There are few things in this life that I dread more than the cleaning that has to take place before a long road trip. The task is daunting, and much like that corner of the laundry room you hate to look at come vacuum day, it always has to be taken care of, whether it’s by yourself or someone hired to do it.

Recently, I uprooted my entire life and moved to West Texas from Mississippi, and I knew that before I packed my entire life into our SUVs and a trailer, some serious cleaning had to take place. Our cars weren’t filthy. No, we’re far too obsessive about dust and smells for that to happen. But they needed a fine touch in some hard-to-reach places, and that was going to be difficult. That is, until Hedgehog stepped in with the TurboVAC.

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Perfect for quick, easy cleaning

The TurboVAC is the perfect size for a fast touch-up

Hedgehog 

Before I get too far off into the weeds, know that I already own a traditional shop-vac from my boat detailing days. It’s helped me out in many a pinch, but it’s incredibly bulky, and making sure my chord doesn’t get tangled up or snagged constantly draws my attention away from the actual task at hand. The TurboVAC fixed that problem in the most beautifully simple way — it just got smaller.

In terms of size comparisons, this vacuum is a bit smaller than a theragun — you know, those things with the rubber balls on the end that we see athletes using all the time now. In fact, I’d put it just under the length of a normal hair dryer. What that means, though, is that it’s the perfect size to hold with one hand and whisk around your cabin or seats in quick fashion.

There’s no need to worry about making sure you can reach the spot you want from whatever side of your vehicle your bulky shop-vac base is on, and while that may not sound like much on paper, you most definitely feel better after using the Hedgehog than the alternative. The size and shape are perfect for quickly vacuuming up small messes.

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Surprising suction power

Don’t let the size fool you, this little vacuum packs a punch

Hedgehog 

The advertised three pounds of suction force featured on the TurboVAC didn’t jump off the page when I first read it, but after using it, I was thoroughly impressed with just how much this little vacuum can lift. It got plenty of solid red clay out of my carpet and floor mats from a dirt track race I attended the weekend before, and even picked up some larger objects I thought it might struggle with, like random pop tabs I found in the seat crevices and small bottle caps.

I found that it picked up nearly everything my full-sized vacuum does on a regular basis. The only difference that I could find in the performance was that my full-size picked up deeply embedded carpet particles a bit better, but that’s to be expected with the difference in expectations. The TurboVAC is not meant to beat out a detailer-spec full-sized vacuum. It’s meant to keep you from having to see that detailer every week, and keep money in your pocket over a long-term span.

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It isn’t just a vacuum

The 3-in-1 design allows for inflation and exterior cleaning, too

Hedgehog 

Because the air flows through the TurboVAC in one direction, it doubles as an inflation device for things like blow-up mattresses or intertubes for lake days, making the TurboVAC just as handy of a boating companion as a road trip one. You can actually use one of the nozzles that comes with the TurboVAC to knock dust loose from your carpet, then flip it around and vacuum it right up, all without reversing speeds or changing attachments.

Hedgehog / Pocket-lint

Speaking of attachments, the TurboVAC comes with all the typical vacuum accessories you would expect right there in the box. There’s also a sleek travel case, but more on that later. The largest is, of course, the vacuum reservoir, which can hold more than you think, but not exactly a lot of debris. The metal filter inside is easy to remove for dumping, and does a solid enough job at keeping said debris out of the actual induction tube that I never noticed if any ever made it all the way through while I used the TurboVAC for half an hour straight.

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The styling is sleek and easily stowable

I still have this stashed in my trunk, ready to go at a moment’s notice

Hedgehog

The TurboVAC comes with the typical vacuum components — extensions and nozzles that can fit into just about any crevice in your car. However, the handiest thing that you’ll find in the box is a small, black carrying case for all of these pieces and the TurboVAC itself. It’s not branded, very minimalist and hides itself in any corner of your trunk or storage space so well that nobody would ever notice it was there if they weren’t looking for it.

I, for one, appreciate attention to detail, and it’s apparent that there was some taken in the styling of the TurboVAC. It’s sleek, and honestly looks good in the hand, which is more than I can say for most other vacuums on the market that come in funky colors and stick out like sore thumbs.

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My very limited gripes

Nothing can ever be perfect

Do you see those two buttons on the back of the TurboVAC? The top is a small LED light, which is plenty handy if you ever have to tool around in the dark. However, the bottom one is the power button, which has two different modes — low and high. Their placement kept me from gripping the TurboVAC in the way that was most comfortable for me when using it in vacuum mode, and I accidentally turned it off once or twice until I got used to the button placement.

Additionally, this isn’t the absolute quietest system I’ve used, but it would be hard to accomplish that feat and still incorporate the inflation device element into the design, as it prohibits the TurboVAC from being an entirely closed system.

All in all, I was more than impressed with the TurboVAC, and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to keep their cleaning maintenance routine at an all-time high in their daily ride. It’s simply too handy to be ignored, and will remain a staple in my pre-trip routine as long as it keeps working.