Upright Reviews

I really like this vacuum because of the retractable cord and it's light weight. I am concerned about the availability of bags for this vacuum but have not had to look for them yet. I don't like having to unscrew the bottom to clean out underneath and it is supposed to adjust to any height of carpet but when I go from my carpet to my plush decorator rug it is very difficult to push.

I have an older Panasonic Vacuum Cleaner that I purchased in 1992 and it still works great. I purchased it mainly for its light weight, great suctioning power, and the quietness of its operation. You can easily find bags for it at large home improvement stores and many discount stores. I have never had a problem finding replacement bags. The vacuum also has never been repaired.

After reading the reviews on this machine, most of which were positive, I ordered the model 7950. When it arrived, we took it out of the box and put it together...and nothing happened. The motor was working, but nothing else. It wouldn't spray any solution, nor would it take up anything. It just made noise. I have since returned it. I am very disappointed because I was really looking forward to using this machine. Thank you to Amazon for being understanding and making the return process so easy. Maybe if I could get one that works.....

I RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS UNIT AND I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER.IT IS VERY POWERFUL AND CLEANS BETTER THAN ANY MACHINE I HAVE EVER OWNED OR RENTED. THE SELF PROPELLED FEATURE IS WORTH IT'S WEIGHT IN ASPIRIN FOR ME OR MY WIFES ACHING BACK.THIS MACHINE IS VERY WELL CONSTRUCTED AND FEELS LIKE A SUBSTANTIAL AND WELL LAYED OUT UNIT.THIS IS THE MACHINE TO BUY IF YOU WANT TO TAKE THE MISERY OUT OF CARPET CLEANING

This powerful machine really sucks up dirt and the pile of your carpet, restoring it to a newer appearance. It also removes imbedded pet hair. The heated water and self-propelled features, along with the easy to fill small water container ( I used the bathroom sink) make it easy to use. It's also very quiet, didn't even scare my new kittens and old dog. This is the best carpet cleaner I've owned, and I've had several.

This product consists of a passive brush the size of a chalkboard eraser, a spray and a vacuum. Because the brush neither rotates nor vibrates, it can't deep scrub carpeting. Indeed, the product is so lightweight, the brush just really laps at the surface of the carpet, at best lifting off any surface dirt, but little else. Saying that this device has "6 rows of powerful cross-action brushes" is a meaningless term that reflects the fact that the bristles in the eraser-sized brush come in 6 rows. But there is no power to the brush, and there is nothing "cross-action" about it. It's just a soft brush that sits there doing nothing.

So in addition to the fact that the bristles aren't capable of releasing embedded dirt, the vacuum filled up after I covered a 4x5 foot area. My floor is wet, and not discernably cleaner than the portion that I hadn't cleaned. With a little more elbow grease, I should have saved myself nearly $70 and bought myself a bottle of Resolve and a new laundry brush. Spend more money and get something with a rotating brush, a bigger tank, and preferably heavy enough to actually put pressure on the brush; or spend less and do spot-treatment by hand. The Bissell 19603, which would take impossibly long to clean my 15x18 foot room (the only room I have with carpeting), and which would do so poorly, is not a happy medium between those two extremes.

I just purchased the Bissell Quicksteamer Plus at Target on January 21, 2003. I had priced other models, but they were quite expensive. I opened the box and thought, "How is this going to get my carpet clean - it's so small and light!" Well, I tried it, and was amazed. It got my carpet clean and smelling wonderful. It is surprisingly powerful. The best thing is that it's easy to refill, clean and store because the design is so simple. Having two small dogs, we need a good carpet cleaner. I also have a Bissell vacuum cleaner and Little Green Steam Machine - they all work wonderfully. Don't let the size or price fool you - this thing really works!!!

"We Mean Clean" is Bissell's motto, and they live up to it in this lightweight beauty.
For small areas, and carpets that do not need a heavy-duty machine, this is ideal. I was horrified at how nasty the liquid in the "Dirty Water Tank" was the first time I used it, and amazed at how soft my rugs were after only one cleaning. I have almost wall-to-wall Persian rugs (I filled the "Clean Water Tank" with warm instead of hot water for them), with terrific results. A "rug expert" might scream "carpet abuse" at using a Bissell on Persians, but these are tough old Iranian tribal rugs, and seem to be very happy in their immaculate, fresh-smelling state, and have never looked better, with a velvety texture and lustrous colors. It also works wonders with the less than ideal carpeting under my rugs, that came with the apartment.

It is very simple to assemble; all you will need is a Phillips head screwdriver and about 5 minutes. The components are easily removed from the body of the machine to fill, empty and clean, and the only thing I would give a word of caution to, is that if you want to empty the "Clean Water Tank", not to unscrew the opening at the bottom, but use the filling hole, with its "Formula Measuring Cap", instead. The bottom opening, which has the nozzle that sends the water into the cleaning aparatus, is hard to screw back on, and if not done correctly, will cause a leak.

As someone who likes everything spiffy-spotless, and lives with two four-pawed friends that manage to cough up at least a couple of hair-balls each a week, this is one of the best purchases I have ever made. I also like walking barefoot, and love the clean, soft feel under my toes.

However debris-free our kitchen floor may be in the morning, it is, by the end of the night, usually covered in a fine layer of crushed Cheerios. What's to be done? Picking up stuff with a broom and dustpan is laborious. Hauling out the regular vacuum cleaner is too much to ask. And much as I love the Swiffer--and I do love the Swiffer--its forte is dust clean-up, not picking up crumbs.

Enter the Eureka Boss Lite Upright Cordless, probably the best product I bought last year. It's light. It holds its charge long enough to do everything I've ever wanted to do with it. It slips on and off its recharging holder thing easily. And it does a good job, thank you very much--by which I mean that I have pretty much abandoned the aforementioned regular vacuum cleaner (in every room, not just the kitchen) because I just don't need it anymore. And of course the big advantage is that because of its great ease of use one can more easily and more often clean one's floor. On an average day I probably take this thing out two or three times.

Another reviewer mentioned the desirability of having a hose attachment for getting into corners. I would like this too, if (and only if) it could be added to the machine without making it (the machine) any more cumbersome or complicated. At any rate, a delightful vacuum cleaner that has made life easier around here. I highly recommend it.

My niece kept telling me about this vacuum. She said it was the greatest, most useful purchase she has made. I thought she was overcome with taking care of her toddler and baby and did not pay much attention. I was visiting her one day and she started telling me about this Eureka Boss cordless vacuum again and gave me a demo. She likes it so much she has one for each floor of her house! I was amazed, and went home and ordered one online from Target. It is fantastic! I can clean a whole floor in minutes, including cat hair and kitty litter! I needed a little practice emptying the dust cup, but have developed a good techique so I don't get it all over. I usually put off cleaning because I have to drag out the heavy cumbersome vacuum. Now I actually enjoy cleaning with this light and adaptable machine. Life is so much easier and cleaner. Thanks!

This is a great vacuum for hardwood, linoleum, and tile. I don't recommend it for carpet. This isn't what we bought it for, though. Great buy, don't know how you couldn't like it, unless you use it for carpet.

First may I say that no manufacturer makes the perfect vacuum. Previously, I owned Hoover vacuums but they, too, had their weaknesses. Over all this Eureka 4870DT is a pretty good vacuum. Listed below are the good and bad features.
The good: It does an excellent job of cleaning carpets and has good suction. It has 7 height adjustment settings, a carpet/hard floor switch which turns off the roller brush when set to hard floor, a hose/floor selector which also shuts off the roller brush when set to hose, an HEPA filter and a motor filter. It has the appearance of a quality made vacuum which was not true of some Eureka vacuums I have owned in the past.
The Bad: It is heavy (but so are most Hoovers), the on/off switch could be more conveniently located, it is rather cumbersome to maneuver in small bathrooms and closets. The foot pedal that releases the handle is rather stiff and awkward but it gets easier with use. I have not had the vacuum long enough to judge its durability.

Personally, I prefer a 13 inch vacuum because they are much easier to use in tight spots and small rooms, but every manufacturer has gone to the 15 inch vacuum in their more deluxe models. In my opinion, there are more features to like than to dislike about this vacuum.

I bought this vacuum after reading all the reviews here. They were truly helpful. As mentioned on previous reviews, the vacuum was a little heavy to carry around. However, the cleaning power was second to none. This was the first vacuum that did not blow dust around as I vacuum. Because of HEPA, air seemed cleaner than before. Again, absolutely no dust in the air! It was amazing. Strongly recommend this product!!

I'll admit that I'm one of the worst when it comes to sweeping the floor with a broom. No matter how hard I try, there always seems to be some elusive dustbunny that resists all efforts to corral it in the dustpan. So, when my wife and I went shopping for a vacuum cleaner, we zeroed in on models that were capable of vacuuming the acres of wall-to-wall carpeting in our home and sweeping the tile and vinyl that make up the rest of our floors. A HEPA filter and disposable dust bags were necessities because of her allergies (your allergist will tell you that bagless cleaners are an exercise in futility unless you take the cleaner completely out of the house and shut the door behind you when emptying the dirt container).

After we pared down the list, we consulted the leading consumer reporting magazine and bought the highest rated model we could afford. And that's how we came to own this cleaner.

I vaguely remember reading that Eureka's engineers cobbled together the prototype for The Boss SmartVac series by actually mounting a classic "torpedo" canister cleaner and its motorized carpet brush on a wheeled rig with a handle. Once they determined that it COULD be done, they refined the design into a unit that really does combine the suction power of a canister with the carpet cleaning ability and easy mobility of an upright, with the added convenience of having the cleaning tools along for the ride. You can see the "canister cleaner on wheels" inspiration in the larger photo here on Amazon.com.

In operation, the cleaner is surprisingly quiet, producing a breathy drone that still permits conversation. Though not self-propelled, the cleaner's brush roller turns so rapidly, it almost propels the cleaner for you. A headlight helps you spot obstacles in the cleaner's path.

The 15-inch wide cleaning path shortens your vacuuming time and offers right-up-to-the-baseboard edge cleaning ability. For more stubborn debris, you can put together the extension wand and attach the crevice tool. The upholstery tool does an admirable job on carpeting under, say, a bed that can't be moved. One notable feature: When the handle is returned to the fully upright position, as when cleaning with tools, the brush roller stops, preventing worn spots on your carpet. A brush roller switch lets you turn off the brush roller at other times for sweeping bare floors.

A few engineering features are worth mentioning. The cleaner's motor is completely isolated from the suction path and protected by its own final stage filter, meaning small hard objects like coins, nutshells and buttons won't damage the fan blades or jam the motor. The micron filtration dust bag, motor filter and HEPA filter equal 3 stages of filtration before the air is expelled. The brush roller belt follows a twist-free path, extending its life and reducing the risk of belt breakage. Should debris actually clog the suction path, all of the hoses can be detached and cleared. If a particularly nasty item has damaged the hose or pipe, the parts can be easily replaced by the consumer.

After vacuuming the carpet in the master bedroom and some of the living room, we already noticed a measurable level of dirt in the first bag, an indication of the dirt left behind by our aging Hoover Decade 80 upright. We expect bags in the future to last a tad longer.

If you expect to use the cleaner a lot, you can upgrade the disposable HEPA filter to a washable CleanStream HEPA filter. Details are at www.cleanstreamfilters.com.

The Roomba is cool technology, but it wasn't the solution for us. We have two dogs, and mostly carpet.

As soon as it arrived, we fully charged the battery (12hrs) and set it loose in our living room. From our upstairs bedroom, it sounded like somebody was being mugged. eeeeeeeeee.... BOOM! eeeeee.... BOOM! eeeeeee.... BOOM!.

It did a decent job, but not nearly as thorough as a real vacuum. Noticably poor at cleaning border areas... ie, carpet edge meets hardwood, I watched it repeatedly roll over clumps of dog hair in these borders and not pick them up.

Perhaps, since it's battery powered, it doesn't have enough suction to pull hair all the way into the dust bin, so it just wraps it around the brush.

When you add the time spent cleaning the brush, moving chairs so it doesn't get trapped and emptying the smallish dust bin two times per room, you could have used a conventional vacuum and done a much better job.

I would recommend Roomba only for non carpet, no-pet situations. I returned mine, but will not rule out the next generation of these devices.

I put Roomba on my christmas list kind of as a joke cause my boyfriend thought it was stupid. Well, Roomba has certainly proven him wrong! I also recieved the rapid charger, which, if you have a lot of house to clean, charges the battery in 3 hours instead of 12. I've gotten at least an hour out of Roomba's battery each time, many times it will go much longer. I have hardwoord floors in my living room and a low pile carpet in my hallway. I am UTTERLY AMAZED at what Roomba picks up. Sure, its filling the dust bin is one thing, but when you flip the bin over to empty the particle bin, you'll be shocked. It picks up sooo much dust and dirt. This is a blessing for me since I have severe allergies and asthma. It is also fun to watch. (Who can say that about your standard upright?!) It wasn't so hot picking up Christmas tree needles, but then again, I didn't expect it to be. It also liked to drag the fringed tree skirt around and any thin cords that are left on the ground. I'd definitly recommend Roomba for lazy people like me who hate to clean!

I have had an original Roomba for over 1 1/2 years and it works wonderfully, especially with kids and cats around. Whenever I have had the slightest problem (I lost the frame that the filter sits in-my fault entirely), I have called or Emailed Roomba's customer service and they have IMMEDIATELY, WITHOUT FAIL, WITHOUT QUESTIONS, WITHOUT CHARGE sent me whatever I needed. They are amazing. I have bought two more- one for my mom, one for my sister-in-law (with 3 kids and a cat) and we all love Roomba. Until you try it you will never believe how well it works.

I purchased this vacuum after much research. It was heavy, but worked great, even along baseboards, for the first few months. Then I moved, stored it for a few months and when I began to use it again -- just a few days after the one-year warranty expired, it broke. Cost me more than $90 to repair it at a Eureka authorized dealer. It broke again almost immediately. I fixed it again. This vacuum was not abused and overused [it's been suggested by some smart-aleck friends that it died from LACK of use!]. I live in small quarters -- always less than 1000sf and have a 50-50 mix of tile and carpeted floors. Also, if you have vaulted ceilings, it's a real stretch to reach that high with the attachments; even getting the cobwebs from a regular height ceiling isn't easy. I still have this two-year-old vac, but would be afraid to purchase it again. I sure miss my [very] old eletrolux that never broke, but I admit I wonder if I didn't just get a lemon with this one.

My wife and I have used this vacuum for about 3 months now, and we're astonished at how well it functions. We had been using a mid-80s well-known brand before purchasing this one, and thought we'd give the new Eureka a test. We vacuumed with our other vac, and then vacuumed with our new Eureka. We had to change one bag for every 800 square feet of carpet covered -- that's how much stuff the new Eureka picked up, that our old vac missed. And the house even smelled cleaner afterwards. I had expected lower quality due to other reviewer complaints but found most of them to be baseless: 1) "Hose too short." Yeah, it's too short. I'll concede that one. I need to buy an extension. However, there's no way the mfgr could put on a longer hose without making the vac unweildy. 2) "It's plasticy." Yes, it's largely made of plastic. It's a solid vacuum and I don't have the impression that it's flimsy in any way. 3) "It's too heavy." It is somewhat heavier than less powerful models; it has a big engine. Doesn't bother us a bit; as easy to use as our previous, much lighter vac. (We are not frail; if we were, we might want a lighter vac. I prefer the power.) 4) "Bag's hard to put in." That's a non-issue. The first time maybe. There's a latch that keeps the bag from slipping, you gotta use it. 5) "Belt comes off or burns." Haven't had that happen. Have inspected the belt often and see no signs of belt wear. 6) "It clogs up." When the bag is full, yeah. No fault of the vac's. Change the bag and you're back in business. Using the hose tools have given us zero problems. I'm not the kinda guy who normally gets excited about housewares or writes reviews but this vac deserved it.

I'll admit that I'm one of the worst when it comes to sweeping the floor with a broom. No matter how hard I try, there always seems to be some elusive dustbunny that resists all efforts to corral it in the dustpan. So, when my wife and I went shopping for a vacuum cleaner, we zeroed in on models that were capable of vacuuming the acres of wall-to-wall carpeting in our home and sweeping the tile and vinyl that make up the rest of our floors. A HEPA filter and disposable dust bags were necessities because of her allergies (your allergist will tell you that bagless cleaners are an exercise in futility unless you take the cleaner completely out of the house and shut the door behind you when emptying the dirt container).

After we pared down the list, we consulted the leading consumer reporting magazine and bought the highest rated model we could afford. And that's how we came to own this cleaner.

I vaguely remember reading that Eureka's engineers cobbled together the prototype for The Boss SmartVac series by actually mounting a classic "torpedo" canister cleaner and its motorized carpet brush on a wheeled rig with a handle. Once they determined that it COULD be done, they refined the design into a unit that really does combine the suction power of a canister with the carpet cleaning ability and easy mobility of an upright, with the added convenience of having the cleaning tools along for the ride. You can see the "canister cleaner on wheels" inspiration in the large photo here on Amazon.com.

In operation, the cleaner is surprisingly quiet, producing a breathy drone that still permits conversation. Though not self-propelled, the cleaner's brush roller turns so rapidly, it almost propels the cleaner for you. A headlight helps you spot obstacles in the cleaner's path.

The 15-inch wide cleaning path shortens your vacuuming time and offers right-up-to-the-baseboard edge cleaning ability. For more difficult debris, you can put together the extension wand and attach the crevice tool. The upholstery tool does an admirable job on carpeting under, say, a bed that can't be moved. One notable feature: When the handle is returned to the fully upright position, as when cleaning with tools, the brush roller stops, preventing worn spots on your carpet. A brush roller switch lets you turn off the brush roller at other times for sweeping bare floors.

After vacuuming the carpet in the master bedroom and some of the living room, we already noticed a measurable level of dirt in the first bag, an indication of the dirt left behind by our aging Hoover Decade 80 upright. We expect bags in the future to last a tad longer.

I've had this vac now for a few weeks, and do not like it much. In fact, when I get the chance, I will see if I can return it. I totally agree with the poster below regarding it's omissions. The Bissell 3590 does not seem to have real good suction power, since it leaves some pet hairs and other dirt in or near corners. It's corner cleaning abilities are below average. It is also hard to push and maneuver on most of the height settings compared to other uprights, and my handle came loose over time. The integrity of the handle fit with the rest of the vacuum's body is terrible, as it has loosened up over time, despite the one screw being in tight (they should have more screws attaching the piece). There is too much 'play' between the handle and the body of the vacuum, and furthermore, it is hard to clean small throw rugs or kitchen rugs because there is no smaller upper body handle to properly grasp and lift the cleaner as one should be able to when cleaning small rugs. And, yes, the cleaner does lack one of those universal flat tools that are used to vacuum hard to reach places or large couches. This vacuum cleaner is below average in my estimation. There are better choices.

I owned mine for one year in a small 1-bedroom apartment. It was great for picking up cat hair, and continues to do a decent job. Recently, it has become very loud to operate--a very loud squeal with a motor-sound like from a small truck. I took it to a repair place, and they me to toss it in the trash because the cost to repair would be more than it's worth. There's something wrong with the motor, but apparently that's common among these cheaper vacuums. Thus far, it has continued to work okay--I've simply prepared myself for the inevitable day when it sputters and dies so that I can bury it in the trash.

I can't give you a review of the long-term performance of this vacuum. We went and bought it last night, based on the reviews we read here. That's why I only gave it four stars. I want to test it out much longer before I give it a five-star rating.

We're poor college students and we're expecting a baby in 4 weeks, so money is very tight. We like the bagless feature for that reason, but were wary of the HEPA filters. They can be very expensive, and we don't have allergies, so we don't need HEPA filtration. After doing some research at the store (Target) and on the Bissell Web site, we found that a certain model (Series 1) has three washable filters instead of the HEPA. These foam filters are under $4 each. So when we saw that our local Target store carried the non-HEPA model, we ran right out and bought it.

While doing research at the store, I tried out the various brands' bagless dirt cups. This is BY FAR the easiest to empty! The others have a filter inside the dirt cup, making emptying much messier. After using the Bissell last night, the only thing I did not like about the dirt cup is that after you empty it, when you slide it back in, it knocks some dust off the upper filter.

I did not notice any black marks from the furniture guard, and if I did, I would simply put some masking tape over the guard. That just isn't that big of a problem that would make me not buy the vacuum.

I purchased this vaccum and waited 10 days for it to arrive. As other reviews have indicated it took 2 screws to attach the handle and I was ready to go. I went around the house using it and noticed immediately that it was picking up tons of dirt. I loved the self propelled feature( the machine is quite heavy and without it would be tough to vacuum). It is a heavy machine when you are transporting it from room to room ( such as first floor to second floor) The instructions say you shouldn't really be dragging the machine by the handle when moving it. But what else should you use to move it when you are trying to carry it upstairs? It is way too bulky to carry the body of it. I set the machine in manual ( which you are always supposed to do when rolling or carrying the vacuum so you don't ruin the self propelled feature) and still use the handle to carry upstairs. I did notice right away that my dirt alert light never came on. I knew I had very dirty floors(you should have seen what was in the canister!) but the light never came on. I called eureka and got some service rep who was more interested in selling me filters then helping me out with my problem. She thought if I bought all new filters that would help solve the problem ( hello? this was a brand new vaccum! Why would I need new filters?) Since she didn't succeed at selling me any new items she finally suggested I take it to a Eureka service center. Luckily for me, there is one in town and I plan to take it there this weekend. If there wasn't, I would have had to ship the vaccum to the nearest service center -shipping costs not reimbursed) Needless to say I am disappointed it needs serviced already! I have used it in the meantime and love the amount of dirt it picks up. It shows how poorly my old vaccum ( a Hoover Windtunnel) did. I also love that the accessories are stored on the machine. None of them fall off like they did on my previous machine. I agree that the long cord gets in the way when you are vacuuming and you need to hold it up and away so you don't roll and vacuum over it. And as I said before a handle to carry it would solve dragging it upstairs by the thin handle. Overall I am glad I got this vacuum. It does the job. I am upset that it needs serviced and even considered sending it back to Amazon but did not want to wait another 2 weeks for another vaccum. Apparently the dirt alert feature has worked for other reviewers and I was one of the unlucky ones that got a machine that had a faulty one.
edited to add. after 4 weeks at the service center I did get my vacuum back. Now the light never goes out. But I am sure it is working as my carpets are very dirty! I love how much dirt this vaccum picks up :O).. apparently, according to the service center i went to, the dirt alert feature is a problem for this vaccum and it has been known to break down.. Besides that I live it!

I just purchased this machine and used it at home immediately. The assembly was very simple. I had vacuumed my carpet earlier with my old cleaner. After I used my new Eureka, I couldn't believe it. It picked up so much dirt, and pet hair. The extension wands are great, and the True HEPA filter works great. The machine glides across the carpet due to the self propulsion feature. Plus, Consumer Reports magazine had this machine rated higher than any other vacuum they reviewed. I would definitely recommend this vacuum to anyone who is in the market for a new vacuum cleaner.

My vacuum finally arrived! (It took a month from the time I placed the order and the box looked pretty beat up from shipping.) It came out of the box, and with one screw it was ready to go! But wait! Isn't this supposed to be self-propelled? I can already tell from the dirt cup accumulation that this vacuum will do a great job, but I'm going to have a right arm like Popeye after he eats his spinach if I have to push this thing! So... I call the Eureka hot-line... "do this, do that... I'm sorry but it looks like you'll need service on the machine" NO! I decided to take a quick look "under the hood" and saw the cable that was in the handle extending into an ominous black box. Two screws...can't hurt to look (with the machine unplugged, of course), so I pop off the cover and, alas, the snap-on cable connection to the power supply is dangling. It must have come loose in shipping! THAT'S IT! The vacuum works just fine now! And yes, this is THE BEST vacuum I ever owned! Talk about instant gratification -- the see through dirt cup tells you how much your efforts are paying off. Even my college age son has taken to vacuuming his room! (He was determined to make the dirt sensor light go off!) Even after a bumpy start and a considerable wait for delivery, it was all worth it! This is an EXCELLENT product and a real deal from Amazon! If you need a vacuum, I say GO FOR IT!

I have been putting off buying a new vacuum for way too long. I am amazed at how quiet this Bissell Powerglide is. It's also very easy to push around. I like the fact that it has height adjustments that allow me to use it on my carpeted floors as well as tile. The tools work great for picking up pet hair from my stairs and couch. I should have bought one of these a long time ago. I will recommend this vacuum to anyone who will listen.

After doing a bit of research, I found that CR gave good marks to the Bissel machine. So, I ordered it from Amazon (free shipping), and it took a mere 3 days to arrive.

The vacuum is light, QUIET (I originally bought a Hoover but it was so loud I returned it), has a nice length hose for the cleaning tools, and has a long power cord (35'). As for performance, it does a great job, and the suction from the upholstery attachment is indeed very strong (actually, almost too strong). The bag is easy to reach/replace (just pop off the front cover), and the vacuum has both a pre-filter (to prevent objects from entering and damaging the fan), and a post-filter (to keep dirt from exiting the bag). (I'm not a fan of bagless vacuums. They must be emptied more frequently and are very messy to empty. And don't be fooled into thinking you are saving a lot of money with a bagless; the better ones have expensive HEPA filters that must replaced). The only real problem with the machine is that because it's lightweight, it has a tendency to tip over when using the cleaning tools.

In sum, unless you are willing to pay about $175-$350 for a top of the line vacuum cleaner, the Bissel at only $99 here @ Amazon is a best buy.

Looked for a long time for a vacuum cleaner that was lightweight, powerful, quiet and priced right. This was the one. Can't beat the quality for the price. Alot quieter than some of the more expensive comperable vacuums. The free delivery was also a bonus and arrived five days before listed. Thanks Amazon.com!!