This 2-in-1 Tool Is a Broom and a Vacuum (of Course I Had to Try it for Myself)

Since the pandemic hit, I’ve been spending more of my waking hours on my phone, and my Instagram ads have been weirdly spot on: glow-producing skin care products, cozy leggings and slippers, and recently, all the cleaning products. Maybe advertisers are just taking advantage of the fact that we’re all stuck at home and more likely to clean. Maybe the algorithm got wind that I specialize in vacuum content. Either way, the algorithm decided that the VaBroom and I were a match made in Instagram heaven.

Here’s what made me stop scrolling: The VaBroom is a broom, and does everything a standard broom does, but with the addition of a tiny vacuum on the side. Once you sweep up your space, you can tilt the broom a bit to press the vacuum head to the floor, so it sucks up the just-swept dirt and debris, all with no dustpan. 

The concept itself was alluring, but when I saw the VaBroom was manufactured in my hometown of Minneapolis, I couldn’t wait to try it. I’ll admit, I wondered if it was one of those infomercial-style gadgets that sounded awesome but would end up unused in a closet. From the moment the VaBroom entered my house, though, I knew it would be a staple. 

It comes in a small box, disassembled in four pieces. Thankfully, it’s super easy to put together — just twist the handle pieces together, then add the end of the vacuum-broom, which is already loaded with batteries. The instructions say it’s easiest if you sweep in a straight line, so you can easily suck everything up in one fell swoop. I’m excited to tell you (for my sake and yours) that everything about the VaBroom worked the way I hoped — and maybe even better.

The first thing I noticed was that the broom wasn’t heavy. It felt like sweeping with a normal broom, with maybe a few extra ounces added on (worth the tiny bit of extra heft IMHO). The vacuum was really easy to use, too: Just tilt the broom — you don’t even need to bend over in the slightest — and press the vacuum part to the floor as it sucks up the fruits of your labor. I’ve used my VaBroom four or five times already, and I haven’t had to empty it yet. But I assume that part will be easy too.

My only complaint is that the vacuum won’t suck up larger debris. My son spilled some tortilla chips on the kitchen floor, so I had to use my regular broom and dustpan to clean it up. But all in all, I heartily recommend my new favorite cleaning tool.

Lesson learned: Not all targeted ads are worth indulging in, but you never know which one is going to change your routine for the better.

This post originally appeared on Apartment Therapy. See it there: This 2-in-1 Broom Promises to Vacuum Away Your Mess (No Dustpan Needed!), So I Had to Try it For Myself