Friday, February 15, 2008

Hoover F5914-900 SteamVac Review

Hoover F5914-900 SteamVac Hoover F5914-900 SteamVac Review
Hoover F5914-900 Steam Vac Rating:
5 stars out of 5 for being easy to use, clean, and actually working
Price: $159
Buy The Hoover F5914-900 SteamVac

Hello Everyone,

I apologize for the lack of blogs as of late. It takes a lot of time to write and produce a proper video vacuum cleaner review and I’m focused on getting more up as relevant models become available to review. I wanted to shift gears today and write a more traditional text review of the Hoover F5914-900 SteamVac. Without anymore rambling, here is my steamvac review!

If you’ve been doing your homework, I’m sure you’ve been trying to tell the difference between the F5914-900 and some of the other Hoover SteamVacs out there. To tell you the truth they’re virtually the same. Vacuum Cleaner companies will often re-release their vacuum cleaners every 12-18 months with a few aesthetic improvements and a slightly different name. It’s a common practice in many industries; you can stop flipping between Amazon and the Official Hoover Website to distinguish the difference between the two now.

There are essentially three things to look for in a good steamvac: attachments, ease of use, and if it actually works. The Hoover F5914-900 comes with one attachment, but it works very well. It has bristles on the end for cleaning and DOESN’T leak so long as you make sure you hear the “snap” when you connect it.

As far as I’m concerned all SteamVacs are a pain to set up and use. Water and cleaning solution as to be mixed, furniture moved, and bucks emptied and cleaned. But, this is one of the easiest to use. The cap for the cleaning solution tank has a built in measuring cup so you always have one on hand. There are two tanks, one for clean water and one for dirty water, just rinse them out and they should be fine for next time.

Now, the most important reason to buy a steamvac, does it actually work? I’m proud to say it does. The Hoover SpinScrub is one of the best SteamVac lines out there and you’ll more than likely notice a stark contrast in smell and color after giving your carpets a thorough cleaning with the Hoover F5914-900 SteamVac. If you go with this Hoover SteamVac you won’t be disappointed. You don’t have to believe me, you can read the nearly the 400 user reviews on Amazon that attest to the impressive cleaning power of the Hoover F5914-900 SteamVac.




5 Star Rating


*One thing I would like to note is that assembly can be a little tricky. I’ve read many Amazon customers saying they’re getting a refund because their Hoover Steam Cleaner leaks like a fountain. I’m sure there are a couple genuine cases of defective products but the most likely reason is they failed to assemble their steamvac properly or a hose is loose. Just be sure you’ve followed the instructions to the letter before sending your Steam Cleaner back to Amazon or write a 1 star review because of an easily fixable problem.

Friday, February 1, 2008

About Me

Douzo Yoroshiku!

You might be here because you’re wondering who I am and why I talk in all these funny little voices about vacuum cleaners. My real name is John Bravo. No, I’m not Japanese, but I do have a fascination with Japanese culture and a semester of Japanese under my belt. I don’t own a vacuum repair shop, I don’t claim to be an expert, and I won’t even pretend to have all the answers. But I do promise to provide my honest opinions and strive to provide accurate vacuum cleaner reviews to help you make the best decision with your hard earned dollars.

I don't own every vacuum cleaner I review, but if it's in one of my vacuum review videos, I've thoroughly used and tested it!

I invite you to browse my site, hopefully you’ll find something you like or helpful. Enjoy!

Sincerely,
- The Vacuum Sensei

Thursday, January 31, 2008

Bissell Lift-Off Revolution Turbo 37601



Bissell Lift-Off Revolution Turbo 37601 Review
Vacuum Cleaner Rating: 4 stars out of 5 for an innovative design but troublesome filter system
Price: $179.99
Suction Rating: 622 pennies
Buy The Bissell Liftoff Revolution Vacuum Cleaner

Before I get into the meat of this vacuum cleaner review I would like to thank everyone involved in my first video vacuum cleaner review, and by everyone I pretty much mean me. It was a labor of love though!

Pros
I was extremely impressed with the filter system. It’s definitely clear that Bissell has made a concerted attempt to manufacture a vacuum cleaner that keeps your home clear of dust, allergens, and animal dander. There are three separate filters, two of which can be washed with water and reused and a HEPA filter. The HEPA filter is rated to remove dust from circulating in your vacuum cleaner as small as 3 microns and can’t be washed. If you live with allergies or have people in your home who suffer from allergies you’ll definitely appreciate the lengths Bissell has gone to make your living environment allergen free.

It’s difficult to determine if the dustbin on many canister vacuum cleaners has been attached correctly. As demonstrated in my video, the Bissell Liftoff has a locking lever that visibly lifts the canister and makes a locking sound when you’ve properly inserted the canister. Your Sensei has had instances where thought he attached the canister properly and wound up with dust all over his face!

What am I forgetting? Oh yeah! The reason why it’s called the Bissell Liftoff! The canister can be detached from the cleaning head making this vacuum cleaner excellent for homes with stairways or the thorough housekeeper that can’t stand cobwebs on the ceiling or dust difficult to reach corners. It is on the heavy side though it can stay upright just fine on its own.

Cons
I would have preffered to see a vacuum cleaner in the $18O price range include a drive system that helps propel the vacuum cleaner forward. It does fine without one, but I still would have liked to see Bissell include a self propel feature.

Maintaining the filter system can be a bit of a pain. Higher end vacuum cleaners like Dyson have much easier filter systems to maintain; in exchange Bissell offers a vacuum cleaner with a somewhat comparable filter system for less than half the price and your Sensei is satisfied with that. Oh, and make sure you clean out the filters at least once a month, clogged filters will disrupt the flow of air in your vacuum cleaner!

The Turbo Brush is a gimmick. It stops working almost as soon as you place it up against a surface. The Turbo Brush / Power Paw trend is gaining speed and these attachments do seem to sell vacuum cleaners. The problem is I just don’t know why. Almost none of them work. The spinning brushes inside these attachments including the one packed in every Bissell Liftoff Revolution Vacuum Cleaner box is powered by air. These attachments need to be powered by electricity before I’ll take any of them seriously.

Final Analysis
The Bissell Liftoff Revolution is a solid vacuum cleaner by Bissell. It offers plenty of suction and features and almost justifies the $180 price tag. My major gripe with the Bissell Liftoff is the price – it’s a little high. I would like to see it sell for $20 bucks cheaper, and then the Bissell could move in to higher territory. The Bissell Liftoff has earned 4 stars out of 5.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

First Vacuum Video

Konichiwa!

Just letting you all know the Video Vacuum Cleaner Reviews will be here shortly. Enjoy this clip of our first test run.


Sunday, January 20, 2008

Panasonic MC4620 Bagless Canister Review

Panasonic MC4620 Bagless Canister Vacuum  Cleaner ReviewOhayougozaimasu!

Vacuum Cleaner Review: Panasonic MC4620 Canister Vacuum Cleaner
Vacuum Cleaner Rating: A nontraditional buy if you have all hardwood floors and a don’t buy if you have carpets
Price: $69.99
Panasonic MC-4620 Bagless Straight-Suction Canister Vacuum


I don’t typically spend my Sunday mornings writing vacuum reviews, I’m usually out walking my dogs or cleaning up the yard. To tell you the truth, I just couldn’t pass up Breakfast with the Beetles this morning. A local SoCal radio station plays nothing but Beetles songs and brings out obscure facts about the band and their songs, a great radio show for the Jeopardy enthusiast! Anyway, since I’m just surfing the net at my computer anyway, I figured I might as well put up a vacuum review. At least I’ll be somewhat productive. Today I bring you a review of the Panasonic MC-4620 Bagless Canister Vacuum Cleaner.

Just so you all know, I generally don’t like canister vacuum cleaners. I’ll take a well made Dyson Upright over a Miele Canister Vacuum Cleaner any day; I just feel I had to make that disclaimer before my loyal readers made a decision based on review. That said, the Panasonic Bagless Canister Vacuum Cleaner is so-so.

The Panasonic MC4620 Bagless Canister Vacuum Cleaner has a couple great qualities. First, it’s an excellent vacuum cleaner for hard flooring. It glides smoothly along wood, tile, or cement flooring and picks up just about everything except for egregiously large particles. Some vacuum cleaner manufacturers force users to continually buy new filters; the Panasonic MC4620 filter is washable. That means you can remove the filter, shake out the dust and remove the rest with running water. Just be sure it’s dry before you use it again, wet filters can cause problems for your vacuum cleaner.

My main complaint with the Panasonic MC4620 is that there are no beater bar attachments. If the MC4620 had a cleaning head that enabled users to clean carpets, I would be a lot more enthusiastic about this vacuum cleaner. Your Sensei likes to versatility, the Panasonic MC4620 is definitely not.

Final Analysis
I’m not going to give the Panasonic MC4620 one of my traditional star ratings. It’s practically impossible. This thing is designed to do one thing, and it does it extremely well, cleaning hard flooring and I highly recommend this vacuum cleaner. If you have carpets, I suggest checking out some of my other vacuum cleaner reviews. The Hoover Tempo Widpeath is an excellent vacuum cleaner in the same price range.


Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Dirt Devil Kone

Dirt Devil Kone Vacuum Cleaner ReviewVacuum Cleaner Review: Dirt Devil Kone Hand Held
Vacuum Cleaner Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 for a unique design but little else
Vacuum Cleaner Price: $39.99
Buy The Dirt Devil Kone Hand Vacuum Cleaner

Konichiwa!

I know it’s been a while and your Sensei has admittedly gotten a little lazy. But, your Sensei is finally back again and here to review the Dirt Devil Kone Hand Held Vacuum Cleaner. It has an intriguing cone shape and your Sensei thought it was a million dollar piece of modern art. Your Sensei was right about one thing, it is a piece of modern art, but thankfully doesn’t cost a million bucks.

Pros
You’re going to have to decide if this is a pro for yourself. Dirt Devil wanted to design a hand held vacuum cleaner that people could keep in their living room. Dirt Devil even hired award winning designer Karim Rashid to design the plate. The result was the Dirt Devil Kone Vacuum Cleaner. Your Sensei will be the first to admit it does look cool. But that’s something I can’t decide for you.

As far as cleaning power is concerned, most people are satisfied the suction power of the Dirt Devil Kone Hand Held Vacuum Cleaner. They’re generally not ecstatic, but satisfied. The Dirt Devil Kone also comes with a self charging station, something your Sensei is ecstatic about seeing in any hand held. (Your Sensei hates buying batteries.) The price is perhaps the most solid pro. Coming in at $39.99 the Dirt Devil Kone is extremely cheap.

Cons
The recharging feature is extremely weak. The Dirt Devil Kone Vacuum Cleaner lasts about 15 minutes per charge, making the Dirt Devil Kone useful for quick touch ups at best. (Try cleaning an SUV or even a 2 door Honda in less than 15 minutes.)

Final Analysis
The Dirt Devil Kone is an okay hand held vacuum cleaner. It seems Dirt Devil spent more time making the Dirt Devil Kone look trendy than it did trying to make the Dirt Devil Kone a hand held vacuum cleaner worth buying. I will say this, at $39.99 it is a cheap vacuum cleaner and I’m surprised it’s not in the $50 or $60 range. The Dirt Devil Kone Vacuum Cleaner earns 3.5 stars out of 5 by the skin of it’s teeth.