal

100%

Kitty Litter

99%

Rice

100%

Sugar

99%

Nevertheless, this is still the best cleaning performance we have tested in any vacuum to date.

Miele C1 canister vacuum high carpet cleaning test

Usability

Using this Miele canister vacuum is not difficult. There are a few steps users need to complete in order to get this unit up and running:

  1. Choose the cleaning tool you’d like to use – With a few different options available, users have to select which tool is the most appropriate for the cleaning session they are about to complete. Simply snap the preferred tool into the hose / wand and you should be good to move on.
  2. Plug the Miele C1 vacuum in – While the cord is stored inside of the vacuum, you are able to grab the main plug and pull the cord out so it can be plugged into the wall. Unroll as much of the cord as necessary.
  3. Select the appropriate cleaning style and turn the vacuum on – There are six different cleaning modes available, which means users need to be sure they have turned the cleaning mode knob to the correct position. Small images are the labels for each surface type and they can all be described in the user manual as well. After selecting the cleaning mode, press the power button and begin cleaning.

PORTABILITY – If you need easier portable, see our handheld vacuum reviews.

These three steps are all quite easy to knock out, making using the Miele Classic C1 a simple task.

Close up shot of the power button, cord wrap button, and cleaning mode knob on the Miele Compact C1 vacuum

Close up shot of the power button, cord wrap button, and cleaning mode knob on the Miele Classic C1 vacuum

The setup was also painless. The main unit came assembled, but you do have to attach the hose and cleaning tool.

Maneuverability

Maneuverability is what you make of it with regard to the Miele Classic C1 canister vacuum. A combination of features make this vacuum extremely easy to move around and clean your home. 

These features include wheels on the canister itself, a long hose / wand, and a long cord.

total reach of 29.5 feet is impressive.

The hose and cord combination allows users to roll the vacuum with them as they clean, then stretch the hose while unrolling the cord completely.

The cord is 18 feet long and the hose is another 5 feet long. After connecting these two together, you can add a brush head to the hose which will add more length the the unit as a whole.

  • Weight: 16.1 pounds
  • Power: 18′ cord
  • Hose: 5′
  • Modes: 6

When looking at the overall picture of this vacuum, you can maneuver it with little effort. The wheels on the bottom of the Miele Classic C1 roll smoothly, requiring hardly any extra force from you during a cleaning session. The hose / wand move fluidly as well, creating a easy maneuverable vacuum cleaner.

Maintenance

The following table indicates the frequency at which you will likely want to replace the various parts and components of the vacuum. The following replacement frequencies are what the manufacturer recommends.

However, your individual experiences may vary.

Accessory / PartReplacement FrequencyReplacement Cost
HEPA Filter6-12 monthsCheck Price
Filter BagAs the color indicator changes to fullCheck Price
Exhaust filterAs the color indicator changes to fullCheck Price
Pre-motor filterAs the color indicator changes to fullCheck Price

Maintaining the Miele C1 vacuum requires a bit more from the user. 

There are four main parts that need to be replaced; the filter bag, exhaust filter, pre-motor filter, and dust compartment HEPA filter.

None of these are difficult to replace, per say, but they are important pieces of the puzzle.

Annual maintenance costs could vary depending on how often you need to replace the filter bag

If you replace the bag four times a year, both the pre-motor and exhaust filter once a year, and the HEPA filter twice a year, you can expect to pay around $36 annually.

In addition, users should be sure to clean the heads of the brushes included with the Miele Classic C1 after a few uses. Maintaining these pieces will help ensure the vacuum cleaner is working to its optimal performance level.

Noise

All vacuum cleaner reviews on Modern Castle are put through our standard noise test. For this test, we use a sound meter to measure noise in terms of decibel level approximately 3′ away from the vacuum.

At 3' away, the Miele Compact C1 vacuum emits 81 dB of sound.

At 3′ away, the Miele Classic C1 vacuum emits 81 dB of sound.

Value

Based on the cleaning performance, a reasonable price, a variety of included parts and accessories, and a sturdy design, this Miele canister vacuum offers an incredible value.

The Miele Classic C1 flew through our cleaning tests with ease. There was not a point where this vacuum cleaner struggled with any debris field on any of our three surface types.

CONVENIENCE – If the canister sounds like too much work, check out our robot vacuum reviews. The Roomba 980 or Ecovacs Deebot N79 are great choices.

If you’re a fan of the canister design, the Miele Classic C1 is one you should consider.

The warranty is also a bit different than most vacuums we have tested to date. Miele offers a seven year warranty on parts and labor for this model, and a one year warranty on the motor and casing.

Although it would be nice to see the warranty extend a little longer on the motor, the seven year parts and labor warranty certainly adds value.

Specifications

Below is a complete list of important specifications and features included on the Miele Classic C1 canister vacuum:

Specifications
TypeCanister
ManufacturerMiele
ModelClassic C1
Length (inches)18.2
Width (inches)8.7
Weight (pounds)16.1
Floor TypeAll (indoor)
Filter bag3.5 liters
CordlessNo -18' cord
BaglessNo
ReturnsVaries by retailer
Warranty1 Year (parts & labor), 7 Years (motor & casing)
PriceCheck Price

Who Should Buy the Miele Classic C1 Canister Vacuum?

The Miele Classic C1 canister vacuum is one powerful vacuum cleaner. With six different cleaning modes available, the suction of this unit can be changed to suit your specific needs for each cleaning session.

Designed with a 29.5 foot cleaning radius, users have the ability to cover a lot of ground when plugged in. The Miele C1 offers an exceptional performance and an incredible value.

I would recommend the Miele Classic C1 if you’re looking for the following features in a canister vacuum:

  • Want a canister vacuum – Canister vacuums are virtually a handheld vacuum with the power of an upright vacuum. Users have the ability to place the head of the unit directly on top of a debris field and clean it up immediately. That said, canister vacuums do typically have bags instead of a dust bin, which can be a little more daunting to empty / change.
  • Want a longer reach with from their vacuum – This vacuum has a cleaning radius of 29.5 feet. The cord, hose, and wand give this vacuum a longer reach than most corded upright or corded stick vacuums.
  • Like the idea of multiple floor type cleaning modes – With six different cleaning modes available, users can narrow down exactly what style of cleaning they are looking to complete. Whether it is cleaning some curtains or digging deep into high pile carpet, the Miele Classic C1 has a mode for both.

For more information on the Miele Classic C1 visit here.

Update Log

  • July 11, 2019 – A commenter brought to our attention that we were incorrectly describing the model as the Compact version, when we actually tested the Classic version. We changed our Compact mentions to Classic. To clarify, this model is the Miele Classic C1.
  • August 6, 2018 – Updated the review score as part of our site-wide 1.0 scoring overhaul. Score increased from 96% to 99%.
  • Design - 98%
    98%
  • Performance - 100%
    100%
  • Quality - 100%
    100%
  • Usability - 97%
    97%
  • Value - 98%
    98%
99%

Summary

The Miele Classic C1 is a canister vacuum built with a purpose. Six different surface cleaning modes, multiple cleaning tools, and top notch performance all combine to create a well rounded unit. Users who are interested in a powerful unit with above average maneuverability may find the Miele C1 to be a fine choice for their home. If you’re in the market for a new vacuum cleaner and can’t decide what style would suit you best, this Miele canister vacuum is worth giving a shot.

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.