SEBO Balance A1 vs. Miele Triflex HX1 Facelift, HX2 & HX3

Miele now sells the HX3 in the U.S.; as of October 2026 it marked the HX1 Facelift permanently out of stock and listed the HX2 Cat & Dog as no longer available online. So this guide answers two questions: what changed between the Triflex generations, if you own one or see one for sale, and whether a new Triflex HX3 or the SEBO BALANCE A1 fits your home better.

Miele Triflex HX1 vs HX2 vs HX3: what changed

Miele Triflex generations compared (Miele U.S. product pages and data sheets, checked October 2026)

	HX1 Facelift	HX2	HX3
Controls	3-level slide	3-level slide	Display, 10-sec Boost
Floor sensing	—	Yes	Yes (FloorDetect)
Filter	Hygiene (Flash: HEPA)	HEPA	HEPA, every package
Runtime, low*	30 min	30 min	38 min
Runtime, high*	17 min	14 min	15 min
Wet cleaning	No	No	AquaTwister
Warranty	2 years	2 years	Not listed

*Up to, per battery, with the powered floorhead. The HX1 Facelift's figures are for the standard Obsidian Black model, which Miele lists with a Hygiene Lifetime filter; the Flash version has HEPA and a lit floorhead. Miele describes the HX2's Digital Efficiency Motor and its automatic flooring recognition. For the HX3, Miele lists 38 minutes per battery on low with the powered floorhead and a Boost that adds 42% power for 10 seconds. The warranty row is from Miele's U.S. vacuum warranty table, which lists two years for the Triflex HX1 and HX2 and doesn't yet name the HX3.

Is the HX3 worth it over the HX2?

If you're buying new, yes, because the HX3 is what Miele sells now. If you're weighing a leftover HX2 against an HX3 at a similar price, the HX3 gives you the time-left display, Boost, eight more minutes on low with the powered floorhead and the option of wet cleaning. None of that proves it picks up more dirt on your carpet; it does make it easier to live with.

What the runtime figures mean

Miele's headline numbers are for the motor unit on its own: up to 60 minutes for the HX1 Facelift and HX2, up to 70 for the HX3, and 140 for the two-battery Plus packages. With the powered floorhead on carpet, use the figures in the table. A full recharge takes about four hours, so if you often run out halfway through, a second battery matters more than another tool.

SEBO BALANCE A1 vs Miele Triflex HX3

SEBO BALANCE A1 vs Miele Triflex HX3 (SEBO and Miele U.S. documents, checked October 2026)

	SEBO BALANCE A1	Miele Triflex HX3
Weight	About 5 lb	About 8 lb
Layout	Stick and handheld; extension hose included	3-in-1: motor low, motor high or handheld
Bin	0.38 L	0.5 L
Runtime	Up to 48 min on level 1; up to 20 min on level 3	Up to 38 min low, 15 min high, with the powered floorhead
Filtration	Cyclones, motor-protection filter, micro-hygiene filter	HEPA Lifetime filter
Powered tools in the box	LED power brush with two rollers, plus a mini power brush	Depends on the package (see below)
Warranty	2 years parts and labor, 1 year battery	Ask us to confirm in writing

SEBO's figures are from its BALANCE A1 page, owner's manual and brochure. SEBO's runtime figures don't break out the powered head the way Miele's do, so the two runtime rows aren't a like-for-like test. The A1 is also outside SEBO's corded warranty terms and its Warranty Bonus.

• Choose the BALANCE A1 if you carry the vacuum up and down stairs, want the lightest machine, and like having a mini power brush and a hose for stairs and the car in the box.
• Choose the Triflex HX3 if you want HEPA filtration, a bigger bin, the option to move the motor low so the wand feels lighter in your wrist, or wet cleaning later with the AquaTwister.

Which HX3 package?

The packages share the same HX3; you're choosing tools and batteries, not a stronger motor.

The Miele Triflex HX3 packages Avon sells (Miele U.S. package listings, checked October 2026)

Package	Batteries	What it adds
HX3	1	The core HX3; floorhead without the BrilliantLight
HX3 Cat & Dog	1	Lit floorhead and an Electro Compact powered handheld brush for upholstery
HX3 Plus	2	Lit floorhead, Hardfloor Care soft roller and a second battery
HX3 Aqua	1	Lit floorhead and the AquaTwister wet-cleaning attachment
HX3 Plus Aqua	2	Lit floorhead, Hardfloor Care roller, AquaTwister and a second battery

Miele also sells an HX3 Hardfloor package, which we don't list online. Our HX3 guide covers the Aqua cleaning in detail.

Which cordless for which job

• Pet hair on the sofa and stairs: the BALANCE A1's mini power brush, or the HX3 Cat & Dog's Electro Compact powered handheld brush. Check the fabric's care label before using any powered brush on upholstery.
• Mostly hard floors: the HX3 Plus, with Miele's Hardfloor Care soft roller, or the A1 with its MicroCare roller. If your flooring maker forbids rotating brushes, see our LVP floor guide.
• A bigger house in one go: the HX3 Plus or Plus Aqua, which come with a second battery.
• Allergies: the HX3, with HEPA Lifetime filtration on every package. Empty the bin outdoors.
• Delicate rugs: read the rug's label first; our guide to vacuum features that can damage delicate rugs explains why.
• Your only vacuum: compare the runtime and bin size with how much floor you clean. Our guide to whether a cordless can be your only vacuum walks through it.

Already own an HX1 or HX2?

You don't need to replace it. Miele lists its HX-LA battery for the Triflex HX1, HX1 Facelift and HX2, and we carry the HX-LA. A spare battery is often the simplest fix for a machine that runs out before the job is done. One limit: Miele says the AquaTwister doesn't fit the HX1 or HX2; it fits every HX3. If yours has lost suction, check the bin, the filters and the floorhead for hair before you blame the battery.

Cordless questions

Want to hold them before you choose? Call (860) 678-0011 to check which cordless models we have set up, or visit us at 12 West Main Street in Avon.

Sources: SEBO BALANCE A1, owner's manual, parts list, brochure and warranty registration; Miele USA pages for the HX1 Facelift, HX1 Facelift Flash, HX2 Cat & Dog, HX3, HX3 Hardfloor, cordless range, Triflex HX3 overview, HX-LA battery and warranty table; Miele data sheet for the HX2 (checked September and October 2026).