Once upon a time a cordless shark attempted to scoop up all sorts of household dirt, but the problem with sharks is that they are not filter feeders. My shark died from congestion and a dead motor. Once he was put to rest I went prospecting and soon felt like the winner of a gold rush and proclaimed, "Eureka!"

Large vacuum sweepers know their job. They address the major sweeps of the week and chomp on the larger floor debris. Hand-held vacuums have another niche, they look for the finer stuff in life--crumbs. They are filter feeders. Some are up to the task, others get congestive motor failure (CMF) and die from complications. My little hand-held Eureka 71AV Vacuum quickly snarfed up the goodies and looked for more.

A Euro-pro Cordless hand-held Shark previously had responsibility for seeking out crumbly little things. It really tried, but its problem was in a power design flaw. The rechargable battery simply would not hold a sufficient charge. Continual recharging efforts must have burned up the motor. It kept clogging the filter and wearing down and simply couldn't accomplish the task. It was out of breath faster each time it went to work. I knew better than to use a battery-operated hand-held vacuum, but my household had a specific need that required a cordless model.

Alas, I gave up on batteries and found a plug-in model. More power.

My next effort was the Eureka 71 AV hand-held model. The results were much better. This model plugged into the wall with a 20-foot cord and the suction was quite sufficient for my task. When done, it was ready for more and together we sought other places to feed the machine.

Favorite Snacks of the Eureka 71AV: cat hair, dog hair, bread crumbs in the carpet (kids!), glitter, dust bunnies, popcorn, dirt (in car), and insect corpses. As you can see it's a non-selective omnivore, or rather an opportunistic feeder.

About the Eureka
Somewhat heavier than my previous model and at five pounds it could become inconveniently heavy for longer sweeping sessions. (Or you can consider it exercise for your arms.) It has 5.5 amp suction with a hose and crevice attachment for reaching into those hidden, tight little spots. There are two motors, one powers the revolving brush while the other invigorates the suction. It is bagless with a filter and the clear dust cup is easy to clean. I have stairs in my house (with carpet) and cleaning the vertical risers is difficult for many sweepers. The "Riser Visor," which is a clear plastic cover over the revolving brush, lifts up to expose the brush and allow easy sweeping of the risers.

A Great Vacuum
Don't confuse this little feeder for a larger model. It's not designed to take on your entire carpet, or your entire house, just the detritus from the eroded fragments of family life. It’s quiet, so it’s almost possible to sneak up on a dog and pull out some of the hair before it begins the dust bunny dance. It’s powerful enough to dig around and remove some of the deeply buried treasures (yesteryears cookies). Yes, I respect this little machine’s power; it impresses me. Its colorful, bright yellow with black markings make it easy to see and avoid stepping on or tripping over. I affectionately refer to it as ”Little Yellow” but it’s no coward when confronting a mess, instead it is eager and almost yells, “bring it on!”


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 59.00