Vacuum Woes...

I am about to blog about a household appliance....I do realize this is scraping the bottom of the subject matter barrel, but it is what it on my mind lately.

I have a Bissell Powertrak Revolution vacuum.

IT was supposed to be a good one, it features a Turbobrush for cleaning stairs and pet hair...(.never mind that I don't have stairs). It is a bag less model which was a must for me as I liked seeing what I got out of the carpet each vacuuming session. It has about 5 different filters and all kinds of special features right? Well it is a terrible vacuum, the suction is poor (because it has so many filters that get clogged that have to be washed out periodically), the beater bar/brush bar has had to be replaced once already and needs it again, the thing clogs up all the time I have to stop vacuuming and either get the shop vac to suck out the clogs of hair and dirt from the hose section right behind where the beater bar is or I have to dig it out with something......it is a VERY messy process and annoying for sure. Then when it comes time to emptying the dust cup it is THE most messy process, you dump it into the garbage can but get to enjoy the poof of dirt all over and you are lucky if all the dirt actually gets into the garbage can, why did I think bag less was a good idea? It is really messy even if you carefully take the canister out, dirt still falls all over the vacuum itself so you end up vacuuming along and probably dropping more dirt here and there with the emptying process. So I beg to question, why do we have a HEPA filter and 5 means of filtration if when you empty the canister it gets poofed back into the air worse then ever? What is the point?

So I just finished picking out my new vacuum. I at first wanted a Dyson or Oreck.....then I got to reading reviews and I actually used a Dyson for a while at church. I am not impressed with the Dyson, it does have good suction I will give it that but it is awkward to operate, the buttons are hard to figure out and it was incredibly hard to push on low pile carpet of all things. Plus the way the front rounds down you can't vacuum under anything it is too bulky.:( Anyway the Oreck had so many negative and mixed reviews I opted against it to because of price, bag costs, and the fact that you have to have two machines to do the job of one normal vacuum since the upright does not have a hose you have to use the little canister vacuum they send free. Anyway I went with a Hoover, I spent less than I was going to on a Dyson or Oreck and it seems to have some nice features. I had a really basic Hoover from our wedding 11 years ago and it lasted 9 years without any problems or repairs.....my current vacuum I had less than 2 years and have needed to replace the beater bar two times and am constantly unplugging it. So I kinda went with the brand I knew worked alright for us. I found it on Walmart.com for $220 and free shipping and handling. Then I also looked on Ebay and was able to find it for $144 and $20 SH so I bought it off Ebay with a Square Trade Extended Warranty so if it breaks they pay to fix it or if it can't be fixed they reimburse me what I paid for it, it is a 3 year warranty so I hope it works ok. The warranty was cheap so I figure it was worth it for a little extra piece of mind. This is the most I have spent on a vacuum so I am hoping the more you spend the more reliable right? LOL

Here is my new vacuum that I should be getting in a week or two. Hoover Windtunnel Bagged Upright U6439-900.

Here are the specs in case you feel like reading a boring list of specs. LOL

The Hoover WindTunnel self-propelled vacuum features an on-board powered hand tool for cleaning stairs and upholstery, agitator on-off switch for cleaning bare floors, filter bag check indicator to let you know when to change the bag, and HEPA filtration, which is great for allergy sufferers.
Self-propelled for effortless cleaning
Deluxe stretch hose and on-board powered hand tool for above-floor cleaning, stairs and upholstery
Embedded-dirt finder system lights up to let you know when the carpet is clean
Agitator on/off switch allows for cleaning bare floors
Bag check indicator lets you know when bag needs to be changed
HEPA filtration traps 100% of dust mites, 99.98% ragweed and common grass pollens
31-foot cord with quick release
Wide, 15-inch cleaning path
Headlight
Model No. U6439-900
Top-rated by a leading consumer magazine
Available at Walmart.com; not available in Wal-Mart stores