Dirt Devil M084100 Power Stick Bagless Upright Vacuum

Having a toddler means having to clean the kitchen floors after every meal. I do not like sweeping, since I feel as if using a broom and pan still leaves dirt on the floor. For a few years I have been using the battery operated Swivel Sweeper on my hard floors, but I had gotten a bit frustrated with it. It was a little messy to empty, and the turning brushes on the bottom would always get caught up with hair. That would lead to even more cleaning since I would have to clean the brushes. I was so happy when the battery finally gave out. I decided I wanted a stick vacuum that works with suction rather than brushes. I figured I should go with something corded rather than battery operated. So I picked up the Dirt Devil Power Stick at Target for $39.99 since it was rated #1 Consumer’s Choice for a vacuum by the NPD group.

The Power Stick
The Power Stick is a 6 pound, bagless, 12 amp stick vacuum for hard floors and carpets. It came in a box unassembled with 4 parts. There is the handle (2 pieces), the main part of the unit with the motor and dirt cup, and the nozzle that picks up the dirt. The four pieces clicked together easily. It took me longer to take the pieces out of the plastic than it did to actually assemble the pieces together. The handle wobbled a little bit, and it made me concerned that the entire product would be flimsy.

Using the Power Stick
Anxious to test it out, I plugged it in and got ready to vacuum my kitchen floor. Boy was I surprised when I turned it on. The power coming out of the motor was so strong it literally caused the Power Stick to jump off the ground a little. And it was incredibly loud. Probably louder than my full size vacuum. I started to vacuum up the crumbs around my kitchen table and my worries of the vacuum being flimsy quickly disappeared. It pulled up all the dirt in only a couple passes.

Although my main purpose for using the Power Stick is on my hard floors, I tested it out on a couple carpets to see how it worked. First I tried my very low pile area rug. It did an adequate job for a quick vacuum for in between larger vacuuming, but I would still prefer my full size vacuum. I then tried a higher pile carpet. I was not as pleased with the results with that carpet. But since my reason for purchasing the Power Stick was to clean my hard floors, not my carpets, I wasn’t too bothered.

The Power Stick Dirt Cup
When I was finished vacuuming, I easily took off the dirt cup to empty it. There is a lid on the top, and removing the top was a little difficult to figure out the first time. Once I figured it out, it was no problem to remove. I emptied the dirt cup and again fumbled with the top to get it back on. Once I realized where the corresponding notches were, the top went right back into place. The dirt cup easily clicked back onto the Power Stick.

The dirt cup contains a filter. To clean the filter it should be tapped against the garbage to get the dirt to fall out. There are directions as to how to replace the filter, but there is no indication in the manual as to when the filter should be replaced. You can get replacement filters for approximately $5.99.

Other information about the Power Stick
There is a 20 foot cord, and hooks for winding the cord. I am used the a battery operated cleaner, so winding and unwinding the cord a couple times a day gets a little tedious, but the cleaning power is worth it. The nozzle of the Power Stick is less than 1 inch high. This makes the Power Stick great for cleaning under the cabinets and baseboards. The nozzle is only 11 inches wide, which also makes it very easy to pass it under a chair. The body of the Power Stick can be lowered as far as the floor, which also helps when trying to reach underneath chairs and tables. The handle has a hook to hang the Power Stick up on a wall or behind a door. I will be hanging a hook in my pantry to hang it up. When hanging, the nozzle will flip down and will lay flat against the wall.

Warranty
The Power Stick comes with a limited 2 year warranty. Be sure to register it online or fill out and send in the postcard that comes in the box.

Overall
The Dirt Devil Power Stick is a great addition to my cleaning routine. It does a great job on my hard floors and also does a good job on the occasional cleaning of my area rug. I am giving this product 4 stars only because this stick vacuum is so noisy, and I am still the tiniest bit concerned over the wobbly handle. But if you can handle the noise, the Dirt Devil Power Stick can handle your dirt.