Customer Reviews

Bissell Healthy Home Upright Vacuum Cleaner, Bagless, 12 Amp, 16N5

5 star:		(70)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

I've been using the original Bissell Healthy Home vac for nearly two years and have been extremely pleased with it. This updated version builds upon the strengths of the original and adds a few new features.

My biggest complaint with the original Healthy Home was the weight. Bissell has addressed this common complaint by making the new model lighter by a few pounds. But, the lighter weight appears to come at the expense of solid construction - parts like the handle and collection bin feel less substantial. I know you can't equate durability with weight, but my initial impression of the new model was that it's less resistant to the knocks and bruises that vacs tend to take. Too early to tell, however. It has a five year warranty like the old model.

Assembly is a snap - two screws for the handle (which are no longer recessed, so they are easy to get in) and two screws for the cord wrap.

Operationally, the new vac preforms just as well as the old model. I have seven cats. Yes, seven. This is the house where vacuums get put to the test. The Bissell takes all that is thrown at it with nary a problem. The carpet suction is excellent; the tool suction is good. Easy to maneuver with large, non-marring wheels.

As in the old model, the carpet beater can be turned off for hard floor or very delicate/thin carpet use. The switches have been repositioned so they are less prone to being hit accidentally. The beater has a clutch, so if it gets bound up in something it stops turning rather than burn out the belt. The belt is (according to Bissell) a "life time" belt.

The carpet height is adjustable with a knob. I prefer that type of manual adjustment since the auto adjust models from other brands never seem to get it right on some carpets. Doing it manually lets you set a higher height for more delicate rugs, and a lower, more aggressive height for rugs that need to be churned up more to get the pet hair/dirt out.

The HEPA filter has been moved from the side of the vac to under the collection bin. According to Bissell this allows for better functionality/cleaner exhaust. Seems to work fine, but the old method also worked well. Having the filter in-line does make the vac narrower - that's probably the main benefit.

It still has the foam (washable) pre-filter. Great feature to have since it extends the life of the non-washable HEPA. I've been getting about 18 months life out of the HEPA filters in the old model.

The hose routing has been changed. It's a bit harder to dislodge than the old model for tool use, but still fairly easy compared with other vacs I've used.

The collection bin is also easy to take off and empty. I prefer bagless since I can't stand paying for bags. The new bin has straight sides to help get all the crud out. Still, dumping out the bin of any bagless vac can be messy, and you sometimes have to reach in to get out the big clumps of light-weight material (such as cat hair). If you have major allergies or just don't like to deal with this, you may want to consider a bagged model.

Tips:

1) Every so often take the collection bin apart and wash it out. Very fine dust can collect in the upper cyclonic chamber, and can affect performance. Make sure all parts are bone dry before putting them back on the vac.

2) I recommend you replace the plastic wand with an aluminum wand. You can get it at the Bissell site online (register online and you'll get free shipping). The metal wand is more robust than the plastic and also has positive click stops to ensure it does not fold up when you push hard.

3) The contour head is also a nice add-on if you have pets. It is a non-powered head (unlike the included turbo head) which is good for more delicate fabrics or furniture throws with loose threads that can snag. You can get it from Bissell or Amazon.

4) If you want a full-size floor brush, the models from Sears fit the Bissell.

In summary, this is an excellent vac. The new model takes a couple of steps forward and perhaps only a half-step back (construction quality). If you can get the old model at a discount, it's well worth it if you can deal with the weight. If not, this model is also highly recommended.

First, I'd like to thank Amazon for their lightning fast shipping! I ordered this item through Vine on Thursday and here it is Saturday and I have already done my first cleaning with my new vacuum.

I also have to admit, I am a real penny pincher when it comes to appliances and cleaning supplies. So my first vacuum was a Dirt Devil which lasted about 8 years before we retired it due to declining performance. We replaced it with a Bissell Clear View vacuum this past summer. I have a few issues with the Clear View which kind of turned me off, especially since that particular model scorched a hole in my carpet on the stairs!

We were literally days from going back for a Dirt Devil model when I was offered this model through Vine and well it was easy to make the decision to give it a try. THIS model has completely changed my opinion on Bissell. Everything on this vacuum seems well thought out and well constructed. I had just gone through my entire home Thursday night with the old lower end model Bissell and today I went back just through half my home and got a whole new dirt cup full of surprises! Grey gunky stringy stuff, cat litter that had been left behind, playdoh that had been ground into my kitchen carpet and it even greatly reduced the chalk stains in my back room.

Now for a few features I am really happy with:

-The brush on/off switch is really nice when you just want the wand to work.

-The brush shuts off when the vacuum is in the upright position. (which would have saved my carpet from being scorched by my first Bissell!)

-There is a diverter flap at the base of the hose inlet which gives the wand 100% power when removed.

-The telescoping wand makes my 8 foot ceilings accessible! And the vacuum does not tilt when I am using my wand, which was always an issue with my previous vacuums.

-Wide cleaning path.

-MUCH higher quality feel than my Clear View.

-Cleans the air as I vacuum, removing pet dander, ragweed and pollen and the filters are so easy to replace and inspect. The filtration is really important to our family since we live in NE PA which is reputedly the worst area of the country for allergens!

-Lifetime belt.

-2 ways to empty the dirt cup. From the bottom and from the top. My prior Bissell Clear view is an absolute nightmare to clean up and if I could tell you how many times I have dumped excess debris from the cup onto my freshly cleaned carpet?? ARRRGH! No more! ;)

-The dirt cup is much larger than my Clear View's.

-The Turbo Brush doesn't fall off its holder. (that was a huge gripe with the other vacuum)

-This vacuum actually CLEANS my hardwood floors as well as it cleans my carpets. The Clear View kind of kicks things around a bit and I find myself hunting down dust bunnies with the wand.

-Finally, this vacuum seems a lot quieter than the Clear View which is pleasant since my son has sensory issues and loud noises really bother his ears.

-Hold on a second, I nearly forgot the 5 year warantee! That was quite refreshing to see on the package. :)

Some may gripe about the steering or the weight of the vacuum. Honestly, I don't see them as being issues at all. I see it this way - you can't expect quality materials to be feather lite especially when dealing with motors.

In every way possible Bissell has come through. Thank you Bissell, you have really changed my opinion of your quality and performance.

11/27/09 - I have to add this little bit to the review. I actually made it to the top of the stairs today with the extension wand without having to drag the vacuum up with me! And it didn't tip the vacuum or pull the hose out of the housing!!! That really impressed the hubby. How many years I've tottered on the steps balancing a vacuum and trying to clean with the other hand??? That feature alone is worth it - no more aching back.

ETA - one small warning - do NOT let that turbo wand near anything delicate. I accidentally caught a sheer curtain with it and it tore some of the embriodery. I'd use it for carpet only!

3/29/11 - Still very pleased with this machine. No issues and no noticable drop in performance.

For comparison, we currently have a $399 Dyson, upstairs, and a $89 Dirt Devil, downstairs. And five dogs.

First thing about the Bissell, it is a big, fairly heavy machine. You don't want to lug it up and down stairs. We used it first where we use the Dirt Devil, what amazed us was it picked up so much more dirt/hair that we had to empty the container twice. Not really a fair comparison pricewise given the price difference, but really cleaned much better and the carpets even looked better.

It seems to also rival it more expensive competitor, the Dyson. It seems to pick up as much and it does not seem to lose suction as the container fills, the Dyson does seem to lose a little. Container is easy to empty. One area where the Bissell clearly beats the Dyson is the extension hose is much, much easier to use. Only minor issue is the beater brush has its own on/off switch under the power button, no big deal, but the Dyson automatically turns on the beater for carpet and off for bare floors. The turbo-brush works well.

Finally, I usually have some "issues" with my eyes after vacuuming with dander being thrown in the air by the vacuum. The Bissell seemed to do a better job on containing it and I didn't really notice any allergy problems. Would recommend if you have allergy problems.

UPDATE: This machine has now replaced the Dyson as our #1 vacuum, works better, works easier and seems to control dander, etc. being thrown in the air better.

Length:: 3:40 Mins

This model is essentially the Bissell 5770 Healthy Home Vacuum with the kinks worked out. It's a powerful upright vacuum with a motorized brush and a built-in HEPA filter, and it compares well with other vacuums at and above price range.

My dog is essentially a five-foot-diameter hair ball, and around this time of year (fall) he doubles as a Yard Mop: everything in the yard, he mops up and drags into the house. So I need a pretty heavy-duty vacuum to handle all the dog hair, plus all the yard trash, leaves, sticks, pine straw, etc. that he drags in. This vacuum has the power to handle all that.

Primary upgrades over the 5770 are:

1) Sharp angles in the internal hose alignment have been worked out, so there are fewer opportunities for clogs to form. The 5770 had an annoying habit of developing internal clogs that I'd have to bust out the screwdriver to undo. (Usually, these were my fault -- and a testament to the Bissell's power, like the time I accidentally vacuumed up one of the rubber feet from my Bowflex -- but still, slight design improvement here).

2) There's a better-arranged pair of hooks to wrap the electric cable around (and some of it can be stowed internally), which makes setting this thing up for use & putting it away again afterwards a little easier.

3) A few of the parts appear to have been (slightly) improved. The hose is a little sturdier; the electric cable is twice as long.

4) The stowing spot for the "turbo brush" attachment has a better catch -- on the 5770, it tended to just fall to the floor and come apart every so often, so it stayed in the closet instead of handily attached to the machine. Now, not a problem.

5) The HEPA filter has been positioned on the bottom part of the central column, rather than to the side. Again, this helps with the internal alignment/clogging issues mentioned above -- fewer internal sharp angles.

6) My box didn't ship with the jug of "Arcosan Dustmite Control Powder" that shipped with my 5770 Healthy Home. I don't know if this was because it was a "review" vacuum from the vine program or if Bissell's discontinued the stuff -- I never used it anyway -- but it is a difference from the original.

7) The 16N5 is slightly "lighter" construction than the 5770, and feels slightly less durable. I suspect this was done to save weight, and it's probably a good change overall -- it still feels plenty solid, and this is something I think you'd only notice in a side-by-side comparison.

8) There's a push button on the top handle that engages and disengages the powered brush in the vacuum's foot. This is convenient, and an improvement, but not a major one -- I seldom find I want the brush disengaged. I'd be happier if I could use it to engage the motorized brush when the vacuum was upright -- it would make it easier to do stairs, if nothing else.

Overall, this is still a great vacuum, and it stands up well to the horrible treatment I give it. If you already have the 5770, the differences are slight enough between the two models that I wouldn't bother upgrading, but if you're in the market for a heavy-duty workhorse household vac, this is a good choice.

This vacuum has better suction than my $300 Kenmore. It could suck the pajamas right off your body if you let it and there's very little exaggeration here.

Below are the PROS and CONS. It was because of the CONS that I rated this vacuum four stars.

PROS:

- Assembly is pretty easy--although, I did have to use a drill to seat the long screws into the upper handle because they wouldn't go in fully with any of the three Phillips screwdrivers I tried. However, I attribute this to my lack of hand strength and not a problem with the vacuum.

- The TurboBrush, combination brush, crevice tool, and telescoping extension wand are all easily accessible for use.

- The vacuum picks up a lot of dirt because of the tremendous suction. It is very difficult to use it on throw rugs; instead use the extension wand with the TurboBrush.

- The screen filter (behind the dirt canister) is easily accessible and only needs to be washed periodically.

- The dirt canister is easy to remove and empty and the bottom portion can be fully removed and hand washed if necessary.

- The circular HEPA filter on the bottom is easy to get to and replace (no tools needed).

- The lightbulb is easy to replace as long as you remove two screws from the plastic casing on the bottom of the unit. You'll have to engage the handle release to get to that area.

- Every tool and item on the vacuum has its own storage place. For example, the cord wraps nicely around the holder you screw to the back of the unit and the cord can be released easily with the Quick Release "tab."


CONS:

- The assembly instructions should state that you must push hard on the working end of the flexible hose to seat it into the hole on the right side of the vacuum. The hole has a white plastic curved "finger" in it that appears to be fused in place. However, it does move if you push down extremely hard when seating the hose. I was afraid to break it. It finally seated correctly once I put the full force of my body into seating the hose. After doing this once, it was relatively easy on subsequent tries.

- The TurboBrush is very difficult to remove from its resting place in the handle. Each time I remove it, I feel as if I'm going to break the lip of plastic that is holding it in place. It would be nice if Bissell designed this differently. My boyfriend also tried this and agreed.

- The extension wand holder (which looks like a miniature cup holder) on the right side of the vacuum arrived broken. I recommend Bissell let the customer install this instead of having it come pre-installed. The risk is very high that it will break. I called Bissell for a replacement piece. Although they indicated they were surprised it was broken, they agreed to send me a replacement which I received in 10 days. It was an easy replacement because only two screws hold in the wand holder.

- Since I have pets, I had to frequently clean the beater bar (bottom brush on upright unit) and the TurboBrush. This is to be expected; however, the TurboBrush is designed so that a portion of it is hard to clean because your finger cannot fit in on the left side due to a piece of plastic being too close to the edge of the unit. Instead I had to use a tweezer to pull the hair out. If Bissell just increased the spacing a little bit, this wouldn't be a CON.

Overall, this vacuum is a great buy and most people would be pleased with the results with one caveat. If you have allergies, be aware that no matter which method you use to empty the dirt canister, you will encounter dust. Also, if you have pets, a lot of the hair has to be pulled out by hand from the container because it just doesn't "fall" out. Despite this, I absolutely love the vacuum and so does my boyfriend.

This Vac may be considered a step down from a dc17, especially in price. Now after owning both (as well as a cheaper $150 range hoover), allow me to share my experience.

Before you read the full review, I will give you a summary of likes:

Manual Adjustment - doesnt damage carpets
Beater Bar Button is seperated from power, no way of accidentally bumping it
Although it is heavy, it pushes easily
I like the manual stantad foot switch to lower head.
Has a light (its not a big deal untill you miss it :) )

Things it needs improvements on:
Dust bin hinge/door should be spring loaded
Hose length. Its moderate, but not long enough to do stairs on my 2 story (truss with 9' cielings)
Hose attachement/detatchments are klunky
More accessories. Would gladly pay $20-30 more for better accessories. Especially if they could clip to the machine.



Now for my full review!

Carpet types in our homes:

Berber
Frieze
Plush
Cut Loop
Area rugs of shorter pile plush and loop styles.

House - 2 story, 2 sets of stairs, carpet on 3 floors. High cielings and windows; dusty fridges, etc.



Our cheaper vac was having issues losing suction power, so we bought a dyson. We did the test, vacuming the hell out of it with our old, then one quick vac with dyson. We were in awe. Dyson sucked up so much more it seemed. Untill we realized after 6th time vacuming it was picking up carpet fibers instead of dirt, and destroying our carpets. Every vac job would fill our bin full of carpet fiber, on all carpets (frieze and plush were the worst).

So we looked for a new vac, this has a manual pile height adjustment. So you can put it in a very gentle beater. It comes with basic attachments, and they function sufficiently.

Now lets go through the pro's and cons of both:

Carpet Damage: I could run my dyson on this now fraying carpet and suck up fibers. This Bissel though did not even suck up one bit of carpet fiber. However we got a small wad of hair, dustballs, and the like.

Suction/cleaning: Its hard to say, they probably are very similar. As stated with the dc17 it was hard to tell how much actual dirt you had in the 8" ball of carpet fibers.

Tool airflow seems similar, in fact - dyson probably has the edge in this regard. I have heard the bagged version of the hoover windtunnel outdoes both.

Quality of construction: Similar; both seem to be built well; both feel solid. The dysons springs were panging after a few months - but otherwise not much changed.

Ease of emptying bin: Dyson is spring loaded. I miss that feature on this.

Cyclone cleaning/clogging: Dyson and Bissel are similar. They both will need cleaning every other month most likely. More often if you fill up the bin entirely.

Dirt Capacity/Storage: Dyson won. This is good enough, but dyson held more. Perhaps it was needed for each room of carpet fiber? :)

Attachment Convenience: Dyson won hands down. This bissel you have to disconnect a hose, then attach the wand, then attach your end attachment. Luckily all can be caried on the machine, but it is a clunky process. I miss the pop up and out style of dysons hose/wand.

Hose Length: This falls a little short, dysons was longer.

Attachments included: I miss dysons giant extremely soft duster. That was a bonus compared to the basic set.

Noise: This is quieter, you dont have the whirring sound of beater brush due to it having too much contact with carpet.

Buttons: This is much much better than dyson. When your beater bar is off, its off. No way of accidentally engaging it when powering on the vac, then destroying an entry rug (did that with my dyson).




This thing was too klunky to use on stairs. I wound up buying a cordless vac from black and decker that has a beater bar to do my steps (its the adjustable arm one). Works great, esp since amazon has them on the cheap :)

I still break out the hose every now and then though..

We had a Dirt Devil previously. It lasted for quite some time....or so I thought! We have two cats and a 13 months old baby. She's on the floor constantly and I really wanted to make sure our floors were super clean. I looked online at a ton of different vacuums, reading the reviews. Once we went to the store to see them in action, I spotted this one. We tested it and it won HANDS DOWN! Sears accepted the 20% Bed Bath & Beyond coupon so it made the purchase even better. We took it home and was astonished by how great it works. The compartment holding the dirt had to be emptied after EACH ROOM! That means our old vacuum wasn't picking up anything below the surface. There was a ton of cat hear, dust and carpet powder (which we now vowed never to use again since it just stays in the carpet). Keep in mind that my husband had vacuumed the whole house not even 24 hours before. This vacuum left those nice lines in the carpet so show you how well it's working, was easy to push and easy to empty. The rear wheels are extar large so they move easily all around the house and on tile floors as well. I love the fact that you can turn the brush on or off right on the handle so you can easily convert from your carpet to bare floors. I was grossed out seeing how much it picked up, realizing what our daughter had really been crawling on before.

I would buy this over and over...but I won't have to since it has a 5-year warranty, when most only come with a 1-year warranty!

I was a test engineer in my previous life and in the past 50 years I have used every different major brand of vacuum including Dyson and Oreck. When my Bissell Lift-Off died after 6 years of rigorous usage, I wanted to replace it with something under $300, and with better suction. After reading hundreds of customer reviews, I was very discouraged. Nothing stood out as a best-buy, even Consumer Reports recommendations were dispelled. I browsed on-line and in stores with an open mind, willing to pay a bit more for better performance and reliability. Knowing how much I liked my previous Bissell, I was leaning in that direction when I chose this Bissell Healthy Home model. I was skeptical, but pleasantly surprised when it picked up kibble and lady bugs from bare floors. The old Lift-Off just pushed them around! I was excited about using the stair brush which makes up for having to repeatedly carry the entire vacuum up the stairs (3-story home). This vacuum weighs about 21 pounds. It is robust (like the Lift-Off) but it's weight may be considered a draw-back to some. The drop-out bottom dust bin reduces dirt kick-back when emptying. I love that !! It cleans/sucks better than the old Lift-Off model, is easier to clean and is easier to push. I highly recommend this vacuum cleaner.

This vacuum is an upgrade for me from the Bissell 3920, a budget vacuum I bought when we had to have a replacement. I have not worked with previous models of this particular vac, and it did seem heavy to me, but apparently this vac represents an improvement in weight over previous models. I actually found it a little difficult to push it around on the floor at first, even adjusting settings. However, once I had some time to adjust the vac and myself, things ran very smoothly.

If I'd had the option at the time, knowing what I know now, I would have chosen this vac over the 3920. The power cord is only a few inches longer, but other features make for a vast improvement that cause me to reach for this one every time. The canister pops out completely sealed with a handle. This means that when you empty it, you can just take the canister outside without taking the entire vac, or having a big poof of dust go up in the air inside the house. The canister then pops open in half, making it easy to dump the dust and get those hair wads that always seem to wrap around and cling to that top part of the inner chamber. The washable pre-filter is fantastic, making HEPA filter life longer and producing less waste.

The brush on/off switch is a relief for me, since the 3920 had no such option. It never happened, but I always worried about overheating while using the hose on that one, plus it was extra power that could have been used for suction on the hose. This vac solves that problem easily with a convenient, easy to find grey button just below the red power button on the handle. The hose is about the same length as the 3920, but the extensions make your reaching power about 33% greater, and with that extra power diverted to suction, you can easily reach hard-to-clean areas in corners, on ceilings, etc. It is somewhat difficult to get the hose out for detail cleaning. A release button of some sort would have been a good idea.

I own a cream-point Himalayan cat--a variety of Persian which is basically a little cotton-like fur factory. His fur is very light and fluffy, and it gets everywhere. This vac has no problem picking up Mr. Bigglesworth's deposits, as well as regular dirt and my own hair that I seem to shed just as fast as the cat. I don't know how this would perform with coarse, short pet hair, so if that's an issue for you, you may want to give this a test drive before making a commitment.

The turbo brush is great for those hairier messes, and this vac performs well on my wood & tile floors, as well as on carpet. I have to vacuum back here in my command center every day, since this is where I play, work, do my hair and just about everything else. There are a lot of cords and other items to vacuum around and in between. The narrow end attachment is powerful and easy to use back here, picking up all the debris of daily living easily. The belt is a "lifetime" belt according to Bissell, but we'll have to wait and see about that. After a month I haven't had any problems with it.

I think that the weight, additional expense, and other minor concerns are more than justified for this vacuum over other brands and other Bissells in lower budget categories. I recommend this product without hesitation to anyone with pets, or anyone who just wants to keep exceptionally clean floors and walls without dust poofs when they empty the canister. I give this vac a solid 5 stars, and I think you will as well.

I got the Bissell as a second vacuum so I didn't have to lug our heavy Dyson up and down the stairs. To my surprise, I actually like it just about as well as the Dyson! Of course, time will tell if it holds up as well as the Dyson has, but for now, I'm finding it more than satisfactory.

The suction is very good but not oh-my-god-I-hope-this-doesn't-swallow-the-kids strong. There are a lot of nice little touches -- for example, the nice long cord and hose, the turbo brush (which does a GREAT job on furniture, I find), and the way you don't have to undo the entire cord just to use the wand. (The latter is one of my particular pet peeves about my Dyson.)

I also found that it was easy to remove and empty the dirt cup without making a huge mess, which to me is absolutely ESSENTIAL in a bagless vacuum. I don't want to have to clean up again after I've just vacuumed!

The only reason I can't rate this five stars is because not long after I got it, the little pedal that locks the vacuum upright broke off -- I have no idea how -- so the vacuum doesn't stay upright on its own very well now. (Not a biggie, since I keep it in a closet.) This makes me worry a little bit about the build quality and long-term durability.