I''m not sure why some people are having such an issue with the BISSEL LIFT-OFF FLOORS & MORE PET VACUUM? Maybe they''ve got big dogs that shed a ton of hair or something or they''re trying to use this thing as a regular vacuum cleaner and that could explain the performance problems.
I''ve got a small/medium sized Shiba Inu who sheds twice a year and so far the BISSELL LIFT-OFF has performed really well. I wouldn''t use this to vacuum carpets or large areas; this machine is basically a handheld vacuum that gives you the option of going on the hard floors (wood, tile) like an upright, to clean up stray hairs, debris, and the like, but don''t expect it to actually perform like a regular upright vacuum.
The handheld part comes off with a push of a button and I''ve used it to suck up hair off of my bed. My dog has red/cream colored fur and I''ve got black sheets (woof!), so I see ALL the hairs that fall off and stick to the bed, and the LIFT-OFF does a pretty decent job of cleaning it up, picking up mostly all of the hair with the exception of the really thin, fine ones that are hard to grasp even with fingers.
Using it as an upright with the brush spinning, the BISSELL LIFT-OFF sucked-up my hair off the bathroom floor, after I trimmed it, even with the floor being wet, which is a nightmare to pickup using something like a broom and dustpan or Swiffer sheets. I usually trim my hair in-between visits to the salon, and after I cut/trim, I must rinse off in the shower before I can clean up the hair (otherwise hair continues to litter the floor) and that''s why the floor gets damp/wet, so the BISSELL worked well in this case.
I do agree with other reviewers that the filter inside the canister gets clogged with pet hair and dust rather quickly. My solution is to clean it with a dry toothbrush. The filter comes out easily so you can also wash it out but make sure that the FILTER IS DRY before placing it back in the unit. I did that, thinking it would dry in it, but it did not (because I guess not enough air gets inside the canister) so it remained damp; when I tried to use it next, there wasn''t any suction. That''s when I discovered that the filter didn''t dry at all and I had to dry it on the counter before I could use it again. It''s much easier to clean it (dry) with a dry toothbrush until you must wash it out (maybe after several uses).
Another thing I''ve noticed is that the machine works a lot quieter than my old Dirt Devil handheld.
***** GOOD *****
Easy To Assemble -No tools required. Just snap the two parts into the handle.
Two Modes -Aside from going handheld to upright, in upright mode you can select either just suction or suction + spin brush.
Stands Upright -The broom stands on its own.
Cordless -No getting tangled with cords and the charge seems to hold for awhile.
***** BAD *****
Small Areas -The unit is best used for small areas and not large areas or on lots of carpeted areas.
Handheld -Trigger must be depressed continuously when using as a handheld vacuum.
Filter -Gets clogged quickly; No brush is included to clean off pet hairs from filter.
Anyway, if you''re looking for something more along the lines of a regular vacuum cleaner that can also be used as a handheld to get into hard to reach places, perhaps this isn''t the unit for you. This should be used as an addition to your regular vacuum cleaner for quick clean-ups, especially in pet areas, and not for heavily trafficked/polluted areas. For those areas, I would suggest looking for an upright vacuum that has a hose attachment with different heads so that it can be used both on carpet (as an upright) and also on areas like a bed or other places where an upright vacuum cannot reach.
So, out of the box no manual, but very easy to put together in 2 quick steps. We were ok there.
I liked the initial look and feel of it. I LOVE the swivel head. I love how easy it is to store it away. I love that it can fold up neatly and be stored away in a closet, OR it can stay "opened" and stand neatly, perfectly in a corner, always waiting for use. I love that it is a handheld, PLUS a stick vac (that itself is part of the problem though...)
...As I was saying, this is a (weak) handvac on a stick. It has no power. No suck. No oomph.
Well, as long as what I need cleaned up can be done in about 30 seconds, this unit is fairly ok. The charge does not last. If I try to use it for more than literally a few minutes, you can hear it dying off. I will give it 5 minutes tops and that is being generous. And then guess what You have to charge it for all but a full day before you can use it again! Um, what?!
I had hopes of using it for light cleanups of the random pet hair, dust bunnies, etc nothing major and I never planned on it being my main vacuum, of course. I have hardwood floor, tile, and natural(glazed) stone floors, with a few area or throw rugs scattered about.
My main idea for using this was in my laundry area because there seems to be so much lint, hair (human & pet), and random little bits of who knows what from the kids throwing their dirty laundry in on the pile. The floor in the laundry area is lineoleum. There is a 4ft by 14 ft closet on the left, the hallway down the center, which has about a 3.5ft width and then the washer and dryer are on the right. The end of the hallway opens into the bathroom. So, I thought this would be great for this area because I really hate using my main vac and attachments etc to do this area. It is a pain.
Well, so much for my big idea. This vac does not hold a charge long enough to get the area done. Now, I don''t need an hour, not a half hour even maybe a good 10 minutes to really do it thoroughly. But no, I can''t get that with this vac. It starts off OK. But it quickly dies off and will suck up next to nothing.
I do have 3 long haired cats, but surprisingly they do not shed much at all, and they do get brushed often, so this helps. My short haired dog is who sheds the most actually, but it is still not alot. It''s not like you look around and see blobs of hair everywhere. So, this shouldn''t be a tough job, but this vac cannot handle it? AND it''s marketed as a "Pet" vac?? Really?
I thought the roller brush feature would be nice for doing the low pile throw rugs quickly when I don''t feel like dragging out the main vac. Again, it does OK, but you have to be fast and it will only grab the smallest and lightest particles.
I cannot recommend this product. Imagine a weakly powered handvac duct taped to a broom handle that is basically what you have here, except this one folds neatly for storage.
I really wish it did work better because I honestly love the swivel head. It can get into all areas and is sooo easy to maneuver. It just lacks any type of power and the charge is absolutely terrible. Using it as just a handvac is fair at best as well. I mean if the kids got sugar all over the counter, sure you can clean that up quickly, but you can''t do much else and you will still have some leftover sugar to wipe up with a rag/sponge... Oh, and the rubber "Pet nozzle" hinders the vac from sliding on a smooth surface (like the countertop) it sticks, skips and pulls.
And you most definitely DO have to hold the button in the whole time you are using it as a handheld. There is no on/off button for the handheld, but as a stickvac it has on/off and roller brush on or off.
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I love this thing... it works great!
I love that it''s light and I can move it around easily. The swivel head is great to move around furniture and it helps to move to the next section when I do my little carpet. I can do the whole downstairs before the battery runs out. That''s 2 bedrooms and a living room in wood, 1 bathroom in tile, 1 dining room, kitchen and family room in linoleum. This guy works on all these floor types.
I have just a few throw rugs here and there and also bathroom rugs and this works great on them, too. It''s also very easy to empty out and clean!
I know I am keeping my floors much cleaner due to this machine. It takes a lot of the work out of cleaning the floors and somehow makes it a bit fun.
*** UPDATE January 19, 2013 ***
I received a very nice floor vacuum for Christmas. Honestly, it''s very nice. It''s very powerful and it works very well. But, I find myself never, ever using it. It''s just too cumbersome. It''s heavy and it''s hard to move around. Plus, it''s not battery operated so I need to plug it in to an outlet in each room I vacuum. It''s just too much work.
I am loving this Bissell more and more. It''s what I reach for when I want to clean my floors and my little rugs and I''m so thankful I have it. It''s so quick and light and easy to use. My floors are cleaner now that I use this and I spend less time keeping them clean. I can''t live without it now.
Read Best Reviews of BISSELL Lift-Off Floors & More Pet Here
We have a Eureka stick vacuum stick that is brand new and a solid performer. However, there were a couple things we didn''t like about it so decided to try the Bissell. Comparing the Bissell to the Eureka, here''s how it shook out:
Pros:
Handling. The handling of the Bissell is better. It''s smooth rolling on the tiles and corners better. (Note that we use this only on tile as I''ve yet to see any stick that can compare to a regular vacuum cleaner on carpet)
Ease of Assembly. The Bissell wins here too. My wife assembled both and although the Eureka wasn''t hard the Bissell was drop dead easy.
Charger. Bissell wins. The Eureka comes with a rack that you can mount on the wall and the charger is aligned to the rack. The Bissell is a straight plug in and the height is aligned to the electrical outlets (appox. 16" from the floor in our house). You just plug it in and lean it against the wall. The balance is such that it stays upright easily so you can pretty much store it near any outlet you want.
Settings. Tie. Both have a tile and brush setting. We use the stick for tile but the brush can come in handy on particularly dirty areas like corners.
Suction. Eureka wins here. Bissell is satisfactory for our use but the Eureka was a little better.
Charge. Tie. We have a 2700 sq. ft. home about 1/2 of which is tile. A full charge allows us to get all the tile in one charge but it does take the entire charge to do it. Charging time, after the initial charge of appox. 24-48 hours, charging time is 16 hours.
Dust Buster. Tie. Both easily disconnect and reconnect. The Bissell has rubber teeth on the end for scraping carpet which is handy for pet hair but it''s not a significant advantage.
Cleaning. Tie. Both brands are easy to clean. Snap off the dust buster, unsnap the plastic cylinder, empty, re-attach. Nothing to it.
Overall my wife and I like the Bissell better. It''s smoother to operate and much handier to store. For a tool like this where you want to use it often, quick and easy is a key and the Bissell shines in that area.
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I picked this vacuum up because the one I wanted was sold out. Let me keep you from making the same mistake. After trying to use this for three months and finding myself making excuses for it, I have to say its a piece of junk.
The only thing it can do for me is pick up individual dog hairs off hardwood stairs. Not a cluster or a clump, just little hairs. It has no power for regular rugs, can''t pull cobwebs from corners, dust bunnies from under beds, or lint clinging to electric fans like on the back of a computer.
It''s hard to clean the small dust compartment , the little rubber flap that is suppose to keep stuff inside gets stuck open and the tunnel leading to it gets clogged. You have to clear it each time. Battery life is bad, has to be charged after each attempt to vacuum house. I won''t even unload this at a garage sale, it''s going straight to recycle. What a waste of money.
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I bought this directly from irobot and ran it every 3 or 4 days for about 3 weeks before returning it to irobot. The technology is great and when the filter bag didn''t fall out, the pool was incredibly clean it really does sparkle, I was able to cut back on the number of hours the filter ran, and I noticed that I had to add less chemicals. The amount of slime that collects in the filter bag from an apparently clean pool is proof of how much it''s picking up. My pool never looked so nice and I only had to drop it in, go have dinner, come back and put it away.
