Bissell 76T8 Versus Vacuum Cleaner

Monday, 19 April 2010

This vacuum cleaner seems to evoke a number of emotions from consumers. Comments range from “wonderful” to “you basically get what you pay for” to “do not buy this vacuum”. It is a relatively inexpensive machine with a unique v-shaped base, the idea of which is to channel the dirt into the main suction area of the vacuum. [REF Bissell Vacuum Cleaner Reviews 2010]

The Bissell 76T8 is a bagless vacuum powered by a 12 amp motor. The marketing literature indicates it is effective on both bare floors and low-pile carpets. Consumers on the other hand feel it is not too effective on carpets and is best suited for hard surfaces. It also has a 13 inch cleaning path.

There is a pre-motor filter with this vacuum but it does not come with HEPA filtration. HEPA filtration is good for those suffering from allergies or asthma as it removes the like of dust mites, ragweed, pollen, pet dander, etc. HEPA filtration stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air filtration and this level of filtration will remove 99.97% of all particles down to 0.3 microns.

The unique v-shape of the base of the vacuum is designed to channel dirt and debris into the main suction area of the vacuum and it appears to do that reasonably well. The machine is also touted as being capable of cleaning into tight corners and up against baseboards but consumers sometimes indicate that this is not a strength.

The 76T8 comes with a swivel head, which makes it easy to maneuver into difficult areas, and a stretch hose (6.6 feet). There are a number of comments that the hose is not long enough. The unit also comes with a crevice tool for getting into those hard to reach places.

The length of the power cord is area of some contention with several consumers as it is 19.7 feet. Compared to most full size uprights this is indeed quite short. As mentioned in several other articles we feel a good length for a power cord is 30 feet or more. Consumers have commented, however, on the effective design of the dirt canister on this vacuum. It is very easy to remove, empty and reattach to the vacuum. The Bissell 76T8 is covered by a 1 year limited warranty.

A review of consumer comments from several quality sources indicates the following common Bissell 76T8 likes and dislikes:

PROS
- Very good on hard surfaces
- Inexpensive
- Very light
- Canister is easy to empty
- Good suction

CONS
- Short power cord
- Not good on carpets
- Hard to get under furniture (cannot angle body down far enough in some cases)
- At certain angle, exhaust vent blows on dirt in front of vacuum
- Attachment hose too short
- Not good for getting in corners
- A bit noisy

Consumer ratings from several sources are provided in the table below. Compared to other vacuums we have looked at this one does not get great consumer ratings.

Source	Consumer Ratings	#Ratings
Amazon	3.7 stars out of 5	73
Target	3.5 stars out of 5	65
Best Buy	3.1 stars out of 5	8
Epinions	2.5 stars out of 5	6

You may also wish to watch the Bissell 76T8 video. While this is very much a commercial these kinds of videos really are helpful in getting an idea of what the vacuum looks like and to some extent, how it works.

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