knotheadusc's Full Review: Bissell 89Q9 Bagless Cyclonic Vacuum
A couple of years ago, before my husband Bill and I moved to Germany, I was the proud owner of a Dyson Animal vacuum cleaner that I managed to buy refurbished from Amazon.com. I gave up the Dyson when we moved to Europe because I didn't think it would be compatible with the European voltage. While Bill and I were in Germany, I used a crappy EIO canister vacuum that I hated. But I couldn't see buying another expensive vacuum cleaner in Europe because I knew we'd be moving back to America at some point. I turned out to be right; we moved sooner than we expected. One of the few things I looked forward to upon getting back to the States was buying another Dyson, or at least a vacuum that I liked better than the EIO.
Well, Bill and I did recently buy a new vacuum cleaner, but it's not a Dyson. I guess it's the Scot in me, but I just didn't want to spend the $500+ stores were asking for the Dyson, especially since I was once able to score a refurbished one at a fraction of the price. After some brief deliberation, we ended up buying a Bissell B9Q9 Bagless Cyclonic Vacuum. In retrospect, I probably settled on the Bissell because I liked the color and it promised it would work well on pet messes. I also had just bought a Bissell steam cleaner and figured I might as well stick with the same brand. Call it weakness due to exasperation.
A description of the Bissell
This vacuum cleaner is also known as the Lift Off MultiCyclonic Pet Vacuum. It retails for about $200, but we picked it up for about $190 from our neighborhood Lowe's. The box promised this vacuum would be great for our house because we have dogs. One of the onboard tools is a pet turbo brush, which supposedly works like a magnet on pet hair. This vacuum also features a canister that can be lifted from the base and carried, which makes cleaning stairs and hard to reach places easier. I will admit to liking that aspect of the vacuum cleaner, since cleaning the stairs is a backbreaking chore, especially in a house with five levels, which is what we now have.
Onboard tools
Besides the pet turbo brush, the Bissell 89Q9 comes with the usual tools. There's a small upholstery brush and a crevice tube with a flat end for cleaning in tight nooks and crannies. This vacuum is also equipped with a HEPA filter, which helps remove up to 99.9% of allergens from the carpet. This was an important feature for me, because I have cough variant asthma and allergies that are exacerbated by dust, mold, and pet dander. The Lift Off Multicyclonic pet vacuum is powered with 12 amps and has a handy headlight, which makes it much easier to see dirt and dog hair. There's also a dial that allows users to tell the vacuum what kind of surface it's working on, everything from bare floors to deep carpet with heavy traffic.
What the Bissell was up against
I plugged in my new cleaning machine, noting that there are two switches on the handle. There's one that turns on the vacuum and one that turns on the rotating brush. I guess some people would prefer to turn off the brush when they're vacuuming a hardwood floor or terra cotta. Unfortunately, our house mostly has disgusting builder's grade carpeting, which sheds like the dickens and is quite filthy from what appears to be years of neglect. I knew this vacuum was about to be put through its paces.
The vacuum turned on with the usual high pitched moan and I started pushing and pulling it, noticing that it was picking up a lot of dirt, dog hair, and dust. As I completed each room, I was amazed at how full the canister was. I also noticed that I actually really like the way the canister was designed. I pushed a lever to the side and the canister slid right out, ready for dumping. Putting it back on the machine was just as easy. I just stuck it back in its slot and pushed the lever again. It locked right on with no fuss. This is a nice change from canisters that have to be put on in just the right way.
Things I didn't like about this Bissell
First off, this vacuum is heavy. I'm by no means a weakling, but I found it difficult to manuever this vacuum around the house and carry it up and down stairs. What's more, there's a hose attached that I should be able to connect to tools that make cleaning less of a chore. Well... for some reason, the folks at Bissell did not make the hose easy to figure out. I tried for several minutes to disconnect it so I could use the so-called pet turbo brush. I never could detach it.
The lift off canister is very handy and lightweight, but it was pretty much useless because the hose wouldn't detach. I ended up sticking the pet turbo brush on the bottom to use on the stairs. It worked, but was so awkward that it almost didn't merit the attempt. Also, the pet turbo brush, which sits near the top of the handle, falls off at every opportunity. It's very annoying.
Still
When I'm using the Bissell Lift Off Multicyclonic Pet Vacuum without trying to mess with the lift off canister or hose, it does a good job. I am continually shocked, disgusted, and somewhat gratified to see how much filth and carpet fuzz I'm able to get out of our carpets when I use this machine. It's certainly not the best vacuum cleaner I've ever used, particularly in terms of design, but I do like it better than the vacuum I was using in Germany. I guess that ought to count for something.
12 amp bagless upright vacuum cleaner with detachable canister Multi-cyclonic system for maximum suction power; 15-inch cleaning path Adjustable heigh...More at Amazon
Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner with Detachable Canister 12amp Find a wide variety of Household & Pet Products at drugstore.com, where you get 5% back ...More at drugstore.com
Features: Canister detaches to easily clean stairs and hard to reach areas Thoroughly cleans pet hair Pet TurboBrush works like a magnet on pet hair...More at Newegg.com
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