Can Keep 4 Men clean...
Written: Nov 29 '00 (Updated Nov 29 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Cheap
Cons: Not good for large areas
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| bdolcourt's Full Review: Hoover Quik Broom S2541 Upright Vacuum |
I am a slob. I am male and have 3 male roommates. I also live in what is, effectively, a dorm. That does not bode well for the state of cleanliness around my place…especially when it comes to the carpets. When my father came into town, I was reduced to picking up the carpet with a comb and some paper as a dustpan (I tried to give the carpet a new hairdo, but the gel just gloped up the fibers). That weekend I resolved to get vacuum cleaner.
Since I am a poor student, it had to be cheap. Since I live in a small place, it had to be small as well. In the past, I have found that stores never seem to carry the right vacuum bag, so finding a vacuum that was bagless was high on the list. A trip to Bed, Bath and Beyond yielded the Hoover Quik-Broom.
BAGLESS CYCLONIC ACTION!
Doesn’t that just sound powerful and mighty? In case you didn’t figure it out, that is Hoover trying to say that not having a bag is really cool. In a way it is. You can just pull off the plastic collection pail and dump it. No need to worry if the bag is full or not or if you have a replacement. I like that.
The trick is, that it isn’t really bagless. What they have done is attach the bag to a piece of plastic that separates from the collecting pail. There is an advantage to bags, that people forget: You just toss them and are done with it. With the “Bagless Cyclonic Action” system, you get to visit with your dust after you vacuum it up. Things like hair, lint, and other fine fibers get trapped, along with dust in the bag portion of the pail. Only large or rigid objects really get dropped into the plastic pail. While emptying the pail is a breeze, dumping the bag portion raises the hairs of your nose and can be a bit messy.
The pail isn’t very large. I vacuumed my 13 by 8 room twice and the common room once (15 by 30) before the pail needed to be emptied. Yes, my floor hadn’t been vacuumed in awhile, but there wasn’t that much junk on the floor. I couldn’t imagine trying to use this vacuum to do an entire house.
Cleaning Power
The vacuum draws 3.6 amps and has a cleaning effectiveness of 12.0 per amp. What does that mean? I haven’t a clue. I have noticed that on my very short carpet, it is able to suck up most things the first time. Some of the smaller stuff it does kick around, but no more than any other vacuum I have used. The brushes do a fine job combing the carpet. I have not been able to suck up a nickel when using the vacuum as an upright however.
I also use the vacuum on the kitchen floor. The brushes can be raised for the hard surface. The vacuum does an acceptable job…at least as well as I could do with a broom.
Other Notes
The vacuum is not self-propelled and does not stand up or its own. The vacuum head swivels based on your wrist action for added maneuverability. You can plug a hose (included) into the back of the vacuum and use the attachment for edging (I have sucked a nickel through this). The hose and attachment are stored on the unit, under the handle. The hose is only about 4 feet long, so it is kind of short. The cord is about 20 feet long and wraps on the back of the handle. It can get kind of congested back there between the cord and the hose, but it isn’t too bad. The pail is clear, so you can see how full it is (you can’t tell how full the bag is however).
The unit is made of plastic. I’ve stepped on it a few times without having it break or crack. I haven’t really owned it long enough to know how long it can really last.
Overall
For a cheap ($50), upright vacuum, this one is pretty good. It has no frills, but it does do the job reasonably well. Due to the small dirt pail, short power cord, and short attachment hose, I wouldn’t recommend it for a large or even a small house. For a dorm or a studio apartment, it does a fine job. The dirt pail can be kind of annoying, ask yourself if you want to deal with the hassle of bags or the hassle of emptying the dirt pail. Personally, I would rather not have to worry about having the right bag or not, but that is just me. It is a fine vacuum if you can stay within its limits. I am satisfied with this vacuum, though I can certainly understand why others wouldn’t be. It keeps my floor clean, which is all I can really ask.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
bdolcourt
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Member: Bram Dolcourt
Location: Valhalla, NY
Reviews written: 33
Trusted by: 35 members
About Me:
After graduating in Chemistry from Brandeis and a short EMS career, I'm a Medical Student.
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