After putting off the purchase of a new vacuum cleaner for a few years, I finally broke down and purchased one with the Home Depot promotion in my last statement. I had been doing some research and was leaning towards two that happened to be carried at HD.
The first was the famous Dyson (in particular, the DC-18 Animal). I am a huge fan and believer of the cyclonic technology, as I've researched it for home shop dust collection; however, I could just never swallow the price tag associated with Dyson. My next best bet seemed to be another vacuum with the cyclonic technology, the Bissell Healthy Home Vacuum caught my eye.
Here are my findings and comments on complaints I found on the web when researching.
Suction: Good
I found that it has good suction, a lot better than any of my previous vacs. I like to compare all of them to my 4.5 hp wet/dry vac which has amazing suction. The Bissell is not as powerful as the wet/dry vac, but not too far behind. For me the real test is how it does on hardwood. I found that it picked up most dust and the beater bar could even be used without throwing particles all over the place. It didnt seem to loose suction as the canister filled, which is good, and what it's supposed to do. I also noticed that the see through plastic beater bar cover was not covered with a film of dust after vacuuming. This tells me the suction is good.
Cord too long and gets in the way. Disagree.
Really? The cord can be wound up to whatever length you wish. I prefer this so I don't have to continue switching outlets from room to room. I simply unwind what I need and hold it in between the handle and my hand while vacuuming.
Canister difficult to empty and messy. Disagree.
I don't understand why the canister is smaller at the bottom than the top. Its like trying to dump ice cream out of a cone by breaking off the bottom. Having said this, it really not that difficult empty. A simple tap on the trash can usually gets everything out. The 10 in. tall collection bin should only fill up about half way before emptying, according to the "Full Line". I vacuumed and entire floor of my house on one canister, and it hadnt been vacuumed in a while.
As for being messy, you are dumping dust out of a bucket. I don't think any vacuum can claim dust won't become airborne when you dump their canister. Empty it outside if you are really concerned about dust escaping into the air, that's what I do.
The canister detaches from the vac for dust disposal and can be broken down into two pieces for cleaning. I plan to throw mine in the sink every now and then to thoroughly clean. I have the benefit of having an air hose in my shop. I use it blow out the canister in between cleanings when necessary.
Tip: I read somewhere to wipe the canister out with Swiffer pads. I tried it and it worked well. The dust sticks to the pads well. I wiped the whole machine down, althought not much dust escapes the canister.
Heavy and top heavy. Mildly agree.
It's kind of heavy, but it has two 5 in. wheels on the back which make pushing it around easy. I like the fact that its heavy because it makes me feel that good contact with the carpet is always there. I think it helps make sure the carpet height adjustment stays relatively accurate.
Likes:
- Light that highlights what you are vacuuming. Common feature these days.
- On/Off on handle.
- On/Off button for beater bar, also on handle.
- 3 simple attachments, and not 50.
- Tan rubber bumper around beater bar. Black blemishes baseboard.
- Good filter. My house doesnt smell like dog after vacuuming dog hair.
- Long cord. Heavy duty.
- Relatively quiet.
- Price. $249 at HD and $219 w/ free ship online.
Dislikes:
- Rubber bumer should wrap around entire unit. Potential for catching on corners on the back pull. This seems to be a common flaw in a lot of vacs.
- Canister that tapers towards bottom. Make it straight, or flare outward at bottom.
- The name.
- The beater bar cuts off when the upright gets to about 80 degrees. Not necessary with the On/Off beater bar button at your fingertips.
Overall Rating
I would recommend buying this. Although I've havent tried the Dyson, I find it hard to believe that it could be that much better, considering its twice the price. You could buy two Bissell's, or save $250 and buy a cool power tool.
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