The Philips SpeedPro Max is not just another handstick cordless vacuum cleaner.

It is one that continues to vacuum when you glide it backwards, unlike most others that clean only during the forward movement.

This is thanks to its 360-degree suction nozzle. In other words, the SpeedPro Max should be able to clean more efficiently than most handstick cordless vacuum cleaners.

Design-wise, it looks good, but is not as futuristic-looking as some of its competitors.

It has most of its weight centred on its handle area. This makes it easy to manoeuvre regardless of the cleaning attachments placed on it.

The digital motor powering the SpeedPro Max is sited below the handle, while the cyclones - conical containers that remove particulates from the air stream - and the dust bin are in front of the handle.

On the top of the handle, there is a small display panel that shows the battery percentage.

Below this panel is a lever that gives you the option to switch among the three cleaning modes - intensity one, two and turbo. This switch also means that you do not need to continuously press a trigger to vacuum.

Setting up the vacuum cleaner is a breeze. You attach the wand stick to the main handle unit and the suction nozzle to the wand stick.

Apart from the 360-degree suction nozzle, the SpeedPro Max comes with a smaller turbo nozzle that is ideal for vacuuming beds and sofas.

Most of the time, I found myself using the 360-degree suction nozzle. I like the three LED lights on it that help me see the dirt and hair on the floor.

In addition, I love the integrated brush on the wand stick. You just need to detach the suction nozzle, flip the brush up and you can vacuum your TV console, tabletops and chairs.

It took me only 30 minutes to vacuum my 90 sq m flat using the intensity one mode, compared with the one hour I usually take with my industrial-grade Rainbow vacuum cleaner, which cost about $3,000.

With cordless vacuum cleaners, I usually need to vacuum twice to match the cleanliness I get with one round from my Rainbow.

With the SpeedMax Pro, I found the result to be surprisingly close to - though still not as good as - the Rainbow. I just needed to repeat the vacuuming in certain areas, which added another 10 minutes to the cleaning time.

Battery is rated at 65 minutes on the intensity one mode.

At the end of my vacuuming session using this mode, I found there was still 50 per cent battery left - this was close to what was advertised and better than many of its peers, which have a battery life that hovers at around 40 minutes.

To clear the dust bin, you remove it from the handle, open its top and pour the dust into your trash can - easy peasy.

At $699, the SpeedPro Max is priced between the premium and entry-level handstick cordless vacuum cleaner models. Yet its performance is comparable with, and at times better than, many premium models.

• Verdict: The Philips SpeedPro Max is the most well-rounded handstick cordless vacuum cleaner in terms of pricing, battery life and cleaning performance.