Carpet Cleaner Reviews

... After only two years my Pro Heat Bissell's water pump just stopped pumping the water/cleaner solution. I would expect more from a model this expensive. We only have a few carpeted rooms in the house, most are hardwood, and we did not use the cleaner THAT much. I would look at other brands for better reliability. Also: When it DID work, it leaked on the floor when not in use! Steer clear of this lemon.

After renting carpet cleaners, and paying a large sum of money to have my carpet cleaned. I had purchased one several years ago, but, it did not do the work that this Bissell carpet cleaner has done for us. We have 2 dogs and have had problems with stains etc. This cleaner really does the job. and it is light, The bucket is really easy to fill, and empty, also the cleaning agent container, and with the attachments it is something that I can do spot cleaning when necessary without asking my husband to CLEAN THE CARPET. I also like the fact that I can just use the rinse cycle to go over any places that I feel might have some cleaning agent, or some from before which we also found. My husband also used it in the car and was really amazed at how well it covered and really cleaned the carpet which we could never do with any other carpet cleaner. His comment was when we first used it. Now we have it here all the time, instead of having to go and rent one and return it in a few hours. I can clean the carpet at my own leisure. Thanks again Bissell and also your engineering staff that designed such a wonderful machine which has made our life so much easier.

Two retired folks from Northern California.

We bought this carpet cleaner because it was necessary for out warranty on our 1 year old carpet. Either clean with this cleaner once a year, or have it professionally done every two years. I had used the Hoover deep cleaner before, so was a little leary about buying this one. Assembly was easy, 4 screws and that was it. How's that for simple?? Did my 3 younger kids bedroom first, ages 4, 3, and 9 mths. It was a breeze. Not having to "measure" the cleaning solution was great, pour it in the reservoir, and your done. Did my stairs next with the hand attachment. Really easy, flip the switch for the hand tools, and it prevents it from running the roller bar. I next used it on my living room. I was going to wait until the kids went to bed that night, but my 3 year old took his ravioli in the living room, and the 9mth old ground it into the carpet. Used a little pretreatment solution, let it sit for 5 minutes, and whalla, it was gone. I was hesitant that the floors would be wet for quite a while. This machine is great with sucking the water out of the carpet. It was dry in less that 2 hours!! WOW. I also liked the water only feature. If you do happen to get to much foaming in the carpet, just switch to the water only, to dilute it, and suck it up. You do have to empty the cleaning solution from the reservoir and replace with water to use that feature, but over all very very simple and fast to use. Did all these rooms in less that 2 1/2 hours!! One little con, it does leave a little puddle of water if left on the floor not being used, and full of water, but I haven't seen a deep carpet cleaner that doesn't do this yet. Wish I would have bought this one sooner!!

The water bladder tank leaked and the brush assembly hopped. I called Bissell, they apologized and sent out another tank. The second tank arrived 10 days later, it leaked also; so I returned the cleaner where I purchased it.

The dual tank seemed a good idea until I used it. I was dumping a lot of clean hot water down the drain. It was nearly impossible to get the carpet shed/fuzz out of the tank because you cannot remove the clean water bladder. I also was not fond of the idea that the brushes did not rotate without the suction. Some spots need to be scrubbed more than others and I found that I used more cleaning solution and water than was necessary because I could not just brush the area without removing the cleaning solution.

Extremely frustrating. I am searching for a cleaner without belts and separate tanks.

I love how well this machine cleans. We have two dogs and three cats and the Bissell gets the carpets spotless, but the water pumpt breaks down every six months or so. Other people have said the same thing.

The idea of a self-propelled carpet cleaner made me laugh at first, but now that I have one I am amazed that I got by so long without one...it just makes the job of cleaning your carpet such a breeze.

I have a lot of animals in my house, and when I clean the carpets, I really need to clean the carpets. This cleaner will pull probably about 90% of the grime in the carpet (it doesn't look like it should have that much dirt in it...) out on the first pass over it. This is one of those few products out there that really works like the commercials show it does as long as you follow the directions:

You need to make sure that heater is finished heating the water before you begin or you'll just be making a mess until it is hot enough to actually do some cleaning--this is probably the number one complaint I hear about this cleaner and its because they are not waiting for the heating to finish. The next things that people always do wrong is the the settings need to be switched back to the Water Only setting while the machine is not in use or the soap lines will clog up. As long as you store the cleaner properly it works like a dream (or a commercial) everytime no matter how bad the mess is.

Also, for anyone who has long-haired pets: this cleaner will clean up the giant clumps of wet hair tangled in the carpet with no problems at all. The biggest drawback is that the self-propel feature is kind of worthless is tight spaces because you have to have quite a bit of room to swing the cleaner around and get all the angles. You won't be able to run this around the furniture--you'll actually have to move the furniture out of the way if you want to do a decent job cleaning.

While the sweeper does do an excellent job of sweeping up everything on the kitchen floor, the next time you use it it dumps most of the debris back on the floor. I have tried emptying the containers, rolling and using the comb to clean the bottom. No luck. It still dumps dirt on the floor at the beginning of each use. You then have to sweep over the pile several times to get it picked up again. The handle also has come apart but that I can live with. The base of the unit is a large square and even though I have a large floor it would be more useful if it was smaller and more rectangular. If you have a small kitchen floor that is not an open rectangle for cleaning the size may be a problem. I should probably have sent it back since it is more work to clean with it. But I keep hoping I can figure out why it is dumping debris. If I could get it to stop doing it it would be useful.

I've had this sweeper for a few years now and have found this to be a usefull product for quick pick up after meals in the dining room(with a messy pre-schooler and toddler) and as a good quick brush up between vacuumings. While this doesn't replace a vacuum cleaner by any means, it does a decent job for it's purpose. The pockets in which mess is deposited are easy to flip to dump in the trash. This pickes up rice, cheerios, bits of paper, some dirt, cracker crumbs, ect prety well. Don't expect it to get anything *in* the carpet fibers.

However, it has not stood up well with use. The two roller brushes which pick up stuff fall out often now since the plastic sides of the sweeper have become warped. The rollers are held in by a simple tab in hole design, and this is rather flimsy. Because of this, I haven't been able to use it much since it developed this problem.

It still has it's use as a fun cleaning toy for my kids though. While I vacuum my 3yo son likes to use the sweeper to imitate me vacuuming. It's light enough that he can push it around with ease and practice saying "'scuse me peese" lol :-). So, for the investment which isn't too much, I got a usefull sweeper which held up for about a year, which could be graduated to a toy after it wore out.

THIS SWEEPER IS WONDERFUL.
I HAVE A VERY HAIRY DOG THAT SHEDS ALOT.IT'S WONDERFUL ON CARPET AND TILE. GREAT FOR THE MESSES DONE BY THE HUSBAND WHO INSISTS ON WHEARING HIS DIRTY OLD WORK BOOTS AND TRACK DIRT AND MUD ALL OVER THE HOUSE, AND EVEN GREAT FOR KIDS WHO LOVE EATING WHILE THEY'RE WALKING ALL AROUND THE HOUSE. BOTH MY KIDS 3 & 5 LOVE SEEING CRUMBS ON THE FLOOR, AND CLEANING THEIR OWN MESSES. I LOVE IT. GREAT CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.

I was foolish enough to beleive that the problems experienced by other Hoover owners were special to them. After a few carpet cleanings, our Hoover Steam Vac V - clean water tank cracked on the bottom where the connection is made for water supply. After so many complaints from unsatisfied customers, why would Hoover continue to sell a product with a faulty part? Answer: They don't care. They assume (probably quite accurately) that most consumers will experience the problems after the warranty period, thus creating new business for themselves. SHAME ON YOU HOOVER!

I got this unit to replace my big green clean machine, which is a back breaker everytime i use it, not to mention a real workout.
so i decided to give my back a rest, and what a difference!
Although it isn't self propelled, this unit isnt nearly as heavy as the Hoover Windtunnel vacuum. With the self propel option off, that's heavy!
I was a little hesitant with the 5 spinheads, afterall, the bristles are not that stiff, that made my wonder just how effective is it a cleaning carpets? Well, it did the job just fine, and i think it reached the base of the carpet, unlike other cleaners that just wet and work on the top part of the carpet, pushing dirt down.
The rinse option works great. I recommend that if you are a little heavy with the soap, just fill the clean water tank up with hot water, and no soap, to ensure you get all soap up and go over all areas until the carpet is almost dry.
Also another tip, after having my motor in the big green replaced for the second time, a repairman told me after each time i use the machine, to rinse out all compartments, fill with hot water and then fill the bath tub up with hot water.
run the clean water out of the sprayer section until there is no evidence of soap and then put the wand into the tub, sucking in all the hot water. This cleans both motors, the spray motor that has soap residue in it after every use, amd also the suction, to ensure there isn't any soapy dirt left in the motor. Cleaning both motors/compartments will reduce breakage.
motor replacement is the most common maintenance, because of a build up of soap in the motors.
So FYI.
also read the other reviews about the hose storage.
I recommend you hang the hose up after using the machine to allow it to air dry, to prevent a mildew buildup inside the hose. Also, rinse all used parts out/off with hot water to also make sure there is no soap biuldup/residue.

The machine is a little pricey, but if you consider the cost to have your carpets professionally done, it isn't so bad.
Also, you don't know where the carpet cleaner was last.
My friend with 50 cats in her house uses a carpet cleaning service, think about that next time you call to have your carpets cleaned. Leaving the carpet so wet cannot be good, the pad, under the carpet holds onto the moisture alot longer than the carpet, and in time, will develop a musty odor, if not mildew and mold.
So there are alot of advantages to owning your own machine.
Lastly, be stingy with the soap. it doesnt take a lot of soap to clean the carpet, Be sure to rinse the carpet and furniture thoroughly, a build of soap will cause discoloration to the furniture and carpet, not to mention a sticky residue and feeling.

consumer reports rated this carpet cleaner it's Best Buy, citing the features, the dual bucket design, long cord and hose, and of course the 12 Amps of power provides ample suction.
Consumer reports recommends a professional service over personal carpet cleaners, but i disagree.
Why spend hundreds of dollars every yr to have somebody bring in a machine, when you can do it yourself, and also they leave the carpet too wet, and you don't know where they were last, or how clean and how well their equipment is maintained.

Hopefully the next model of V2 will be self propelled, but if not, its no big deal.
I didn't buy the Bissell model because i was not keen on the dual bag in a bucket design, this hoover unit holds twice the amount of water, allow for easy cleanup and storage, and backs this machine with a one-yr warranty.
the price is a little steep but think of the savings after you use it 2-3 times.

I have been reading allot of reviews on cleaners from vacuums to steamers and hand held vacuums all over the net and it seems as though Hoover is getting bashed quite a bit for bad design and being over priced in these reviews. I have upgraded my cleaning equipment recently to this model the Hoover F7220-900 SteamVac V2 and the Hoover WindTunnel Bagless Deluxe Upright Vacuum Model No. U5750-900 both purchased from Walmart off the net to maintain a second house recently purchased. The rugs on the second story and stairwell are under a yr. old. The rugs on the first floor are original and 13 yrs. old. Upon purchase the seller hired a Professional cleaning service (Price $350.00) to clean all rugs upon their departure and they did look brand new upon completion of his job. However after releasing the new Hoover machines into action, I realized that these home units just may surpass the cleaning ability of commercial cleaning units. The Hoover F7220-900 SteamVac V2 pulled up more deep imbedded grit, dirt and soap residue left behind after the pro-cleaner, I mean the water was dirty (Brown) DARK-BROWN.. The rinse feature is truly a great feature as mentioned in many other testimonials.

So far both the Hoover products rock and have exceeded my expectations in their ability to clean. I have had no problems with leakage, cracked tanks, broken belts, accessory problems our failure of mechanical integrity of any kind.

Like others I am concerned with MFG. using so many plastic parts these days over the metal of yester year but the proof is evidently in the technology of these modern machines and how well they work.

Although only 3-months into action on these machines, SO FAR SO GOOD!

5-STARS ..

i just got this cleaner today, slapped it together, proceded to break a plastic floater (used to shut off the suction when the tank waste tank is full). Very fragile and it looks like your are supposed to pull on it and discard it. Not so. Other than that the machine works OK. I have never used a carpet cleaner, but I just got my third dog and decided it was time. Decided I would just buy one and try to clean the carpets every three months.

I cleaned half of my carpet tonight and it looks noticably better. These carpets were old and filthy and they actually look good now.

Before going home from work today a coworker was knocking the machine saying how his neighbor bought one, returned it and got a nice Hoover (with rotating brushes). Almost sent mine back instead of opening it but I am too impatient and wanted to try it.

Things I like:
The bladder system
The heater
The soap feeder (adjustable)- though i think it uses more soap than it should.
Ease of assembly
Attachments

things I don't like:
that plastic thing I broke.
everything is plastic (but I think it would be hard to find one that isn't).

Things I would reconsider:
I have never used a steam cleaner, but the idea of rotating brushes seems like a good one to me. Therefore, I would consider a Hoover if I hadn't already bought this one. But I am happy with this machine and the attachments (especially the scrubber brush). It cleans well and is easy to use.

No complaints- hope it proves to be durable.

I normally don't enter reviews for products I have purchased, but after using this machine I had to respond. My carpets have been professionally cleaned for years, but this has become quite expensive. I decided to try the cleaning myself, and after careful investigation I decided the Bissell machine was the one I would try. And wow did it work! My husband couldn't believe how clean the carpets have become. And with the convenience of having this in my own home, I can clean any time I want. I would recommend this product to anyone!

The Bissell Pro-Tech carpet cleaner is WONDERFUL. The results are equal to that of a professional job!

I rent a house and the carpet had not been cleaned in over 5 years. I have two cats and for a while a roomate with 2 cats. Making my house a 4 cat household. Needless to say I had problems with cat odor and stains and thought for sure the carpet was ruined. Thanks to the Bissel Pro-Tech the carpet now looks fantastic. I used the Bissel Pet odor and soil removal formula and I can't smell a single pet odor!

The 12 amp motor removes water from the carpet extremely well. Within 1 hour my carpet was dry enough to walk on, though still damp in the spots where I used the heavy traffic setting. I was also nicely surprised at how quiet the Pro-Tech was, combined with the perfect pass speed sensor it was actually fun to clean my carpet.

I had purchased a less expensive carpet cleaner from Dirt Devil and found it to be useless. I cleaned my dining room twice with it and all it seemed to do was make the carpet damp with little improvement on odor and stains. I returned that and spent ... more on the Bissel Pro-Tech, but it was completely worth it. I cleaned my dining room one time with the Bissel Pro-Tech and the carpet in there looks BRAND NEW!

The Turbo brush and accessories are great for hard to reach corners and for the steps and did an equally fine job cleaning the carpet.

Assembly was simple, I did it by myself while my husband was working. I followed the advice of other reviews here and read the instructions manual, everything worked like a charm and I would suggest taking the 5 minutes or so to read the manual as well. It mentions important things such as which setting to have the cleaner on when you are putting new solutions in, or draining dirty water. I would have never known this without reading the manual.

The only thing that concerned me with this Pro-tech was the lid on the water container. It has a handle for easy carrying, how ever the handle is attached to the lid, to remove the lid you just have to move the handle forward. I was concerned it would fall off while I was moving the container to and from the sink and spill dirty water all over the place. Just be careful and place a hand underneath the container when transporting it.

Don't make the same mistake I did, if you are looking for a carpet cleaner it is obvious you get what you pay for. Though this model is a little more expensive than others, it is a great machine with professional results, and its completely worth it.

As a mom with two young kids, and a new home with new carpeting we were concerned about spills, spit up and such. This Bissell has saved us. We had a handheld small Bissell that worked OK, but after 5 years it gave out. We purchased this one and couldn't be more pleased. The heat feature really helps get the stain out, and the turbo brush works great. The seperate compartments make cleaning easier, and the ability to store with solution in it so it's always ready to go is a great plus.

This was the best purchase I have made in a long time. It works so much better than I had expected. I have two young kids (4 years, 7 months) and a Golden Retriever, so you can imagine how many spills take place at my house. The Turbo Brush really works great on muddy paw prints and spilled juice. I also use it to clean all the accidents that happen in my car. It is very easy to use (just add cleaning solution to the clean water and you're ready to go). It also heats the water/cleaning solution for better cleaning. This is a must have for everyone with kids or pets. I have owned other brands of cleaners before, but from here on out - I am a Bissell Buyer!

We own both the upright Bissell and the Little Green, and use them semi-regularly. I'll admit to being a little obsessive about clean carpet and upholstery, but owning these products makes it easy to keep the carpet of our one year-old home looking great (and has extended the lifespan of our old sofas). The Little Green is perfect for use on small floor messes, the stairs, and couch. Our daughter turned two in October, and, thanks to this machine, we have survived spilled coffee, Children's Advil, soda, juices of all colors, chocolate, and shoeprints-- pretty much anything she can dump out or track in, this product can clean up! The full-sized Bissell is great for steam-cleaning entire rooms, but it's too hard to lug up and down the stairs. If you have a two story home, you may want to consider this hand-held canister cleaner for convenience purposes. It's easy to carry and has an extra-long cord, to boot!

I have been using the Steam Buggy for a couple months, and have found that it is excellent for certain situations, though not perfect in all ways. I'm not an obsessive housecleaner by any means but I used the Steam Buggy for apartment move-out cleaning, and it was a godsend--and it actually makes cleaning kind of fun (honest!).

Pros: Things get super clean without chemicals...Easy to carry...Easy to use...Great for cleaning icky difficult areas like around sink fixtures, toilet hinges, shower door tracks, gunky trash cans, etc...Great for cleaning linoleum & tile floors (I have not tried it on carpet yet) as long as the dirt is not terribly embedded in a textured surface (normal spills left to dry for days will come right off a smooth surface)... Great for cleaning the inside of your refrigerator...It will clean exterior windows/sliding glass doors that are really dirty, quickly with very little effort...Any crevice areas that are normally hard to clean, including caulked areas (but be careful not to melt the caulk by holding the steam on one spot too long)...Outdoor resin furniture...I cleaned a box fan that had 12 years of crusted-on dirt (it took a while, though.) One reviewer here said that the steam isn't hot enough to actually disinfect, but it seems that steam is by definition hotter than boiling water so it must have *some* disinfecting power. The Steam Buggy would be perfect for cleaning goop off of baby high-chair trays, rattles, diaper pails, etc...It's also supposed to kill dustmites, which is a great benefit for allergy sufferers--you can just run the steam over your sofa, pillows, etc., then let them dry.

Cons: The cleaning is not instantaneous, but if you clean regularly it goes much faster than it does on super-filthy neglected areas...You have to wipe as you go (dirt is dissolved in the steam and you wipe off the damp area), although on some surfaces, you can just rinse with water instead of wiping (like a shower). The wiping is not a huge deal, but just be aware...You can't turn the steam off instantaneously, but it takes probably less than a minute...You have to let it cool for a couple minutes before changing attachments and 4-5 minutes before refilling (I don't find this a big deal)...It doesn't clean as well on certain things; for example, I still need to scrub the tub to really remove the film of dirt, and it doesn't do much for the inside of the toilet bowl. Also really textured linoleum I had to scrub to get the worst dirt out...To clean off hard water deposits, use distilled water in the tank--using your regular hard water that caused the deposits in the first place isn't nearly as effective.

Overall, I'm very happy with the Steam Buggy and have recommended it to a lot of people. A little baking soda or SoftScrub can take care of any scrubbing that it can't handle, but it takes care of a lot. It also allows you to get gross stuff very clean without having to really touch it, and eliminates dealing with buckets. It takes a little while longer to use than you might imagine from the Infomercial, but uses a lot less effort than conventional cleaning methods, without introducing chemicals into the environment or your & your family's skin & lungs.

I am definitely glad I made this investment. The product truly cleans as shown on the infomercial. I am chemical-sensitive and this makes cleaning a health hazard for me. The Steam buggy provided healthy option to clean and sanatize my home!
I had purchased the Eureka HotShot prior to ordering the Steam Buggy, and though this product was effective, the resevoir was much smaller and would only steam clean for 3 to 4 min. and I had to refill 3 times more often with HotShot vs. Steam Buggy.

Steam Buggy is fairly light and easy to tote. The attatchments are much easier to change than on HotShot. At first use, SB was a little cumbersome, but one I got the hang of it, cleaning was a breeze!

An added benefit:
While cleaning, you inadvertantly get a sauna and facial at the same time! =)

I bought this product about 8 months ago. I use it on almost everything. The worst thing I hate to clean is the toilet and the stove, because it involves a hole bunch of scrubbing. With the steam cleaner you just aime and wipe. I had a really dirty oven and I used the steam buggy and did a little scrub and then wiped and it was clean. It passed my own mothers inspection she is a clean freek. So overall it works great and saves money on buying cleaning products.

The product works OK until you need a replacement cover. They can't be found. ...

Don't buy without replacement covers.

I had high hopes for this device since I have lots and lots of linoleum flooring in my home. My linoleum has a slightly textured surface---which collects soil that refuses to budge without considerable scrubbing beyond a mopping action. Consequently, I spend a lot of time on my hands and knees with a soft brush and a wet rag. My middle-aged knees don't appreciate the experience, plus life is just too dang short to spend that much time cleaning the floor.
The DeLonghi steam mop worked surprisingly well to clean my "no wax" flooring. Whenever I have used any of the numerous commercial floor cleaning detergent/soap products to clean my floor the results were streaky or dulling, requiring me to wash the floor with plain water afterwards. The fact that no cleaning concoctions are necessary for the DeLonghi is a attractive feature due to the wash & rinse marathon of my usual cleaning routine. I expected great gusts of steam from the DeLonghi, but the steam output seemed modest. However, my floors are clean, shiny, and dried rapidly. Best of all it was extremely QUICK and EASY to accomplish. I also gave the DeLonghi a try on the ceramic tile floor in one bathroom. It cleaned ok, but left the surface extremely wet. Perhaps the naturally lower surface temperature of the tile cooled the steam too much. It is a bit awkward to use in small areas, such as around the toilet. I found that by turning it sideways---pretty easy with the swiveling handle---that I was able to use it in that area. I was also satisfied by how close it came to the baseboards. I found that in order to accomplish a close, clean edge the cloth must be wrapped around the base of the device so that all four edges are encased by the cloth---not a big deal, its easy. One drawback for me is that it doesn't fit well into the kick area beneath cabinets.
As for the issue of only one cleaning cloth, I took a cue from another reviewer who bought the shop towels to use. They work fine, and in my opinion, better than the cloth included with the steam mop. My only significant gripe is that the plug at the bottom of the water resevoir does not fit tightly enough. When I removed the tank to refill (and/or empty it) it, the plug stuck to the connection, pulled out of the resevoir and dumped the remaining water all over the top of the base unit. Maybe I just have a defective resevoir, or maybe it is a weakness of the device. All in all, based on my experience, I feel comfortable recommending this product because it does a decent job with minimal effort by the user.

Do you want something to mop the kitchen floor? This is my favorite home gadget, next to the blender! I think it works great for the kitchen and bath linoleums. Forget the cloth that comes with it, use terry cloth. (Buy a big pack as another reviewer suggested, or tear up some old dish cloths). Sweep your floor first. Mop away, and swap out the cloth when it gets really dirty, just as you would rinse any mop or rag you were using the old fashioned way. That nice hot cloth that you take off can be turned over to hand wipe next to the baseboards and hard to reach areas. Floor dries quick, feels so clean! Way less work, much cleaner. I don't know how well it works on other surfaces and frankly don't know why they list some of them.

I own a small home and figured a little canister would be perfect. This vacuum has excellent suction on hard floors, but make sure you pre-sweep. The opening on the hard floor attachment is large but narrows to a steep bend only a couple centimeters wide. This means anything bigger than light debris will get stuck and choke the vacuum. This is not a practicle idea for those with kids. (Never seen a kid to make a 'light' mess with 'small particles'. I have three, so I *know*). I can sum the carpet cleaning abilities in one word... UUUUGHHHHH! The brush is *air* powered, not electronicly driven. This creates a huge problem. I own a Newfoundland (130lb shaggy black dog) that constantly sheds. The brush is not strong enought to fully pick up the hair, which then clogs the little plastic turbine that powers it. This can take hours to clean. The canister has a 'trap door' release that works great at first, but after a couple of large loads gets stuck and forces you to manually remove the contents of the canister. GROSS! Recently my vacuum has aquired a smell of coroded batteries after ~10 min. of cleaning, and three COMPLETE (removal of filters, scrubbing, etc.) cleanings have not done away with it. Overall, I am glad I bought this thing on sale. It is a waste of money for anyone even with *minimal* carpeting (like me). I won't be buying anymore Euro-Pro Products!!

After waking up another morning barely able to breathe (welcome to Texas!), I got a little obsessive and decided it was time for a new vacuum. After reading hundreds of online reviews, I decided my top 3 choices were... the Dyson Animal (2 cats) the Westinghouse 1551 (the original Fantom), and the Shark Pursuit. I eliminated the Dyson based on price and looked everywhere for the westinghouse... unfortunately I couldn't find any retailers who carried the product. I didn't want to order online because I wanted to be able to return the product if I didn't like it. so that left the Pursuit. Let me clarify...as far as I can tell, the Pursuit and the Stealth are the same product. I brought my little canister home and started on the living room... I had to empty the canister at least 3 times! I was soooo pleased! :) The amount of hair I picked up was literally disgusting. But I was also encouraged and couldn't stop sucking up cat hair! It actually brought back the bright navy color in my fiance's couch! We had been talking about having it reupholstered but now it looks so much better I think we can put it off for a while... And I'm SURE we picked up hair from the previous owners' two dogs... we have been here 2 years. (!!!) I was disappointed, however, in how it worked on the floors... I wasn't altogether pleased with the floor tools. So I brought home the Pursuit upright and the Ultimate Roadster upright... both were great for the floors, but I couldn't get under the furniture and when I tried to clean the upholstery the hoses would contract and pull the main unit up against me. I guess it shows how great the suction is, but it's NOT exactly easy to use this way. SOOO... after even more searching, I found the greatest thing!!! Linen's and Things www.LNT.com carries this product in their stores and online for $129.. WITH a MOTORIZED power head!!! it's GREAT!!! well worth the extra $30!!! NOW the floors get REALLY clean, and I can suck all the junk out of the upholstery too! YAY!!! So, here are the specifics for the model I'm keeping-- The Shark Pursuit canister, model number EP724M... The main unit is 10.3 amps and the power head (the floor brush) is 1.7 amps... still a total of 12 amps for cleaning the floors, slightly less for the above floor stuff, but I can't really tell the difference, and it's probably a good thing considering the suction power.

pros: -Cleans great! good little sucker, especially for the price!

-easy to maneuver

-my house smelled much fresher after using it, so I guess the HEPA filter is doing it's job....

-FABULOUS for cleaning upholstery, etc... I even sucked cat hair off the curtains (be careful!)

-the air powered turbobrush did get clogged alot, but since I bought the motorized powerhead I don't have to worry about that.

Cons-- I agree with everyone else, the filter is very difficult to clean... the dispenser somehow traps all the hair around the filter, so you have to reach in and pull everything out. I'm considering trying a few things, like waxing the inside of the canister, etc... to see if I can't get this resolved. I also plan on buying a second hepa filter at the suggestion of another reviewer and switching out so I'll always have a clean one. I also have been vacuuming the filter with my old hoover upright and that seems to help alot, too. PLUS, my upright uses hepa bags so the mites and yuck stay where they belong. (this vac was good for sucking dust, but not much else)

The cord is quite short, but I have lots of outlets so it's not a huge problem for me.

Doesn't come with the little pet hair turbobrush, but I found them to be incredibly noisy-painful even- I'm going to order one from another company (about $30)to see if theirs works better.

Somewhat inconsistent product quality-- I recommend buying local and if you have a problem with one exchange it for another one before you give up entirely. of the four I tried, one smelled funny when I turned it on... If I had decided on that one, I would have exchanged it.

OH! by the way... I started this project on Sunday, and Monday morning woke up much less congested..(even though we have a HEPA air purifier in the bedroom) Tuesday morning even better... looks like it's working! I think I'm going to vacuum the mattress again..... ;) byebye dust mites!!!

When it case to buying a vacuum cleaner, I was looking only for canister. This is partly influenced by my european background and by the fact that I live a small apartment. Looking for canister in US is a challenge, considering absolute domination of uprights; lookin for good canister is even harder.

I bought this vac after trying DirtDevil vacuum with HEPA filter, which was a big dissapointment, both in suction and absence of good carpet brush.

This vacuum picked up lots of dirt after DirtDevil! I was quite surprised. I don't know yet how this fellow will behave on maintanability front, but so far I consider this as a great buy!

As to troubles with cleaning HEPA filters: well, you have to pay the price for having a clear air! You will need to clean filter by "tapping" it after each use and also you will need to rinse all three filters roughtly once a month or two or when experience rediced suction power. Also you will probably need to carefully clean spinning brush from hairs after each use, but I'm sure this is true for all turbo/power brushes.

Pros: moderate price, turbo brush, terractable cable, very good suction, HEPA filtering, still handle, compact design.

Cons: you will need to change brushes going from a carpet to a bare floor, handle may be a bit short for really tall people (probably above 6 feet).

In short - I would absolutely recommend this vacuum for small-mid-sized appartments.

I absolutely love this steamer for cleaning the several sets of carpeted stairs I have, for the pitter patter of four sets of energetic Labrador feet can muddy up even a stain-resistant commercial carpet over a few weeks time, especially during mud season up here in rural New Hampshire. So, while a handy-vac or a wist-broom is okay for day to dirt, but I have to whip this baby out every month or so to grind off the ground in dirt. This small and lightweight Hotshot handheld steamer made by Eureka gives me the steaming power I need to do the job quickly, easily, and with minimum fuss. Of course, one can use it for a variety of purposes, such as cleaning upholstery, sealed grout, bathroom tile, kitchen tile, stovetops, stove exhaust filters, windows, and mirrors. It can even be used to steam wrinkles from clothing or draperies. It is supposedly also great for degreasing, and will snuff out mites, salmonella, and other microorganisms, so it is a good hygiene agent, as well. The accessories include a flexible extension hose, a straight nozzle, a scrub brush, an angled nozzle, a fabric tool, a window cleaner, a measuring cup, and a funnel. As I said before, it is easy to use, lightweight, and comfortable to hold. Enjoy!

I often feel dizzy after cleaning the kitchen, since 409 makes me kind of high - but not in a good way. I decide to give this steam cleaner a try.

It cleans better than the chemical cleaners. However, for tough stuff like carbonized grease - you still have to scrub. Since you have to go through the area with steam instead of simply spraying chemicals, the cleaning may take a little bit longer as well.

It works wonderfully on glass, metal, and counter tops. Unfortunately, anything that is has a soft or rough surface has proven to be a challenge.

I wish this unit would hold more water. It would only produce steam for 7-10 minutes of cleaning. Then again, it is a hand held unit, more water will increase the weight of the device.

Let's face facts, folks. I'm a 29 year old bachelor. I hate cleaning. I do it only when it becomes absolutely necessary, which usually happens when I'm waist deep in clutter and mess. Wherever the cleaning bug gene is that runs in most families, it made absolutely certain to skip me.

I had to clean my house before selling it recently, and I had to do the unthinkable. Yup, I had to actually exert myself in that one activity I hate more than anything else. And that'd be cleaning. Downcast and sullen, I labored through the task at hand with as much gusto as I could gather, but it wasn't until my folks, who were helping me in my endeavours, pulled out this wondrous device that the experience actually became good.

Pour water in it, plug it in and let it heat up. After some minutes pass, press the trigger and the hand steamer exerts a jet of high-powered steam that will remove any stain. Yes, any stain. I was so impressed with the demos my Mom was showing me that I had to try myself on the grunge on the kitchen floor. After a few sweeps I had to try on something else. So the front of my refrigerator became my next victim. After that I was looking around for something else...anything else. And as I began this on the dryer in the laundry room I realized that I was actually *enjoying* the experience.

This thing gets into cracks and crevices that noone could ever dream of getting to before, cleans them, and as a bonus sterilizes them completely. My bathroom is in cleaner, better shape now then it was when I first got the house!

There's several different attachments that you can put on the nozzle to make the steam come out at different angles, and others that can allow you to steam clean mirrors or flat surfaces. It is beyond easy to operate and is perversely enjoyable, even for a self proclaimed couch-potato such as myself. I recommend this for anyone wanting to get stains or dirt off of surfaces that nothing short of molecular acid and a brillo pad will remove. But don't be surprised if your husband/fiance'/boyfriend eventually steals it from you to do the task themselves. You might even see them smile as they work!