Customer Reviews

Bissell Versus Cordless Bare-Floor Vacuum, 21R9A

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I am a huge fan of Bissell products and everything that I have ever bought from the company has been a roaring success in our house. We have the Bissell Quick Steamer and the Bissell Steam Mop. Both of these little vacuums get a workout in our house, but I have yet to find a cordless vacuum that I am happy with. We bought a Shark which I absolutely loved until it burned out two years later. The next investment was our Dirt Devil Vibe. The suction was great for about a month and then it just stopped picking up. Since then I have been making do with a good old-fashioned broom and pan, but I always keep my eyes peeled for a cordless vacuum that works.

Bissell sent over their new Bissell Versus Cordless Bare Floor Vacuum and I couldn't wait to open it up. As with all cordless vacuums it requires a good charging before it will work so I had to wait until the next day to use it. Upon it charging, I was ready to roll and I had two willing and messy children to help me break it in. After a morning breakfast of cornflakes (for Ethan) and Cheerios (for Emily), we had the perfect scenario for testing out this vacuum.

The first thing you will notice about this vacuum is that it is an unusual shape. The design might not make sense at first, but when you are trying to get in those crevices around your furniture, it makes complete sense. It is a V-shape design that allows you to get right against your kitchen table and chairs without having to manuever around it. It does require a little manuevering though when you are trying to get around the outer perimeters of your room, but you just line it up against the wall and push around that way.

This vacuum has great suction and within minutes, I could see that it had picked up every last little cornflake bit and Cheerio. Again, the design factor comes into play on this model because the V-shaped design helps so that you aren't scooting stuff around (as I had experienced with other cordless models) and actually suctions it into the center.

While intended for bare floors, you could also use this vacuum on low pile carpeting. The vacuum is brushless so you aren't having to deal with trapped hairs and threads underneath. Best of all, it is bagless and has any easy to release cup where you can dump out what you catch...like Cheerios or cornflakes!

I would highly recommend this vacuum and can't wait to put it to the Clark test and see if it can survive a few years of hard work in our house.

Here are a few easy tips for picking a cordless vacuum that will be a good fit for your family:

1. You will be much happier with whatever you are purchasing if you can test drive it. Borrow one from a friend or just take them through a spin in the aisle. It would be ideal if you could use it, but if you can't just try pushing it around to see if it glides easily.

2. Pick a store that has a good return policy. I knew that Target is pretty good about returns, so I picked that store. In the case of the Shark, I read a story of one lady who had went through three in a month so it is good that the return policy would allow her to do that.

3. Online stores are great and might have more affordable pricing on these, but the pure and simple fact is, if it is defective or you just plain hate it, you have to ship that back. Who wants to be running a sweeper over to the post office? Physical stores are better in this case.

4. Sometimes extras (which cost extra) aren't worth it. Stick to the basic functions and look for ones that offer the best sweeper for your money.

5. Just like all things, the highest price does not make it the best. Some of the higher priced models had a lot less power than the one I purchased.

This sweeper lives up to its name (versus older types maybe?). It is very light, easy to take out and use, gets under furniture, except my kitchen cabinets (due to previous owners installing ceramic tile over who-knows-what). It picks up small, hard stuff, e.g., popcorn kernels, pillbugs. It is simple, but a bit messy, to empty and clean. I like the ability to remove the roller wheels, which get tangled up with hair, etc. With my previous sweeper, I spent hours with tweezers and pliers. I would have liked a rug setting for small kitchen rugs, but wanted the cordless feature, and light weight. Maybe 4.5 stars!

I bought this as a Christmas present for my mother, hoping that it would work so that as a seasoned citizen she wouldn't have to always stoop down with a dust pan to finish sweeping the floor. She loves it and says it works great. She just sent me an email praising this item and thanking me for it.

To quote her email:

"I have just tried out the vacuum cleaner you sent and it is wonderful. It is so manueverable and lightweight and efficient. I love it! You should get one - it is really slick. Thank you very much"

I think I will get one.

I was really excited to purchase the Bissell 21R9 and read a bunch of reviews of various products before choosing this one. I have hardwood and linoleum covering my entire downstairs floor, two small boys, and two dogs, so a good vacuum is a must. Our downstairs is also very large, so I have to switch outlets when I vacuum with our heavy-duty Kenmore canister vac. I wanted something portable, lightweight, and effective to use for daily use.

I was initially very surprised when my order arrived because the box was so small. I guess I expected a larger head. It IS extremely lightweight, and even my 18 month old toddler can push it over the floor with ease. The charge lasts long enough for me to vacuum the whole downstairs a few times before it needs recharged. The dirt canister isn't huge, but holds a good-sized amount of dirt in relation to the size of the machine. Unlike other reviewers, I didn't find it awkward or difficult to remove the canister for emptying; you simply press an area and it slides off. I have even done it with my foot before. The head swivels and turns very easily.

What I DON'T like about it is that its awkward "V" design makes it really difficult to clean close to the walls. It's impossible to run the vacuum perpendicular to the wall and have it pick up anything, but even when turning the head so it is parallel to the wall, it has trouble getting dirt or pet hair that lurks near the wall or in corners. While the design functions great for funneling dirt and debris into the head when vacuuming in the middle of the floor, it is disappointing when cleaning the less-traveled areas. I paid $70 for it on Amazon, so I assumed it would perform better than this.

I'm still giving it 4 stars because it is very quiet and user-friendly, even if it doesn't keep my corners very clean!

The product does what the ads say that it will do. It's basically just a big dust buster with a long handle but it picks up what I need it to so it makes it a smart purchase for me!! I have all hard wood floors and this is a lot easier than a standard vacuum, especially for quick clean up.

I've never bothered to write a review before, but I thought I'd put a plug in for this product. It really is great, especially for pet owners. I remembered there were mostly strong reviews of this product when I bought it, but a few people had complaints. I am not sure what there is to complain about. The Bissell picks up cat hair, pieces of pine litter (the big pellet like litter), fine litter dust, cereal on the floor, and even my hair that falls out all over the bathroom floor when I straighten it. It is so much easier than using the broom & dust pan that I used before getting it. The nice thing about the product is that there is not a rotating brush, like a lot of electric brooms. Instead, debris is ushered in to a quarter size hole with v-shaped 'guides' on the bottom of the broom. So, you don't have the problem of getting hair caught on the brush & reducing effectiveness. Some of my hair gets caught in the little wheels on the bottom, but I think that is inevitable. So, I just pull it out and the product continues to move along the floor smoothly. Lastly, I will mention that the vacuum keeps a good charge & emptying the dust tray is easy.

If you are looking for a great everyday product for litter and hair pick up, this product should be a strong contender in your search.

such an unassuming little gadget would work so well? The vortex created by the v shape drives dirt into the container with amazing force. Not a long battery life, but enough to do my laminate floors. I opted for the cordless so it would be ready to go in case of emergency spills, and it does not disappoint -poppy seeds, give it up! It's a demon on cat hair, but so is a swiffer or a terry mop; this puppy takes the crumbs and bits up as well.

I was able to pick this up at a discount store for [...] bucks and I love it.
I have two toddlers, a cat, and 2 pugs. My house is all hardwood or linoleum. Previously I was using a broom and lobby dust pan. Now.. this picks it ALL up - cheerios, dinner crumbs, cat litter, pet hair, etc

The design is cool - the V shape lets me get around the catbox, up to high chair legs, table legs, couch corners etc.

It also is quiet - I can run it at 5 am before work and it doesn't wake up anyone. I am not a clean freak (I wish I was) and this little gadget was well worth it and it is used. I wish their was a better way to store it. Unlike a broom and dust pan you can hang on the wall - this needs to be plugged in

14 years ago I bought another cordless Bissell, and it was still going strong when the filter completely fell apart after 10 years of use, and there were none to be found. So I bought a Dirt Devil. It was OK, didn't hold a charge too well, and stopped dead at age one year.
So, back to Bissell, the Versus this time. This darn little thing goes and goes and goes. My house is small and has all hard floors, and I can do the whole thing on one charge. You pretty much have to resign yourself to emptying the cup often and, with animals, picking hair out of the brushes, but it's still easier and does a better job than my broom or dustmop. The odd shape serves a good purpose, it gets edges very well, and it swivels to go around most things without much trouble. I am delighted, and so far have only one reservation - is it going to go the distance like my first Bissell, or die like the Dirt Devil? Incidentally, I have a Persian cat and 2 Brittany dogs, all of whom shed and track in leaves and dirt.

I don't have any complaints on suction power or charge life but I wish they made it easier to empty the container. Older people with bad backs and arthritic fingers beware