Bissell Cleanview Helix 82H1 Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner Review

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Avg. consumer rating = 81/100 

The Bissell 82H1 seems to be fairly popular and gets good reviews from most consumers. It is also inexpensive (under 100USD) and is purported to be effective on both carpets and bare floors. Bissell has been providing floorcare products for over 125 years and they are best known for carpet cleaners (they are also fairly active in the community).

Bissell Cleanview Helix 82H1 Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner is a bagless upright with HEPA filtration.  It is equipped with a 12 amp motor and uses Bissell’s patented Helix dirt separation system that – according to Bissell – ensures effective separation of dirt and debris thus protecting the motor and fan and ensuring continued performance.   The unit offers 5 different height options and a fairly wide cleaning path of 13.5 inches.

Consumers have commented that the 82H1 comes with good attachments.  The following come with the vacuum:

- Dusting Brush/Upholstery Tool (for furniture, tabletops, etc.)
- 11'' Extension Wand (provides an extended reach)
- Crevice Tool (for accessing hard to reach areas)
- Turbo Brush (for upholstery and stairs)

This Bissell is also bagless.  There is a long-standing debate between vacuum cleaner consumers over which approach is best – bagged or bagless.  Although there are more and more bagless vacuums appearing on the market these days, there are still die-hard bagged aficionados.  Generally speaking bagless vacuum cleaners use a "dirt container" that is filled, emptied and re-used, as opposed to a disposable bag.  It is typically easier to dispose of collected dirt and debris with a bagged vacuum cleaner, however these require the purchasing and "throwing away" of bags – and, in some cases, suction can be diminished if the bag gets too full.  With a bagless vacuum cleaner it can be more of a chore to empty the dirt container (while keeping yourself and surroundings clean – often a major problem), however you do not have to purchase or toss away bags.  It should be noted however that bagless vacuums often have filters that need to be maintained or replaced and they rely on seals to prevent the dirt-container from leaking. 

The Bissell 82H1 also uses a washable HEPA (post motor) filter.  HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air and is a filter that removes 99.97% of all airborne particulates of 0.3 microns or larger that pass through it.  This level of filtration provides for cleaner more breathable indoor air.   It is particularly popular with allergy sufferers.  Quality HEPA filtration relies, however, on the fact that the unit passes ALL intake air through the HEPA filter prior to exhausting it – otherwise particulate matter is bypassing the filter and being introduced back into the surrounding environment.  Some vacuums do this effectively, others do not.

The 82H1 Helix also has soft bumpers to ensure no marking of furniture and baseboards, dual edge-cleaning, carrying handle, motorized brushes, a 27 foot power cord (not bad but 30+ would be better), a headlight (useful feature for improving visibility under furniture and dimly lit areas) and a clear, wire-reinforced hose allowing for easy detection of clogs (which some consumers claim can happen).  This vacuum weighs in at 15.5 lbs and has the following dimensions in inches (WxHxD) 15 x 44 x 12.5.  Like many of the more modestly priced vacuums these days the Bissell Cleanview Helix 82H1 Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner comes with a 1-year parts and labor warranty. 

What are consumers saying? 

According to a number of quality sources, consumers have given the Bissell 82H1 fairly good ratings as shown in the following table.  We've just updated this (March 2016) and from the 2009 ratings of 88, the vacuum has dropped to 81.  Vacuum ratings very often drop over time and a rating of 81 for a 7-8 year old vacuum is actually quite good.

The common Bissell Cleanview Helix 82H1 likes and dislikes commented on by consumers are provided below:

Pros
- Low price
- Easy assembly
- Powerful suction
- Good on carpet AND hardwood floors
- Appears to be good with animal hair
- Useful attachments

Cons
- Small dirt container
- Filters need to be cleaned often
- A bit bulky
- Hose sometimes gets clogged
- Sometimes falls over when using attachments