Eureka 4870 Ultra Smart Vac Upright Vacuum Cleaner with True HEPA Filter

by Eureka

Product Features

• Upright vacuum cleaner with true HEPA filtration system
• Eight carpet-height settings; resistant to clogging
• Floor-to-tool switching: nothing to plug in or remove
• On-board tools and transparent hoses; 15-inch cleaning path
• Quietest Eureka vacuum ever made; no-tip design

Product Details

Product Manual [3.75mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 31.1 x 17.2 x 16.1 inches ; 10 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 27.2 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B000050B6F
• Item model number: 4870
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #798,619 in Home & Kitchen (See Top 100 in Home & Kitchen)

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

At about 24 pounds, this is a relatively heavy vacuum, but it includes a sealed HEPA filtration system and it's got lots of features. You get eight carpet height settings, from bare floor to thick pile, and there's also a switch to turn the rotating front brush on and off. (Clever: the top front of the cleaning unit is transparent, so you can see the brush is really rotating.) Another fancy feature is the ease with which you can switch between floor vacuuming and using the onboard tools: instead of struggling with a long hose, just turn a big yellow knob near the handle to switch the air flow. The cleaning head is 15 inches wide, and Eureka claims that this is its quietest vacuum cleaner ever. --Richard Farr

From the Manufacturer

• True HEPA filtration
• Clean Air System
• 15-inch cleaning path
• Tools-on-board
• Deluxe stretch hose
• Anti-clog hose
• Bare floor switch
• Headlight
• Comes with six extra bags
• 12 amp motor
• Weighs 21 pounds

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

142 of 146 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great vacuum!, July 22, 2001

By 

Chel Micheline "Chel Micheline" (Southwest Florida) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eureka 4870 Ultra Smart Vac Upright Vacuum Cleaner with True HEPA Filter (Kitchen)

We needed a new vacuum, and not knowing anything about them, we did research online.

The Eureka Smart Vac got stellar reviews across the board, and Consumer Reports gave it highest ratings, ranking it equal with the first place Hoover, which was twice the price. For the price of this vacuum, you can't beat the quality.

Pros: much quieter than our older vacuum (a 17 amp tank!), wider cleaning surface (15 inches- cleans more floor in less times), many on board tools, HEPA filter, and options to turn the brush off (good for cleaning tile floors) and several carpet pile options. Another nice feature is the fact that the tool/floor switch is on top of the vacuum, so you can just switch it to tools without bending over and messing with the bottom of the vacuum. The tools snap easily into the back of the vacuum, instead of fitting in like bizarre puzzle pieces. The vacuum is very easy to push along the floor, unlike the one we replaced.

Cons: it's not bagless, which isn't terrible. Our vacuum came with a year supply of bags, so that more than made up for the inconvenience. Also, it's not self-propelled, which seems to be the craxe right now with the vacuums. We went to a store and got to try out a self-propelled vacuum (the aforementioned Hoover) and it wasn't for me. I tend to lean on the vacuum as I walk around the house and having it constantly jerk away from me was not pleasant. I much prefer the kind that you push. The final con is that it's heavy, but there isn't a single upright that isn't the same weight as this is.

While it's not something you whip out for a quick clean up (see the Eureka Boss Cordless for that), it's definitely a great vacuum for the entire house.

Short of a riding vacuum, which I have yet to find, this pretty much satisfies all my vacuuming needs. I have a bird that shoots seed out of his cage and it gets lost deep into my carpet and a cat that manages to bring in all sorts of little leaves and things off the enclosed patio, so it's great for everything.

83 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a GREAT Vacuum!!, December 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Eureka 4870 Ultra Smart Vac Upright Vacuum Cleaner with True HEPA Filter (Kitchen)

I've owned 3 vacuums in the last 6 years and when my latest one died, I decided try a more expensive model, hoping for better quality. I was not disappointed with the Eureka Smart Vac! First of all, it was extremely easy to assemble. Just 3 screws to attach the handle and then put the accessories in place and you're done! It took me less than 5 minutes to put it together. As for performance, I am more than pleased. It has a much stronger suction than any vacuum I've ever owned. I was especially happy to see how well the tools worked on my couches. We have 2 cats and a dog so hair is a problem at our house. This vacuum easily removed it all. Another nice feature is the long cord and stretchable hose. I can almost vacuum the entire house without unplugging it and moving to another outlet. The hose with the long attachment was able to reach my ceiling fans and even the return vent for the air conditioner on the ceiling. After vacuuming up all that dust, I am especially thankful for the true hepa filter on this vacuum! I also love the switch that lets you change from floor to hose. The hoses are attached at all times which means you can go from cleaning the carpet to the furniture with just the turn of a dial. But my favorite thing about this is how quiet it is! It truly lives up to Eureka's claim of being their quietest vacuum. This is especially nice since I have a 2 year old who is afraid of loud noises. The only complaint I have about this vacuum is that the door to the hepa filter is rather difficult to open. Otherwise, I couldn't be happier!

49 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I was initially happy, but got disappointed later on..., December 28, 2001

By 

+++ (OR, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eureka 4870 Ultra Smart Vac Upright Vacuum Cleaner with True HEPA Filter (Kitchen)

I own this vacuum for about 11 months. When I brought it home, my wife and I were very happy about the purchase - the vacuum looked nice, had all imaginable features, and cleaned the carpet way better than our old one. There was only one small disappointment - the belt cut out on the second time when we used the vacuum. Well, I replaced it, no big deal. Another 20-30 minutes of vacuuming - again the same belt problem. We observed that each time when the load on the brush gets a little higher than average, the belt slides sideways from the motor shaft, the brush and the belt stop rotating, and the motor shaft makes a hole in the belt. Sometimes you can put the old belt back in place, and it works despite the hole in it. Sometimes you have to install the new one. In either case, you have to get a screwdriver and make some messy maintenance. After I went through this procedure about 10 times in 10 months and ran out of my supply of 3 new belts ($5 each), I brought the vacuum to a factory-authorized warranty repair facility (thanks to the 12 months factory warranty, I still could do it). They examined the vacuum and found nothing wrong with it, aside from a comparatively poor design of the belt/brush assembly, which they could not change. They said that they see nothing what they can do with the vacuum, and they did not think that Eureka would agree to replace the unit under the warranty. So, I guess I will have to get used to the belt replacements after every other cleaning...

It is of course possible that I was unlucky to get a bad unit which does not work right. Such things do happen, and 10+ of Amazon reviewers who praise this vacuum cannot be wrong, unless they wrote their reviews on the second day after they bought the vacuum. I agree that when it works, it works great. However, be aware of my negative experience. If you decide to get this vacuum, start using it right away, vacuum your place three times a week - and if your belt breaks much sooner than you expected, don't assume that it was a bad belt - return the vacuum back to the store for a refund before its too late and go for something else.