Eureka 8851AVZ Capture Plus Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner

• Bagless upright vacuum cleaner with 12 amps of power
• Dual-powered edge cleaners; cleaning brush with Riser Visor
• HEPA filtration system; telescopic duster; EZ Roll wheels
• Electronic on/off brushroll for carpets and hard surfaces; looped handle
• Measures 15 by 13-1/2 by 43-1/2 inches; 1-year limited warranty

Junk!:
This is horrible! When I changed the belt for the first time the screw holes broke on the cover! Lasted less than a year. Eureka customer service is horrible! Loud, heavy and not durable. Go for another brand.

can't go wrong with an eureka:
I've had Electrolux (better before the company got sold), Hoover (big waste of money), and iRobot (overpriced gimmick that's fun to watch). Years ago I asked a friend who repaired vacuum cleaners which was the most reliable vacuum cleaner brand and she said Eureka. She was right. This is my second Eureka (first one still works fine!). The price is reasonable, it's reliable, and gets the job done. You can't go wrong with an Eureka.

This thing sucks (In a bad way):
We bought this as a replacement for our old warhorse Hoover WindTunnel, which was an excellent vacuum cleaner and served us faithfully for over 8 years. it was a disaster, so we replace it with another Eureka, the Boss SmartVac Ultra HEPA. This is our first bagless vacuum cleaner (we had used bagged models for over 30 years), and at first glance, it looked like it was a winner. Eureka said it had excellent suction, clog-fighting ducting, high efficiency air filters (HEPA), easy maintanence (empty dust catcher, wash pre-filters, replace filters every 6 months), no bags to buy. Unfortunately, looks are deceiving. While it was touted to deliver excellent cleaning capability, the Capture was a train-wreck. It worked just fine for about 6 months, then it started making funny noises and lost a lot of suction. Without even taking it to a repair shop, I could tell the motor was burning up, probably from a bad bearing or broken part. Aside from the mechanical problems, the Capture is very noisy. It's nearly one of the noisiest vacuums I've heard in a long time, made worse by the motor problem. Plus, it's physically big, not to mention heavy at nearly 25 lbs. Although it's got great wheels and maneuverability (rollerblade-like wheels in back), it's still cumbesome and difficult to move aorund. I have to man-handle this vacuum to get it up and down stairs or over thresholds. To be fair, the hose did stretch out pretty far, and the PowerPaw turbine upholstry and stair brush worked good. The tools were less than stellar. The hard-floor tip and brush tip were cheesy and nearly useless. The on-board duster is a good idea, but it too was flimsy and didn't work well. It wouldn't stay extended for any period of time, didn't pick up much dust, and the built-in cleaning receptacle on the vacuum (put the dirty duster in, flip a handle, and it cleans it) didn't work well. I wasn't impressed with the Capture's cleanint performande either. Our old WindTunnel had the strongest suction i've ever seen in an upright vacuum. It cleaned excellent, and was reliable, lasting for thousands of hours. We never had a problem with it, and if there was, it was easy to tear down and fix! I can't say that for the Eureka Capture. It has good suction and cleaning performance, but nothing that impressed me. I don't know if it's the bagless system, but for as loud and heavy as it is, you'd think it would have better suction. To add to the less-than impressive cleaning power, the bagless system clogs up under heavy use. Any vacuum will clog eventually, but it didn't take much to clog this one. The dust cup can also be messy. You get dirt all over when you empty it if you aren't careful (empty it the outside trash if you can). The Capture does just that. It captures dirt, but mostly in the fan exhaust. It's got 3 layers of filtration, 2 pre-filters, and a high efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA filter). This is good if you suffer from allergies, asthma, or have indoor air quality problems. So, the Capture Plus gets 2 stars. It's noisy, heavy, and the reliability is questionable. The suction/cleaning performance is good but nothing spectacular, and the tools could be better. Also, the bagless system has a propencity to clog under heavy cleaning. On the plus side, the filtration is excellent, it's easy to roll and maneuver, and the hose stretches out nice and long. If you're looking for a new vacuum and don't want to spend $300 and up for a Dyson, Electrolux, Kirby, Rainbow, or other brand, but want superior cleaning performance and reliability, go for the Hoover WindTunnel with the bag, or the Eurkea Boss SmartVac Ultra.

Don't Buy-poor workmanship:
I bought one today and the roller bar wouldn't turn. I took it back to the store and exchanged it for another one, and it won't work either. Don't waste your time on it, and Eureka customer service won't answer the phone either. I'm sorry, but for a vacuum that approaches $200, every one that goes in a box ought to run the first time every time from day one. These are being sold by Sam's which means they are probably cheap to begin with. I'm going to Lowe's tomorrow to look at different brands. Don't buy Bissell or Eureka.

Could do better...:
I searched online for a vacuum in the $150 range. My vacuum lasts for two years and i am not ready to invest more. This model is also available at Sams Club and $7 cheaper. I live in a three bedroom apartment. After three months (Approx. 6 cleanings) the suction remains satisfactory although i noticed it has started to make substantially more noise. The sponge filter also gets dirty very fast. I liked the bissel vacuum in this price range better.