
Bought this vacuum from a big box retailer two months ago. I was in a hurry and desperate for a vacuum as my old Sears one had died on me. This vac seemed to be the sturdiest one on the showroom floor. I should've looked at it closer than I did - this is a purchase I regret.
What I liked about it on first inspection:
- The canister section separates from the body, creating almost the same effect as a canister vacuum. This is handy in case you want to clean stairs, drapes, etc
- Roller height adjustment for different carpet heights
- Weight of the vacuum means deeper cleaning is possible
- Price was nice compared to the selection I had available
Why it seemed nice the first few times I ran it:
- Very strong suction, as it can pull pet hair and cat litter from my medium-thick carpet with no sweat
- The roller auto-shutoff on upright position is a handy feature to keep from running holes into your carpet
- Attachments are handily placed
Why I hate this vacuum:
What I failed to notice in the store, was how the dust canister separates from the body. In most other upright bagless vacuum models, the canister unlocks and the whole thing lifts out - dust, grit, and usually the filter. Some really bright Bissell designer decided that THIS particular canister would unlock and split from the MIDDLE. Check out the stock images available above - the one on the end - to clearly understand. The HEPA filter is at the top of the canister, above the split, and a dinky tiny 2cup sized cup is below the split. Upon emptying the canister for the first time, I was assaulted with a pile of carpet/pet hair, dust, and particulates as it fell from above the break point. Now I'm filthy, the vacuum is filthy, the floor beneath the vacuum is filthy, and the air is full of all the allergens I was hoping to trap. What a mess.
Under no circumstances should I need to break out my Shop-Vac to clean my House-Vac. However, that's exactly what I found myself having to do. Yes, I'm aware if I follow the "empty at this line" guidelines, the mess probably won't be as much of an issue. However, I'm not going to spend every 5 minutes running to and from the waste bin emptying the dinky cup. (I really did time how long a runtime it took to fill to that line.) The canister design is a hideous oversight and completely ruins the usefulness of this vacuum for any more than occasional cleaning. Get more detail about
Bissell Lift-Off Revolution Pet Vac - 37602.