We liked that there were five settings, though, from bare floor to high carpet. productslearn more about However, we like it because its actually a powerful, lightweight vacuum for not much money. We just had to try it out for ourselves. If there was supposed to be any literature or warranty information in the box, that was missing, too. Bissell doesnt think so. Keep reading for our full product review. Joy has her Bachelors in Creative Writing from Florida State University, and an Associates in Fashion Design from F.I.T. Though it didnt arrive in perfect condition (why??? We liked how easily maneuverable it was and think the weight is an asset if you have multiple floors to vacuum. We've updated our Privacy Policy, which will go in to effect on September 1, 2022. The companys PowerForce Helix Bagless Upright Vacuum is very affordable and promises to be low-maintenance and functional. The extension tool didnt help eitherit was only about the length of a forearm. The vortex of cat hair that spun up into the machine after only a couple minutes of use was both gratifying as a reviewer and horrifying as the occupant of an apparently filthy house. As a budget pick, the $50-to-$60 PowerForce Helix is actually a pretty great little machine. If youre looking for an inexpensive upright that works on anything from wood floors up to shag, though, then we can confirm that this one will do the trick. We understand that returns happen for lots of reasons, but why didnt anybody check the return before sending it back out to a new customer? Um, thanks? It worked okay on the furbetter than a lint brush, anywaybut the hose is so short and stiff, it led to some awkward maneuvering, and the vacuum tipped over more than once. Were mystified. Every molded plastic button, handle, filter, and hose feels like the inexpensive play version of itself. The hose is very stiff and only 5 feet long, which is really too short to be useful for much more than vacuuming under the couch cushions. We used the included dusting brush, which seems to be a catchall attachment for upholstery, blinds, and dusting. At least we think thats all youd have to do. When it comes to vacuums, we usually assume that more expensive means better engineering and better performance. The box arrived unsealed (just folded closed), and the contents had obviously been removed at some point and then carelessly repacked. The PowerForce Helix versus a dark velvet couch covered in white cat fur was sort of a success story. Considering you still get most of the adjustable function of much more expensive vacuums, the designers seem to have gone for function over a guarantee of life-time durability. If youre looking for an inexpensive vacuum with a hose attachment that can actually extend your reach farther than your forearm, the Endura Reach from Dirt Devil may be more your speed. We think this is intended to keep the dirt and hair moving around in the canister so it doesnt clog up the hose connection or the filter. If you find yourself in the same position (we hope not), at least know that there are installation and maintenance videos for this model on Bissels website. The hose is very stiff and only 5 feet long, which is really too short to be useful for much more than vacuuming under the couch cushions. Along with the two screws and the lower cord hook, the user guide was missing.
Though the vacuum itself didnt look used (we checked the filter, dirt tank, and brushes), we were missing the pack with the two screws that we needed to assemble the handle, as well as the lower hook that the power cord is supposed to wrap around. Hoover WindTunnel 3 High Performance Pet Upright Vacuum Review, Crevice tool, dusting brush, extension wand, We Tested the Best Upright VacuumsHere Are Our Favorites, The Best Vacuums for Allergies and Small Particles, The Best Vacuums for Carpets, Tested in Our Lab, The Best Vacuums at Walmart That Are Affordable and Versatile, The Best Dyson Vacuums, Tested by The Spruce, We Tested the 8 Best Shark Vacuums for Your Home, The Best Wet-Dry Vacuums for Picking Up Every Kind of Mess, Learn the Difference Between a Vacuum and a Carpet Steamer, Here Are the Best Canister Vacuums of 2022, Tested by Us, The Best Vacuum Cleaners, Tested by Our Experts, We Tested the Best Dustbusters for Easy Cleaning, The Best Cordless Stick Vacuums, Tested by The Spruce, The BISSELL MultiClean Allergen Lift-Off Pet Vacuum, Reviewed, We Tested the Best Handheld Vacuums to Use Anywhere, We Tested the Best Carpet Cleaners for Tackling Stains, Dirt, and More, The 7 Best Cheap Vacuum Cleaners, Tested in Our Lab.
We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best Thats 6 pounds heavier than the PowerForce! After heaving some other vacuums around the house for review, though, we started to see the light on the more featherweight designs. Theoretically, we shouldve been able to hold the canister over a trashcan and just let the dirt drop out, but the hair and carpet fluff wed sucked up defied gravity and stayed put inside the helix, so we had to scoop it out by hand. The Bissell PowerForce Helix Bagless Upright Vacuum doesnt have a lot of extras, and the hose leaves a lot to be desired. You can adjust the height of the floor unit to the carpet height with a manual dial on the base, which was a pain to bend over and do when moving between a lot of different surfaces. The machine might feel like a toy, but its a toy with powerful suction that you can see. If you dont want to drop a house payment on a vacuum, though, does that mean you have to be happy with a push broom and a prayer against dirt? If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. While we honestly think the PowerForce Helix is a decent machine, it arrived in a mess. With its cheerful swimming pool blue hue and shockingly lightweight, youd think the PowerForce Helix was a toy if it wasnt sized for adult humans.
As a lifelong learner, she continually finds herself studying subjects like nutrition, sign language, and labor support. We ordered from Walmart, but the shipping label says it came directly from Bissell (as a third-party supplier). Needless to say, thats not making it up to the ceiling fan blades. It might feel like a toy, but the low weight and maneuverability ensures it wont break your foot if it falls over on it. The transparent dirt canister sits at the front, and when its in action, you can see the debris flying around in a helix patternhence the Helix model name. The washable filter is basically just a sponge nestled in the top of the dirt tank. We vacuumed a variety of rugs: a medium-density synthetic shag, a chunky jute loop, a flatweave, a flokati shag, and a lower-pile machine-loomed rug. We have your hardware and Allen wrenches. If wed actually had all the parts that shouldve come with the PowerForce Helix, we wouldve slid the upright handle into position, screwed it into place with the included screws, attached the hose, popped the lower cord wrap hook into place on the back of the vacuum, and she wouldve been ready to go. The Hoover Windtunnel 3, for instance, weighs over 18 pounds. Unfortunately, that doesnt give us much help with our power cord, which just swings around on its one hook. Why didnt they bother to tape the box shut? Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. We liked how easily maneuverable it was and think the weight is an asset if you have multiple floors to vacuum. Even on the high carpet setting, the vacuum was difficult to push across the shag rug, which was probably partially due to the light plastic wheels not navigating the rug well. True, the hose/attachment game is weak, true it does not seem like its built to last a lifetime, and also true, ours did not come in perfect condition. The canister comes off the upright easily by pressing a button at its apex and can be emptied by a trap door at its base. The packing materials and bags the vacuum was supposed to arrive in were crammed in the box around the vacuum parts. Whoever repacked the vacuum had thrown in a bag with enough random nuts, bolts, screws, and Alan wrenches to build an Ikea bed, but none of these was the size we needed to actually assemble the vacuum.
As long as you arent hurling your vacuum down the stairs or rolling over it with your Prius, though, the lightweight construction shouldnt be a problem. our process. We still think we couldve used an additional height option for high-pile. ), and definitely feels budget in the hose and accessories department, we think Bissells PowerForce Helix proves that you dont have to pay a lot to get a good, solid-performing upright vacuum. Out of the box, we were perplexed by how light the PowerForce Helix was: 12 pounds. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings.
Yuck. Incidentally, if anybody out there just bought an Ikea bed and only found two little screws included in the package, contact us. The hose detaches from the canister so you can use it with the included crevice tool, dusting brush, or extension wand. We removed it and rinsed it after a couple uses, let it dry overnight, then replaced it. Joy Merrifield is a New York-based product reviewer for The Spruce.She's worked in the style department of Real Simple and written for BUST, Overspray, and Planet Mag. While we honestly think the PowerForce Helix is a decent machine, it arrived in a mess. Bissell doesnt make any special claims to the performance of the PowerForce Helix against pet hair, short of a small graphic on the shipping box that says, pet inspired. We dont know what that means exactly, but we do know that this vacuum versus a shag rug in a house with three cats and a guinea pig was a fair fight.
Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home. We purchased the Bissell PowerForce Helix Bagless Upright Vacuum so our expert reviewer could put it to the test around her house. This was probably a returnand not a good one. Comparably priced, the Endura includes an extension wand that adds another 10 feet of reach.