Bissell Healthy Home 16N5 Upright Vacuum Cleaner Review

Thursday, 11 February 2010

Click to see on Amazon

The Bissell Healthy Home 16N5 is the newer version of the Bissell Healthy Home 5770 vacuum and it is getting some great reviews and ratings by consumers. There have been some improvements over the 5770 and it comes with a 5-year warranty. [REF Bissell Vacuum Cleaner Reviews 2010]

Vacuum Features
The Bissell Healthy Home 16N5 is an upright vacuum with a 12 amp-motor, and it is bagless. Bagless meaning that it uses a dirt cup that can be removed, emptied and replaced as opposed to using disposable bags. It is also a HEPA capable vacuum and it uses the AireTight HEPA filtration system (Bissell claim that this is their best vacuum for filtering allergens out of the air). It is not clear if the AireTight HEPA filtration system is a sealed system – there is limited information about this. Sealed systems work best as filters are only able to filter the air that passes through them – if air is allowed to pass around the HEPA filter dust mites, pollen, ragweed, mold spores, pet dander, etc will not be removed from this air. HEPA filtration is a great feature for those suffering from asthma and/or allergies.

The 16N5 also has Microban antimicrobial product protection that helps prevent odor-causing bacteria, mold and mildew from growing in the vacuum. Again, how this is accomplished is not well documented.

The vacuum utilizes a cyclonic cleaning system. These became popular in the 1990’s with the Dyson Vacuum but they were actually used as early as the 1920’s by companies like Filter Queen and Regina. Cyclonic cleaning systems work much like a centrifuge and spin the intake air so quickly that the dust and debris are forced (via centrifugal force) to the outside of the collection chamber. These systems are said to provide non-stop suction power.

The Bissell Healthy Home 16N5 also has many other features including a 15 inch wide brushbar (a fairly wide cleaning path) with on/off switch. Being able to turn the brushbar off allows for safe cleaning of delicate flooring or rugs. The unit also has 7 height adjustment settings (these are manual) and a 12 foot long anti-clog stretch hose. There is also a 30 foot power cord (a good length in out opinion) but it does not have automatic cord rewind. The vacuum also has a headlight (another decent feature).

The 16N5 also comes with a number of attachments:

· Turbo hand tool (good for dirt and pet hair on stairs and upholstery).
· Telescoping wand
· Combination dusting brush/upholstery tool
· Nested crevice tool

A 5 Year Limited Manufacturers Warranty on Parts and Labor is provided with the The Bissell Healthy Home 16N5. This is a reasonably long warranty for a vacuum at this price. Although one should always read through the warranty to get an idea of exactly what is covered and how one goes about getting things fixed. You can download the warranty here (small file).

The 16N5 is not a lightweight. It weighs about 22 lbs and this is an area of contention with some consumers. Some feel it is hard to move around and especially up and down stairs. It also comes with a lifetime vacuum belt and the vacuum dimensions are 14” x 15” x 44.5”.

Healthy Home 16N5 and 5770 Differences
As mentioned previously this is the latest model of the Bissell Healthy Home vacuum, taking over from the 5770. The main differences between the two models are that the 16N5 is lighter (about 22 lbs compared to the 5770 at about 25 lbs) and it has a shorter power cord (30 feet instead of 35 feet). A consumer made video comparing the two vacuums is worth the watch and you can view it here (takes a few seconds, please be patient).

Consumer sentiment
A review of customer comments from several sources indicates the following Bissell 16N5 likes and dislikes. It is clear that this vacuum is a winner given that consumers extolled the many virtues of the machine and cons were hard to come by (although the comment that it was heavy was quite common):

PROS
- Dirt canister is large and easy to remove and empty
- On/off switch for the brushbar
- 5 year warranty
- Extension hose is long and easy to use
- Easy to assemble
- Not too loud
- Turbo brush works well
- Good for homes with pets (you may also wish to consider the Bissell Pet Pack)

CONS
- Fairly heavy
- Locking in the telescopic wand can be a bit tricky at times

A review of several sites indicates the following consumer ratings related to the 16N5:

Source	Consumer Ratings	#Ratings
Amazon	4.6 stars out of 5	29
Epinions	5 stars out of 5	1
Best Buy	5 stars out of 5	1

Note: There were also some reviews on Walmart and Target but they seemed inconsistent (some repetition) and sometimes referred to the older vacuum model (5770) or an entirely different vacuum. Therefore these ratings (which were low) were not included here, however it should be said that within these reviews there were legitimate comments about the vacuum being heavy. You can review them on Walmart or Target yourself if you wish.

Vacuum Manual
You may wish to view the Bissell Healthy Home 16N5 Manual (User’s Guide). This takes you to a page on the Bissell site where you can do the download. It is about a 1MB PDF download.

Vacuum Video
You can also view a Bissell Healthy Home Video by Bissell. It is a commercial but it provides a great visual overview of the vacuum and the vacuum features.