Powerful and Great for Quick Pick Ups (New Version*)

*First, my Dirt Devil M084100 does not look like the picture here nor match some of the characteristics mentioned in other (older) reviews. I was a little confused, so double checked my model number and the Dirt Devil website - it seems they revamped this product, making considerable changes, and yet kept a previous model number. Mine is the one on the current Dirt Devil site - http://www.dirtdevil.com/Products/productDetail.aspx?id=13615

Now, onto the review:

With 3 young children, crumbs are a fact of life at our house. The after dinner cleanup was never a favored chore, as it either entailed bending over and straining your back to use the handheld vacuum or pulling out the full-size vac for bigger messes. One evening it dawned on me that a small stick type vacuum might just be the answer, so I asked for one for Christmas. I hadn't had time to research them at all so made no preference known and this was the one I received. It's the first vacuum of this type I've owned, but I couldn't be happier.

The Good
This vacuum is super powerful (rated at 12 Amps, if that's meaningful to you), especially for its size. The first night I plugged it in I wasn't holding it too firmly when I flipped the switch on and it totally fell out of my hand. Once I realized its strength, though, I had no problems controlling it (even the 6 year old can use it). It worked great at picking up crumbs from the hardwood and linoleum floors and easily got underneath the table and edges of the counters. An easier after dinner cleanup was my goal, so this was great, and I even ended up taking it out into the entry way to clean that up a bit. It's just a bit too wide to easily do my stairs with, but I have been known to use it on the bottom few if I have it out and they look particularly messy.

The vacuum is lightweight (about 5 pounds) and easy to maneuver. It's also small enough to get into relatively small spaces. The cord is adequate for me to do about 2/3 of my downstairs without changes outlets if I pull it to its full length (20 feet).


The Bad
There's not much bad to say about it really, but I'll mention a few minor issues I've had. This is a bagless vacuum and so you remove the dirt cup (with filter inside it) after pressing a release button and dump it out - easy. Fitting the dirt cup and filter back in is a bit trickier however. There's a notch on the filter that you have to line up just right on the dirt cup for it to fit in properly and then you have to snap the dirt cup onto the vacuum at just the right angle for it to snap into place. It's not aggravatingly difficult, but takes a little practice to do it right the first time.

Also, this vacuum will stand up on its own, but because it's so light it also will tip over easily if bumped. Again, not a big deal in my book. The unit itself is small enough that I generally just keep it in the corner of my kitchen and it's not in the way.

Another consideration is whether you will be using this vacuum primarily of hard surfaces or carpet. I use it mostly on bare floors, and it's great. I occasionally will use it on the Berber-type carpet in the family room, though, and while it's OK there it's definitely not as efficient as on the bare floors. Maybe it would be different on different carpet types though.


Final Call
I would recommend this vacuum as a great tool for quick clean ups, especially on bare floors. It's not going to replace a full-sized vacuum for almost anyone, but does have its place in most houses, especially with kids.