Metro Air Force 8 Peak Hp W/accy Master Blaster Dryer

Great vacuum power, slightly messy dust disposal
Our Hoover wind tunnel vacuum was beginning to show some wear after 6 years (power cord insulation broken) so we decided to spend a little more money and buy a Dyson DC14. As soon as it was out of the box and turned on it made a horrible grinding racket so it went right back in the box and back to the store. I was gun shy about buying another vacuum and spent a lot more time trying them out. Having owned several Hoover vacuums including a carpet cleaner that I love, I began to think I shouldn't stray from a reliable brand but I was still open-minded as I shopped and used several different brands and models at the store. I found the Hoover Elite Cyclonic to be the best that I tried. It is very simple to operate, with common sense, intuitive hookups between the canister and hose and the hose and wand. The adjustable wand is heavy duty metal and clicks quickly and easily in and out of the power nozzle. The power nozzle itself has a light and a powered, spinning brush that I like. The cyclone canister holds plenty of dust and lint and is easy to empty. I was leery about buying a canister since I have always found uprights easy to move around but I have absolutely no trouble handling the Elite Cyclonic. The adjustable handle is a plus since I am tall and my wife is shorter, and we can both vacuum comfortably. An absolute plus given my worn electrical cord problem is the automatic cord reel, which winds the cord into the canister body at the touch of a spring-loaded button. The vacuum is powerful and pulled dust, lint, and hair out of the carpet as well as the Dyson I used, but with none of the noise and flimsyness that I experienced with that brand.
The ONLY minor complaint I have about this vacuum concerns the fact that since it is bagless, there is a slight dusty mess when emptying the canister container into the wastebasket. I believe this to be true with any of the bagless vacuums currently on the market, and it empties quite like the Dyson that I tried. This messy disposal is certainly offset by the convenience and cost savings of not having to buy replacement bags. I highly recommend this vacuum cleaner!

Bissell 20Q9 CleanView II Plus Upright Bagless Vacuum Dirt Devil Vison Self Propelled Upright Home Care 528870 Hoover Type a Micro Bags Bissell Fiber Cleansing Formula - 128 oz. Dyson Ball All Floors Upright Vacuum Top Gun Stand Dryer (2-Speed) TG-3 110V (Oversized) Vacmaster 2.5-gallon 2 peak HP Wet / Dry Vac Bissell Style 3 Filtrete Vacuum Bags 2 Pack Bissell Bathroom Cleaner Bissell 720 Multi-Allergen Removal Formula

Disappointing
I bought the Hoover Empower Turbo because I wanted a folding vacuum with Hush mode and a Pet Brush. I bought the Turbo model because I liked the silver color over the other Empower Ipod colors. When I took it out of the box, the first thing I noticed was that there is only one extension wand. Most vacuums have two. This model has an extra hose, but I am not tall and would prefer an extra wand.

The second thing I noticed when I turned it on was that it pulled itself forward, but was more work to pull it back.

The next thing I noticed was that the Hush mode didn't seem much different than regular mode. Those commercials with the sleeping father and child are a joke.

During vacuuming, the hose came off of the main valve. It doesn't really 'lock' on.

On all of the Hoover folding vacuums, the cord wrap is in front of the hose. Which means you can't access the hose while vacuuming unless the cord is unwound all the way (that is too much loose cord for me). I had to stop vacuuming to unwind the rest of the cord so I could access the hose.

The pet brush was ok. I have a eureka hand vac with a rotation brush that does a similar job. The pet brush attached to the vacuum might have more power.

I did think that it picked up a lot of dirt right away - that was impressive. I liked that I could see it and dump it immediately. I don't like that the replacement filters are one of the most expensive on the market.

I think I am going to return this one and get the Hoover Cyclonic instead (no filters or bags to replace - ever).

MetroVac Stainless Steel/Chrome Canister Vac- OV4PNHSF Sanitaire SC677D Deep Cleaning Upright Vacuum Euro-Pro EP703 Shark Plus Lightweight Cannister Vacuum Dirt Devil Rechargeable Broom Vacuum Eureka Canister Style C Bag Dvc Brand (9 in a pack). Replacement Bissell Style 7 Bags (3 Pack) Shark Fantom Compact Bagless Upright Vacuum Fm310fs Lift Off Bagless Vacuum Belt - Style 8 - 2 Pk Dirt Devil 082700 Vision Turbo Canister Vacuum Home Care 528870 Hoover Type a Micro Bags

Works as good as the reviews here on Amazon
I owned an older Shark vacuum and had to put it to rest a few months ago. I was happy with its performance, but wanted a more powerful vacuum. Over the last few years I've acquired some dogs who like to ride in my car, but cleaning out the dog hair from cloth seats and floors was a real pain. I did a lot of research and decided on this hand-vac. I'm happy to report that after 4 months of hard vacuuming this product is living up to the good reviews here. I also use it around the office and home, but the car is where it gets its true workout. Would recommend to anyone looking for a strong powerful handvac. Just a warning - be sure that you dont accidentally throw the filter out when you are emptying it out!

Bissell 2036665 BISSELL 203-6665 HOSE, SPOT BOT Shop-Vac 925-63-10 12-Gallon 6 HP Tool-Start Wet/Dry Vacuum Bissell : 5200Z Flip-It Bare Floor Cleaner Bissell Steam Mop with Eucalyptus Mint Fragrance Hoover S2220 Flair Bagless Upright Stick Vacuum with Power Nozzle BISSELL VACUUM CASE DRUM WITH LWR HOSE 6590 Dirt Devil M0896 Quick Power Cordless Handheld Vacuum Eureka 6500A Airextreme 12-Amp Bagged Canister Vacuum Cleaner with Hepa Filtration Hoover S3755 Bagless WindTunnel Canister Eureka C2094G Heavy Duty Cloth Bag Upright Commercial Vacuum

Terrific product! (3/14/09)
Hoover Platinum Lightweight Bagged Upright with Canister (UH30010COM) (3/14/09)

Overall, this is a terrific vacuum. The person who will be happiest with this combination is the person who: (1) wants a lightweight vacuum, (2) has mostly carpet in their home, (3) has carpeted stairs, and (4) uses attachments.

I liked my old vacuum, so using the LBU has been an eye-opening experience for me: I didn't realize how much effort I was exerting with my old upright with attachments - not only heavier, but so much bending and stooping to change settings or get tools.

At 11 pounds, the LBU is 2 to 3 pounds heavier- but less expensive - than competing models. Bonuses: it has a longer cord and a stair cleaning handle.

Competing models -
Hoover LBU, 11 lbs list $400/retail $400 (includes canister), 6 yr warranty
Riccar RSL5; 8 lbs list $710/ retail $500 (without canister), 3 yr warranty
Oreck XL Gold: 9 lbs list $600/ retail $500 (includes canister), 5/10 warranty
Oreck XL Platinum: 9 lbs list $800/ retail $600 (includes canister), 10 yr warranty

All of these uprights (including the LBU) are similar to commercial models, but you don't get the same auto carpet height adjustment, lifetime belt, HEPA filtration, and warranty on commercial models.

The supplementary canister has a strap and a 25 food cord. I didn't like it the first time I tried it, but the second time I adjusted the strap to fit me (DUH!), and then I LOVED it! The canister carries the crevice and brush attachments on board, so switching is easy, and the wand is extendable. (I don't use the floor tool, because I use a stick vac on my hardwoods.)

If you want details about specific features, read on:

PROS

FINGERTIP CONTROLS - Wonderful. Many models have this type of control now, and now that I have used it I wouldn't buy one that didn't have it.

HEPA SYSTEM - Remarkable. My old vacuum was a HEPA model with HEPA bags, but there is no comparison to this model. The air on this vacuum comes out smelling fabulous. I bought and returned a top rated Kenmore canister that had the exact same amazingly clean exhaust (turns out I don't like using a canister), so I think this is the new hallmark of quality vacuums.

AUTO CARPET HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT - Works beautifully. I used to have to stoop down to change the carpet height adjustment on different rugs, but the LBU self-adjustment really works - no problem pushing vacuum over even the thickest pile.

CORD PLACEMENT - Smart! It comes out the behind the top of the bag rather than the bottom. This means I have even more useable cord, because I don't have to hold part of the cord up to avoid running over it.

CLEANING ABILITY - VERY effective carpet cleaner, my 15 year-old carpets look & feel (to bare feet) remarkably cleaner, and even look & feel newer. Excellent at removing pet hair from carpet. The upright is 5.5 amps with direct air flow, like the Riccar & Oreck models listed. The canister is 7 amps. (The combined total is listed in the product description - very confusing. I suppose that Hoover thought consumers want a 12 amp machine, but amps are like gas mileage; if you get more suction for less amperage it's like getting better mileage. That's good, not bad. Plus you won't blow your fuses!)

EASILY MANEUVERABLE - One expects this of a lightweight model, and all the models I tried turned easily and so forth, but the Riccar & Orecks I tried had to be kicked or tipped up over the edge of an area rug placed onto another carpet. In my home I have area rugs in several rooms on top of the wall-to-wall carpeting, and the LBU moves seamlessly over the edges (even on my thickest area rug) without needing a kick or an extra hard push.

LIFETIME LED HEADLIGHT - Brilliant! (Literally!) It is brighter than any other light I have ever had on a vacuum, and is it actually aimed at the carpet! I think having the LEDs has allowed them to aim the light better than with a standard bulb. I am sure other LED equipped models are comparable, so look for this feature,

LIFETIME BELT - YES! I've replaced SO many belts over the years and I won't have to do THAT anymore, thank goodness.

STAIR-CLEANING HANDLE - Finally. It is comfortably shaped & works well. To use competitors' models on stairs, you have to hold them by the back tube, which I've tried, and it isn't nearly as easy as using the handle. However, see cons below.

CORD RELEASE - (6/9/09 edit) I thought it didn't have one until another Amazon customer posted a commment to me (see comments) that it most certainly does; then I tried it again and VOILA! it does. Because I couldn't figure it out before, I got into the habit of just winding up the 35' cord on my arm and plopping it into the top cord holder. The LBU doesn't threaten to tip over at all when I do this, so it works just great and saves me yet another bend and stoop - but it's a good feature to have, so I'm glad the engineers didn't leave it out.

CONS

STAIR-CLEANING HANDLE - Good grief! I assume it really WAS necessary to vent the motor exhaust toward the stair-cleaning handle (!), so rather than curse the engineers, hold the handle on the right-hand side. It's big enough to do that, thank goodness. Or vacuum the stairs first, before the motor gets warm.

NO BRUSH ROLL ON/OFF - Hmmm. This is in the description (and competitors' models are the same), so it means that the vacuum is intended ONLY for people with mostly carpet. I have about 80/20 carpet/bare floor, so it works for me. I use a stick vac on my hardwood, and the other person I talked to that has hardwood floors and this vacuum says she doesn't care because her hardwood floors aren't new anyway. But if you have brand-spankin'-new hardwood floors, will you really want to use a brush-roll on them?

EXPENSIVE BAGS - Really, $5 each? But they are huge, and they are the very high quality type with fabric-like paper, so we'll see. I used to have to change my old ones ($3) fairly often, so maybe this will work out the same or even cheaper.

CARRY-STRAP FOR CANISTER - Not padded. Anyone know where I can buy a pad for a 1 ½ inch strap?

This review is longer than I would like, but since there are so few reviews out there as yet, I wanted to be thorough. Sorry for the length but hope this helps!

Eureka EL8502A Versatility Upright Bagless Vacuum Cleaner HOOVER - Steam Vac Extractor (F5810) Dirt Devil Easy Steamer Deluxe BISSELL Vacuum BELT REPL 3065 Dirt Devil SE3890 Purpose for Pets Portable Extractor Electrolux EL7055A Twin Clean Bagless Canister Vacuum Cleaner Bissell Pet Pack Vacuum Accessory Set Electrolux #4870GZ Boss Smart 12A Vacuum Metro 6'hose 120v 4.0php Compact Car Vacuum Bissell® 497 Little Green Compact Multipurpose Cleaner - 64 oz

Lots of power for the price
I purchased this vacuum because a 6.5 HP motor seems to be as big as you can get without jumping into the industrial line of vacuums. I wanted a big motor for a reasonable price.

Warranty - It also has a 3 year warranty, which of course I hope I do not need to use.

Assembly - It is easy to put together...about 10-15 minutes. I only needed a flathead screwdriver to mount the wheels.

Blower -The vacuum has a blower feature which you enable by plugging the hose into the exhaust port.

Drain - It has a drain for emptying the vacuum after wet pickup. Useful when 16 gallons of liquid is too much to lift.

Noise - I can't tell if this vacuum is "super quiet" as advertised. It seems as loud as any vacuum I have owned. Probably some room for improvement. Without a decibel rating... it all seems relative.

Sucking power - this vacuum is powerful. No complaints.

Included Tools - everything is plastic and 2 1/2 inches in diameter. The crevice tool is larger than you might think. I think they could have included a round brush tool for the price.

Tool Carriage - mounts easily to the back of the vacuum. It is of marginal value. Bad for extension pipes and hoses, good for the crevice tools and gulper tool.

Weight - This vacuum weighs 20+ pounds which makes it heavy to many people. There is a handle on top of the unit which you can use to carry it.

Extensibility - shop vac makes some additional products such as a gutter leaf blower attachment, a dust collection system, and drywall sanding screen/collection system all of which give this product some growth potential.

Filters - This one uses the round cartridge as shown but can also accomodate bags for drywall dust or fine dust. I like the one piece design as opposed to the sponge, o-ring, filter design used in other models.

Cord - 18 ft. cord is nice.

Areas for improvement - add some extra tools (brush head and/or small crevice tool), give a 5 year warranty, reduce the noise further, add a crush proof hose, add a tote bag for the tools as opposed to the on board carrier.

Electrolux Home Care Products Eureka Sanitaire Dual Motor Commerci... Dirt Devil Stick Broom Kruz Cordless Floor Glider Bissell BISSELL 0755 128OZ. LAVENSER CLEANSING FORMULA Hoover U4707-900 Clean & Light Upright Vacuum w/ 2X the suction power of an Oreck XL Classic Refurbished Eureka R4870G Boss Upright Vacuum Vacmaster VS810WD 8-Gallon 4 HP Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vacuum Dirt Devil 130000 i Upright Vacuum Cleaner Remanufactured Dyson DC14 Full-Kit Upright Bagless Vacuum Cleaner Spot Cleaner,Portable,1-1/2 Gallon Cap.,8 Hose,25Cord,Red Dirt Devil Rampage Plus Robotic In-Ground Pool Cleaner