A TOUGH COOKIE FOR A PLASTIC MACHINE!
Written: Feb 13 '06
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Pros: Lightweight, quiet.
Cons: Doesn't beat the carpet. Not very powerful.
The Bottom Line: This machine may be mostly plastic but it still works as good as the day I bought it.
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| 42ENGLISH's Full Review: Eureka Whirlwind 4388 Bagless Upright Cyclonic Va... |
I have been using my Eureka Whirlwind Lite 4388 for over two years now. At the time of purchase, I was a little down on funds and the price was right for me at $59.00. I hadn’t used this brand before but was familiar enough with it to know that it was a superior brand. I was a little worried that its quality might be a little below average as it was mostly made of plastic and had a low price but I really had no choice at the time.
Features:
This 12 amp vaccum cleaner has a 13 inch cleaning path, a stretch hose, ready-to-use attachments and a 23 foot power cord. It is a bagless machine that uses cyclonic technology and also features a HEPA filter which removes allergens as well as dirt from your floors. It weighs about ten pounds and is black in color.
Performance:
Once I got this vacuum home, it was simple to assemble with easy to use instructions. It took me about fifteen minutes. I noticed right away that the attachments are firmly secured so that they don’t fall off while it’s in use. I have had that problem with other machines. It has seven levels from bare floor to plush carpet. I have raised pattern in my carpets so I keep it on the fourth setting.
As soon as I started using it, I noticed how lightweight it was next to other machines I had owned. It doesn’t take much effort to vacuum two bedrooms and a living room with it as it practically glides across the floor (the rest of my floors are wood). It can pretty much repel itself.
Although this isn’t a very powerful vacuum cleaner, it has plenty of suction and picks up fairly easily but has a problem with paper clips or small tacks, etc. Then again most machines do. I don’t think it does a good job of beating the carpet, a feature I tend to like because it gets rid of more of the dust which gets embedded. However, its lightweight could account for that.
I have never had a problem with leakage (dust clouds) from this vacuum cleaner even when it is full. However, it does need emptying quite often as it has a small capacity collection canister.
The power cord is pretty long and allows you to vacuum without having to change plug receptacles too often. I must point out that when you wind the cord onto the machine after use, the two hooks do not click down so that the cord pops off easily. You have to unwind it manually which can be a pain.
The attachments are useful but I am not getting much suction for the bigger debris. I usually only find them effective for drapes and window sills.
Cleaning:
When I first cleaned it, I thought it was a pain. The collection canister is not very large but snaps out of the front of the vacuum easily. It has two sections; one side has the plastic filter and collection tube and the other a funnel. The collection tube is easy to clean as the plastic filter flips open and out comes the grunge straight into the trash can. The funnel, however, is stuck in place and any debris which has lodged under it is unreachable.
BUT, I have found that if you run some hot water through it and let it soak for a few minutes, it dislodges easily and you can spray it out. The HEPA filter is also on the side of this canister which is removable and I usually rinse it through with some warm water to clean it. I do make sure that all of this is dry before reconnecting it to the machine but it’s the best way to keep it really clean.
Conclusion:
On the whole, the Eureka Whirlwind Lite 4388 has been well worth the money. After two years of use, it is still going strong with as much suction as when it was new. There are no bags to buy which makes it more convenient. It is lightweight, so requires less elbow grease and it picks up anything within reason.
I do think that coins, nails and possibly paperclips would break this vacuum cleaner easily so I wouldn’t use it on heavier debris. The fact that it doesn’t beat the carpet is disappointing but it seems to keep my carpets very clean anyway. Now, I have figured out an easier way to clean it, it gives me no problems at all. It is a big quality vacuum cleaner for a small price.
Other Home & Garden products:
Robomaid
Hamilton Beach Open Ease Extra Tall Can Opener 76300
Swiffer Sweep Vac
Black & Decker 3.6 Volt 3 Position Screwdriver
Holmes Oiled-Filled Radiator Heater
Hamilton Beach 2 Slice Toaster
Thank you for reading.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 59.00
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Epinions.com ID:
42ENGLISH
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Member: JULIE
Location: Gulf Coast, Texas
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