We tested *most* of the top-selling vacuums on Amazon, in side-by-side tests. First, two observations:
(1) Dyson is not the "best" vacuum ever made, but they do have the best marketing. If you''re looking for the "best" vacuum, let''s reframe the question a little bit perhaps what''s the best vacuum under $500 or under $1000? If you''re looking for the "best", be prepared to spend a minimum of $2,000-$3,000 for a commercial upright or whole-house system.
(2) About rating sytems only side-by-side comparisons make sense to us. I have a neighbor who has a Ferrari, and complains all the time about expensive tune-ups. He would give his Ferrari 3 stars on a bad day, 4 stars on a good day. My dad really likes his Hyundai, and would give it 5 stars. Does that make Hyundai better than Ferrari? We believe only in comparing apples to apples.
Different Models Reviewed:
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BISSELL CLEANVIEW HELIX:
The Bissell Helix Cleanview is a step up from the previous Helix models (such as the Power Helix this model is updated, just a few more amenities), but the suction performs the same. The suction is quite impressive at first, maybe 90-95% as strong as the Dyson.
The difference is, the "Helix" sorts out the large debris, but the small debris still ends up in the filter and WILL eventually clog it. Not a big deal replace the filter (they run about $7 for 2-packs here on Amazon), and I suggest taking apart the canister and rinsing it out, or running it through the dishwasher (top shelf, cold or luke-warm water, air dry, not heat dry).
The stair/pet attachment is almost identical to other models. The styling and handling is updated and great. Easy assembly. We really had no complaints.
The problem is, if your budget for a vacuum is $100, this may not be the best bang for your buck. Don''t get me wrong this is a great vacuum, especially if you''re a dedicated Bissell fan. However, over the past 2 weeks I''ve seen the Amazon price fluctuate from $89 to $116 (with free shipping)... and for that price, you can get Dyson-quality suction with the Eureka Airspeed or Hoover WindTunnel. Read on...
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DYSON:
The least expensive Dyson is the (Dyson DC33 Multi-Floor Upright) currently selling on Amazon for $299. If you absolutely need a Dyson to impress the neighbors, this is the best bang for your buck.
However, after testing over a dozen different models, we discovered you don''t have to spend $300 to get a top-of-the-line vacuum, that there are several brands offering models right around $100 that perform just as well. Does the Dyson live up to its marketing claims? YES it does in our opinion, fantastic quality and lossless suction.
But here''s an interesting experiment look for Dyson on craigslist from just about any major city. You''ll find dozens of people with buyer''s remorse, who paid full price for a Dyson, realized that much less expensive models perform just as well, and are trying to sell their barely used Dysons in an attempt to recoup their investment. (We checked this morning, and found about 30 such listings in our city).
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HOOVER WINDTUNNEL:
These are fantastic vacuums, nearly on par with the Dyson, and currently the #1 selling upright vacuum on Amazon. They have near-lossless suction, lots of attachments, & bagless. We would put them as almost exactly on par with the Bissell Helix, but currently the (Hoover WindTunnel) is only $99 on Amazon.
The auto-rewind cord is a commonly reported malfunction (the one we tested started to lose its spring after about 20 minutes, like an old set of window shades) and both the brush & belts tend to fail early as well. But all vacuums have drawbacks and design quirks. A huge perk is that the WindTunnel has a rinsable filter. Based on bang-for-your-buck, this is our top recommendation along with the Eureka Airspeed. You can''t go wrong with it.
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EUREKA AIRSPEED:
There are several different Airspeed models Amazon currently sells the (Eureka AirSpeed Gold) for $110. There are three different models at Walmart ranging from $98 to $135, with slightly different features bagged vs. bagless, see-through brushroll, etc.
In our tests, all of these models performed on par with the Dyson. The Airspeed had slightly better sustained suction than the Hoover WindTunnel, with only a few drawbacks (HEPA filter requires frequent changing). Nonetheless, this is our top recommendation, along with the Hoover WindTunnel. For right around $100, these two models can hold their own against just about any other vacuum in the under $1,000 price point.
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SHARK:
Shark has done a major turnaround in recent years, with extremely respectable upright vacuums with impressive suction. The 2 popular models are the (Navigator Upright) currently selling for $150 on Amazon, and the (Shark Navigator Lift-Away) for $199.
Basically these are great vacuums, almost as good as the Hoover WindTunnel or Eureka Airspeed. However the price point is higher for basically the same performance, so you''re really paying for the amenities, like the lift-away feature. The lift-away is very cool, but unless you absolutely need it, we still recommend going with the under $100 Eureka or Hoover.
If you''re looking at the Liftaway because you like the idea of having a canister vac, consider buying a separate canister vac (you''ll still end up saving money, *if* you have the storage space). Or consider getting a nice lightweight shop vac with a long hose (we like the Ridgid 4 Gallon Portable Shop Vac, which is $91 on Amazon but only $50 at Home Depot. If you don''t have the space for two devices, the Liftaway is a terrific option.
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ORECK:
The Oreck 8 lb. Upright is a fantastic vacuum, out of the box there''s nothing under $1,000 with better suction. Currently the price is $167 on Amazon, which is a fantastic price point (retail is about $350). The Oreck is known for their strong motors that last forever and ever.
However, it is not a lossless suction (you must keep it clean, change the bag, etc., to keep the performance up), and there are no attachments whatsoever no hose, no stair brush, etc. A great buy if you just need an upright vacuum with no amenities.
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DIRT DEVIL:
We tested several models (Breeze, Easy Clean, Dynamite) they are all basically the same, just different price points depending on size of canister, number of attachments, and size of motor (10 amp vs 12 amp).
All performed basically the same mediocre suction, easy clogging, poor design (many right-angle turns for pet hair &/or debris to clog up). We frequently see these on sale at Target and other retailers for under $30 or $40. Our recommendation: If you''re looking for an inexpensive dorm vacuum for very occasional/light use (like office use), these are fine but don''t pay more than $40. These are entry level vacuums.
Hope this helps thanks for reading!
I got this vacuum to replace an older Dirt Devil model and to place upstairs so I don''t have to lug the vacuum on the lower floor to the top floor all the time. I use this vacuum on a combination of laminate wood flooring, tile and fairly dense carpeting. This review compares the Bissell against a Dirt Devil Breeze Bagless Upright Vacuum (that died) and a Dyson DC17 Animal Cyclone Upright Vacuum Cleaner (that I have been using for several years).
I found the Bissell easy to assemble, and it was packed very well. I like the cord length of the Bissell. At 27 feet, it provides a good range of coverage. For comparison, the Dirt Devil''s cord is 25 feet long and the Dyson''s cord is 35 feet. The Bissell is about as maneuverable as its counterparts, featuring the standard "2 wheels in the back" design. Weight-wise, the DC17 is 20.79 pounds. The Bissell is 19.5 pounds. The Dirt Devil is 12.0 pounds.
The Bissell''s dirt container is easy to empty. I find it much easier to empty than the Dyson''s removable canister design. Suction is good for a vacuum at this price point. The Bissell picks up the stuff you see and the stuff you don''t, but the suction power lessens when the filter gets clogged. I think the Dyson has better overall suction but the Bissell has better suction than the Dirt Devil.
The HEPA filter prevents allergens from flowing back into your environment, a feature lacking on the Dirt Devil. The Bissell has dual edge cleaning and 5 adjustable height settings. Again, for comparison, the Dirt Devil doesn''t have height adjustment and the Dyson auto-adjusts. I didn''t have an issue with the height adjustment on the Bissell.
My gripe with this and many vacuums these days is they don''t have an automatic retractable cord. I had a Dirt Devil years ago that had this feature and I loved it. Also, there is no light, and once you use a vacuum with a forward facing lamp you will always want this feature.
Overall the Bissell was a great choice for my environment. I leave this one upstairs and the Dyson downstairs, which turned out to be a real time-saver. The Bissell has done a great job so far, and I have used the attachments for various purposes too. The cleaning path is wide and I like how the attachments store on the back. I would say this vacuum is a winner if you''re in the market.
Buy BISSELL CleanView Helix Bagless Upright Vacuum Now
This is a 4.5 star review rounded up to 5 for Amazon purposes.
Our BISSELL CleanView Vacuum is sitting in a corner opposite me like a stout, imposing Grand Dame viewing her subjects. This is a vacuum in the old school vein: big, tall, stately, serious. The modern additions, like a HEPA media filter and the bag-less canisters that you can just pop out and empty, do not change the essential fact that this is a family vacuum, made to take punishment and roll right over any obstacles.
The breakdown:
ASSEMBLY AND MAINTENANCE: Extremely easy. Cleaning is also a snap; we washed out the compartments and allowed them to air dry. Absolutely fine for those not mechanically minded.
PERFORMANCE: Excellent suction power, working equally well on both our carpet and our kitchen bare floor. You know that burnt smell a lot of vacuums give off when cleaning especially dirty areas? There was none of that. The cord is not retractable, like on the BISSELL Rewind PowerHelix, but that vacuum is slightly pricier. The wheel caught on our carpet one of the times we used the CleanView, but that hasn''t happened again. Overall, worlds above our old DirtDevil.
ATTACHMENTS: This is where we dock half a star. The upholstery tool brush bristles are quite hard, and could damage delicate fabrics. They really should be a bit softer, or at least you should have the option to choose a hard or soft brush. Our couch has a thin, fragile cover and we can''t really use the attachment on it. Bummer. If you have hardy thick upholstery to deal with then there is no problem.
This vacuum is an extremely good buy for how well it functions. Is it worth $15 more to get the BISELL Rewind? Most in my family prefer the Rewind to this CleanView, I think largely because of the retractable cord, as the two machines are otherwise very alike. BISSELL is our favorite vacuum by brand and this CleanView earns:
GRADE: A-
Read Best Reviews of BISSELL CleanView Helix Bagless Upright Vacuum Here
The Bissell Cleanview Bagless Vacuum cleaner provides good values for the price. Some of the key features I like are its powerful suction, easy to remove / empty dirt cup, HEPA filter, washer-able internal filter and long power-cord.
The unit is pretty easy to assemble. All we need is to screw the top handle on the vacuum body, attach the vacuum hose and accessories on the vacuum unit. It does a very good job by sucking up a lot of dirt when I tested it on my carpeted and hard wood floors. This would probably be the most important considering factor for purchasing a vacuum cleaner and this unit does it quite well with its 12 Amp motor.
A few areas which I believe could be better :
the power brush attachment is flat in design and does not have an angle adjustment which makes it a bit harder to use in some areas
this unit does not have a lamp attachment for vacuuming in low-lighted areas
no automatic cord rewind feature
This product would be a good choice for those who are budget conscious and want an unit which does a good powerful cleaning job.
Update 1/4/2013
the belt for the front brush broke by accidentally sucking in a towel on the floor. Luckily amazon has the spare parts Bissell 7/9/10 Belt 3031120 available which costs less than three dollars for two belts
Want BISSELL CleanView Helix Bagless Upright Vacuum Discount?
Purchased this Bissell Model 95P1 on sale (get this less than $60.00 BRAND NEW!) at ''Frys'' and after my first use, I was amazed at what it picked up! Granted, due to the lack of a a vacuum cleaner for well in excess of a year (and gawd knows how long it''d been since this carpeting had been vacuumed before then!) I expected loads and loads of dirt, dust, and lint (we live in a major city). I was more outraged at what was in it, though lol! The dirt cup did fill fast, as I''d expected (the first room I vacuumed was appreoximately 13 by 15 feet) so I thoroughly cleaned the unit and its (washable) filters after that use. Then, on to the living room (approximately 13 by 20 feet) and a small hallway once again, the dirt cup nearly filled up, so I emptied the dirt cup, re-cleaned the unit and its filters again. In two days, I repeated the process again, this time in all the above carpeted areas and while the dirt cup didn''t quite reach the ''full'' mark after all was finished, I once again emptied the dirt cup, cleaned the unit and its filters, just to be sure suction remained top-notch (actually, cleaning the filters there are four washable ones is so simple, accessible, and easy takes less than ten minutes to do this!). I repeated these cleanings the next week in addition to using the onboard tools (the ''TurboBrush'' tool is unbeatable!) for baseboards, slat blinds, heat registers, air-conditioning gratings, upolstered furniture, matresses, and hard-surfaced floors (baths, dining area, and kitchen) and the dirt cup still wasn''t quite on the ''full'' mark, but I at lease emptied it (didn''t clean filters this time around). I did check the non-washable HEPA ''Media'' filter each time, and it appears to be clean and flowing. I was tempted to purchase a Dyson at nearly 10 times what this unit cost me, but glad I didn''t now. I''ve read many reviews on Bissell''s (and Dyson''s) models and most say in tests, Bissell beats the Dyson for suction and cleaing I guess Dyson just does a better job of convincing the purchaser to part with those extra dollars while recognizing no real gain in performance and durability maybe Bissell should hire a guy with a Brit accent lol! All in all, I couldn''t be more pleased with this machine and I certainly recommend it to all seeking the best value for the money over any other on the market today and this is something I seldom do.
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