Bissell 1719 Handheld Vacuum

My Bissell spot lifter has been a wonderful investment. I bought it about a year ago for around $40 at Target. I purchased the soap that was recommended for the product, but later switched to another small spot lifter brand because I didn't like the smell. I have been very pleased with my purchase.

My Bissell was actually purchased to clean up spots that my 2 dogs occasionally leave. It does a wonderful job at lifting small spots on the carpet. It initially took about 24 hours to fully charge, but the charge lasts amazingly long! I became very bored one day and decided to clean my entire bedroom floor with it. It never did need to be charged. It must have taken me 1 or 2 hours! I was shocked to say the least! The charger is not heavy at all and it has a round plug that inserts into the back of the unit. It is similar to a cellular phone charger and just as easy to plug and unplug, maybe easier.

The soap is very easy to put into the soap container. It lifts from the unit , unscrews, you fill it, screw the top back on, and push it back in the unit, completely effortless. It does not hold much soap though. It holds around 3 cups.

I have a bit of trouble emptying the unit. There is a button the top that you push and the theory is that you put a little pressure on the top and the part that contains the dirty water comes right off. I have problems pushing the button down and pushing the compartment down while holding the unit. I usually get help and then it's very easy. There is a knob you turn on the back and remove to empty the compartment. I personally like to rinse my unit where it sucks up the dirty stuff, and in the compartment. It also has a little brush on the bottom that is very easy to pop off and rinse. After completing this procedure, the knob is put back on and you just push the compartment back on the unit, again, completely effortless. The compartment does not hold much and must be emptied very regularly, but this is a spot lifter and not designed for big jobs.

To turn the unit on and off, there is a switch on the handle right at your thumb. Whoever designed this was brilliant! You don't have to reach around, turn it over, or any other trick to turn it off. You just reach over with your thumb that is already there on the unit and flip the switch. It really is that easy. Another part of the brilliant design is that it is incredibly light weight, maybe 5-8 lbs. It is very durable

There are 2 things I have found that I don't like about this unit. The first is that some of the waste will drip out of the front part that sucks it up. I have had this problem with every unit I have purchased. My solution is to purchase a travel size cat little pan. It's just the right size and only about a dollar. The other problem is that it has a very bad smelling exhaust after being used a few times. I rinse mine, as I said before, very thoroughly after every use and I still have this problem. I don't know why and I don't know how to prevent it. That being said, I still don't think I could live without it. I can always spray some air freshener!