I bought an upright bagless vacuum cleaner four years ago after doing a fair amount of research. While that vacuum still works reasonably well, it does not have a Hepa filter or cyclonic suction something in hindsight I should have looked for.

What I wanted: I have to admit, I was not actively looking to buy another vacuum cleaner. I had thought about it briefly so features that interest me in a new vacuum cleaner would be: cleaning ability, bagless, Hepa filter, cyclonic suction, durability, easy maintenance and easy to move from one level to the next.

What I bought: I bought the Bissell® Momentum™ Bagless (upright) Vacuum 3910 series at Sam's Club for $89. I figured at that price, I couldn't go wrong. It is a deep hunter green with sparkle spects. There is a large capacity dirt cup with an easy empty feature. Tools included are: TurboBrush (pets), dusting/upholstery tool, crevice tool and extension wand. This vacuum has 12 amps power, a 15" wide lighted path with 2 row brush and dual edge cleaning. It also has an air flow indicator and 35' power cord. Two Hepa filters were included with the vacuum. There is some assembly required. You will need a Phillips screwdriver for this.

Why I bought: This was an impulse purchase based on brand, features and price. Bissell® is a brand I trust based on good, durable performance from two of their other floor cleaners (carpet steam cleaner - about age 20 yrs, steam mop - about age 3 yrs).

Pros: This vacuum is packed full of features. Assembly was easy and problem free. The vacuum feels sturdy and stable. I wouldn't classify it as a light weight vacuum. The first thing that really impressed me was the length of the power cord. We have a large great room consisting of four living areas all carpeted. The extra long power cord means I can do the whole room without having to unplug.

The next thing that impressed me was performance. I vacuum three times a week and had vacuumed the day I bought the Bissell® Momentum™ so did not expect much dirt in the dirt cup. I could not believe it when I had to empty the cup twice for the great room on the first use with this vacuum! It has a lot of suction. True to it's word, the dirt cup is very easy to empty by simply pushing the lever to the unlock position then remove the cup and empty. I've tried the attachments as well and did not experience the tipping problem others have reported here. Perhaps this problem was fixed. I did experience some dust on the vacuum the first time I used it but certainly not enough to get me dirty. Upon investigation, I found one of the connections was not tight which was the likely the source of the dust. Once this connection was tightened, the dust problem has not happened again.

Two additional features I like are the air flow indicator and the clear window over the brush. I have waist length hair that tends to get around the house and can bind up vacuum brushes. With one glance I can tell if there is too much hair on the brush and remove it before it becomes a problem. The air flow indicator is green (everything ok), red (significantly reduced or dirty filters) or black (clog in hose). This just takes the guess work out of where to look if there is a problem.

Cons: Right off the bat, the biggest con was the odour when the vacuum was powered up. This was not dirty carpet smell either. This was a very strong, acidic, chemically smell coming from the vacuum itself. It made my eyes water horribly and gave me an almost instant headache. While all new motors likely give off some type of odour during the break in period, this was well of the charts for offensive. It has lessened with use.

I don't like the placement of the power switch. On my other vacuum, the switch is on the handle within easy reach. On this vacuum the switch is on the front over the upper tank and below where the handle attaches to the vacuum. This is an incovenient spot for the power switch if you have to shut off the vacuum quickly.

The dirt cup is quite large and emptying it is not a problem Because of allergies, I wash the dirt cup each time it is emptied. The design of the dirt cup allows dirt to settle in little crevices that makes it difficult to clean. The upper tank can be cleaned but has to be removed with a Phillips screwdriver.



Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 89