Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog vs Guard L1 Electro

Which Vacuum Is Better?

Products

Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog
Miele Guard L1 Electro

Tested using Methodology v1.4

Updated Feb 10, 2026 04:08 PM

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Tested using Methodology v1.4

Updated Apr 16, 2026 06:04 PM

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Amazon.com
Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Picture

Track

Miele Guard L1 Electro Picture

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  1. Recommended in 3 articles:
  2. Brands
  3. HEPA
  4. Miele

Our Verdict

Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog

Miele Guard L1 Electro

The Miele Guard L1 Electro is the successor to the Miele Complete C3 lineup, which includes the Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog. If you're upgrading from the C3, the L1's biggest advantages are cleaner air and stronger suction, but you won't see a dramatic leap in cleaning performance on most surfaces. The L1's HEPA filter delivers far better particle filtration than the C3's Active AirClean filter, making it a much stronger choice if allergies are a concern. On the other hand, the C3 edges ahead on low-pile carpet pickup and does a much better job clearing pet hair from upholstered furniture. 

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Variants

  • Complete C3 Cat & Dog (Lotus White)
  • Complete C3 Cat & Dog (Tayberry Red)
  • Guard L1 (Nordic Blue/Space Grey)
  • Guard L1 AllFloor (Obsidian Black/Rose Gold)

Check Price

Lotus White
Complete C3 Cat & Dog
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Nordic Blue/Space Grey
Guard L1
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Tayberry Red
Complete C3 Cat & Dog
Amazon.com
Obsidian Black/Rose Gold
Guard L1 AllFloor
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 
Obsidian Black/Rose Gold
Guard L1 Cat & Dog
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 
Titanium Pearl
Guard L1 Electro
Amazon.com

Main Differences for
House

Threshold 

0.10

House 
 

8.6
8.7
No major differences between these vacuums for house. See full list of tests below.

Full Comparison

Debris Pickup

Hard Floor Pickup 
 

5.0
5.0

Hard Floor Pickup video  

Hard Floor Pickup Post Test 
 

Compare High-Res
Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Hard Floor Pickup Post Test
Compare High-Res
Miele Guard L1 Electro Hard Floor Pickup Post Test

High-Pile Carpet Pickup 
 

6.5
6.5

High-Pile Carpet Pickup Video  

High-Pile Carpet Pickup Post Test 
 

Compare High-Res
Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog High-Pile Carpet Pickup Post Test
Compare High-Res
Miele Guard L1 Electro High-Pile Carpet Pickup Post Test

Low-Pile Carpet Pickup 
 

7.0
6.5

Low-Pile Carpet Pickup Video  

Low-Pile Carpet Pickup Post Test 
 

Compare High-Res
Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Low-Pile Carpet Pickup Post Test
Compare High-Res
Miele Guard L1 Electro Low-Pile Carpet Pickup Post Test

Pet Hair Pickup 
 

9.0
9.0

Pet Hair Pickup Video  

Pet Hair Pickup Post Test 
 

Compare High-Res
Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Pet Hair Pickup Post Test
Compare High-Res
Miele Guard L1 Electro Pet Hair Pickup Post Test

Pet Hair Furniture Performance 
 

9.0
8.5

Sofa Pickup Video  

Sofa Pickup Post Test 
 

Compare High-Res
Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Sofa Pickup Post Test
Compare High-Res
Miele Guard L1 Electro Sofa Pickup Post Test

Cracks 
 

8.5
8.5

Cracks Video  

Wood Cracks Post Test 
 

Compare High-Res
Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Wood Cracks Post Test
Compare High-Res
Miele Guard L1 Electro Wood Cracks Post Test
Design

Build Quality 
 

8.5
8.5

Build Quality Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Build Quality Picture
Compare High-Res
Miele Guard L1 Electro Build Quality Picture

Vacuum Type 
 

Canister
Canister

In The Box 
 

In The Box Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog In The Box Picture
Compare High-Res
Miele Guard L1 Electro In The Box Picture

Brushroll 
 

Yes
Yes

Brushroll On/Off 
 

Yes
Yes

Removable Brushroll 
 

No
No

Turbo Brush 
 

No
No

Crevice Tool 
 

Yes
Yes

Upholstery Tool 
 

Yes
Yes

Soft Bristle Brush 
 

Yes
Yes

Hard Bristle Brush 
 

No
No

Extension Wand 
 

Yes
Yes

Ceiling Fan Tool 
 

No
No

Pet Grooming Tool 
 

No
No

Storing 
 

8.0
8.0

Storing Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Storing Picture
Compare High-Res
Miele Guard L1 Electro Storing Picture

Height 
 

40.16" (102.0 cm)
39.96" (101.5 cm)

Width 
 

13.78" (35.0 cm)
13.78" (35.0 cm)

Depth 
 

20.63" (52.4 cm)
20.63" (52.4 cm)

Cord Storing 
 

Automatic
Automatic

On-Board Tool Storage 
 

Yes
Yes

Vacuum Rack/Station 
 

No
No

Dirt Compartment Size 
 

8.1
8.0

Dirt Compartment Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Dirt Compartment Picture
Compare High-Res
Miele Guard L1 Electro Dirt Compartment Picture

Bagless 
 

No
No

Volume 
 

0.66 gal (2.50 L)
0.61 gal (2.30 L)

Full Indicator 
 

Yes
Yes

Bag Included 
 

1
1

Runtime 
 

10
10

Minimum Runtime 
 

N/A
N/A

Maximum Runtime 
 

N/A
N/A

Battery 
 

0.0
0.0

Minimum Battery Life 
 

N/A
N/A

Maximum Battery Life 
 

N/A
N/A

Recharge Time 
 

N/A
N/A

Recharge Dock 
 

No
No

Battery Life Indicator 
 

No
No

Swappable Battery 
 

N/A
N/A

User-Serviceable Battery 
 

No
No

User Maintenance 
 

7.0
7.0

Maintenance Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Maintenance Picture
Compare High-Res
Miele Guard L1 Electro Maintenance Picture

Brushroll Cleaning Video  

Recurring Cost 
 

4.5
5.0

Recurring Cost Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Recurring Cost Picture
Compare High-Res
Miele Guard L1 Electro Recurring Cost Picture

Bag Part Number  

GN AirClean 3D
TU HyClean Air

Filter Part Number  

SF AA 50
SF-HA 50-1

HEPA Filter Part Number  

No HEPA Filter
SF-HA 50-1

Quality Of Life Features 
 

Picture Of Controls 
 

Compare High-Res
Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Picture Of Controls
Compare High-Res
Miele Guard L1 Electro Picture Of Controls

Rotating Head 
 

Yes
Yes

Power Adjustment 
 

Yes
Yes

Self-Propelled 
 

No
No

Headlights 
 

No
No

Easy On/Off 
 

Yes
Yes

Head Surface Type Adjustment 
 

Manual
Manual

Blower Mode 
 

No
No
Mobility

Portability 
 

6.0
6.2

Total Weight 
 

22.60 lbs (10.25 kg)
21.83 lbs (9.90 kg)

Weight In Hand 
 

3.13 lbs (1.42 kg)
2.87 lbs (1.30 kg)

Carrying Handle 
 

Yes
Yes

Maneuverability 
 

8.5
8.5

Maneuverability Video  

Alternative Configuration 
 

Compare High-Res
Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Alternative Configuration
Compare High-Res
Miele Guard L1 Electro Alternative Configuration

Alternative Configuration Photo 2 
 

Compare High-Res
Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Alternative Configuration Photo 2
Compare High-Res
Miele Guard L1 Electro Alternative Configuration Photo 2

Range 
 

7.6
7.6

Cordless 
 

No
No

Cord Length 
 

24.44 ft (7.5 m)
24.28 ft (7.4 m)

Hose Length 
 

6.10 ft (1.86 m)
6.07 ft (1.85 m)

Minimum Wand Length 
 

2.72 ft (0.83 m)
3.15 ft (0.96 m)

Maximum Wand Length 
 

3.94 ft (1.20 m)
4.43 ft (1.35 m)

Total Range 
 

33.99 ft (10.36 m)
33.79 ft (10.30 m)
Air Quality

Particle Filtration 
 

7.2
9.9

Operation Video  

Particle Filtration  

 Preview Graph
Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Particle Filtration
 Preview Graph
Miele Guard L1 Electro Particle Filtration

Average PM10 Concentration 
 

4.2 μg/m³
0.1 μg/m³

Average PM2.5 Concentration 
 

3.8 μg/m³
0.1 μg/m³

Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA) 
 

No
Yes

Air Quality During Emptying 
 

9.5
9.5

Emptying Video  

Performance

Suction 
 

3.7
7.9

Suction Video  

Maximum Hose Suction 
 

84.8 inH₂O (21.12 kPa)
79.9 inH₂O (19.91 kPa)

Maximum Head Suction 
 

1.4 inH₂O (0.36 kPa)
9.6 inH₂O (2.40 kPa)

Normal Head Suction 
 

0.8 inH₂O (0.19 kPa)
4.9 inH₂O (1.22 kPa)

Setting Used For Normal  

"Energy-Saving", Parquet Twister Floor Brush
Auto

Hose Diameter 
 

1.3" (3.2 cm)
1.2" (3.0 cm)

Airflow 
 

9.1
9.0

Maximum Airflow Video  

Maximum Hose Airflow 
 

111.3 CFM (3.2 m³/min)
100.2 CFM (2.8 m³/min)

Noise 
 

8.4
8.6

Noise Video 
 

Bare Floor 
 

73.0 dBA
69.8 dBA

Low-Pile Carpet 
 

71.5 dBA
68.9 dBA
Mopping Capabilities

Stains 
 

1.0
1.0

Stain Video  

Stain Pickup Post Test 
 

Compare High-Res
Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Stain Pickup Post Test
Compare High-Res
Miele Guard L1 Electro Stain Pickup Post Test

Water 
 

0.0
0.0

Water Video  

Water Pickup Post Test 
 

Compare High-Res
Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog Water Pickup Post Test
Compare High-Res
Miele Guard L1 Electro Water Pickup Post Test

Wet Compatible 
 

No
No

Check Price

Lotus White
Complete C3 Cat & Dog
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Nordic Blue/Space Grey
Guard L1
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Tayberry Red
Complete C3 Cat & Dog
Amazon.com
Obsidian Black/Rose Gold
Guard L1 AllFloor
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 
Obsidian Black/Rose Gold
Guard L1 Cat & Dog
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 
Titanium Pearl
Guard L1 Electro
Amazon.com

Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog

Miele Guard L1 Electro

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  1. Comparison

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