Reviews You Can Rely On

Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS4095 Review

This model competes well against other similarly priced budget models
gearlab tested logo
Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS4095 Review
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Price:  $150 List
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Manufacturer:   Kenmore
By Rachael Lamore and Chris Maxcer  ⋅  Nov 28, 2024
53
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#13 of 15
  • Carpet Performance - 25% 4.6
  • Hardwood Performance - 25% 6.2
  • Pet Hair - 15% 5.9
  • Filtration and Suction - 15% 3.5
  • Ease of Use - 10% 4.3
  • Battery - 10% 7.3

Our Verdict

The Kenmore Elite competes well for its price range, sucking up 70% of the huge mess we made on hardwood floors. Low pile carpet testing saw even better results, picking up 77% of sand, rice, and Cheerios. These aren't A+ scores; however, they are sufficient to get the job done, though additional passes may be required to complete the task. We like that it's light and easy to push around, even though the swivel didn't have the widest range to make tight turns. We suggest staying away from shag carpets since this model doesn't fare well. There are trade-offs to budget models, but we find these tolerable, especially as a great option for surface messes rather than a deep cleaning. To learn more about how cordless vacuums in all price ranges compare to each other, check out our guide to the best stick vacuums.
REASONS TO BUY
Low cost
Lightweight
Great hard floor edge performance
REASONS TO AVOID
Inefficient
Low suction power
Can clog with big messes

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards Best Buy Award
Best Buy on a Tight Budget
Best Buy Award
Best Budget Stick Vacuum
Best Buy Award
Most Affordable for Pet Owners
  
Price $150 List
$134.99 at Amazon
$230 List$150 List
$99.99 at Amazon
$120 List$199 List
$199.00 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
53
71
53
49
47
Star Rating
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Bottom Line This stick vacuum is affordable, but it lacks performance compared to higher-priced optionsAffordable and capable, this stick vacuum is worth every pennyFor those who desire a lightweight vacuum that won't consume their hard-earned funds, this might be worth a lookFor how good it looks, we had hoped for more performance from this stick vacuumWhile this model comes at an affordable price, it clogs often, making it difficult to complete cleaning tasks
Rating Categories Kenmore Elite CSV M... Levoit VortexIQ 40 Black+Decker Powers... Homeika LED 8-in-1 Bissell Cleanview XR
Carpet Performance (25%)
4.6
8.7
4.4
4.1
3.8
Hardwood Performance (25%)
6.2
7.7
5.7
5.2
3.2
Pet Hair (15%)
5.9
5.7
6.4
2.6
5.2
Filtration and Suction (15%)
3.5
6.1
2.7
4.4
5.8
Ease of Use (10%)
4.3
6.8
6.1
7.4
6.4
Battery (10%)
7.3
5.4
7.5
7.6
6.2
Specs Kenmore Elite CSV M... Levoit VortexIQ 40 Black+Decker Powers... Homeika LED 8-in-1 Bissell Cleanview XR
Low Pile Cleaned 77% 92% 73% 72% 24%
Hardwood Cleaned 70% 88% 62% 52% 20%
High Pile Cleaned 20% 54% 24% 27% 35%
Pet Hair Cleaned 56% 57% 59% 30% 54%
Max Mode Runtime 14 min 8 min 18 min 23 min 11 min
Low Mode Runtime 34 min 33 min 26 min 29 min 31 min
Suction 149 Pa 622 Pa 50 Pa 75 Pa 821 Pa
Charge Time 3.2 hrs 3.8 hrs 4.7 hrs 3.5 hrs 4.3 hrs
Noise Level 75 dBA 84 dBA 78 dBA 76 dBA 81 dBA
Handheld Weight 2.0 lbs 4.1 lbs 3.5 lbs 3.3 lbs 3.5 lbs
Crevice Cleaned 36 % 90 % 40 % 23 % 62 %
Capacity 1.0 L 0.6 L 0.2 L 1.5 L 0.3 L
Storage Wall mount Wall mount Wall mount Wall mount Wall mount
Trigger No No No No No
Variable Suction Control Yes Yes, automatic Yes, automatic Yes Yes
Model Number DS4095 LSV-VF401-AUS BHFEA18D1 H016-P 3789U

Our Analysis and Test Results

For an inexpensive stick vacuum, the Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS4095 includes a handy design element: The Kenmore EasyReach wand design bends in the middle, which lets us push the cleaner head under furniture without requiring us to bend over as much otherwise. It's a lower-priced alternative to the similar Shark Stratos Cordless Multi-FLEX hinge our testers loved so much.

Performance Comparison


We put every cordless vacuum through a series of difficult tests, including 24-second timed trials with three types of debris, where we measure and weigh the results to help tease out performance differences to help choose the right vacuum for varying households.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Carpet Performance


The overall carpet performance of the Kenmore was below average, but that's not the full story. Our testing revealed its strengths and weaknesses that may or may not be deal-breakers.

Carpet Cleaning Perfomance (%)
ProductLow PileHigh Pile
Best9257
Average82.742.9
Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS40957720
Worst2435

Overall, it rated poorly on carpet compared to other vacuums we tested. Granted, our 24-second timed tests are difficult, using 1.5 cups of sand, rice, and Cheerios spread over 27 square feet of carpet. The results of these tests give us an idea of how efficient this vacuum will be in real-world conditions.

Low Pile


Interestingly, by sucking up 77% of our test debris, this Kenmore did reasonably well on low pile carpet, coming close to our average recorded pick up of 82.7% among all stick vacuums we tested.

Low Pile Test Trials
 Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS4095
Trial 177%
Trial 277%
Trial 3 (if needed)

This vacuum did a shockingly good job on low pile carpet,” notes Rachael, our lead tester. "On forward passes, it created a very good seal that I could feel kind of snap onto the carpet!"

When we look at its performance a little more closely, it sucked up debris on forward passes significantly better than on backward passes. Even though it created a suction seal that we could feel on low pile carpet, when we weighed the total debris it collected, we could see it wasn't able to suck up much of the sand that slipped down into the carpet weaves.

High Pile


When we drill down into the high pile performance data, we see that the Elite CSV Max struggled to collect just 20% of our sand, rice, and Cheerios cocktail.

High Pile Test Trials
 Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS4095
Trial 124%
Trial 223%
Trial 3 (if needed)15 %

It seemed to pick up the easy debris on top but rolled over anything even remotely buried in the high carpet weave. With this data and in-person experience, we can't recommend this product for households that have a lot of shag carpet; however, if they primarily have low pile carpet (or even hardwood), this vacuum worked better than we were expecting, and it could be a great affordable option for relatively simple tasks.

Hardwood Performance


Our hardwood floor test is just as difficult as our carpet tests and is similarly structured. We spread 1.5 cups each of Cheerios, rice, and sand over a 27-squared foot test area. We give each vacuum just 24 seconds to suck up as much material as possible. On this test on hard floors, the Kenmore Elite outperformed all other vacuums at the budget price tier.

Hardwood Performance Ratings
ProductCleaningCreviceEdges
Best9.09.09.0
Average7.57.96.3
Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS40956.47.24.0
Worst2.07.94.0

Its performance here aligns well with its low pile carpet performance. It seemed to suck up rice better than Cheerios, which back plowed, reducing its ability to suck them up at a quick rate.

Cleaning Performance


The volume of material seemed a bit much for this product to handle all at once,” noted one tester. “It had a tendency to drag material along with it, only sucking up bits and pieces at a time.” Clearly, this vacuum needs more passes and time to clean big messes than other more expensive vacuums we tested.

Hardwood Test Trials
 Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS4095
Trial 167%
Trial 275%
Trial 3 (if needed)67 %

Still, with budget-minded patience, it cleans hardwood floors, albeit with additional passes, where we suggest focusing primarily on forward passes to be the most effective. Larger cereal will require multiple attempts and maybe some cleaner head rocking to help bigger items get underneath.

This Kenmore has a multi-purpose single head, which worked reasonably well on hard floors but didn't whisk and suck, as well as softer, fluffier rollers. This view underneath plexiglass shows how its lower head profile can drag and plow larger debris like Cheerios. Meanwhile, the sand takes a few passes to get fully sucked up.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Crevice


This vacuum struggled in our bamboo mat crevice test, where we dropped sand between the slats and then tried to suck up as much as possible in 4 passes. This test simulates crevices and grout depressions in tile floors and transition areas requiring more effort from these situations.


It was able to contain just 36% of the sand, which is less than half of our 71% average for this test. For deep crevices in a home, we needed to use a hand attachment to clean them out.

Edges


In our edge test with coffee grounds, this product gave two very different results. When we attacked the coffee grounds head-on, it sucked up all the grounds, but when we tried this test with a pass parallel to the wall, it left about a 1/4" line of grounds along the wall. Houses that have long hallways with hardwood floors will need to spend a bit more time with this vacuum to get the baseboards and corners clean.

kenmore elite csv max ds4095 - when we look closely at the bottom of this kenmore cleaner head, we...
When we look closely at the bottom of this Kenmore cleaner head, we can see why it performed poorly close to walls in our parallel test. Note the fuzzy seal on the side edge of the roller at the left. Coffee grounds aren't going to be sucked through that design from the side!
Credit: Jessica Riconscente

Overall, this product is surprisingly good on hard floors for its competitive budget price. For houses with heavier messes than average, we suggest pushing the budget a bit for even better hardwood cleaning prowess; the Levoit VortexIQ 40 is worth consideration.

Pet Hair


Our tough pet hair test has a 12-second limit. To push these vacuums, we spread 4 grams of pet hair and 1 gram of long hair extensions over the carpet and then mash it all into the carpet to replicate how pet hair gets walked on and laid on in typical homes.

Pet Hair Cleaning Perfomance (%)
ProductLowHigh
Best9062
Average72.847.1
Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS40957340
Worst4812

This model sucked up an average amount of pet hair on low pile carpet but again struggled with high pile carpet challenges. “After testing with both debris and pet hair on high pile carpet, I would not recommend this vacuum for any shaggy carpet needs,” Rachael noted.

kenmore elite csv max ds4095 - this cleaner head roll seemingly wrapped up nearly all the hair...
This cleaner head roll seemingly wrapped up nearly all the hair extensions in our pet hair test. Ouch.
Credit: Rachael Lamore

Filtration & Suction


We measure both filtration and suction capabilities to help reveal each vacuum's strengths and weaknesses. Because excellent filtration can sometimes reduce suction strength, we consider both in case a seemingly great filtration score is overshadowed by ineffective suction — or vice-versa.

Filtration & Suction Performance Ratings
ProductFiltrationSuction
Best9.09.5
Average7.85.2
Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS40954.03.3
Worst2.03.0

Filtration


To test filtration, we geek out with glee by creating a clean room in our lab by running room air filters overnight before starting our tests. We monitor tiny dust particles in the air with two Dylos air quality monitors to establish a room baseline. Then, we carefully spread 1/3 cup of flour on the floor. We vacuum up the flour, looking for particulate spikes on our monitors, which indicates that a vacuum is either leaking flour particles or failing to contain it completely after sucking it up.

Filtration Particle Count (Average Peak)
 Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS4095
Small (2.4-0.5 µm)976
Large (>2.5 µm)15

This vacuum contained larger flour particles well but allowed 976 small 0.5-2.5µm particles to escape. Dylos ranks anything less than 75 small particles as an excellent result and 300-1050, to be fair. This test result isn't exactly bad, but it's starting to stray into an area that might be problematic with those sensitive to indoor allergens or pet dander.

Suction


Likely, the weakest point of the Kenmore Elite is its suction power, which aligns with the performance it showcased on hardwood and carpet, where it struggled to collect the small, heavy sand.


We measured the suction at a very low 149 pascals.

kenmore elite csv max ds4095 - measured suction power at the cleaner head was far below average but...
Measured suction power at the cleaner head was far below average but not unexpected for its budget price point.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Ease of Use


To assess the ease of use of every product, we broke down our testing into valuable aspects that should be considered before purchasing.

Ease of Use Performance
ProductManeuverabilityMaintenanceUpholstery
Best9.06.59.0
Average6.86.67
Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS40955.05.54.0
Worst5.05.54.0

Maneuverability


While it can be bent to access under the couch or chairs, the fold point is a little too close to the head of the vacuum, limiting the overall reach of this useful feature. The best part about handling this model is its very low measured handheld weight of just 2 pounds, making it a good choice for those who need easy pushing and pulling as a primary factor in vacuuming.

kenmore elite csv max ds4095 - tight turns were difficult to make through our obstacle course for...
Tight turns were difficult to make through our obstacle course for the maneuverability testing because the head of the Kenmore tilts more than swivels.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Maintenance


We couldn't find any official instructions for complete care, but cleaning the filters on this model proved easy enough, thankfully. Releasing the dustbin is also quite straightforward; a button is on the bottom of the roller, which releases the roller itself. We prefer a dedicated button for this purpose and were glad to see it on this model.

kenmore elite csv max ds4095 - we liked the easy access to the brush roller for when hair tended to...
We liked the easy access to the brush roller for when hair tended to get tangled.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Uphostery & Attachments


This Kenmore cordless vacuum only includes an EasyReach Wand accessory, which limits our ability to use it on upholstery.

The EasyReach Wand has both bristles and a built-in hard crevice tool, which is handy for some tasks but falters on upholstery and fabrics.

For discerning shoppers, cordless vacs that cost a bit more usually include smaller powered handheld accessories, making vacuuming furniture more effective.

Battery


This vacuum has mediocre battery life, lasting 34 minutes on low and 14 minutes on high.

Measured Battery Runtime
ProductLowHigh
Best689
Average43.611.6
Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS40953414
Worst2911

Because this vacuum is relatively underpowered, some people will likely need to run it on high more often, making it harder to clean multiple rooms in a home without recharging. With this in mind, this vacuum will be better for single-room cleaning efforts rather than whole-house vacuuming chores.

Overall controls are simple, and while we appreciate the bendable wand for reaching under furniture, its pivot point restricts deep reaches.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Should You Buy the Kenmore Elite CSV Max DS4095?


This vacuum stands out from its peers for consistently good low-profile carpet and hardwood cleaning. If you're on a tight budget, this is the vacuum we suggest that will help get things done, although it might take an extra couple of passes compared to premium products. The only limitation we are worried about is its struggle with higher pile carpets and rugs, due to its low suction. If you want a deep cleaner for that, you'll need to invest in a premium product.

What Other Stick Vaccums Should You Consider?


If overall budget is the most important aspect for you, we suggest spending just a little more and getting the Levoit VortexIQ 40 as it's a great performer for the cost, and remarkably easy to maintain. If you're set on this price point, look at the Black+Decker Powerseries+ 20V. While it is slightly behind in

Rachael Lamore and Chris Maxcer