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

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.

Dirt Devil Kone

Vacuum 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.

Best Vacuum Cleaner Guide

Konichiwa!
The response to my “Best Lightweight Vacuum Series” has been incredible. As a result, your Sensei has decided to write a “Best Vacuum” series covering several categories from the best upright and canister vacuums to the best top of the line vacuums.

Best Vacuum Article Series
Best Lightweight Vacuum Cleaners
Best Upright Vacuum Cleaners
Best Stick Vacuum Cleaners
Best Allergenic Vacuum Cleaners
Best Cute Vacuum Cleaners
Best Car Vacuum Cleaners

How to Remove Pet Hair From a Vacuum Cleaner

Customer: So it was just dog hair? Really? Nothing else, just dog hair?
Me: Yup.
Customer: So, what do I owe ya?
Me: Wel, that was 5 minutes of work and I have a $10 minimum, so 10 bucks please.
Customer: Phew, I thought I was going to have to buy a new vacuum!

If you’re one of these people and want to avoid a $10 service fee and annoying trip to the vacuum repair shop, here’s exactly how I diagnose the problem.

1: Diagnosis
Okay, I know most people are probably sitting there thuming there nose at this post because “it’s so stupid, who needs to know this?” Well, I’m assuming at least 500 people because I get about 10 instances of this problem a week.

The classic sign of a pet hair clog is a sudden drop in noise. No, it’s not that your vacuum has inexplicably turned into a vacuum, the agitator brush has stopped spinning. The agitator brush hits against the carpet several times a second and generates a lot of noise.

2: Fixing
First, unplug your vacuum cleaner; unless you happen to be Superman or Static Shock from the WB’s Static Shock. Safety first!

Next, flip over your vacuum cleaner and inspect the head. Chances are, there’s going to be a lot of pet hair and possibly string from that YoYo your kid bought a week ago wrapped around the head. That’s what’s preventing your agitator brush from spinning and agitating.

Now, pick up a sharp pair of scissors and cut up the hair. Now, roll the agitator brush a quarter and cut along the hair again. Repeat one more time and the hair should be loose enough to allow the agitator brush to spin.

3: Flip and Pick
Final step is flipping over your vacuum cleaner, plugging it in, and turning it on. If it spins and works, congratulations, if it doesn’t, take it to a vacuum cleaner shop or try to diagnose the problem with another one of my vacuum cleaner repair tips.

Ives W. McGaffey - A History of Vacuum Cleaners

Well, even though I’m not living the Orange County Dream, (House with a foundation that meets sand and an ocean in my backyard I can surf fish in.) I’m still extremely grateful for the lifestyle I live. I hated working for other people, being in at a certain time, doing things “their” way. It just wasn’t for me. Vacuum cleaners have enabled me leave for lunch when I want, take vacations at my leisure, and spend quality time with my family at work over the summer. (Though my sons have a different name for time spent at the shop, slave labor.)

I feel it’s time I pay homage to the people that developed my industry by writing a “History of Vacuum Cleaners”. I’ll cover who invented the first vacuum cleaner, how vacuum cleaners became an essential cleaning tool for most homes, and even poke fun at some of the nobler than useful vacuum cleaner designs. So, without further delay, here is my History of Vacuum Cleaners as told by the Vacuum Sensei.

Origins of the Modern Vacuum Cleaner
There were several precursors to the vacuum cleaner as we know it today. One of those monstrosities was a large, heavy, cart-like machine that was difficult to push and hard to maneuver. In 1868 a man by the name of Ives W. McGaffey started selling a vacuum cleaner more like the common household vacuum cleaner we know today. Even though his machine took off, it was still fairly heavy and extremely inconvenient for people to use.

Selling the First Vacuum Cleaner
After McGaffey patented his vacuum cleaner design on the 5th of June, 1969, McGaffey partnered with a company called The American Carpet Cleaning Co. The vacuum cleaners were sold to existing American Carpet Cleaning customers for a heft price tag of $25. That was an astounding $500 when adjusted for inflation! Clearly, the McGaffey’s vacuum cleaner was taking homes by storm. Only two of McGaffey’s original vacuum cleaners are known to still exist; they’re both held in a historical museum maintained by the Hoover Vacuum Cleaner company.

Best Car Vacuum Cleaners Guide

Konichiwa!

Yes, it’s midnight. Your Sensei is a night owl as much as work permits him to be. I thought I would write a guide to “The Best Car Vacuum Cleaners” while I’m up this late. It’s another topic a lot of people email me about. I’m sorry if I’m not answering individual emails, it’s just so busy between getting the kids to school and back. Anyway, without further rambling here is my guide to the Best Vacuums for Cars.

What I’m Looking For
To make it to my “Best Car Vacuum” list a vacuum cleaner has to meet very specific standards. This is what I look for in a car vacuum cleaner:
1: Compact Design – The point of a car vacuum is to avoid using your large, bulky canister vacuum so you can get under and behind the seats and not feel the constraints of a vacuum hose.

2: Light Weight – Hand held vacuums like the Dyson Root have not made it to my list of car vacuums because they’re heavy. If it’s too heavy you won’t have the dexterity to maneuver between crevices.

3: All the Normal Stuff: Of course, all these units are checked for price and value and weighed against their cleaning power.

Enough said, let’s take a look at the lucky vacuums that made the cut on my “Best Car Vacuum Cleaners” guide.

Pick #1: Eureka 71A Hand Held Vacuum Cleaner
Price: $45
The Eureka made it to the top of my list with an innovative design. The 71A includes a powerful mini-agitator brush for cleaning large swaths of seats and flooring, but when you need to get between and under seats this hand held vacuum cleaner is built with an onboard hose that allows users to easily clean crevices. It’s not the cheapest sucker on the list, but it’s definitely the best car vacuum on the market!


Pick #2: Black and Decker CHV1400
Price: $35
It retails under $35 and includes crevice tool and brush for cleaning car upholstery. I’m satisfied with the cleaning power and it’s extremely lightweight. It’s also equipped with rechargeable batteries; excellent for people who hate replacing AA’s every couple months.


Pick# 3: Black and Decker CHV7250 7.2 Wet Dry Vacuum
Price: $19.99
This one is for the Scrouge McDucks of the world. If you want a car vacuum that’s good for quick pick ups before dates or company, this is definitely the one to get! My favorite part about this car vacuum is that it’s capable of picking up liquids as well as solids! Great for picking up those 42 oz. soda spills!


That does it for my car vacuum picks. I hope you found it helpful. As always, if you have questions, comments, or personal reccomendations you can always email me at sensei@vacuumsensei.com

Sincerely,
The Vacuum Sensei
http://vacuumsensei.com

Best Cute Vacuum Cleaners

One of the great things about being married is having someone tell you what you should do, one of the bad parts about being married is having someone tell you what you should do. So, with a couple grumbles, my wife talked me into writing a “Best Girly Cute Vacuum Cleaners” article. Just so you know, my wife picked everything out and these aren’t rated in terms of “do they work”.

1: Pink Dyson DC07
It’s no secret your Sensei is a fan of Dyson. If I could afford one your Sensei would definitely keep one in his own home. They’re just so darn expensive. I might be able to convince my wife that the $400 price tag for this Pink Dyson Vacuum Cleaner is worth it because when you buy one $40 is donated to cancer research by target. (Can I write that off somehow?) According to my wife the Pink Dyson DC07 Vacuum Cleaner is the “ultimate girly girl vacuum cleaner”.

2: Henry Vacuum Cleaner Numatic HVR200-22
Taking the number 2 spot on our 5 best cute vacuum cleanrs is the Henry Canister Vacuum. Cleaning your home never looked so happy with a smiley face painted on this girly vacuum cleaner. It seems these units are exclusive to the UK. If you REALLY want one you can probably have it imported but these cute vacuum cleaners already come with a heft price tag. ($88 pounds sterling plus shipping, which means at least $175! That’s the weak dollar for ya!)

3: Bissell 3600A Barbie Vacuum
If you have a “little” mommy at home this might be the Cute Vacuum Cleaner for you. It seems Bissell has partnered up with Mattel to create a Barbie Bissell Kids Vacuum Cleaner. It’s pink and actually works. (This takes me back, I used to have a lawn mower that spit out bubbles.) I’m glad Mattel and Bissell had the foresight to make this kids vacuum cleaner cordless, there’s a good chance they’ll want to vacuum right along side you!

Well, that does it for my list of “Best Cute Vacuum Cleaners”. My wife and I would appreciate it if you knew of any others you think deserve to be on this list. You can email us at sensei@vacuumsensei.com.

Sincerely,
The Vacuum Sensei
http://vacuumsensei.com

Best Hypo-Allergenic Allergy Vacuum Cleners

Wow! Competition in the Best Vacuum Cleaner series is really heating up! Today I’m responding to requests from people looking for Hypo-Allergenic or Allergy Vacuums. I know I’ve said this many times, but your Sensei suffers from dust allergies and knows how much of a difference a proper hypo-allergenic vacuum cleaner can make! Don’t expect to see any “bargain vacuums” on this list; the lower end stuff tends to shoot out unfiltered air even though they’re rated as “allergenic”. (That’s because there’s no industry standard as to what “allergenic” vacuums are.) To make it to this list, a vacuum cleaner must possess a sealed HEPA filtration system and have enough cleaning power to thoroughly clean your home. Without further interruptions, I bring you my “Best Allergy Vacuum Cleaners” list.

Best Allergenic Upright Vacuum Cleaner: Oreck XL Celoc Hypo-Allergenic Vacuum
In addition to having one of the best allergenic filtration systems on the market the Oreck XL Celoc comes with a lot of features and enough cleaning power to earn its place on my list of Best Allergenic Vacuum Cleaners. Oreck has put in a lot of time and effort into designing all their vacuum motors, the result is an efficient motor that delivers quiet performance. Weighing in at 9 lbs. the XL Celoc isn't too heavy or too light, just know that it can get a little heavy as the vacuum bag is filled. I also like the feel of this vacuum cleaner, it has an incredibly smooth motion making this vacuum cleaner easy to maneuver around coffee tables and TV stands. Further swaying my opinion is the included hypoallergenic canister vacuum cleaner and clothing iron. I've seen these specials before, and usually they're second rate machines. Fortunately, Oreck has too much invested in their name and track record to pass on poor quality equipment to their consumers and the included canister vacuum cleaner meets your Sensei's quality standards. I can't speak for the free iron, nor have I even seen one, but I'm going to assume they work.

Best Allergenic Stick Vacuum Cleaner: Miele S168 Stick Vacuum
The Miele S168 is a little bit of a hybrid between an upright and a stick vacuum. It has a long, thin look and feel but pushes along your carpet more like an upright vacuum. If more than one person in your house vacuums and you’re concerned about posture, the Miele S168 Allergenic Vacuum is designed with a telescoping handle that allows you to adjust your vacuum handle for people of different heights. A very useful feature in my house where I’m 6’1” and my youngest is 5’6”. The only thing I personally dislike about Miele Vacuum Cleaners in general is the old, boring designs. They’re usually dull or off whites with extremely mundane looking frame.

Best Allergenic Canister Vacuum Cleaner: Miele S4210 Sirius S4 Galaxy Series Canister Vacuum Cleaner
Miele takes 2 out of 3 top spots with their stylish Galaxy Canister Vacuum. The Miele Galaxy Vacuum stands out for far more than just a bright paint job, this Miele can perform toe to toe with some of the best vacuum cleaners on the market and will help reduce the amount of dust allergens in your home air. Just a quick note, canister vacuums are the absolute best type of vacuums for allergy sufferers. My experience tells me they’re much less prone to leaked unfiltered air in general. I like the Miele S4210 S4 Galaxy Canister Vacuum in particular for it’s nearly 30 foot power cord and self rewinding design. (That means you don’t have to wind the power cord yourself, great for the lazy!) If you have delicate or vintage furniture to preserve, this unit comes with a special battery powered cleaning brush made with high quality, genuine horsehair that' gentle on delicate material. Just remember, canister vacuum cleaners are designed for cleaning hard flooring and wood floors in particular. If you have thick carpets, this Miele isn’t for you. However, you CAN buy an attachment from Miele that makes this canister vacuum just as effective at cleaning thick carpeting as well as hard floors. Like the S168, the vacuum handle is telescoping, allowing you to adjust for comfort.

Best Stick Vacuums Guide

Best Stick Vacuums

Hello,
Here’s another article in my “Best Vacuum Cleaner” series. This time I’m going to cover my top 3 picks for stick vacuum cleaners and explain why I like each of them.

Best Low End Stick Vacuum Cleaner: Bissell 3106A Featherweight Lightweight Vacuum

I like the Bissell featherweight for a lot of reasons, not the least of which it’s price. This stick vacuum makes it to my “Best Stick Vacuum” list because of it’s thin price. Amazon retails this lightweight, stick vacuum cleaner for about $20 bucks and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it on sale for a couple bucks less. I liked the Bissell 3106A because it doubles as an upright vacuum, hand held vacuum, and you can attach a crevice tool. All three uses combine to form one of the most versatile stick vacuums on the market.

Best Mid-Range Stick Vacuum Cleaner: Dirt Devil Bagless Power Stick

If the practically no frills Bissell Featherweight isn’t for you, check out the Dirt Devil Bagless Power Stick Vacuum. It comes with a couple more cool features and retails for about $50 online. I liked that the agitator brush has an on and off switch so you can switch from carpet to hard floors when you need to, the handle also folds, great for saving space. The Dirt Devil Power Stick Vacuum also comes with a rechargeable battery set so you don’t have to replace the batteries every 3 months. That gets annoying! Finally, this stick vacuum earns it’s place as the best mid-range vacuum cleaner for having an incredible amount of suction power for such a small vacuum. I’m normally not a fan of the junk Dirt Devil puts out, but this is truly a diamond in the dirt devil so to speak.

Best High End Stick Vacuum Cleaner: ????
After reviewing my notes, I can’t recommend a high end Stick Vacuum at the moment. I’ll update this one as soon as I possibly can. It’s going to take some more research, hopefully some more stick vacuums will be dropped off at the shop this week.

Bissell 5770 Healthy Home Bagless Review

Vacuum Review: Bissell 5770 Healthy Home Bagless Upright Vacuum
Vacuum Rating: 5 stars out of 5 for delivering excellent performance, being priced just right, and providing a solid sealed HEPA filter

Konbanwa! Tonight I bring you a review of the Bissell Healthy Home 5770 Vacuum Cleaner. The Healthy Home Vacuum is one of Bissell’s mid-range vacuum cleaners and there are a lot of things I really liked about this vacuum.

The Bissell Healthy Home retails for around $250 and I expected to see greater performance compared to some of the low-end vacuums Bissell offers. Much to Bissell’s credit, they have met and exceeded my expectations with the Bissell Healthy Home. I was also extremely satisfied with the solid feel this vacuum has. Poor quality vacuums feel wobbly, and those vacuums tend to break down fairly quickly. A stable feel while pushing a vacuum cleaner is almost always a sign of a well made vacuum.

The Bissell 5770 Healthy Home Vacuum has adopted the bottom opening debris bin trend sweeping canister vacuum designers and it’s a much welcome change. A bottom opening debris bin reduces the amount of dust normally associated with emptying a canister vacuum cleaner and makes a canister vacuum much more competitive with bagged vacuums. I can easily envision all vacuums within a few years adopting a similar design.

One of the things your extra dollars pays for is a sealed HEPA filter system that purifies your air as you vacuum. Vacuum cleaners on the lower end of the spectrum filter part of the air while other air is exhausted through small openings throughout the frame of the vacuum cleaner. It’s not too big of a deal if you don’t have allergies, but if you suffer from dust allergies like me, you’ll definitely appreciate the difference a sealed HEPA filtration system will make on your quality of life.

Other features worth mentioning are the 35’ power cord, spinning power brush, and Acarosan Dust Mite Spray. Your Sensei hates it when he’s moving along a hall and about to go into the next room and he hears his vacuum power down. Urrghhh, it’s frustrating! I can’t imagine running out of slack with 35’ of cord, unless you’re Riche Rich and vacuuming your mansion. The power brush is a great add on for people who want more from hand tools than a brush or crevice tool. It really lets you get all those oreo crumbs you dropped in your couch! I’m also a sucker for extra stuff and freebies. I’m not sure if it works, but I am glad Bissell has packed in a bottle of their Acaroscan Dust Mite Spray with every Bissell Healthy Home 5770 Upright Vacuum Cleaner.

Vacuum News: Electrolux Addisoni

Here's another odd vacuum story. It seems scientists in South Africa have named a newly discovered fish after the Vacuum Cleaner Company Electrolux. You can read the story here. Like Pikachu from Pokemon, this fish can deliver a shocking blow to enemies, prey, and nosey cameramen.

Best Upright Vacuum Cleaner Guide

Best Upright Vacuum Cleaner Guide

Hello,
Thanks for everyone who writes in asking me for my opinions on vacuum cleaners. Unfortunately I’m unable to answer you all so I decided to start writing some guides that can answer a lot of your questions. One of the most common emails I get starts out with “What’s the best upright vacuum cleaner?” It’s a question I was glad to answer for the first 50 times, but now it’s kind of wearing on me. So, for all of you who thought about emailing me today looking for advice on the best upright vacuum cleaner here’s my Guide to the Best Upright Vacuum Cleaners. I’ll update this page periodically as new models come out, manufacturers drop their prices, and anything else I can’t foresee happens. On to the show!

Best Budget Upright Vacuum Cleaner: Hoover Tempo Widepath
I’m sure this isn’t a surprise to some, but the best budget vacuum cleaner on the market right now has to be the Hoover Tempo Widepath. If you don’t believe me, read any of the hundreds of positive Amazon or Epinions reviews and see what they have to say. I have no problems disagreeing with the crowd, but the Hoover Tempo Widepath has given me no reasons to disagree with it in my shop. It was fairly quiet, extremely powerful, and one of the cheapest vacuum cleaners on the market. I believe they still go for less than $70 bucks.
Read the Full Review

Best Midrange Upright Vacuum Cleaner: Bissell 5770 Healthy Home Bagless Upright Vacuum
The Bissell 5770 Healthy Home Upright performs extremely well compared to other vacuum cleaners in this price range. I haven’t managed to write up a full review on this particular unit, but as I go over my notes I’m remembering why I rated it so high. First, it comes with a power brush attachment with small spinning agitator brush for cleaning deep down your upholstery. Next, the assembly was fairly easy and most people can put this vacuum cleaner together in less than 5 minutes. If you’re concerned with dust and allergens, this upright vacuum cleaner is equipped with a sealed HEPA air filtration system, greatly reducing allergens in your home. Replacing the filter was also quick and extremely easy compared to most other filter systems. Finally, the Bissell Healthy Home Vacuum Cleaner is designed with a bottom release debris canister, which means dirt free falls into your trash can. If you hold the canister over your trash can before release, you’re going to cut down on a lot of dirt that gets released into the air.

Best High End Upright Vacuum Cleaner: Dyson Animal DC07 Cyclone Upright Vacuum Cleaner
The Dyson Animal series is your Sensei’s favorite high end vacuum cleaner line. There are several different versions of the Dyson Animal. The DC07 is the basic unit and is the cheapest of the bunch. The rest of the vacuums in this line are more expensive because they target niches like allergies. I’ve chosen this specific Dyson Animal Cyclone because it was the basic. It’s best feature is power. You’re probably going to be shocked at the amount of dirt this upright vacuum cleaner is going to earn you. I’ve already written a full review of this specific model and you can read it here.
My Dyson Animal DC07 Review

Suck Away Breast Cancer

I can't believe I didn't find out about this earlier than I did but Dyson has a Breast Cancer fundraiser going on right now. They're selling a special edition of the Dyson DC07. I've reviewed this model already and really like it. If you're a lady and prefer a pink version you can pick one up at Target and $40 will be donated to further the fight against breat cancer. Just thought I would let my readers know.

Here's where I found the story and you can win this special edition Dyson Vacuum by entering a random drawing. I entered!

Vacuum News

Konichiwa! Today your Sensei wants to bring you a new segment he calls “Vacuums in the News”.

Vacuum Cleaner Art
Will Flannery, a fellow appliance enthusiast sees art in everything. He takes the remnants of old appliances from his shop and sculpts them into pieces of genuine art. My favorite piece is his giant robot that sits outside his shop.



Vacuum Cleaner Hurled at Victim
Another sad tale about a man who hurls a vacuum cleaner in a heated argument. I guess he thought knives weren’t sharp enough.

Vacuum Sex Toy Robbery
This story makes me think I should institute an “always wear gloves” policy whenever a customer brings in a vacuum.

Reader Email: Clarify your Vacuum Ranking System

Jeff wrote in "Why did the Hoover Tempo Widepath Receive 5 Stars and an obviously much more powerful vacuum like Bissell Momentum Upright receive 4 stars? Could you clarify your ranking system please?

Thanks,
Jeff"

A few people have sent in some emails asking how why a vacuum like the Hoover Tempo Widepath received 5 stars while a clearly, more powerful vacuums received as little as 3 or 4 stars. The answer is simple. You don’t judge a Honda Civic by the features and performance of a Mercedes. They’re in two completely different classes and marketed to two entirely different demographics. When I write a review about a vacuum that costs a hundred bucks or less I’m comparing it to my experiences with other vacuums in that price range, not to a Miele, Dyson, or Oreck.

Finding the Best Vacuum Cleaner

This morning I woke up and did a search for “Choosing the Best Vacuum Cleaner” on Google and found 10 generic search results that had roughly the same information. It’s so frustrating to see these generic guides written by “MFA’s” or made for adsense websites that rewrite each other’s articles in hopes they’ll generate a few bucks a day in advertising revenue. In an effort to make the internet a better place, your Sensei is going to post the most common questions people ask him in HIS VACUUM SHOP about buying the best vacuum cleaner.

1: What are HEPA Filters? Do they work? What can they do for me?
I know I’m going to be labeled a geek for knowing this but HEPA filters were actually developed for the Manhattan Project, the code name for atomic bomb research during World War II. HEPA filters purified the air to prevent radio active particles from polluting the air. The acronym means “High Efficiency Particle Arresting”.

A vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA filtration system is supposed to remove 99.7% of air particles .3 microns or larger from your air. There are a lot of vacuums out there with HEPA filtration; if you’re looking for a vacuum cleaner to reduce dust allergens and pollens in your homes look for a “sealed” HEPA filtration vacuum. Unsealed HEPA filtration systems allow air to escape from others parts of the vacuum cleaner unfiltered. If you’re looking for a good Sealed HEPA filtration vacuum I can recommend the HEPA Filtration Upright Vaccum Cleaner Model SC5845

2: What is a self propelled Vacuum Cleaner?
Self propelled vacuum cleaners are a must for the Vacuum Sensei. Upright vacuum cleaners equipped with a self propelled drive system help users push the vacuum so it’s much easier to move along your carpet. Just be aware that self propelled vacuum cleaners carry slightly higher maintenance costs.

3: How many amps should my vacuum cleaner have?
This is one of those “no right or wrong” answers. Some vacuum cleaners make better use of their power with efficient air flow designs and well made agitator brushes, so I can’t give you a set in stone number. Your Sensei can give you a good rule of thumb, don’t go with any upright or canister vacuum with fewer than 12 amps.

4: Which Vacuum Brands do you personally recommend?
I don’t recommend brands because their vacuum lineup changes from year to year and there’s almost always a dud or two in a manufacturers’ product line. I have no problem recommending specific vacuum cleaners but I will never, ever give a blanket endorsement to a company.

5: What’s the difference between vacuum cleaner types? Which one should I get?
There are three basic types of vacuum cleaners: Upright, Canister, and Hand Held.

Canister Vacuums
Canister vacuums are usually shaped like eggs with hoses attached to them. They’re made for people with hard floors and have customizable vacuum heads so you can switch to one with an agitator brush for cleaning carpets or one without when cleaning hard wood surfaces. They’re also great for people with lots of stairs and cleaning ceilings. The main drawback for canister vacuums is portability. Canister vacuums aren’t as mobile as their upright or hand held counterparts.

Upright Vacuums
Uprights are the most popular vacuum model. People with large carpet surface areas love them because they cover a lot of ground in a small amount of time and they’re easy to move around. They’re horrible at cleaning hard surfaces and will probably hurt more than help if you tried to clean your hard wood floors with an upright vacuum.

Hand Helds
I like hand held vacuums because they’re great for reaching small corners and cleaning cars. Hand held vacuum cleaners are usually kept on hand by people who like to spot clean. Buy a hand held vacuum as a supplement for Upright and Canister vacuums.

6: How much does a good vacuum cleaner cost?
You can get a great bargain vacuum cleaner for less than a hundred bucks. Some of the better, more powerful home vacuum cleaners on the market are made by Miele. They generally run from $300 to $600. But, you can still find a great vacuum cleaner for less than a hundred bucks. Just scroll through my reviews and find one with features you like, I’m sure you’ll find a great deal on a vacuum cleaner.

Well, that covers the most common questions I get about finding the best vacuum cleaner at my shop. If you have any other questions about finding the best vacuum cleaner for you, just send the Vacuum Sensei an email and I’ll be glad to answer you.

Sincerely,
The Vacuum Sensei
http://vacuumsensei.com
sensei@vacuumsensei.com

Best Lightweight Vacuum Cleaners on a Budget

The reader emails keep pouring in here at the shop and today I get to answer Losing True’s question. What did you have to say Losing True?

“I really would like your advice on what you think is a great vacuum. I have an old Kirby that has always driven me nuts (hard to use and heavy to lug up and downstairs, though it is very strong). I want something that you think is the best value for someone on a budget who actually likes to vacuum.

You have a great niche going. Keep it up!

Losing True”

Thanks for the compliment losing true. Your email wasn’t too specific so I’m going to assume you’re open to uprights and hand helds.

Hoover Tempo Widepath Upright Vacuum Cleaner
Weight: 18 lbs.
First model I want to introduce in this Guide to the Best Lightweight Vacuum Cleaners on a Budget is the Hoover Tempo Upright. I’ve given this vacuum a full review already and it’s the only vacuum cleaner to date that has earned my top 5 Star Rating. It’s not the lightest or cheapest kid on the block, but it’s powerful and effective.

Black & Decker CHV1400 14.4-Volt Cyclonic DustBuster
Weight: 6.5 lbs.
I haven’t gotten around to posting a full review of this hand held vacuum yet but I have 2 pages of notes waiting to be typed into my computer when I have the time. This is my favorite hand held vacuum cleaner and I reccomend it to a lot of my friends searching for a great hand held vacuum.

I like this one because it’s fairly cheap (Retails for $35-$40.), has a very good repair history, and is very powerful for a hand held vacuum. (Most repairs were for wear and tear.) It's also rechargeable. Your Sensei doesn't like buying batteries and went nuts after the Wii came out and buying new batteries every 6 days for 4 controllers! I will never give the okay to buy any hand held vacuum cleaner that requires replacing batteries, it's just much easier on everyone involved, including the environment! Black and Decker helped propel the Handheld Cyclonic DustBuster to this list by including a crevice tool and cleaning brush when many other manufacturers don't.

Bissell 3106A Featherweight Lightweight Vacuum
Weight: 3.5 lbs.
I know you’re looking for a bargain Losing True and your Sensei has found it. I saw this lightweight vacuum in my shop 2 months ago when an older lady cracked the front plate and asked me to replace it. Coming in at $25 bucks, yes, that’s right, an upright vacuum cleaner for $25 bucks this is the cheapest, lightest vacuum cleaner I’ve ever had the privilege of working with. Factoring in price and size this is a very powerful vacuum. If you’re looking for the best lightweight vacuum bargain, look no further than the Bissell 3106A LightWeight Vacuum. (I’ll post a full review of this vacuum sometime soon.)

Well Vacuum Sensei students, that's it for my guide to the Best Lightweight Vacuums on a Budget. Remember, these are only my suggestions, do your own research, there's a lot of excellent lightweight vacuum cleaners out there I probably have never seen or heard of. If you find any of these burried gems, just be sure to let me know, it's great to share wisdom! Have a great weekend everyone!

Sincerely,
The Vacuum Sensei,
http://VacuumSensei.com

Bissell Flip It 5200 Wet Dry Hard Floor

Yaaarrrrrrrrrrr! It be International Talk Like a Pirate Day! Yarrr! Today your Sensei will shed his kimono and katana to dawn his ol’ Captains’ hat and pistol to let ye know if ye should swab yr’ deck with the Bissell Flip It 5200 Wet / Dry Hard Floor Vacuum. Arrrrr! All hands on deck and set sail for email! Gyarrrr.

“What do you think of the Bissell Flip It? I love the idea of never moppingagain, and having a quick stick for little messes (the ones Lucy won't eat)is enticing. Is it worth it? Thank you so much, once again, for your wisdom. :) I am not worthy.

La Rêveuse (Ronica)”

Vacuum Review: Bissell Flip It 5200 Wet / Dry Hard Floor Vacuum Cleaner
Vacuum Rating: A pathetic 2.5 stars out of 5 for being too impractical for daily use and having a history of leaking

Aye Ronni, my Bonnie Lass. The Bissell Flip It. I’ve not seen the likes of this amphibious monster in my shop for a fortnight. Fortunately your Capn’s log is as reliable as John Silver is long. There be two of these vacuum cleaners and I’ll cover the Bissell Flip It 5200 in this vacuum review.

Every good company finds a need and fills it. Bissell has tried to fill the “too lazy to mop” niche by introducing this monstrosity of a vacuum cleaner. Before I get into the many reasons why I hate this vacuum cleaner, I’ll cover the good. I like to think that there’s good in everything.

Some 2 in 1 vacuum cleaners are put together very poorly. Users sometimes have to go through a long set up process to switch modes. One of the first generation versions of the 2 in 1 required you to switch hoses, unscrew stuff, and leaked like a boat made from Swiss cheese. (I won’t mention that company’s name because it has since put out better vacuums and your Cap’n believes in second chances.) The Bissell Flip it is so far the easiest hard floor vacuum to switch modes with. Like its name implies, you simply flip the vacuum around and you’ve gone from wet to dry or dry to wet. Here’s a video that demonstrates how it works.

The Bissell Flip It 5200 is compatible with two different cleaning heads. If you have, let’s say, a wood floor living room and a tiled kitchen you can clean both floors without damaging either because you’ll be able to switch the vacuum heads. I was also happy with how easy it was to switch the vacuum heads; once again Bissell has scored a few points with how user friendly they made the Flip It 5200.

Okay, now for what I didn’t like. Not only was the suction for the Flip It Vacuum terrible but a poorly designed exhaust system blew away a lot of small debris like hair, lint, and dust. Even if this vacuum is capable of picking something up there’s a good chance you’ll blow it away before it gets anywhere near your vacuum. A quick specifications check revealed a laughable 3 amp motor powering the suction on this vacuum. I was very disappointed. Bissell does offer more powerful versions of the flip it, but you’re definitely going to have to pay for it.

Next, a lot of customers complained about leaking. Despite the fact that leaking Flip It Vacuums mean I get to eat at very nice restaurants the Cap’n was not pleased. Bissell needs to change course and fix this problem when it releases its next generation of wet / dry hard floor vacuums if it plans on selling any.

Last, and certainly not least, this vacuum is nothing more than an electric sponge mop. If you’re looking for something that’s going to save you time, money, and get your floors clean don’t buy the Bissell Flip It. It’s bulky and much less maneuverable than a regular sponge mop and it’s going to set you back at least $85 bucks plus filter replacements, and expensive Bissell made floor cleaner.

If you’re looking for something to make your floors shine buy a mop. No, seriously, buy a mop. I’ve yet to be impressed with a home grade vacuum cleaner that’s supposed to take the place of a mop. It has a fair amount of cleaning power, but it’s not ideal at all for cleaning small spaces. I dare you to try to clean behind your toilet with the Flip It.

Sincerely,
Cap’n Vacuum

Reader Mail Bag: How Can I Thank You

Hello All,

I just checked my email and found it stuffed with subject lines reading "Thank You Sensei". After reading through them and writing everyone back I've decided to put up one. Partly to boost my ego, but mostly to answer a question it seems I'll be getting regularly.

"Dear Wise Vacuum Sensei,

I had been looking for a low cost vacuum that wasn't going to break down after a couple months. I scrolled through your reviews and found the Hoover Tempo Widepath. It was cheap and powerful, just like you said. As one of your very satisfied students, I was wondering how I can pay homage to my Vacuum Sensei. Your student is very sorry for not buying through your Amazon links and would have if you had posted Sunday's post on Friday!"

Begging forgiveness,
April

April, your Sensei can't begin to describe how grateful he is for your email. As a matter of fact I'm posting it on my refrigerator door to point to when Ms. Sensei is frowning at and saying I should be "mowing the lawn" instead of taking care of my readers.

So, how can you help the Sensei? There's a lot of ways for you to help out the Sensei and all the other vacuum buyers who find themselves without teacher. MOST, I repeat, MOST of the ways you can help the Vacuum Sensei don't involve money. Here are the free ways you can help me spread the word and get more people started on the righteous vacuuming path:

1: Buying vacuums through my Amazon links.
Every time you click on one of my Amazon links I'll get credit for anything you purchase. Amazon will never charge you extra because you made your purchase by clicking one of my links.

2: Link Love
I'm extremely flattered when people think I deserve a mention and link on their personal blog, website, or message board they frequent. Anything you do to help get the word out about this Sensei is greatly appreciated! If you found my information helpful, useful, or well written, consider linking to me. I may have a banner or two in the future but for now you can copy and paste this code into your site:

The Vacuum Sensei
or
Vacuum Reviews

*Oh, and if you're as frustrated as I am with some of the poor quality vacuum review sites ranking high for keywords like "vacuum review" linking to me on your blog will go a long way in riding the net of these poorly constructed vacuum sites!

3: Subscribe to My Feed
You can subscribe to my feed and be updated automagically of Vacuum Sensei updates. I write a review or article almost every day.

4: Thank or Please Review Email
Reader response is one of my prime driving factors. It makes me feel good knowing I'm making a difference out there, even if it's a small one. Thank you emails are great and "Please Review" emails let me know my diligent efforts to gain your trust have paid off.

Feed URL
http://vacuumsensei.com/atom.xml

There's buttons on the left for Yahoo, Google, and Feedburner feed readers.

Not Free: Donate
If you found my vacuum advice extremely helpful you can buy me a beer for my trouble. A beer in my neck of the woods is about 3 bucks at happy hour including tip. I would consider us even if you bought me a beer. My preferred donation method is the Amazon Honors System. If works like a regular purchase, except you can get a refund for your donation if you decide I don't deserve it a few days later.