I'm a vacuum cleaner killer. I go through them practically annually. I've killed cheap vacuums and I've killed expensive vacuums. Because of that, I've stopped buying expensive vacuums. It has taken me years to recognize this. In a multi-pet and household with young children, I vacuum a lot and expect my vacuum to deal with more than your average user.  For 13 years we had a dog that was a big shedder but the bigger problem is actually cat hair. With two cats and some allergies - I know that I need to stay on top of the vacuuming or else be miserable.   Ultimately, I'd love to rip out the remaining carpets in our home - but until that happens, it means a lot of vacuuming.

After killing my Hoover Fusion Bagless Cyclonic (Dyson Knock-Off), I headed out to Wal-Mart with my daughter to pick out a new vacuum. My daughter kept pointing at this Eureka vacuum that was purple when I had been looking at a different model. However, after going over to the Eureka and seeing that it is specifically marketed towards homes with pets, I decided to give it a try.  It was also under $100 ($80) with an optional replacement plan available at check-out (Wal-Mart) for a minimal fee.   Checking the Eureka website, I learned that this particular model the Pet Pal Bagless is a Wal-Mart exclusive product.

This is a bagless vacuum, which I prefer because I hate stocking bags and replacing bags regularly. I empty the canister after every time I use it, regardless of whether it is full or not. With bag vacuums, this is a costly practice - so the bagless fits my vacuuming style. I like that I can see how full the canister is and dump it frequently. Cleaning it out it is simple as pressing a button to release it and then hold it over the trash and all the dirt comes out of the bottom. 

Like my Hoover, and the popular Dysons - the Eureka Pet Pal has cyclonic technology. I like cyclonic vacuums because they tend to keep their suction better. In the past I have had some vacuums that start out sucking great but after months of (daily) use they no longer suck up the dirt or animal hair in a productive manner. I also look for a vacuum with a HEPA filter, which this one does. The HEPA filter reduces allergens in the air that we breathe and is a must have feature for me.  On this particular vacuum it is a re-usable and washable filter that can be replaced every few months. 

The Pet Pal Bagless has done a good job at picking up animal hair and getting my floors clean. It has multiple height settings for us on different piles of carpet or floors.  I have noticed though, even on low pile carpet with low height selected that it is a bit hard to push. If I had one complaint it does seem that this vacuum is a bit on the heavy side - it weighs 20 pounds, no wonder! Sizewise it is also a bit large for an upright at 13"W x 12"L x 43.5"H.  In terms of the volume level, well - it isn't quiet but I've had louder vacuums. I'd say its on the average to loud side in terms of noise it puts out.  There are cord winding posts on the back to store the cord in when not in use, I do wish it had automatic cord winding - but it does not. 

I use my vacuum attachements frequently for stairs, crevices, and furniture so I was happy to see that this comes with several. It has a crevice tool, an upholstery brush "Power Paw", and also a special "hair raiser". The hair raiser looks like a lint brush, and at first that it all I thought it was. Well, it turns out that you use this brush on your sofa or wherever you need to remove pet hair from. Then, when the brush has collected all the unwanted hair - you stick it back into the side compartment and flip a switch and it sucks all the hair off of the tool and into the canister.  If you have animals that shed, these tools become more necessary. Our dog that was the main shedder passed away a few months ago but we recently introduced a cat with somewhat longer (white) hair. So, these attachments are quite useful to me. I like that the upholstery brush is made with rubber bristles instead of synthetic bristles that tend to get tangled up with hair/strings and rendered useless. The plastic bristles on the "power paw" don't have this problem and the brush does as good of a job as traditional upholstery brush attachments.

For under $100, I'm pleased with the Eureka Pet Pal Bagless. I figure if I kill it within the year, Wal-Mart will replace it for free  and if it makes a year, then I got my money's worth and will buy another inexpensive vacuum.  My days of the Dyson dreams are done!
 
Getting those floors clean:
Shark VX63 Stick Vac
Bissell Little Green Machine
Shark Steam Mop
Hoover Fusion Bagless Cyclonic
General Electric 106766 Bagged Canister Vac
Hoover WindTunnel Bagless Upright
Dirt Devil Kone Handheld
Swiffer Sweeper

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 80