Pros: Compact storage-no clutter, retracting power cord, strong suction
Cons: No carpet height adjuster, no crevice or stairway cleaning, rather expensive
The Bottom Line: At over 300 bucks, its a hard sell but if you want a high performance lightweight that does not throw dust back into the air, this is the one.
rshiroma's Full Review: Electrolux EL5020 Bagged Upright Vacuum
Purchased this guy at Best Buy back in March for its clean, clutter free design as well as its HEPA filtration. It was also the only model they had that employed the use of a dust bag containment system. Having bought quite a few bagless vacs over the years, I grew disgusted at cleaning out their cannisters. Although you might save a few bucks on buying replacement bags, messing around with compacted dust entangled inside of a vortex container just isn't worth it. So I bought this very compact machine which I thought would solve my problem. It did, but not without drawbacks of its own.
The Good:
The suction power on this thing is amazing. It picks up objects in the corners and embedded against the wall lines with ease. You don't really need to use the rotating beater brush unless you have thick cut pile. The adjustable height handle is well designed and very sturdy with all three buttons (power on w/brush, power on w/o brush, off) in reach of your thumb. And the power cord retracter puts a very nice touch to its tri-fold design, making for a very clean and compact machine without any widgets, dongles, and hoses to clutter your closet. On the rear of the vacuum are two lights that dissolve from blue to red, indicating when it is time to change the dust bag or the HEPA filter. It is located right above the power cord retractor foot pedal - a rare feature found these days.
The Bad:
Due to its minimalist design, this vacuum does not come with a detachable wand for crevice or stairway cleaning. We use a cordless vacuum for those tasks.
The Ugly:
This vacuum does not have a carpet height adjuster for its rotating beater brush. We had a very expensive loop carpet installed only to have a section of it destroyed a few days later from the high speed brush ripping out a line of loops down the center. Because of this, we don't engage the brush power - only suction power which appears to be adequate enough.
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