Upright Reviews

I bought this and found it ok. That is served my purpose !

I recently purchased this vacuum so I am still playing with it. At first I was very impressed with this vacuum - but I am finding some bugs! I took it to my sisters' for a true test as she has VERY thick carpet and her vacuum is hard to maneuver on. I was impressed and so was she. My cons so far include- if you hit under the couch it will switch the vacuum to tool setting and I think after it is loosened up a bit from use this will happen more often - use of vacuum (2nd use of tools) the dirt sensor in the tube had to be wiped off - (keep in mind my house isn't that dirty!) This concerns me and I want to run through a few more test with the tools/hose to see if that was just a fluke ( take it out to the car) Overall, I am impressed with the suction and flexibility of low to high carpet- just unsure of switch to tools and dirt sensor

If you can manage to disconnect most of your preconceptions of vacuum cleaners and start with a fresh outlook this thing is great! I've had mine for about 2 weeks and was at first somewhat disappointed, but once I realized that it is just "different" more than "bad", I like it. It sounds like it's struggling on really deep pile carpet, but if you keep up a fairly brisk pace and don't let it load up it works fine. Once again, forget the sounds that it's making...just look at the results on the floor and the amount of dirt collected!
I also have a Kirby, which isn't a fair comparison. I would put this vacuum in the same cleaning class as my old Oreck, although it certainly isn't as light, but the trade off is ease of use, which is a major plus. My biggest concern before I received it (mail order) was how batteries could possibly power something well enough to do a decent job. When I saw the batteries and charger for the first time, this fear was allayed. My son's comment was to never get rid of the batteries; that Westinghouse would probably make other machines to go with them; like maybe a jackhammer or backhoe.
Overall, the machine is, once again, no Kirby and about equal to an Oreck (in just my opinion). But it sure takes the pain out of vacuuming!

I bought this at Bed, Bath and Beyond on clearance. After getting it home and charging the batteries (yes it does take a long time, but it's worth it). I used this on my rug that had just been vacuumed with a eureka corded vac, I could see the dirt in the fill cup. It is convenient and easy to use, although it is a bit heavy compared to my eureka. It works well on my rug, wood floors and ceramic tile.

Customer service is a dream. Since I bought the floor model, I was missing some pieces. I called customer service and they shipped me all four parts, free of charge (did not even ask for a receipt). I received them in less than a week.

This vacuum gets used every day in my house and does a great job vacuuming up pet hair (two dogs, two cats and a rabbit) along with the messes my 18 year old, 11 year old and 2 year old boys leave.
Although I would probably never spend the $300 regular price on any vacuum, I think this vacuum is a great value(...).

From the moment you pull it out of the box, you'll realize the unplugged is unlike any vacuum that's come before as it's got a very futuristic and stylish design. 2 large supporting pieces of the main structure are constructed of brushed aluminum as is the accessory hose/wand - something you rarely see in contemporary vacuums these days.

The charging/battery system is both innovative and easy to use. I've heard other reviews complain about the initial 24 hour 'conditioning cycle charge' per battery but I feel this is an extremely small inconvenience considering the benefits of cordless vacuuming. Also the amazingly 30 minute normal charge time per battery more than makes up for it.

I've read some of reviews on this site regarding the lack of suction power for this vacuum. While I'll admit the suction is not as strong as that of a corded vacuum, I found it does pick up very well. I think in the case of vacuums, 'the proof is in the dirt cup.' That said, after just 3 minutes of vacuuming, the dirt cup had a dust/fuzz ball the size of an adult fist along with a bunch of loose debris from a white carpet that initially didn't even appear very dirty!

Regarding the brush roll, I will agree that it does slow down on carpet and would not be appropriate for medium to long pile or shag. On low pile however it does a great job. This vacuum is also wonderfully QUIET which is more than I can say for many of the corded uprights (especially Eurekas) where ear plugs almost seem like a requirement. The Unplugged really proves that a good performing vacuum does not have to have a LOUD motor!

The vacuum has 3 onboard filters - 2 small ones and a larger HEPA one. The way the unplugged is designed, dirty air passes through the 2 smaller ones first before reaching the HEPA. The best part is these 2 filters (1 foam and 1 of a white pleated material) are a cinch to clean - just rise them under tap water or soak in soapy water (as per the instructions). As they keep much of the dirt from reaching the HEPA, it rarely needs cleaning and lasts for approximately 7 years before requiring replacement. This is a significant improvement over many of the upright bagless models today with large, single, un-washable HEPA filters located directly inside the dirt cup that can only be cleaned by being banged against the side of a trash can.

In conclusion, I found this vacuum to be a great performer with very innovative features. As I stated previously, it works best on low-pile carpets which I don't personally consider a drawback since Shag carpets aren't quite as common as they were 30 years ago. That said, you won't miss the cord and you'll have fun using this vacuum!

I know you have probably read the other reviews, and chances are, you won't get to this review. If you do make it here, take it from me-YOU DO NOT WANT THIS VACUUM! It's as simple as that. I stumbled upon this page, because I have exhausted my "on foot" search for the vacuum cleaner belts. It has been over a year-and I CAN NOT find the belts for this vacuum. Then, the thing smells like burnt rubber, all the time- works when it wants to,and yes CLOGS ALL THE TIME. I will not throw it away because the vacuum is almost brand new. I yelled at my husband because I thought he broke the vacuum after having it for a month-I didn't know everyone was having similar problems. Everything that everyone else described happened to us. I have been using an older vacuum of mine until I get "the belt" - now I know, I am getting a Hoover.

I bought my first Shark EP708 from JC Penneys.... in a month it had kept overheating... called the company and they were going to pick up the old one and repair it. I complained at paying the postage to get their defective machine back to them for repairs.... they sent a new one and picked up the old one at their costs..... new one has worked well for 1 1/2 months (although a mess to empty), then the rotary belt broke. That's why I'm on the internet now... trying to find a new one....can't find one locally... found one on the company website... $15.00 + s&h, and includes bulbs that I don't need.... think I'll forget it and buy a Hoover!

This vacuum has a powerful look and a powerful suction to go along with it. But, the dust cup accummulates "fine dust particles" quickly which reduces the suction power. The "tap" cleaning of the dust cup is quick, But very messy. Just "tap" the dust cup on the inside of your waste basket and watch the dust cloud as it dirties your floor, your hands, and your clothes.
The worst part is that the accessories are not found in your local retail store so you must order then by mail or the internet. This is a hassle all of its' own. I have placed an order for accessories, which has now been on backorder since June 13, with another 30 day notice just sent to me. I can't tell you about the life of this product because as of now it will last FOREVER, sitting there in my closet waiting for accessories, instead of vacuuming my carpet.
My advice, stick with a known company, one that has high standards for customer service.

I inherited this vacuum cleaner from my parents two years after they bought it. It is loud, causes a dust storm with each use (triggering my guests' allergies and leaving very odd smells in the air for over 6 hours after use), and does not seem to pick up even those paper particles that I can see! Do not buy this vacuum cleaner; it is a complete waste of money and will leave your room dirtier and more smelly than it started out.

I bought this vaccum one year ago to replace a similar version from Hoover. The Hoover vaccum had lasted 5 years. This one has lasted one year and is going to the dump.

I have to admit in the beginning the Featherlite was really cool. It was a neat color, and was picking up better than my Hoover had been in it's last days. Boy was I fooled!

My Featherlites final turn around my living room ended with smoke coming out the bottom and a terrible smell. It's now sitting in the driveway! I read a review on another website that this is due to bent parts in the motor. The reason the vaccum is so light is because they put a cheap motor inside!

For a light weight, inexpensive upright vacuum, it does okay. I find the hose to be quite short and it pulls out easily when being used. There is no hose extension available from the company. Its rather noisey as well. I, personally, prefer a throw-away-bag to getting my hands dirty and have dust flying around cleaning those filters with the bagless type of vacuum so this suits my needs.

PROS: Great Cleaning Power
HEPA Filter
No bags or belts to buy
CONS LOUD, LOUD, LOUD
No 1-800 customer service
Roller on-off switch not easily accessible

I bought this vacuum after trying out a friend's Windtunnel that worked very well. I decided to go with the V2 after much research because of the beltless feature. I unpacked the vacuum put it all together (VERY easy, even my husband could do it). I vacuumed my living room with my old vacuum and then with the new one and got up so much dog hair, dust and carpet fiber! I thought this thing is awsome, but a little loud. After vacuuming the whole downstairs of my house I just couldn't take it anymore, the thing was shrieking like a banshee! I tried changing the hieght settings and it didn't help. It must be the gear system because it only does it when the brush rolers are on.

I called customer service this am (another problem - no toll free number and the website's no help) and explained the vacuum was whining loudly - is this normal? She states " Well the gears do whine a little bit." I said " NO, this is very loud." She says "Yes it is a little loud." Needless to say, I returned it this morning.

Also, while the on-off brush feature is nice, it is hard to get to. It is down on the front of the vacuum with the carpet height adjustment, and both swithches are recessed in to a hollow, so you can't use your foot. So you have to bend over every time you go from carpet to hard floor.

If you can live with the loudness and bending over, this vacuum cleans great! But this wasn't the vacuum for me!

The one great thing about this vacuum is that it does a excellent job of cleaning carpeting. I haven't had a problem with clogging or hair gathering around the brush, since my one pet has very short hair. The WindTunnel V2 is very heavy, carrying it up and down stairs is awkward, and you definitely have to have some upper arm strength to guide it across carpeted areas. On wood/tiled floors, it's suction is definitely less effective.

Like so many others here on Amazon, my main problem is with the errant dust and dirt flying when you empty the dirt canister--it sends me into sneezing fits. The canister is removed easily enough, but it's very obvious that the filter is not thoroughly cleaned, and it's also a messy process. I'm keeping it (inertia is a powerful force), but I wouldn't recommend this vacuum. Keep looking!

I purchased the green V2 and had to take it back to the store because the extremely short hose (for attachments) came off the unit. I plan to purchase another V2 that has an extra flex hose attachment - making it easier to use. Though there are several cons with this vacuum, I will try it again because I think it is a very effective cleaner. We have dogs that shed so much each day that you could knit a small sweater with the stuff every week. This vacuum pulled up dog fur and lint like nothing I had tried to date.

The down side:
* No easy way to empty the cleaner without getting the fine dust back into the air (messy-yuk. If you have allergies, you might be better off with a bag unit).
* Very hard to push around and heavy to lift up and down stairs(if you need the work-out, this is for you).
* Doesn't do as well on hard floors (even with the brushes off - silly placement of the off switch). A floor attachment like on a canister unit would work better, but this isn't usually available on uprights.
* The cord wrap system never stays in place.
* The flex hose is way too short and not well designed (broke off on ours)
* Very loud - wear ear plugs!

The upsides:
* Picks up dust, fibers, and pet fur very effectively
* Powerful
* Bagless feature saves on trips to the store for bags and the clear cup lets you see at a glance when you need to empty (rewarding to see the gunk you are getting rid of).
* Good storage placement of the attachments
* The small brush unit is powerful for a non-motorized attachment (works on suction) and the crevice tool has awesome suction.
* Bends fairly flat for easy cleaning under furniture.

I was very disappointed with this vacuum. I bought it because I thought there would be a real advantage to having a bagless vacuum with a HEPA filter. Having allergies, less exposure to dust is very important. I quickly realised that using this vacuum actually makes exposure to dust much more a problem! When I use it, I can actually see dust collecting outside the lid rim of the canister. Just to be sure that I wasn't doing anything wrong, I checked and rechecked how I had the placement of the lid and the canister after an emptying (it really is a straight forward proceedure). Even changing the canister every vacuum session has not stopped this problem. And don't bother trying to pick up the vacuum by the handle if it's running. Dust will really shoot out into the air. Emptying the canister is just plain awful. You have to hold your breath while you are doing it. Save your money and don't buy this vacuum!

Today the vacuum cleaner started smelling of burnt rubber. I discovered the belt was broken. After reading the reviews below I guess this will be a common problem. The bagless design is a terrible mess when it comes to emptying the chamber. My wife makes me put on a dust mask prior to emptying it and then I have to shower to remove the dust residue.

In summary I would not buy this vacuum cleaner, stick to bagged models and SAVE YOURSELF!!!!

I thought I just used the vacuum too much, but after reading the other reviwers comments I must agree. I'm online now shopping for a vacuum with A BAG! I have severe allergies and it was a MESS to empty the canister. The large filters cost aprox. $30. I found myself trying to clean the filter to save money! We have gone through many belts. I am having a lot of dust "escaping" from the compartment and have tried to remedy it in every way the manual has suggested.

I have to admit though, In the beginning it did pick up great, but now it's a pain!

I'm one of many "victims" who bought this vacuum because of #1 rating published in Consumer Reports magazine a couple of years ago. The light went off very quickly, but it was minor. The major problem we encountered is that at some point it started overheating after 10-15 min of work. When it is overheated it automatically shuts off and you have to wait 10 more minutes until it cools down. I could not find any explanation for it. I replaced bags, a filter and a belt, but it did not help. I would not recommend to buy this model to anyone.

This Hoover does a good job in the suction department. We have 2 large dogs and 3 indoor-only cats and the vacuum is a part of the daily routine in this house. However...

This thing weighs a ton. I am not frail, nor am I physically restricted. It pushes along well with the self-propelled feature, but it is very difficult to lift it off of the floor...
very cumbersome...and it is NOT a breeze to haul it out for a quick hair pickup.

If you have to get down on the floor to use an attachment to reach under something (such as the woodstove, etc.)be careful.
The hose is connected to the middle of the back of the machine.
When using the springy hose to reach back under, it can pull the handle end down on top of you. I wouldn't purchase this for my elderly Mom or for those with physical limitations.

The bags are pricey (about 7 bucks for 3) and the filters are about 8 bucks.

Although this monster does an acceptable job at cleaning, I would check the bagless options next time and look for something a bit easier to handle.

We bought this to replace a more expensive model we were given as a wedding gift in 99. I higly recommed this vacuum to anyone who is looking for a quality product that helps relive allergens. This is just as good as the vacuum that we had before, and it was double the cost.

I was very excited when we purchased our Fantom Crosswinds from Overstock.com...(for around $180-200) it's nice-looking and from the features it offers, we thought we had found a goldmine for a vacuum. After only cleaning one room, we noticed it began to lose power, overheat and shut itself off. Sooo, we're left standing there with many more rooms needing vacuuming. Uh, okay, what do we do now? Well, we checked the filters, read the manual and it explains that if it should overheat (if??) you will need to check and clean the filters after every use. Well, in our case every use meant after one room of use!!! This is VERY annoying and a complete and utter waste of money and time because the manual also states that your vacuum should cool down and be ready for use again in a few hours! That's a lie!! Our Fantom will not even power up again unless we wait 24 hours!! So, if you can picture this: a washed out filter lying on the edge of the bathroom tub (which has to stay there for 24 hours to completely dry before we can use it again) and a "dead" overheated vacuum which won't work for 24 hours...after only cleaning 1 small room area. This is what we deal with with our Fantom!! We will NEVER buy another Fantom again!! I cannot believe this company has so eloquently deceived the public with their more-than-phenominal infomercials into believing their products are any better than a $70 upright my husband bought over 20 years ago! We still use that old upright--(not that I want to, but we have to because of the Fantom)--the old Hoover still works, yes, it's very loud (I call it "Old Bessy" because it moans like a cow) and we do have to change bags and belts when they break, but at least we can vacuum the house without waiting 24 hours to do one more room! I urge everyone NOT to buy Fantom products! NEVER!

I bought this vacuum aboot 4-5 months ago. The biggest problem I've run into is that if the 2 filters are not kept absolutely clean, the vacuum clogs. Even worse the company is now out of business. I tried getting replacement filters from my local store and they told me they can't get them because Fantom is out of business. Go figure Enron and now Fantom! So I've been left to devise my own rigged filters to keep this thing running. My wife will never let me choose appliances again!!!
Thanks Fantom.

Ok firt I have owned 2 different FANTOMS well kind of 3. A fantom fury and a fantom lightning and they are both still great but slowly dying after the years of labor they have gave me. the almost 3RD but it is a westinghouse wired DELUX same as fantom CW600 and I love it. It is by far one of the best machines I'v owned. yes fantom is out of business but there are plenty of carriers of fantom parts on the internet if you even need any. [which I havent] my machines have only gotten cloggeg a couple times [ONLY THE FURY] the reason for this is that I have a long haires bichon in my house and the fury was an older model [the first fantom] and I gues it was a faulty design problem that was worked out before they made they next models [thunder, lightning, cyclone xt, and all crosswinds and special editions]. I was able to unclog it by simply opening the flap in the back on the bottom and removing the hair. I belive that after all the service I have recieved from my vacuums that fantom is the BEST!!!!!!!!!

This vaccum is awful. I hate the way it falls over when you are trying to use the attachments. I hate emptying the canister! The filter in the canister won't let go of the dust it gets caught in the grooves. I always have to empty it outside. I live in Pittsburgh I don't want to go outside in the winter to empty my vaccum canister. The hangers for the cord broke off and I have to duct tape the filter to the side. It just didn't last very long. I'm almost afraid to buy another bagless upright again because of how unhappy I am with this one.

I've had this vacuum for at least 5 years, and it's still working pretty well, if you can ignore the little squeaky noise that's developed in the last year (but you can only hear it when you turn off the power and the motor is winding down). It works really well, I find the canister very easy to empty, and it does filter well because I don't sneeze when I vacuum (being an indoor allergy sufferer, that's awesome!). I also like that there's two different ways to wind the cord - the traditional way, around two hooks, or there's a springy loop that you can loosely wind the cord up and close the loop around it - which makes taking the cord off the vacuum GREAT! However, I do have a couple gripes... first, the aforementioned springy loop juts out of the side of the vacuum a little farther than necessary; I've taken a couple dings out of my drywall with it. Second, it does clog up occasionally. My solution? Every few minutes or when I notice the sucking power diminishing, I pull out the hose and cover the opening with my hand. This causes whatever's stuck to ride into the canister, which works very well but I'd just prefer not to have to do that. Next, replacing the belt is messy and a big pain in the [behind]. You have to disassemble the whole bottom with a screwdriver to get to the belt. Lastly, the one brush attachment ALWAYS falls off the vacuum. Very annoying. Overall, yeah, I have a few complaints, but despite them I do like this vacuum. It works really well and being it's pretty inexpensive, is definitely worth the money I paid. For the past five years this vacuum has contended with college apartments, cats, dogs, and girls' long hair. And it still sucks!

Ok, First thing. I am a man, I bought my Vac. To me, it's not a Vac, but an INTERIOR POWER TOOL. ITP for short. It's mine, the wife cannot touch it, and she knows it. I have had many ITP's over the years but DIRT DEVIL takes the cake. They have the best bang for the buck in my book. I have been running my new VISION ITP for a few months now. This thing has the most suction out of any ITP I have ever had. If you put the stretch hose to the carpet, it will lift it up. It picks up the finest lint to the largest dirt no problem. I have never had a clog anywhere. Other ITP's I had clogged all the time, not this puppy. The VISION comes with many attachments and I use them all. From the Crevice tool to the EDGE WEDGE, they all work great and have handy storage right on the back of the ITP for easy use. The long electric cord is long enough I can vacumn the entire 1st floor of my home by using the same electrical outlet. I have a toddler in my home, so I had to have HEPA and the VISION has it, hoorah. I love this VAC. Now the drawbacks. It is a bit heavy, I use a handheld DIRT DEVIL on my stairs. This ITP is heavy and it has to be, It needs the motor weight for all of that suction. I found it to be louder than some of the other ITP's I have had, but not so loud that I cannot stand it. The collection cup is a bit messy to clean. You are supposed to just dump it in the trash and shake out the filter. That's ok, but the collection bin filter doesn't come clean, I use my garage vac to clean out the collection filter. The HEPA filters need to be replaced once a year, they are bit pricey.... But if the figure in the cost of not buying bags for the dirt then it's a wash.
My final opinion. Buy this Vac. It works great. If you are a small petite person, get a different one, this one might be too heavy for you.