Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Terrific Performer and Outstanding Value, May 16, 2009
Approximately three years ago, my $200 Eureka vac finally stopped working and I purchased the featherlite to replace it. At that time I lived in a 1,400 sf apartment. Now I live in a 2,500 sft home.
For the past three years, this vacuum has served our family well. Pros:
1. Inexpensive. $40 or less in most places.
2. It picks up dirt, fuzz (and legos) as well or better than any other vacuum I've ever used. Really. Just change the bag when it gets full.
3. Light weight. It's very easy to manuver and my younger kids can use it.
4. Simplicity. This is a basic vac. It's easy to change the bag, wind the cord, and pull hair/crud out of the roller if necessary.
5. It's got a bag. This is a personal preference, but every bagless upright I've ever used creates a small dust storm when you empty it. The bag system on this one works well.
Cons:
1. I don't expect it to go past 5 years. It's clearly designed for low cost and light weight. However, so far so good.
2. It's pretty loud. Not the loudest I've used but it's not quiet.
3. The hose for attachments is cumbersome to use. My recommendation? Use a small canister vac and/or shop vac instead. Most uprights have on-board tools that don't work well.
4. I have several children, and one in particular that sheds a lot of long hair. All vac will get hair caught in the beater-bar underneath, but this one also seems to get hair caught in the bushings that support the bar. When this happens, the hair builds up in that area creating friction and eventually smelly hair smell. Not a huge problem but slightly annoying.
I intend to buy another one of these when mine gives out. If I have to spend $40 every 4-6 years to own a lightweight, easy to use, vacuum that cleans extremely well then I'm quite ok with that! I see no reason to blow $200-$400 on a large heavy vacuum that MIGHT last a little longer.
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
works fine after a year, December 19, 2008
I was suprised to see that some of the other reviews portray this vacuum as useless. I bought mine from Target a year ago and it works wonderfully. Only complaints is that it's still pretty 'clunky' to carry around and that when you want to use the attachments it's hard to get the hose out. I've gone through a Shark brand vacuum that broke after 2 uses and an Orek XL that ate it's own cord but couldn't pick up Cheerios that my daughter spilled. I've had bad luck with vacuums but this one is doing just fine after 200+ uses.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Can suck the chrome off a trailer hitch, October 6, 2009
I have a rainbow canister that I have decided to retire do the intensive assembly required for its operation. You have to fill the tank with water then place it it's caddy, place the motor on top of tank and then attach the hose from the power head to the motor. Then do the reverse to empty the water from the tank. So I decided to get an upright that you can just plug in and go.
I'm not sold yet on the bag less uprights so I decided to go with the old tried and true one's with a bag. I first looked at the Eureka Upright Vacuum Cleaner 1934A, had an impressive review but no attachments and only a 5 amp motor and a little more than I wanted to spend.
Next I reviewed this Dirt Devil model, but with some trepidation, as I have always had this impression of substandard construction and performance.
I was surprised by all the positive reviews, it had the attachments I wanted as I have these dust bunnies from hell made up of dog hair in places the main motor can't reach; it has a powerful 12 amp motor compared to the 5 amp for the Eureka; so I decided to purchase the dirt devil and hold my breath.
When it arrived I found the instructions simple ( but the pictures in the instructions were to small) but had the impression I was assembling a kids toy at Christmas time. It required only 5 screws for it's assembly. The handle was made out of lightweight hollow plastic and the attachments had a cheap quality to them, but I was resigned to be objective and hold off any judgment until I actually had a chance to use it.
Once started, the motor had a roar just slightly less than that of a Boeing 747 at take off
. It glided over my high-low carpet with ease and even handled this weaved runner in front of my sink area with ease, my Rainbow did not handle that runner very well. It would bounce and jerk and even pulled some of the weaving out; also my Rainbow would, on occasion, spit out these hairballs made of dog hair and carpet fuzz. The Dirt Devil hasn't so far.
In some reviews there has been some complaint of the effort necessary to extract the hose from the motor to use the attachments; this I to noticed. You have to twist and pull it from it's mounting in at the motor. I sprayed so dry silicone lubricant on the exterior of the neck (see my cust pic) and that seem to improve the effort necessary to remove it. Once you do have the attachments I was impressed of the suction it had. This puppy can suck the chrome off a trailer hitch. Another reviewer wrote " it looks cheap and screams cheap" I to agree but for 40 bux I was impressed with its performance overall, that is, if you can ignore it's light weight construction. I my opinion, the promotion of it being light weight is more of a Madison ave. attempt to rationalize it's construction.
If this Dirt Devil holds up for a few years, I'll consider it money well spent. Below are some stats I got off another website that may help with your decision on wither to purchase this model.
I know I have been critical of some features of this vacuum, but it you consider the cost divided by its over all features. Its money well spent
Features:
Air System Standard Air System
Assembly Required Screw Driver
Available in CA No
Available in US Yes
Bagless No
Brush Type Motorized Brushroll
Brushed Edge Cleaning Yes
Bumper Type Standard
Cord Length 25 Feet
Cordless No
Crevice Tool Yes
Dirt Cup No
Dirt Path Side Dirt Path
Dusting Brush Yes
ETL Listed No
Filtration Micro Fresh
Full Bag Indicator No
Handle Comfort Grip Handle
Headlight Yes
Height Adjustment
Automatic
Hose Type Blow Molded
Motor Amps 12 Amps
Nozzle Width 12.5 Inches
On Board Tools Yes
Powered Hand Tool No
Product Hand Weight 11 Pounds
Product Working Weight 12 Pounds
Ready to Use Hose Yes
Replaceable Filter No
Self Propelled No
Solution Included No
Swivel Casters No
Turbo Tool No
Upholstery Brush No
Wall Mountable No
Wand Yes
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