Dibea ST1601 2-in-1 Vacuum Review

If you live in a small home let’s say less than 500 square feet, a full-sized upright is out of the question.

Your best bet would be a versatile machine without any cord. This would be the ideal tool if you don’t have any carpet whatsoever because deep cleaning is not needed.

DibeaST1601Review

There are a lot of options in the market such as the Dyson V8 and V6, Shark IONFlex, Shark ION Rocket, Hoover Cruise and the likes. The first two on the list will cost easily over $200 for an entry-level variant.

If you’re not willing to spend that much cash on a stick vacuum then why not opt for the next tier.

Brands such as Dibea occupy this space.

Today we’ll be having a close look at the Dibea ST1601. It’s a 2-in-1 stick and handheld vacuum from the same brand that brought you the F6 and the C17.

Of the three variants, the ST1601 is the cheapest and will provide the same functionality as the C17.

It’s more top-heavy than the C17 with a larger body but if you don’t mind the extra weight this can be a good alternative.

A quick look at the features

  • Versatile 2-in-1 handheld and stick vacuum with interchangeable tools and extension wand
  • Swivel head that can lay down flat to clean underneath furniture
  • Detachable aluminum extension wand
  • Two-speed control with fingertip switches
  • Cordless convenience
  • Run time of up to 40 minutes (20 minutes in max mode)
  • Cyclonic filtration system with two filters
  • Motorized brush with anti-friction protector
  • 1-year warranty

Pros

  • Versatile machine that can clean floors, upholstery, vents, etc.
  • Decent power capable of picking up surface dirt on bare floor or carpet
  • The swivel head makes this easy to move around and under furniture
  • The removable bin is easy to empty
  • Interchangeable tools
  • 40 minute run time is plenty
  • Cheaper than the Dibea F6 or C17

Cons

  • Will not deep clean carpet – only cleans surface dirt
  • Top-heavy design could make it difficult to use cleaning areas high above your head
  • The brush tool is too short make it useless cleaning below car seats

 

What to expect from the Dibea ST1601?

The Dibea ST1601 is a similar product to the F6 and C17 in that it has the same 2-in-1 functionality of a handheld and stick vacuum. But the difference would be how the vacuum housing is designed.

Before anything else please watch this video where I unbox, explain the different features and test it on bare floor and rug…

Fingertip controls

Instead of using a trigger mechanism, Dibea opted for buttons, two to be exact. One for power and another to select between two suction modes – normal and max.

At normal mode, power would be at around 4,000pa and at the max that is bumped up to 7,000pa. I don’t know how it translates to air watts but it’s not too far from a Dyson V6 in normal mode.

Main Cleaning Head

The main cleaning tool of this product has a motorized brush but only has soft bristles. It is virtually the same tool found in the C17 but only in a different color.

DibeaST1601MotorizedBrush

Surprisingly it works pretty well at picking up surface dirt on low pile rugs or carpet but don’t expect it to deep clean anything.

One downside would be the width of the brush. It does not extend all the way to the edges so edge cleaning would be suspect.

Swivel steering

This vacuum is easy to move around thanks to the swivel steering mechanism that Dibea put in. And it rotates up to 220 degrees. Not as flexible as a Dyson but pretty close.

The steering can also turn on a dime 130 degrees right to left which makes it easy to move around furniture. And it has the ability to go deep under furniture because it goes down flat.

Interchangeable tools

Like the Dibea F6 and C17, the ST1601 also has interchangeable tools and a detachable aluminum wand.

This allows it to clean the floors and above it. There are two tools included – a stiff brush tool and a crevice tool. The brush tool is nice because the head rotates but it’s a bit too short for me.

DibeaST1601Tools

Combine it with the bulky vacuum and it won’t reach under car seats should you decide to use this in a vehicle.

Crevice tool has good length and will work well picking up surface dirt on upholstery.

Both tools will lock in place so no need to worry about it cracking.

Battery and Run Time

Powering this 2-in-1 vacuum is a 22.2-volt lithium-ion battery which is similar to the one found in the Dyson. After charging this fully, you’ll get up to 40 minutes of run time in normal mode and 20 minutes in max mode.

The plug is auto volt that will work on 110 – 240-volt outlets but make sure to get something that will work in your country.

Bare Floor Cleaning

Please check out these before and after photos of my cleaning test on linoleum…

DibeaST1601CleaningTestBareFloor1 DibeaST1601CleaningTestBareFloor2 DibeaST1601CleaningTestBareFloor3

During the initial back and forth pass, this vacuum snowplowed through the large pile of a mess because of the low profile cleaning head. But after attacking dirt from several different angles, it was able to eventually pick up almost everything on the floor.

Take note that this type of mess isn’t the norm so if it’s able to handle this type of mess, cleaning everyday messes will not be an issue.

But if you find yourself constantly cleaning these huge piles of messes then something like a Shark IONFlex or Dyson V8 will be up to the task.

Carpet Cleaning

Some before and after photos…

DibeaST1601CarpetCleaningTest1 DibeaST1601CarpetCleaningTest2 DibeaST1601CarpetCleaningTest3

Even with the initial snowplow, the ST1601 was able to pick the large pile of dirt faster than on bare floor because the rug strands provide some friction underneath.

I used a very low pile rug so expect the same type of performance on anything similar.

Again, do not expect it to deep clean but it does prevent dirt from piling up.

Warranty

Dibea only backs this product up with a 12-month warranty.

Product Specifications

ModelST1601
AttachmentsMain motorized brush

Crevice tool

Brush tool
LED headlight
No
Brush roll on/off
No
Battery
22.2V
Lithium ion
Charger
Plug-in charger
Charging time
4 to 5 hrs.
Battery life
20 mins (max mode)

40 mins (normal mode)
Net weight
2.99 lbs. (vacuum only)
Shipping weight
7 lbs.
Cleaning path
8.27"
Overall length
40"
Battery indicator
No
Filter type
Washable
Dust capacity
300 ml
Power
7000 Pa (max mode)

4000 Pa (normal mode)
Manufactured in
China
Warranty
1 year

Where can I buy this?

You can buy this at GearBest for less than $125 and if you use the coupon code “smarthome” you can get more savings.

To Wrap It Up

The Dibea ST1601 is cheaper than the F6 and C17 but comes with basically the same functionality and performance. One big downside would be the design of the vacuum which makes it very top-heavy.

So cleaning above the floor areas with only one hand can be a struggle if you’re weak or have some sort of debilitating joint ailment like arthritis. But for cleaning floors or upholstery, this product should be just fine.

Overall for less than $130, you get a versatile vacuum that works great in cleaning floors and upholstery inside a small home. Other options in this price range would include the Dibea F6C17, Proscenic P8, and Hoover React.

Reasonably Priced Cordless Vacuum for Cleaning Floors
  • Ergonomics - 88%
    88%
  • Surface Cleaning - 93%
    93%
  • Quality - 88%
    88%
  • Design - 85%
    85%
  • Value - 89%
    89%
89%

Summary

The Dibea ST1601 2-in-1 will perform a decently when it comes to picking up surface dirt. However, the soft bristles hurt its performance in terms of cleaning embedded dirt on carpet. One thing that concerns me is the top-heavy design that can strain the arm and wrist when using it above floors. There isn’t much when it comes to tools as the ST1601 only comes with a brush and crevice tool that’s sufficient in most cases, but it will be limited when cleaning upholstery.

About the author: Garrick, the visionary behind Cordless Vacuum Guide, brings over a decade of hands-on expertise in cordless vacuum testing to his insightful reviews showcased on this platform. Beyond his passion for empowering consumers with informed choices, he cherishes precious moments with his family, exploring global cuisines and exploring different horizons with his beloved wife and son. Follow him on Youtube, Tiktok, Facebook, and Instagram.