Archive for November, 2009

Hoover U6439 900 Self Propelled WindTunnel Ultra Upright Vacuum Cleaner

Hoover U6439 900 Self Propelled WindTunnel Ultra Upright Vacuum Cleaner




Perfect for deep cleaning without excessive strain, the self-propelled Hoover WindTunnel Ultra upright takes charge of its own locomotion both coming and going. In addition, Hoover’s WindTunnel technology creates a powerful double air path for maximum suction and cleaning. The vacuum even provides feedback on cleaning progress with the Embedded Dirt Finder–a feature that scans the floor for debris, signaling you if there’s still dirt to be picked up. You can operate the Dirt Finder on a regular setting for your routine cleaning or on a high setting for your deep-cleaning sprees.

The WindTunnel Ultra is designed for both bare floors and carpets, with a 15-inch cleaning path and three adjustable nozzle heights to accommodate variation in carpet depth. Dirt collection is bagged using Hoover’s Microfiltration system, and a helpful indicator signal keeps you posted on the bag’s status. A HEPA filter assists the bag, trapping 100 percent of dust mites and 99.98 percent of ragweed and common grass pollens.

The vacuum comes handsomely equipped for attachment cleaning with a stretch hose, two extension wands, a crevice tool, an upholstery tool, and a dusting brush all on board. (The Dirt Finder does not work with the attachments.) The most rigorous attachment is a powered hand tool with its own rotating brushroll–great for carpeted stairs and durable upholstery. Other useful elements include quick-release cord hooks, a carrying handle, a headlight, and a view window over the brush roll. Hoover covers the machine with a one-year warranty. –Emily Bedard

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Two things you should know about this vacuum
This is a pretty good vacuum with decent suction and the self propel makes it easy to use. My wife wont let me buy anything else ever again.

But there are two things you should know about.

The first is to never pick it up by the handle, but to use the recessed grab area just below the handle. Its intuitive to pick it up by the handle, but you’ll damage the on/off switch if you do that and it wont work anymore. They tell you this in the directions and even put a sticker on it telling you not to do this, but I see my wife doing it all the time.

The second is that you can expect to put a new self propel drive belt in about every six months if you use the vacuum frequently. The belt stretches and after about 6 months worth of use the self propel will either not work well or stop working altogether and you may get a yummy burnt rubber smell. Good news is the belts are only a couple of bucks for a package of two. Bad news is you have to take out four screws, wiggle off a panel and it can be a little challenging to get the old belt off the spindle and then work the new one on. Comparing the size of the six month old stretched belt with a new one, you’ll see that the old one is considerably larger than the new one.

You’d think they could use a belt thats a bit better made and would last longer, or use a different mechanism. I see an awful lot of bad reviews from people saying the self propel quit working and the unit smelled burnt, so it seems its a common issue.

We’ve owned three of these and the latter two came with 3 year warranties, although if you bring it in for service with a bad belt you’ll get charged for the service call. Bad belts are the owners responsibility. We still have two of them working but on one the wire that actuates the self propel forward and backward (you can see it once you lower the handle) is attached to a slim plastic part and that part broke off about 2 months out of warranty.

So with about 5 minutes of belt replacement a few times a year and a little care around how you pick it up and move it, you can get a lot of life out of one of these, and the self propel really makes light work of the job.

I only took one star off because I think Hoover could do a better job of designing it or making a heavier duty reinforced belt that would last at least a couple of years.

4 Stars Great product but not perfect
I bought this vacuum more than two years ago at a dicount at Big Lots–under $100.00. I wondered if there might be something wrong with the model but decided to take a chance since vacuuming is very hard on my back and we just moved to a house with lots of carpeting. After the small bit of assembley at first try the self propel did not work. I took the handle apart to investigate and believe I found some sort of switch that wasn’t on or plugged in or something… put it back together and walla!!…worked like a charm. The self propel belt burned out after about a year and it was tough but I managed to replace it myself after ordering the correct size on line…seemed like it wouldn’t stretch that far but I did get it on and have had no more trouble with that. The roller brush also snapped but that was easy to fix. The suction tube gets clogged from time to time when I try to tackle something that really needs a shop vac but I have to say it really does a great job on our dirt and pet hair and though I have had to tinker with it from time to time for the price I paid I am happy with it because it does such a great job and I can vacuum the whole house without a sweat and without breaking my back. I’m a woman but my dad taught me long ago not to be afraid to roll up my sleeves and get a little dirty… most things can be fixed simply and last twice as long.

1 Star Motor burned up
I’ve had this sweeper less than a year and this morning it totally died after emitting a burning motor smell. It will not turn on. This is the end of a long line of problems with this sweeper. It weighs too much and is top heavy, always tipping over. The hose developed a tear at the junction and has had a series of duct tape repairs for months. The on/off switch broke when it was only a few months old and I’ve been forced to plug/unplug since then to use it. Very annoying. (I did take the handle apart and ‘fix’ the switch a few times but it didn’t last. I’m no engineer but it looks like a ridiculous design in there – basically like a light switch that toggles off and on as the outer switch is moved up and down. The plastic ‘finger’ doing the toggling just wears out.) I’ve had a series of Hoover self propelled vacuums and the quality of this one was noticably poorer than that of its ancestors. The only positive thing I can say is it had good suction. I’m going to try a different brand this time around. And Hoover, if you’re listening…stop the slide into cheap crap. Too many companies wrongly think that’s the route to survival these days.

1 Star what a horror!!!
WE bought this machine to clean our spiritual center where the 1600 sq feet are all carpet, little furniture. We wanted something self propelled because of the open expanse of floor. It cleaned well for the first few times and then began to growl, and finally the motor exploded in a shower of sparks and awful smell. It was 4 months old. Since it was under warranty we could get the motor relaced, which took 6 weeks. It then worked Ok for about a year and just recently the on/off switch died and it turned on only when it was plugged in. Just last week it exploded again, and would’nt you know, the warranty had expired! The vaccum repair man said it would be cheaper to buy a new vacuum. I guess it will be no more hoovers. Too Bad!

1 Star Eats through Belts – BEWARE
After purchasing new from Home Depot we can’t believe the number of belt-replacement problems that have been experienced with this vacuum. After putting the twelfth belt on (less than a year) I was convinced we must be missing some part that attached to the spindle (coming out of the motor which the belt wraps around and causes the beater brush to turn) because why else would this thing be eating through belts at this rate? I can’t find any sign of a missing piece and the stench this vacuum puts out when a belt burns is like a tire-fire in the house.

I’d recommend avoiding Hoover and this unit in particular; we certainly will be when I head out to look for a replacement.

Simply awful…

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Dirt Devil 082500 Breeze Bagless Canister Vacuum

Dirt Devil 082500 Breeze Bagless Canister Vacuum




“Breeze Vision” Canister Vacuum 12 amps 20 cord Bagless “MicroFresh” filtration Tools on board for bare floors and carpets Replacement filter (Ace No. 1204775) Replacement HEPA filter (Ace No. 1235571) Cobalt 1 year warranty UL/CUL listed Boxed

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Love the Dirt Devil Breeze
I now own two of these Canister Vacuums one for each floor of my home. I have hard wood floors and the brush attachement makes getting up the dust and pet hair a Breeze. No bags a big cost saver.

5 Stars Great Little canister vacuum
This small and lightweight vacuum this ideal for our new oak floors. I would recommend it to anyone. It is very powerful for it’s size. Onr drawback is the quality of the yellow brush attachment is not good. I have to use one from another vacuum. Otherwise if you have wood floors it is GREAT! Rita from Wi,

5 Stars DIRT DEVIL 082500 BREEZE BAGLESS CANISTER VACUUM
I LIKE THE DIRT DEVIL BREEZE CANISTER VACUUM VERY MUCH. IT HAS A VERY GOOD SUCTION. I HAVE BIRDS, AND IT MANAGES TO PICK UP THE BIRD SEEDS FROM MY RUG VERY GOOD, AND ON BARE FLOORS, IT IS AN EXCELLENT PICKER-UPPER. HAS VERY NICE ATTACHMENTS. I CAN EASY MOVE THE CANISTER VACUUM— LIGHT. AND ALSO, WHEN IN THE FUTURE, WHEN THE FILTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, CAN GET FROM THE DIRT DEVIL COMPANY OR LOCAL VACUUM STORE. EASY TO GET IT REPLACED…AND DO NOT HAVE TO BUY BAGS FOR IT. THIS IS A GREAT FEATURE TOO.

5 Stars Powerful little vacuum
Great vacuum for the money. It’s so hard to find canister vacuums these days. I have hardwood, tile and very little carpet and this vacuum does it all.

4 Stars Breeze Bagless Canister review
This vacuum has excellent suction. The ability to clean it out is fantastic but the cord wind-up gets in the way of emptying the dirt cup. It would be even better if this had a auto-wind on the cord. Overall the machine does very good work.

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Hoover Hepa Shoulder Vaccum

Hoover Hepa Shoulder Vaccum




HEPA SHOULDER VACUUM This lightweight back pack vacuum weighs only 9.2 lbs! Provides 120 CFM air flow using a 2-stage, 9.6 Amp motor. 6.4 Quart capacity tank has a clear dome lid for instant debris inspection. Includes 3-stage filtration with HEPA filter, shake out cloth bag and HyperconeTM cartridge filter. Ergonomic harness includes a sternum clip to secure shoulder straps. Features a 1-12 positive locking hose and attachments. Tool kit includes flexible hose, extension wands, crevice nozzle, squeegee, and floor brush and carpet tools. Includes a 50L power cord. 2 year warranty. Click here to see full selections of our Floor Care Machines.

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70082 Eureka Vacuum Cleaner Replacement Filter

70082 Eureka Vacuum Cleaner Replacement Filter




For optimum performance replace filter every 2 to 3 months.

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Hoover UH70015 Platinum Collection Cyclonic Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner

Hoover UH70015 Platinum Collection Cyclonic Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner



12 amp bagless upright vacuum cleaner with Windtunnel Technology
Multi-stage cyclonic filtration; HEPA media for cleaner indoor air
Embedded Dirt Finder; adjustable height; brushroll shutoff; LED headlight
Stretch hose, extension wand, crevice tool, and dusting brush/upholstery tool included
Measures 15-8/9 by 13-8/9 by 43-1/2 inches; 6-year limited warranty

User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars Nice Job BUT…
I’ll agree with everyone else. This vacuum does pick up well on both carpet and hard floors. But it could use a little extra thought in the design of the hose. The hose is very short. It doesn’t extend enough to reach all the steps in my entrance hall or my basement. There is no extention piece either nor does the wand telescope to be longer. And the little attachment that comes with it is hard to manuver without the brush on it. It gets hung up in the carpet and is pretty small. A turbo brush attachment should have been included to allow a more thourough cleaning job on stairs and upholstery. I would have thought a company like Hoover who has been around for years would have thought out and designed the perfect vacuum by now but this one falls short. It’s great for normal vacuuming of carpets and hard floors but forget using it for the rest. I am leaning toward returning it for a refund and looking for something better. Also see my review on the Electrolux Versatility. My search continues.

3 Stars worth the money??? you decide
well when we bought this vacuum we had High hopes, especially of the price. Let me start with the great part, More suction then any other vacuum we have ever owned. Brought out more dirt and dust then any vacuum we have ever owned. The dirt sensor is awesome, works just like described, usually by our doorways is the dirtiest and the sensor proves that.

Now for the bad. Size!!!!!! Too big, will not fit under our beds like all our other models that we have owned, even when you put it at the lowest setting it still will not fit. The extension is NOT long enough to do any vacuuming above shoulder height.

Would love to give it a 5 star ratings, but the two items that I mentioned are too important not to mark it down a star for each one. Would I buy it again? No, for the two reasons I mentioned, but Man the areas it does reach… Wow, what suction!!!

4 Stars Good But with issues
I just purchased this vacuum so this is from the perspective of the first 48 hours. I read quite a bit about different versions looking for a HEPA filter bagless model. In the end, the choice was between this unit and a DYSON 14. The DYSON had many more positive reviews and, to me, was considered the standard. However, I do not plan to use the vacumm often so I let my wife may the final decision. She handled both vacuums and selected this unit. As I understand it, she selected this one because of the conventional look as well as the perception that the Hoover will go under some furniture and will clean baseboards. The DYSON will not.

A small glitch occurred when we got the unit home. There are only two screws to finish the vacuum and Hoover forgot to include them. So, I had to drive a 1hr round trip to obtain the screws. Thanks Hoover.

Back home, the vacuum went together and we tested it in areas where we typically vacuum with our old sears craftsman model. In all areas, lots of dirt and carpet lint were recovered. Inspecting the debris both then and after another repeat indicates that most of what is picked up is carpet lint. The beater brushes appear to work carpet hard.

The dirty/clean indicator is sonic based. From what I see, if anything is ’seen’ in the airstream, the light is red. This means that carpet lint triggers the dirty indication as well. This seems to work but repeats over the same patch of “clean” carpet will likely have reoccurrences of “dirty”. I think we are going to think in terms of average rather than looking too closely at the light.

What I notice is that the extension wand is short as in very short. The DYSON, though difficult to get on and off, was better in this regard. One good thing about the vacuum is that the brushes turn off when the vacuum is on and upright. This is something that the craftsman didn’t do.

I gave this unit 4 stars for the completely useless canister bottom lid clip. The canister comes off perfectly. It dumps easily but not as easliy as the DYSON. Closing the bottom cover is a pain. The manual says “press firmly”. Yeah, a gorilla could press firmly but everyone else is going to try banging or slamming the lid close. This is not good long-term. I eventually showed my wife that by pressing the release button again, you can actually close the bottom without risking damage to the unit or your hand. Unfortunately, this will get both hands completely dusty. This is a complete failure by Hoover. If anyone can simply press down and get this to close I would like to know how. I have to wonder if the engineer even tried this contraption.

One last item is noise. This unit is quiet. It is quieter than the DYSON or our old craftsman. Both my wife and I commented on this.

In the end, this vacuum appears better than older models. It appears to be sturdier than the DYSON. This unit has three filters all of which are permanent (cyclone, primary, hepa). This is what I was looking for and expect it not to disappoint.

Here’s to hope…..

5 Stars Worth Every Single Penny!
This vacuum cleaner was worth every penny I paid for it! I was very hesitant to pay about $450 for a vacuum, but I was tired of buying a new vacuum about every 2 years because I did not want to pay more than $100 for a vacuum cleaner.

I was not disappointed. I have a dog that sheds, and I have longer hair, and I shed a lot too, and find that this vacuum picks up very well. I could not believe how clean my rugs looked after using this vacuum on them; I did not realize just how dirty they were.

Also, the controls are very intuitive, and the vacuum was very easy to assemble.

I agree with the one user who mentioned the awkward way of emptying the vacuum when it’s full, but it is by no means a deal breaker.

Between the performance and the 6 year limited warranty, I highly recommend this product. I wanted to give it 4.5 stars because the awkward way of emptying the vacuum, but since I could not, I rounded up because I really like this vacuum.

4 Stars Good, but a few things you need to know
We went through our second Dyson, and decided to switch just for the sake of doing so. Aside from the really high end European models, we opted for this new “prestige” line from Hoover, figuring it would be interesting to see what’s the best they can do at a higher price point.

The machine itself looks really good, and when you turn it on, it’s like starting a nice car, it almost purrs. The electronic start/stop and the electronic height adjustments are fabulous, very refined. And the machine seems to pick up everything in site.

Now, here are a few things to keep in mind, none of which are deal-breakers, but believe me, this thing is not perfect.

First and foremost, emptying the dirt chamber. At first we thought it was like most other bagless machines, you flick a lever and let the stuff fall in your garbage. But after about a week, we noticed the machine not picking up nearly as well, and we couldn’t figure out a thing.

Then we looked carefully and saw that a huge collection of hair and debris had collected inside an inner cup, wrapped around the so-called cyclonic device. Once we got rid of that stuff, the vacuum was like new again. Still, it is hardly referred to in the manual, and it is rather a messy task.

Finally is the “dirt” indicator. It works on some sort of audio principle, sending out sounds which come back distored if they run in to dirt. I find that this works most of the time, but sometimes, it just stays red, and even after going over the area five times, it stays red.

I guess one could beef about the extension cord, why they didn’t come up with some better way to unreel it and attach it to the machine. This is just like every other vacuum in that respect, but the cord seems longer.

I think I would buy it again, but the bag emptying procedure is sloppy and very unsophisticated. I’d be looking for machines that might do that job better.

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