Bought in Argos for £89 few months ago, this Electrolux vacuum cleaner has a rather classic design for an upright (at least compared to some, more futuristic, models from Dyson or even Morphy Richards), but its very nice amethyst satin finish compensates that and has contributed decisively (I have to admit that…) to my buying decision.
I was initially thinking of buying a mousy-type of vac cleaner in order to use it for the stairs or some corners where my old upright Hoover (no hose) is impossible to reach with, but browsing the Argos catalogue I’ve decided eventually to go for this ‘two-in-one” type of cleaner; brand reliability, combined with a reasonable price, made me to decide for this Electrolux vac cleaner.
First of all, I must say I am impressed with the way it cleans; it seems to glide across the carpets and makes this chore quite easy. At 1600W, the suction is very strong indeed, and noise and vibrations are not extremely loud, but it is definitely not a machine one would call quiet. It is rather lightweight for an upright (~7.3kg), and therefore quite easy to manoeuvre and carry around. Crevice nozzle and dusting/upholstery brush attachments also came with the cleaner, along with 2 additional extension tubes; they are simply fixed to the rear of the cleaner in their own housing area, and attach and come off very easily, enabling you to clean curtains, beds, upholstery, or dusting furniture and ceilings. The manual is quite good, but the cleaner is so simply to use that you don’t really need it.
On the main floor-head there is a 7-stage floor type selector for the adjustment of the brush roll, in order to clean different carpet piles and hard floors. This works great and I find it ideal for those who have different types of flooring; when the cleaner is put in the upright position, the manual adjustment knob is very easy to move.
Cleaning under low furniture is easy, provided they are at least 4 inches above the carpet, therefore I don’t think it can compete with other rivals from this point of view. The handle release pedal is conveniently located, works firmly and seems very reliable. The 7 metre total length cord offers you enough mobility around the room, and the flexi hose stretches easily to about 3 - 3.5 m so you can clean all the stairs.
One disadvantage I found is the fact that, when using the hose, the stability might become an issue. The suction is strong, there is no power variator, and as the flexi hose is very elastic, you need to either position the cleaner against a wall or at the base of the stairs, or keep a hand on it in case it falls back – because inevitably it will unless you keep an eye on it. Apart from variable suction (which would be very useful especially when using the hose), I find that an automatic height adjustment and a full-bag indicator would have been great add-ons.
It has microfiltration, so I can’t feel anymore that slight dusty air sensation I had with my old Hoover upright. Removing the bag (resonable roomy – about 3 litre) is also extremely easy; the Smartbox dust container can also be washed and refreshed between uses, if you want to. I have it for about four months now and it's never once clogged and cleans fantastically (pet hair too).
In summary this is a great cleaner, and if it weren’t for the small stability problem, I would recommend it unreservedly to anyone.
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