Vacuum Reviews

I've had the DustBuster for less than a year and have used it for light clean-up in my kitchen. The blower on the unit actually blows the dirt away, so I end-up having to chase after it.

My biggest complaint, however, is that after 6 months of relatively infrequent use, the unit only ran for about 45 seconds. Now it doesn't run at all, because the battery has to be replaced, and I precisely followed the directions regarding proper battery care in order to prolong the life of the battery.

Please save your money and just use a broom or a more reliable shop-vac. The battery performance in this unit has been extremely disappointing.

I join the chorus of those who say this is just a terrible piece of goods. Very, very poor battery performance. Despite following "rules" such as allowing it to run down completely, not leaving on charging all the time, Etc. it still fails to take and hold a full charge. Runs at low power for only very short time. Not worth buying, not worth replacing batteries, not worth having one !

I have an older version of this hand vac and it has served me well. I have replaced the filters occasionally, although they were hand washable. I have 2 original batteries, and bought 2 new ones two years later. So that's one battery a year, essentially. Sure the batteries run down, but that's what the charger is for! Have a spare on hand (they are sold cheaper in 2-packs anyway). It picks up beads and cat litter great. Only complaint is that you have to take the filter out to empty it, and it drops stuff if it gets too full. Otherwise, my old one is a great product, so I ASSUME the newer one is even BETTER! I'll be buying another soon.

Save your money on this. It doesn't pick up anything! It's horrbile!

A cheap vacuum. Spend more and get a better quality vacuum that will last longer. This one is awkward, cumbersome, and loud. It cleans decently after you adjust the high-low knob according to the floor/carpet you have, but there are better vacuums around. Mine lasted over a year, but now I have the same problem as others who posted here. I think the motor is shot. Now, it shakes, is LOUD, and smells like something is burning.

Great cleaner for a small apartment or similar spaces. Lots of suction power, and lots of attachments for those tight, hard to get to areas. The only drawbacks might be the loudness (think of a dentist's drill multiplied by 20), and the rather delicate design which seems to consist of nearly all plastic parts. No problems so far, and I've had mine for three years, which in my opinion, makes it well worth the cost.

Thanks for those who put their reviews of this product. Looks like I will not by buying it.

I can echo all of the same comments other users have about this vacuum. From the burning smell of the beater bar to the wallowing cannister to finding the special bags it all adds up to an expensive mistake. Why haven't appliance makers been able to "get it together" by now?

This is an excellent product for the money. It compares well to more expensive European canisters. A good assortment of tools comes with the vacuum at no extra charge. The suction is strong and adjustable. The carpet head has a separate motor and lifts dirt from the carpeting effectively. The wand to the carpet head is plastic and does not feel as solid as the metal wands on a Miele but the cord is nicely integrated. If you're shopping for a high end vacuum and are looking to the European canisters this one will do everything they do for a fraction of the cost!

I have had this machine for a little over a year. Problems started surfacing after about 8 months... the internal "thermostat" kept shutting off the motor. Initially, I thought the problem was air flow, so I replaced the main filter... (which was, as an earlier reviewer noted... impossible to find -- not even the retailer who sold me the machine stocks this basic filter... I finally found one after hours of web searching at Grimes Discount Vacuum, which sells them online.) After chaning the filters, the machine would run for longer intervals, but still shut down. Those intervals continued to decrease until the machine was only good for 30 seconds before needing a 20 minute "cool off". Thinking the problem might be motor RPM's due to belt slippage, I replaced the belt... and things got worse! I have now spent enough time disassembling this machine to know 2 things: (1) the manufacturer put in a super high power motor without testing air flow after regular use... (i.e., deterioration of flow due to debris accumulating in the rotors), and (2) Hoover (a division of Maytag) is really in the business of sending lots of repair business to its servicemen: you can't even get a simple answer about filters from Hoover "customer support". I consider this machine garbage - I would never buy another Hoover.

The Hoover Widepath Bagless with Hepa filter seemed like a dream come true for the price and features offered. The first time I used it, I was impressed with the powerful suction and the amount of cat hair the carpet brush was able to pick up. The second time I used it, a burning smell indicated trouble and when I looked underneath, the brushes were not turning. In investigating the problem, I decided to empty the dirt cup which promptly dumped a significant amount of dirt onto the floor as it released with an abrupt pop. Figuring it was a bad belt and liking the original performance of the machine, I exchanged the non-functioning vacumn for another of the same model. I had exactly the same experience, (only this time, I know how to release the dirt cup without spilling). The vacumn on the second use again emitted a burning smell and this time the brushes still turned but the suction was nil.
I give this product two stars for the power of the motor but the durability is very poor and the ease of use of the hose is very poor. Also, there is no apparent way to stop the brushes turning while you are using the hose. This can be hard on carpet and flooring when you leave the machine parked in one spot while you use the hose.
My advice is do your research and buy a vacumn with a good track record. I did find a comparable model well reviewed in the same price range by a different manufacturer.

This is a great vaccum, if you know how to use it. I had the same problem of a burning smell that a lot of people have written about, and the belt to the vacuum broke almost instantly. However, when I took it to the repair place, the guy showed me that I had the carpet level setting all wrong, and that's what caused the smell and the broken belt. Now that I know how to use my vacuum, it works like a charm. It comes with a bunch of different attachment tools and is great at picking up cat hair.

This machine worked great, for about 10 minutes. Then, I smelled something burning and the motor blew up. It won't turn on at all now. The rotating brush seemed to really struggle on my thick carpet. The cleaning power though for that first 10 minutes, was exceptional. It did leave large lint balls all over the floor so you'll have to follow up with a vac after the carpet is dry. I'm not sure whether to exchange it for a new one (maybe I just got a lemon) or to forget Bissell all together.

It worked REALLY well for about the 1rst 2 months. I use it a lot, I have 3 dogs & a baby. It does not suck up like it used to, and that is the whole point!!!! It leaves the floor wet, and I can't keep everyone off of it for 2 days to dry. This is my second one, too, and it is doing the exact same thing.

this is ok for an average person

That's what we said after the first time we turned it on. This vacuum is way too loud. My old, steal green Eureka vacuum I bought in the early 80s wasn't nearly as loud as this one. It has a high pitched screeching sound when I vacuum. I've had to take it apart many times to try and figure out what the clanking inside the plastic base was. But there wasn't anything in it. It also stinks whenever I turn it on, like burnt rubber and dust. The filteration does not work because dust often sprays out of the plastic cracks polluting the air. It takes multiple times running it over dirt until it fully picks it up. The other day the belt broke which I had to replace and had a hell of a time getting the parts off, especially the spinner-sweeper thing. After I had it all put back together that clanking started again inside the motor/base and would not stop. There was no way I was taking it apart again. I turned it off and then turned it back on again and it stopped. But yesterday it fell down the stairs and crashed into the front door. Leaving a black scuff mark on the door. Flusterated, I grabbed it and picked it up, plugged it in, and turned it on. The most horrible noise left my ears ringing after I turned it off. It's about ten times louder now than it used to be. The screeching is almost unbearible. Later on, my daughter started using it to clean her room and all of the sudden I hear BAM!!! BOOM!!! BA BA BA BAM!!!!!!!!!! I thought she was busting the hell out of it! My daughter shouted and said it broke. I wasn't surprized. "What the hell did you do to it?" I said. "Nothing!" she said. "It's shot". She was flusterated and threw it down the stairs. Oh boy did I tell her! She's 19 and still acts like a little kid. Now I have to run to K-Marts tomarrow and get a new one. Bye. Allison Conner.

I've got to ask; WHAT DID YOU EXPECT FROM A $70 VACUUM????

I bought this vacuum *brand new* for $40 dollars somewhere else before I headed off the college this year, and all I can say is that it works GREAT! I have had no trouble with it so far, and it cleans my little dorm room great.

The good things about this vacuum is that it has a cord storage that really isn't hard to use if you know how to use it properly. It also has a detachable hose that is NOT hard to use if you know how to attach it and detach it properly... There is a release lever on the side of the hose where you pull it out. Finally, it sucks out dirt BETTER than any of those typical lightweight compact upright college vacuums.

The bad things about this vacuum is that it is big, bulky, and a little heavy. So if you don't have the extra space in your dorm room closet or college apartment, then I would suggest something else. It is also LOUDER than the typical lightweight compact upright college vacuum, but aren't vacuums supposed to be loud?

So basically, if you find this vacuum for less than 50 dollars somewhere else and if you need a vacuum for college, then GET this because it is worth it. But keep in mind of the size of this vacuum if you have limited space in your dorm room or college apartment.

I read the instructions, charged the unit for 24 hours before using. To put it simple: THE DUST TAMER IS A TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY. My observations from using the unit are: 1. the suction is very weak, 2. the motion of compressing the brush into the solid core chamber only serves to embed the dust into the brush fibers, Note; there is no suction action in the solid core chamber only at the top of the unit. and 3. There was no dust collected at all in the dust compartment. The reason for that is because the dust never leaves the brush until you go outside and shake it out. Isn't there a law against this kind of commerce??

This is a total waste of money and doesn't work at all.

When you vacuum your duster you should put the duster into the green ridges and twist it up and around! I was very surprised how much dust was in the drawer after dusting for about 5 minutes. When I opened the drawer I thought there wasn't much dust in it, but to my surprise there was about a quarter of a inch of dust in it. The first time I tried I was putting the duster all the way in, but when I just put it into the top where the green gooves are, I got great results. It is a wonderful product. I am disable & having this make me feel a little useful again!

I bought this vacuum because I needed a vacuum that would
work on wood floors and carpet. I had a cheap little dirt
devil for 10 years that was still working before I bought
the twin light. I found many things wrong. First of all, you
need bags which I could not find in the stores so I had to order
it from the manufacturer. After using it a couple of times you
have to clean out a screen that builds up with dust. you can only
do this with your hands or a fork or knife. Very dirty. If you don't clean this out it will not have any suction. Within 3 months one of the wheels broke off. When you pull on the hose to
get the vacuum to move with you, sometimes the hose will come off
from the canister. Any I don't like that the attachment of the
floor doesn't have a brush on it to keep from scratching the floor and that the suction hole is very small compared to the size of the floor attachment. Needless to say, I would highly
recommend against the purchase of this vacuum.

Where did they get the idea this vacuum was bagless?! It's NOT.

Other than that tho, it seems OK.

I was looking for a small, easily manueverable canister vac with a replaceable bag and retractable cord. This is it -- a great little vac! The extra length of hose was a super bonus, making it easy to clean a whole flight of stairs without moving the vac itself. The unit is lightweight and zips along behind you with little effort on your part. I was surprised by the power -- excellent suction. Two negatives, from my perspective: no onboard attachment storage (though the attachments themselves are better than average), and the floor brush (not being a beater-bar type) doesn't pull dirt from deep within pile carpeting, but it still does a very satisfactory job of getting surface dirt. Overall, I was extremely pleased with the quality of this vac for the price, and am ordering another as a gift.

I purchased this Hoover less than one year ago. It kept getting clogged with dust and carpet fiber; in order to remove the clogs the bottom had to be unscrewed and the roller brushes removed. After doing this several times the plastic that held the screws became stripped and the bottom literally fell off. Since the clogging was apparently a design flaw, I did not have the vacuum repaired but replaced it with an Electrolux Aptitude. Well there is no comparison! The Electrolux is much quieter, cleans just as well and raises the nap of the carpet better is better looking and better constructed. Disassembly does not require a screwdriver so there is no problem with stripped plastic like the Hoover. The Electrolux also comes with a better variety of cleaning tools and a power-driven brush. Admittedly, the Electrolux is slightly more expensive but it is worth the difference.

Both my mother and I have had hoovers, and we have had the best results from them. I currently live in a one room house with 2 dogs, a cat, and a laundry room with access for the landlords 3 cats that I often vacuum for her. I was immediately impressed by the suction of this vacuum, however after a few months it inevitably locked up and wouldn't work. Like all the other reviewers, we found that not only was it clogged but the plastic had melted and locked up the wheel.
I ALSO STRONGLY DON'T RECCOMMEND THE BAGGED, or any bagged with this design. The bag is very small so I end up changing it all the time, and it is very akward to get in. I also read the reviews for the bagless and they had the same problems with melting as the bagged (reccommend you read these also- theres more of them).
I am surprised hoover let this vacuum get out their store.

I really like mine. I have had it a couple of months now, and it works much better than my old one. I like the ability to turn the brushes on and off which works well on my tile. Also the automatically turn off when the handle is fully up, which is great for using the hose on the furniture or baseboards.

I bought this vacuum at a local wholesale store today. I brought it home, put it together, and vacuumed for about five minutes until the hose ripped. I'll be returning it this evening. I didn't realize it was made by Euro-Pro, the same people who make the Shark line of products--which I was also disappointed with. The other vacuum didn't have much suction, and wasn't worth the money. Look elsewhere to spend your money, this brand is all Lemon!

I own the fantom falcon for 6 months and the belt has gone bad on the power head. I placed an order for another belt and the fantom company told me it was on back order and it would take 6 to 8 weeks to get a new one sent to me. "WOW" no vacuum for that long, I have wall to wall carpet with a persain cat. I also don't like the way the hepa filter is on the basket it sits right in the middle of where you collect the dirt and that collects most of the cat hair and dirt> I always had to use a air compressor to blow out the dirt every time I used It. Please anyone looking to buy this vacuum that doesn't have a air compressor and has wall to wall carpet better think again.

This vacuum is just not as powerful as it boasts to be. I always felt it was inferior, but getting a second opinion sealed it. I had my grand piano tuned, and the tuner asked to borrow the vacuum to clean out some dust. When I gave him this fantom to use, he told me "you have a pretty weak vacuum here". It couldn't even efficiently clean dust from a piano. the vacuum is only 6 months old, but I can't take it back, so I'm going to put an ad in the paper to get rid of it. Another thing is I find it difficult to store in a closet, and a pain to drag around. I'll be going back to an upright model, and I'm open to suggestions. :O)