nagels's Full Review: Eureka 4870 Bagged Upright Vacuum
Penny Pyncher, now writing for Frugal and Fussy magazine, recently interviewed notorious cheapskate Epinonator Spudman.
PENNY Time is money so let’s get right down to it. Tell us about your most recent purchase.
SPUDMAN You know, Penny, vacuum cleaners are a passion of mine second only to potatoes. I like to read about them and try them out in the stores. Recently I bought a Eureka Smartvac Boss 4870 upright at Sears. It’s number six of my present vacuum fleet.
PENNY: Interesting, potatoes and vacuums are your passions. What about sex?
SPUDMAN No thanks, Penny. I find your tightwaddery quite attractive, but I am a married man, after all.
PENNY: But… Never mind! Why did you choose this vacuum?
SPUDMAN: We moved into a new house a few months ago. With the new carpeting and recently installed hardwood and Pergo flooring , I wanted a vacuum that excelled. My old Sharp, though still decent, just didn’t cut the mustard. After some in store research and reading Consumer Reports, I narrowed my choices to the Eureka and a Kenmore model. (34922)They are ranked two and three in the latest listing of vacuum cleaners in that magazine. ( January 2005) The Kenmore was tempting, but 80 dollars higher in price , and I didn’t want to be restricted to Sears as a supplier for my vacuum bags and filters.
PENNY: Tell us about the features of this vac.
SPUDMAN: Well, it’s a sporty looking machine, dark green and black body, bright yellow accents, mostly constructed of genuine plastic. Here’s a list of features I prepared for you, Penny:
- comes with six extra bags - has carry aboard tools: upholstery nozzle, crevice tool, dusting brush, extension wands - has a cord retainer on top to keep the long cord out of the way ( I love that long cord, by the way) - convenient on/off switch at the top of the body - carpet height adjustment lever - a switch for brush roll controller. Brush is off for hard floors. - Foot activated handle release - A HEPA filter - Easy to use hose/floor selector - A long, flexible hose for above the floor vacuuming - Manual height adjustment lever - Clear tubes carry dirt to the dust bag - A headlamp - 12 amps, 15” widepath - stair handle (It’s actually elementary, more a recess than a handle.)
PENNY: Was assembly difficult?
SPUDMAN: I had a little trouble attaching the handle, but after five minutes or so I relented and read the directions. Then it was a snap.
PENNY: How’s the suction?
SPUDMAN: It’s wonderful. There is no dirt alert indicator like on the Kenmore, but I can hear the dirt particles being sucked up by this monster machine. Even Mrs. Spudman has been impressed with its power and effectiveness. It cleans bare floors and carpets with equal aplomb. It’s da bomb!
PENNY: How does it drive?
SPUDMAN: Most of the vacuums I tested are heavy; this one’s no exception. When the brush roll is spinning, it can sometimes pull the vacuum along by itself. This one, though heavy (21 pounds), pushes fairly easily. Weight is a factor only when doing the stairs. We have a steep, tall set of stairs, so I plan on buying the 15 foot hose extender online for 30 dollars. That’s a lot of money, but carrying this heavyweight up the stairs can be onerous.
PENNY: Well, you are one of the many onerous of this vacuum, after all. Are there any negatives?
SPUDMAN: There are a few. For one, the headlight is pretty much useless because of its location and weak light output. The switch for hard floor/carpet selection is a royal pain to use. It took some experimentation to figure out how to make it work. I almost returned the vacuum to Sears because of it. The onboard retainer for the upholstery nozzle is also problematic. It sometimes takes two or three attempts for me to snap the nozzle into place firmly. The clear tubes are also disappointing. I thought I’d see lots of dirt shooting up the tubes, but so far have seen nothing. A vacuumer would have to contort himself/herself in half to view the tubes while vacuuming. I can’t do it. There is no adjustment for suction power. You have one choice, full power. I’ve gotten around that by turning the floor/hose dial midway. It’s a bit noisy, but it does diminish the power for vacuuming scatter rugs, lampshades, or drapes. Lastly, and this might be a positive, because of the Smartvac’s effectiveness the filter bags will fill more quickly than in other cleaners, thus requiring more frequent bag changes. If I could do it, I’d manually empty the bag and try reusing it to save money.
PENNY: Last thoughts? Any regrets?
SPUDMAN: I’m very happy with this machine despite its few irksome quirks. It performs well and even cleans the air as I vacuum. Since I bought it, I’ve vacuumed our bedroom on a daily basis. Mrs. Spudman thinks there’s less dust on the bedroom furniture because of it. If I have any regrets it might be for not buying this vacuum online from ABC vacuums. They offer a newer model of this machine with a spare HEPA filter, deluxe tool kit with hose extender, nine extra bags, and free shipping for about the same price I paid Sears for mine.
PENNY: Thank you for your time, Spudman.
SPUDMAN: You’re welcome. But I thought your magazine would pay me for this interview. Time is money, after all.
Update on 9/1/05 I'm still very pleased with this vacuum and have gotten used to its quirks. I've discovered that the handle falls parallel to the floor by stepping on the release lever twice. This makes it easy to vacuum under tables. The disposable bags fill relatively quickly. This is a good thing; it means this vac picks up the dirt and grit. (2/16/06)You can't beat the prices of the Online Vacshop for replacement bags and filters. A link to my review of that business is below.
UPDATE 9/06 The light is poor because it's not centered, but located on the right hand side. Also it's on the hinged part of the vacuum that also has the bag and the handle. Thus if you lean the handle back, the light also leans back and points straight upward. It's a poor design rendering the light almost useless. Consider this if a good light is important to you. It hasn't bothered me, but it makes me wonder what the designer was thinking.
2/2/07 This vacuum continues to rate a best buy tag in Consumer's Reports. Note that according to their tests it performs better than the Dyson Animal which costs much, much more. The Eureka certainly merits a look, quirks and all.
6/'09 - Eureka Boss is still favored by Consumer Reports but has relinquished the top spot. There are a number of new Boss models from which to choose, all with minor differences. I'd buy another one without hesitation.
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