Electrolux EL1012A Stick Hand Vac 2 N 1 Ergorapido Cordless Review

 

Avg. consumer rating = 78/100 

The EL1012A stick vac got fairly good reviews when it first came out.  Ratings have slipped a little over time however.  The machine's full name is the Electrolux EL1012A Stick Hand Vac 2 N 1 Ergorapido Cordless - we sometimes wish vacuum cleaner manufacturers would find a way to make less complicated names.  Consumer ratings for the vacuum are average.  Suction power is good and the built in handheld is a nice feature but the lengthy recharge time is an issue for some owners.

Let’s cut to the chase.  A review of consumer comments from several quality sources on the net reveals the following general likes and dislikes:

PROS
- Very light and easy to maneuver
- Brush is easily removed for cleaning
- Powerful suction
- Converts to a handheld
- Great for quick cleanups
- Best on hard floors but still adequate on low-pile carpet
- Fairly attractive design

CONS
- Not particularly good on deep pile carpet
- Only good for about 15 minutes of vacuuming (before charge gone)
- A full recharge takes up to 16 hours

With respect to actual consumer ratings, the Electrolux Ergorapido gets average scores.  (A better rated stick vac is the Hoover Linx Cordless Stick.)

Consumer Ratings (Note - we have updated these at the bottom of the article)

Source	Consumer Rating	#Ratings
Amazon	4.3 stars out of 5	33
Viewpoints	3.8 stars out of 5	5
QVC	4.5 stars out of 5	38
Epinions	5 stars out of 5	1

 

Vacuum Cleaner Features

The Electrolux EL1012A 12V 2-IN-1 Stick Vacuum Cleaner has two power settings.  The highest setting is for maximum quick cleaning while the lower setting is quieter and also maintains a longer battery charge.  It also has a motorized brushbar.  The Ergorapido is bagless and the dust cup is very easy to empty –- it can be removed and emptied or you can flip open the front cover and tip the dust out.  This unit also comes with a Washable Premotor Filter.

The charging station can either rest on the floor or be wall mounted.  Consumers indicate that a full charge takes about 16 hours and that while vacuuming the charge will last for 15 minutes or so – there is some grumbling about this limited timeframe (although in our experience most stick vacs don’t hold a charge for very long and they are indeed meant for quick cleanups and not house-wide vacuuming).  The recharging time seems a little slow however.

The other very handy feature on this machine is the Built in Hand Vacuum.  The bottom of the unit is removed (with the touch of a button) and it becomes a hand-vac.  It reportedly works well and is a feature that a number of folks appear to like (it is handy for cleaning cars).  The Ergorapido also comes with a built-in crevice tool for vacuuming in hard to reach areas.

As mentioned in the pros and cons above, many people like this stick vac because it is light.   It weighs in at a light 5.5 pounds and the dimensions are 10.5"L x 5"W x 43"H.  The Electrolux Ergorapido comes with a 2-year Limited Manufacturer's Warranty.

Update: The Electrolux EL1014A ErgoRapido Bagless Cordless Handheld/Stick Vacuum Cleaner

Electrolux have released a newer ErgoRapido, the EL1014A.  This machine is very similar to the EL1012A but it comes with a 9.6 volt battery as opposed to the 12 volt battery provided with the EL1012A.  This appears to be the only difference. 

Both models seem to get about the same consumer ratings despite the less powerful battery in the EL1014A.  Although short battery life and a long battery recharge time continue to be an issue for owners of both units.  Also the batteries are apparently not interchangeable from one model to another (so you can'’t put a EL1012A 12V battery in your EL1014A).

On a more fun note readers may be interested that the world's most expensive vacuum is an Ergorapido.

Author's Note: We purchased our Ergorapido at Costco as it was well priced, however upon getting it home and unboxing it we found that it was used.  There was hair tangled in the brushbar and the unit was banged up terribly with scratches and scrapes all over the finish.  It did work but we certainly did not expect that we were buying what clearly was a used stick vac.  Next time we buy from Costco we will insist upon opening the box to see if the vacuum is used or if it is indeed new.  We would suggest you do the same.

 

UPDATE (Feb, 2013)
Our recent experience with a similar model as well as some "less than satisfied" owner reviews below has led us to do an update on consumer ratings to see how things are holding up for the Ergorapido. We found that ratings have dropped somewhat for the 1012A. The average score is now 78/100.  Please see updated table below:

Source	Consumer Ratings	#Ratings
Amazon	3.9 stars out of 5	90
Costco	3.65 stars out of 5	51
Overstock	4.5 stars out of 5	41
QVC	3.6 stars out of 5	35
Abt	4 stars out of 5	2

 

Vacuum Video
You may also want to check out our video on the Ergorapdio 1011A below:

 

	Nigel Russco has been writing for Vacuum Cleaner Advisor for years and has a background in business and engineering, as well as a keen interest in anything related to vacuum cleaners. Connect with Nigel on Google+