Bissell BIS3593E Bagless Upright Vacuum

My last vacuum cleaner, a Dirt Devil RoomMate, gave up the ghost after a couple years of questionable cleaning ability. I wanted to spend some time researching upright vacuums before I bought one, so I borrowed my girlfriend's $250 Hoover, which is a nice vacuum but is beyond my price range. I've seen plenty of $80 vacuum cleaners that last for several years and do a decent job of cleaning, but I was hoping I could spend just a little more and get a really good upright vacuum. For just $100 including shipping (at Amazon), this vacuum is so far living up to all my expectations.

Features

First, here's a list of what you get:

- 14.75" cleaning path
- 12 amps of sucking power
- clear, wire-reinforced, stretch hose
- HEPA media post-motor filter
- pre-motor filter
- wide-beam headlight
- ultra-soft bumper around the entire brush area
- seven height adjustments, from hard floor to tall carpet
- dual edge cleaning
- easy empty dirt container
- 30 foot power cord that winds around a quick-release wrap
- several cleaning accessories: crevice tool, dusting brush, and extension wand
- one year manufacturer's limited warranty

Performance

Out of the box, setup was very easy - just a few screws to install and an easy to understand instruction manual. In less than 5 minutes, I had the entire cleaner completely assembled. The upright lock/release pedal operates by foot with ease, and the power button toggles with a crisp "click". A large carrying handle on the back near the top easily supports the weight of the entire vacuum. The power button is located on the upper side of the unit, which prevents it from being accidentally pressed if it were otherwise located on the handle. Speaking of the handle, Bissell designers clearly spent some time thinking about it. It has a very smooth (but not slippery) finish and fits comfortably in my hand with a perfectly placed thumb grip - a small detail that I think signifies Bissell's commitment to producing a well-designed machine.

First time I used it, and this is a little embarrassing, I was shocked by the amount of stuff that came out of my carpet. By stuff I mean everything from large amounts of dust to crumbs to sand. For reference, I don't have any pets, I'm a very clean guy, and my carpet is plush-style but very short. Bissell claims to have the largest dirt container cup. Well, I filled it more than half way in one use over an area of about 700 square feet. Just two weeks earlier, I had thoroughly vacuumed the same area with my girlfriend's high-end Hoover. It is winter in Colorado with a lot of loose dirt flying around, but I'm still wondering if maybe this Bissell actually does a better job of cleaning. The dual-edge cleaning system does work - I've been impressed with its ability to pick up small debris resting against a wall or a piece of furniture. I'd say it picks up at least 50% of edge debris (for another couple hundred dollars, you could probably get one that picks up 75% of edge debris). Around corners, this vacuum manuvers very easily and the edge cleaner continues to work even as I'm changing direction around the corner. It doesn't always get everything, but most of the time it works really well. My tile flooring is limited, and a quick flip of the height adjustment dial lowered the brush for a quick and thorough cleaning. I'm happy to report that the wide cleaning path makes for very quick vacuuming sessions.

Along window sills and my futon couch, the cleaning tools did a great job of sucking up everything from crumbs to hair. The cleaning tools are nicely stored on the back of the vacuum cleaner when not in use, and attach effortlessly together when you need them. I've been very impressed with how far the hose can stretch; with the extension tube and crevice attachment, it can reach 15 feet without much problem, which is great for stairs and hard to reach places. I haven't had the hose become clogged yet, but the see-through design will sure make un-clogging easier. The plastic window over the brush is also see-through, so you can easily tell when something is wrapped around the brush unit. In terms of power, I've compared using the extension tube and crevice tool to my Dirt Devil Dust Devil handheld and found that the Bissell definitely provides great suction, although the Dust Devil remains useful for small jobs. Recently, I pulled out my stove in my apartment and discovered that nobody else had pulled it out in about 10 years. I pulled off the hose on the Bissell, attached the extension tube, and let it suck. In no time and without a single clog, it sucked up a lot of very large debris effortlessly (that's gross!). There's so much suction, that it picked up a rolled up sock from from behind the refrigerator; the sock couldn't fit down the hose of course, but the suction held it at the end of the extension tube so that I could remove it and throw it in the trash.

I have yet to replace any of the filters because I've only used this vacuum a few times. However, the replacement process is easy based on the description in the instruction manual. The HEPA filter can be a touch expensive, but that's the price you pay for cleaner air. Emptying the large dirt container is the easiest thing you'll every do - just slide the locking lever over to the other side, pull the container out, and dump it into your trash can. Instructions on the back of the dirt container clearly explain how to clean the upper tank filter, pre-motor filter, and post-motor HEPA filter, all of which seem quite easy.

The CleanView PowerTrak moves easily over every type of surface I've tried it on, thanks to oversize wheels and a reasonable weight-to-height ratio. I usually buy the heavier model of whatever product it is I'm looking at, simply because heavier things seem to last longer (metal is still more durable than plastic). That being said, I remember my mom's cast iron Royal vacuum cleaner that required a running start to get it moving. This Bissell seems to be a nice compromise of quality to weight. Lighter than my girlfriend's expensive Hoover, but it doesn't seem to be any worse for the lower weight. In fact, I've been very impressed with the build quality of this Bissell so far - everything fits tightly together and the entire cleaner feels very solid. I'm giving it 4 out of 5 stars for durability, but if it lasts more than a few years without repair, I'll change that to 5 out of 5 stars. Did I mention the color? Wine red makes it look like a fine Italian sports vacuum. My compliments to Bissell on an attractive and well-designed upright.

UPDATE: My neighbor, who has one of the largest dogs I've ever seen and consequently one of the most disgusting carpets I've ever seen, asked if she could borrow the vacuum. I thought, well, this will be a good test. This Bissell had no problems whatsoever sucking up everything from her carpet, except what you need a steam cleaner for. Her carpet looked immediately better. Also, I'm happy to report that the running light on this vacuum provides more than enough light to vacuum in total darkness without any problems. Just for the heck of it, I turned off all the lights and vacuumed my entire apartment without running into any walls or furniture. Finally, overall durability still seems good - after several months of use, I haven't had a single problem.

Conclusions

Usually I can find something to complain about, or at least voice concern about, but so far I have no complaints whatsoever about this excellent upright vacuum. Are there better vacuum cleaners out there? Sure, but none even close at this price.