(yes, I did intentionally title it that way to see if it might make somebody think that the baby had come...did I getcha?!)
This baby joined our family a couple of weeks ago, and I have never used such a nice vacuum in my life!Those of you who have been reading here a while may remember that last spring I posed a question about vacuums--what you've loved, what you've hated, what you desperately want to have for your very own...
As I read through all your comments to me, it became clear that no two people liked the same vacuum. (Geeze, that's not much help for me, you guys need to get together and vote or something before you all comment, ok?!) So I did what I probably should have done in the first place--I went to consumer reports. They listed this vacuum (The Eureka Boss Smart-Vac) as the "best buy," with the claim that it "outperformed $700 vacuums but only cost $170." With the thought that I have three (soon-to-be-four) boys in this house, plus a long-haired super-shedder dog, plus we live in Alaska where there's always mud and dirt to track in...I had concluded that I was willing to shell out a lot of money if that's what it took to get a really good vacuum. $170 is really not that much money, and I was intrigued.
So I did what any modern housewife would do--I went to amazon and checked out the reviews there. Guess what? Almost everybody who left reviews on amazon loves it too. In fact, the only complaints I saw were that it is heavy (it does have a massive engine, and weighs 26lbs), and some people said it was loud. Of course other people said it was not loud, so I guess it's all relative.
Oh, and the amazon price was only $144, and it came with free shipping--even to Alaska.
So I bought the thing.
And here is my review of the Eureka 4870MZ Boss Smart-Vac:
PROS
- Hepa filter
- Bags (I may have to buy refills, but they are so much less messy than my bagless dustbuster...and amazon has the bags so I just ordered a package with the vacuum.)
- 12 amp engine ☺
- It SUCKS like no vacuum I have ever used--not my mom's, not my mother-in-law's, not my father-in-law's shop vac, not the industrial one we use when cleaning the church... I was using the hose to clean up my sewing area the other day and it picked up thread jumbles and fair-sized fabric scraps without hesitation. I have warned the boys that if they don't pick up their legos or marbles they will undoubtedly be eaten by the vacuum...if the intake were large enough, I think it might suck up whole articles of clothing or possibly small children.
- It works beautifully on our tall carpet, short carpet, and bare floor. I don't see any dog hair left behind, and especially the first time I used it I could hear the dirt wooshing up the tube. It's quite satisfying actually. Our (far-from-new rental-apartment) carpet looks plusher and feels softer than it did when we moved in. I wouldn't hesitate to believe that this vacuum can extend the life of our carpeting.
- The "power paw" (a hose attachment with a rolling brush like the main vacuum) took all the hair off my dog's bed. I have vacuumed over that bed so many times, run the cover through the washing machine, and even just taken the whole thing out and beaten it...I'm fairly certain it has not been this clean since the day we brought it home. I think the paw is meant to be used on couches and upholstery, but our dog stays off the furniture so I haven't tested that application yet.
- This may seem silly, but I really like that the handle is a loop rather than a stick...it makes it easy to pull around (since I don't want to lift it) and it's easier to hold for the back and forth motion of vacuuming...I have had a vacuum fly right out of my hands on the forward motion before (please tell me I'm not the only one who's done that!) but that can't happen with the loop handle.
- Yep, it's heavy. I wouldn't want to haul it up and down stairs on a regular basis. SO, if I ever have a house with stairs, I will probably just buy a second SmartBoss for the other floor.
- Bear is scared of it, and so is the dog...on the other hand, the dog is scared of all vacuums, and Bear is mostly playing...he only runs and hides on the days that he's not begging to help do the vacuuming.
- The location of the power switch is a bit inconvenient for regular vacuuming. (It's down on the top part of the body, rather than up on the handle.) It means I can't switch it on with the same hand I'm 'driving' with... it's not an issue when using the hose, but it is sortof a hassle. This is the one thing that actually does bug me about this machine.
- As for the noise question? Well, I've definitely heard louder...but the very first time I used it I was excitedly vacuuming away in the bedrooms and when I came out I found that Bear had fallen asleep on the couch...so it must not be that loud!!
3 comments:
Thank you for your review of the vacuume you chose, I am also looking for a new one and this seems like the vacuume for me.
wow! sounds like a great vacuum! I HATE animal fur all over the place so if I had pets this sounds like the right vac.
We had this vacuum for at least 5 years. It had stopped working within the last year, but I took it apart and cleaned it out and it was as good as new. There were some plastic parts that broke off over the years, but the vacuum was still functional (even if tied shut with string, haha).
The carpet brushes seem to have stopped working now and I'm thinking it's time to buy another SmartVac. However, I'll probably convince myself to give it another try and clean it out and check all the belts before I make the purchase.
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