I needed a very compact vac to use mainly in the bathroom to clean up after haircuts. I've been using a cordless model but lacked the power to get the job done to my satisfaction. So, the hunt began for a compact corded model.
I looked at several hand-held units that offered a hose attachment. But, while they would have been fine for counter top work, I would have had to crouch or kneel down to get the floor done. Stick brooms would work fine on the floor, but didn't have the attachments for counter work.
That left a canister. I have several other Bissell products that have worked well, so thought I'd give the Zing a shot. Overall, it's an excellent product considering the price. The suction power is outstanding - I'd put it on a par with my Panasonic cannister vac that cost much, much more. In fact, the suction is a little too good - it will easily suck up hair cutting attachments if you're not careful. Zero complaints in terms of power.
No complaints as well for ease of emptying the canister (simple trap door setup). Also very much appreciate the fact that all the filters (total of 3) are washable, which will greatly extend their life. It has an automatic retracting cord which is an unexpected feature at this price point. Very compact to store, and cute to boot!
The downsides are few, but should be taken into account. First of all, the build quality is not top of the line. The hose in particular is thin and does not give me confidence that it will last a long time. There is no swivel attachment for the hose connector, so it can get kinked. But, the quality is what you would expect at this price, so I won't downgrade the rating for that.
Also no downgrade for the fact that the power button is the same size and color as the cord retract button. There are icons on each, but they are black on black, so almost impossible to see. Not a big problem, but annoying. Should have been corrected during product design.
I did downgrade the rating due to the noise. It's fine when you're using the floor attachments (a very nicely designed tool that allows you to extend or retract a brush). But, put on a small attachment such as the combination crevice tool and brush, and the noise ratchets up to an almost intolerable level due to all that air being sucked through a small opening. It's tolerable if you're in an open space, but in a small room, it's a real problem. I ended up replacing the combo tool supplied with a standard brush that had a larger opening so the noise would be tolerable. A shame, since the combo tool provided is nicely designed, offering the ability to use both a brush and a crevice tool by just swiveling the connector.
The Zing also comes in two more versions, each being bagged. The bagged versions offer a couple of key benefits, such as an extendable wand, a swivel hose connector, and a bit less noise. But, it comes at the price of having to buy bags, which I hate to have to do. There are two versions - model 7100 has a 1.5 liter bag; model 22Q3 has a 2.5 liter bag. Same motor in each, with differences limited to size and the type of attachments that come standard. Curiously, model 7100 is posted only on the US Bissell website; the 22Q3 is posted only on the Canadian site. But both are available in the US. I played around with both of them, and posted a review for each should you want to look at those as options.
One last tip: although I really wanted a bagless model, I also liked the extension wand that came with the bagged version. Bissell sells the wand separately on their website, so you can buy that to replace the wands that come with the bagless model. I found out that the extension wand from Dirt Devil canisters works with the Zing, so I ended up using that (kept the wand after my Dirt Devil died a few months ago).
In conclusion, you have to keep in mind that this is a compact vac for small jobs involving mainly hard floors. It's not something that can tackle a 4,000 square foot house with wall-to-wall carpet. But, as a second vac, or a vac for a small apartment with mainly hard floors, it is a fantastic deal (noise aside).
