Customer Reviews

Metropolitan Vac 'N' Blo Compact Vacuum

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

METRO VAC' N BLO... this is THE IDEAL TOOL for cleaning any automobile!!! It'll suck up anything just as the manufacturer promises. It more than blows, IT JET BLASTS warm DRY AIR that'll blow my wifes long hair back at over 10ft away!!! This is great for cleaning automotive air ducts. And if you really care about [your] vehicle (inside as well as out) and want to keep it running cool at its best AND easy to work on then I highly recommend the Vac' N Blo. Carefully wash your [cooled] engine, then BLO it dry. Do this quarterly [or more frequently for heavy use vehicles] and you wont regret it. Just use common sense and be sure to dry every engine part after rinsing, especially the electronic components Before starting the engine.
------------------------------ Now the reason for ranking 4 out of 5. ---------------------------------------------
The hoses and accessory tools are not pliable damage free plastics! In my opinion the standard hose length should be 12ft.. The included 6' is too short for some locations and the optional 24' is overkill. I think METRO could afford better quality in every step of manufacturing - not just in the main motor and cannister.
I think this product would be an easier sell if the total quality were addressed.
It should also include a resting platform (not at an additional price for one with wheels) or better still (and cheaper) weld a couple of simple stoppers to the underbelly...
That's my opinion -- Excuse my enthusiasm. NO REGRETS !!!!

I've been using one of these small powerful vacuum cleaners for years on my cars. I like the 4 hp. 5 or 6 hp would be even nicer.

Pros: Small, easy to take apart and clean. Easy to carry. Reliable.

Cons: The power cord is way too short. Also it needs a dolly or cradle.
It would be nice to have a longer flex hose so that the vacuum can
be on the ground, outside of the car instead of being on the seat.
I also feel that it is extremely overpriced. The problem is...
there is little market competition for this style of vacuum cleaner.

I purchased this to clean my two vehicles. I bought this unit based upon the great reviews I read, but I am very disappointed.

The unit I received came very poorly packaged and the carton was pretty much destroyed when I received it. The vacuum and accessories did not appear damaged so I accepted the shipment. I mention this because I don't know if the unit was internally damaged and this the cause of poor performance.

As a vacuum the unit is not very practical. The hose is too short to reach very far meaning that the unit must be carried around while vacuuming the vehicle. It makes lots of noise but has poor suction. The small tools restrict the air flow so much that the unit overheats. While trying to vacuum out the A/C vents the small attachments pushed the dust around but didn't lift it. Even when vacuuming carpets with the full size tools it wouldn't even pick up lint from a cotton towel!

As a blower the unit worked well except that it blows the hose off the canister. The hose should have a latch or locking button to prevent this. Also when using this as a blower the unit is both noisy and heats up very quickly.

All things considered I am going back to my shop vac for cleaning my cars. It works better than this unit and is better designed.

I bought this vacuum on a lightning deal but will return it. I have used this vacuum for about 30 minutes vacuuming in my laundry room and in my garage, and 2 flaws made themselves apparent. (1) Never buy this vacuum without purchasing the "Metro Vacuum Optional Four-Wheel Dolly" which is currently out of stock. Without it, you need to carry this vacuum with the shoulder strap or resign yourself to having it roll around on the ground like a fish out of water. Even four simple feet would keep this thing from rolling about. Without them, this is such a sad design for anything other than vacuuming your car. (2) in the 30 minutes of vacuuming, the front fell off twice dumping the vacuumed contents onto the floor. I think my vacuum is defective with the clamps not holding the front on tightly.

Having to carry this thing around like a handbag and having it dump its contents on my shoes is a no go in my book.

I received and have used my vacuum and am pretty happy with it except for the vacuum attachments. The attachment head provided with the Metro to vacuum the floor of my car sucks, there is no opening on the attachment fitting and there is so much sucking power
that it's hard to pull it off the carpet, so I couldn't use it and had to resort to just the hose opening. The other thing is the length of the hose, it absolutely needs 3 more feet. Other wise I'm very happy with it, this vacuum has more suck power than you can imagine, maybe too much.

This vacuum has a lot going for it. I bought it to keep my brand-new car looking sharp on the inside. Having kids, I am no stranger to crumbs and mud making their way into our cars, even though we are very careful about that.

The "great" is the workmanship. It appears that this vacuum is extremely well-made. It's made like things used to be made. The tools are just about the same as any other vacuum cleaner attachments. The suction is very strong. This is such a high-powered vacuum that I'm sure I would use in on my new car's carpets, but when I used it on the seat upholstery, the suction was so strong that I was afraid one could actually harm their upholstery with that kind of intense pulling.

When I took off the upholstery attachment and used the crevice attachment, I felt much better about using it on the seats.

The "good" is the warm air that is produced by using it as a blower. This would be perfect for blow-drying parts of the car that are hard to towel dry after a car wash.

The bad is the weight. It has no feet on the vacuum, and it doesn't come with a dolly, but you can order one for about $25. I lugged this vacuum while I used it, and it weighs about eight or nine pounds. (Think of carrying a bowling ball in one hand while you vacuum with another.)

I was originally going to send this back and order a less powerful car vacuum that would be easier to carry around. Now, I'm thinking about ordering the dolly. The concern I have is that I don't know how high this would make the vacuum as it rolls around the garage. This vacuum could easily damage a car if it was rolling on the ground and got pulled into the fender or car door. It would be great if this dolly kept the height of the vacuum below that of the bottom of the car.

The last comment is similar to that made by another reviewer. This item is listed on Amazon as Model VNB 83, and the nameplate attached to the machine says VNB 73. It is evident that someone tried to pull that nameplate off and gave up.

All in all, I will probably keep this vacuum and use it very gingerly. There are great things about it, and there are bad things that concern me.

I expected it to be stronger as far as the suction went, but it does work.

Some of the accessories are very flimsy thin plastic, but with care should work alright. You just have to be careful with them. But they do let you get into places you usually can't, which is why I got this in the first place.

Cord doesn't seem too short to me, but if you're plugging into a wall, I can see where that would be a problem. I have a convertible smart car, and a hanging extension cord that winds itself up into the unit hanging on the rafter, so for me the cord length isn't an issue.

Unit is light, comes with a strap so you can hang it on your shoulder as you move around.

There's also a sliding piece of plastic by where you hold it, so you can cover or uncover a hole in the side to provide more or less suction as needed.

I wish this came with some kind of organizing holder for the accessories.

Has a regular toggle switch sticking out of the side by the handle, so it's easy to turn on and off, but you may also bump it easily and shut it off when you're using it.

All in all, works, but if I hadn't gotten it during a gold box special, I never would've spent the money for this. But the accessories are great for all those nooks and crannies in the car, so despite the lackluster performance of it, I'm keeping it just because it makes it easier to get some of the stuff out of my car that gets inside with the top down so much.

I bought this vacuum based on the reviews. Metro gets the job done. It is a wonderful vacuum. My truck rugs are cleaner then they have ever been.

Cons: The motor does get hot, if used for a long time. Also, there is no place to put the cord, hose and all of the attachments. At this price, one would expect to have a retractable cord and a place to hook the hose onto the machine. I am building a carrying case for everything, but then that changes the idea of compact. This is the only small vacuum on the market that has any power. If one comes out that is more user friendly, I will buy it next time. As for now, this is the best compact vacuum on the market.

I've been looking at the Metro Vac N Blo for some time and finally decided to get one. Amazon had the lowest price by $30 of anywhere on the web. $160 with free shipping is a DEAL!!! The only downer is the 4 wheel dolly IS NOT included as stated in "what's in the box". The dolly is a must have as the vac does not have any "feet" to rest on and will just roll-over on it's side. When I brought this to Amazon's attention, they very quickly made a price adjustment that would allow me to buy the dolly elsewhere. Now for the vac; super powerful, I don't find it too loud, very compact. I use it to blow the water out of the cracks on my truck and makes drying much quicker and easier without having to go back over and over wiping up drips and runs. Very pleased.

I just received this vacuum & have used it already. I needed something portable to clean the lint trap in my dryer as well as blow the lint vent thing out. This is the perfect tool for the job. It did such a great job it's like I've got a brand new dryer now. I can see lots of uses for this little vacuum & blower around the house. Great suction & awesome blower.

I did a lot of research here, reading other reviews and such, and am now rating this machine 5 stars. I didn't think it was any louder than any other vacuum (as mentioned in other posts). The 6 foot hose is plenty long enough especially if you're using the strap. The power cord was more than long enough. The lack of wheels or legs didn't bother me as I attached the strap, threw it over my shoulder & got my work done. I can see where the wheeled dolly would come in handy when I get ready to do the car. But for all my purposes the Metro Vac-n-Blo is great. And made in the USA to boot!