Hoover Bagged Canister Vacuum – VTplus by Soniclean: The First and

I am 74 years old and I have arthritis. When my old Hoover lightweight finally kicked, I thought I’d get modern and buy one of those high-end highly touted bagless vacs. Big mistake. I realized that once I’d finished vacuuming, I had to spend virtually equal time emptying the cup (dust going everywhere) and washing out the filters. If I needed to vac again before the filter stuff was dry, that stalled my agenda. Vacuuming is tedious enough without having to clean the machine extensively as well.

So now I’ve just bought a Soniclean. First, assembly. Okay. Some-assembly-required makes me apprehensive, so I opened the box with trepidation. Just one screw into one hole with one Allen wrench (provided), with kindergarten-clear instructions. Yes. I can do this. (Fringe benefit: a sense of accomplishment.)

Cleaning: First, the hose is a decent length. I can do the entire main floor of my house with one outlet change. Second, profile: the low nose on the machine gives it leverage under the beds, kick plates under kitchen and bathroom counters, front edge of the refrigerator and washer, under the couches and heavy chairs. Third: (probably first, actually), mobility: This vac just glides around and sucks up stuff. Exactly what I had in mind. I no longer have to ration my cleaning effort to a single room at a time due to fatigue. It maneuvers great with minimal direction from the operator. Fourth, suction: It picked up half a bagful of miscellaneous dog hair and debris the first time I used it. Doesn’t speak well for my gee-whiz bagless, does it? That one’s going to be donated today.

Reliability: I really don’t care if this little vac doesn’t last the rest of my lifetime. At this price I’ll just replace it. And get one for the lake cottage as well. Good product, great solution for me. Thank you, Soniclean!

Let’s start off by talking about assembly. I always get nervous when things aren’t put together for me. But the Soniclean was fairly simple, The only thing that really needed to be done was attaching the handle, which took a few minutes at most. Once that was done, we were ready to start cleaning. One of the things I noticed about this vacuum right away is that it’s extremely light weight. Its great for carting up and down the steps. The handle also bends all the way down to the floor, making it easy to slide the head under beds and chairs. It is a little too big to fit under my sofa but depending on how high it stands off the ground, some people would be able to squeeze it under there as well.

As far as suction, this sucker is definitely powerful. I had no trouble picking up clumps of cat and dog hair, and those pesky cheerios came up easily as well in most areas. Because of the dual setting, I also found it worked great sweeping up the excess cat litter that got kicked out of the box. On the handle there are settings for both carpet and hard floors. I do not have hardwood floors, but I used it on the tile in the kitchen and its was a smooth ride. It picked up everything in its path from dried dirt tracked in from outside to bread crumbs the little ones dropped on the floor. My only problem was that because the vacuum doesn’t come with any attachments, I couldn’t get it in really tight corners and there are some areas the head just can’t squeeze into even when I move the furniture.

When it comes to the bag, I had doubts I would like it. I don’t remember the last time I used a vacuum with a disposable bag. Don’t get me wrong. I love the fact that it’s more sanitary than the canister I’ve been using, but I was worried it would fill up too quickly and I’d spend more money on bags than the vacuum itself. I checked out the bag before starting and saw that changing it is easy. It snaps on and off with no problems and there are detailed instructions on each bag that instructs you on how to be certain it’s laying just right. Once the bag is full, there is a light up indicator letting you know its time to change it. After using it for just over a week, I still have plenty of room in the bag even though I used it at least once a day. When it is full, the design ensures barely any dust or grime will escape back into the air.

Another feature that is totally new to me is the fragrance pods. This lets off a light fresh scent every time you run the vacuum. Its not overpowering or perfumey. Instead, it smells a lot like fresh linen. And though I have no way to verify the accuracy, I also like the promise that the Soniclean uses 50% less electricity that other vacuums. All in all, I am quite satisfied with this vacuum and found it perfect for light day to day cleaning. The only thing that would have enhanced the experience would be if there was a hose attachment for the places the larger head couldn’t reach.

***Portion of review from New Age Mama blog. Complimentary product received in exchange for an honest review***