Electrolux EL6988E Oxygen Canister Vacuum Cleaner Review

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Avg. consumer rating = 70/100 

The Electrolux EL6988E Oxygen Canister Vacuum Cleaner is a lightweight, quiet, bagged vacuum.  This vacuum also comes with HEPA filtration and consumers do feel it is effective on most surfaces.  It is a little expensive however and some folks feel the bags are on the small side.

Consumer ratings vary quite a bit, especially between Amazon and other retailers.  Please see table below.

A review of consumer comments from quality sources indicates the following common EL6988E likes and dislikes:

PROS
-Powerful suction
-Very quiet
-Good edge cleaning
-Appears to work well on most surfaces
-Lightweight
-Long cord
-Bright LED light

CONS
-A little expensive
-Small vacuum bag
-Lots of plastic in construction

Vacuum Features
This is a bagged canister vacuum cleaner.  The bags on the EL6988E are self-closing which helps to limit the release of dust during bag changes.  These are known as Electrolux S-bags.  There is also an electronic full-bag indicator that informs you when the bag is full and requires changing.  The capacity of the vacuum bag is 2 quarts – considered small by some consumers.

The EL6988E comes with HEPA level filtration.  This level of filtration is good for those suffering from allergies or asthma as it removes allergens from the air.  In particular HEPA filtration (or High Efficiency Particulate Air filtration) removes 99.97% of all particles 0.3 microns in diameter or large.  This includes pollen, dust mites, pet dander, etc.  Some sources indicate that the HEPA filter on the EL6988E typically only needs changing about once per year. 

This machine comes with a large number of attachments and tools including:
· Telescoping wand
· 13 inch power brush
· 14 inch bare floor brush (good for wood and tile)
· Dusting brush
· Upholstery tool
· Crevice tool

The Electrolux EL6988E Oxygen Canister Vacuum has several height adjustments (3) that allow for easy and effective transition from one floor surface to another.  Additionally the brushroll with this unit can be turned on and off (the literature indicates that the brushroll actually has three settings – carpet, hard floors, specialty cleaning).  The ability to turn the brushroll off – or reduce its speed - is useful if you wish to vacuum a delicate surface.  Controls for the brushroll are located on the vacuum handle.
 
Weighing in at only 13 lbs this canister vacuum is quite lightweight – something noted by several consumers.  This unit is powered by a 12 amp / 1400 watt motor and the multi-surface powerhead has its own motor which uses v-belt technology - a technology marketed as robust and quiet.  Both the powerhead and the main motor are indeed quiet – a point made by Electrolux but also confirmed by consumer comments.

Another vacuum feature is the auto-rewind power cord.  Auto rewind is a popular feature with vacuum cleaner owners and, given it works well, is often indicated as a “pro” in consumer comments (the limited number of ratings don’t yet indicate whether this feature is a pro or con).  The power cord length of the EL6988E is stated by most sources to be 50 feet in length (very long), however it is also quoted by some sources to be only 20 feet long.  These kinds of discrepancies are fairly common between retail outlets and in such cases we revert to the manufacturers sites, however even these sometimes fail to address certain vacuum features or specifications.

The cleaning path of the EL6988E is 13 inches wide (fairly narrow) and it sports an LED headlight.  Dimension for the Electrolux EL6988E Oxygen Canister Vacuum are (H x W x D) 18 inches x 12 inches x 9.5 inches, and it carries a 2-year parts and labor warranty.