Electrolux Nimble Upright Vacuum, EL8602A

Avg. consumer rating = 80/100 

The Electrolux Nimble looks great on paper and has good features but some owners struggle with certain aspects of the machine.  As a result, consumer ratings are not as high as one might expect.  The machine does have its proponents and some folks swear it is better than a Dyson but there are a number of detractors who feel that it is too heavy, hard to push on carpet and the plastic used in the construction of the machine isn’t sturdy enough.

A review of consumer comments from several high calibre retail sites has provided the following common Nimble likes and dislikes:

PROS
- Washable filters
- Most (but not all) owners feel it has great suction
- Easy to assemble
- Not too loud (again, most owners feel this way but not all)
- Swivel motion provides good mobility
- Long power cord
- Dirt canister is easy to empty

CONS
- Lots of plastic (that looks flimsy) used in construction
- Attachments don’t store securely on vacuum (often fall off)
- Some people find it difficult to push on carpet
- Brushbar sometimes shuts off when vacuuming area rugs
- No auto-rewind for power cord
- Some folks find the vacuum heavy
- The versa-tool isn’t popular with most owners

In addition, a number of consumer ratings have been found:

Source	Consumer Ratings	#Ratings
Amazon	3.9 stars out of 5	32
Lowe's	3.9 stars out of 5	30
Walmart	4.1 stars out of 5	14
Best Buy	4.3 stars out of 5	7
Target	4.25 stars out of 5	4
Sears	5 stars out of 5	1

 

There are actually two models of the Electrolux Nimble vacuum cleaner – the 8602A (which is grey in color) and the 8605A which is green in color.  The two vacuum cleaners are almost identical but the 8605A is sold with a turbo nozzle tool for upholstery.  Also, the HEPA filter on the 8605A comes with odor elimination.

The Nimble is powered by a 12 amp motor and suction is generated by cyclonic technology. Cyclonic technology spins air at very high speeds which causes dirt and debris to be drawn out of the airflow and into the dirt canister.  This approach is said to help maintain strong suction while vacuuming and to also help the filters stay cleaner longer.  The 8602A uses multiple cyclones.  Most consumers feel this unit generates very strong suction but some indicate this is not the case.

There are two filters on the Nimble, a dust cup filter and a HEPA filter.  Both filters are washable and this feature is liked by almost all owners who feel it is a money saver.  The HEPA filter also removes some 99.97% of all airborne particulates of a diameter 0.3 microns or larger which includes the likes of pollen, ragweed, mould spores, dust mites, pet dander, etc. As a result, HEPA filtration is popular for those with allergies or asthma.  Also Electrolux indicate that the Nimble has a “sealed system” which ensures that unfiltered air does not leak out of the machine.  All air taken into the machine is passed through the HEPA filter before it is exhausted.  Many other vacuums allow air to either bypass the filter or to leak out of cracks in the vacuum housing.

The vacuum power cord is reasonably long at 30 feet and the aluminum wand and hose provide an extra 14 feet of reach (2 feet for the wand, 12 feet for the hose).  Altogether the machine has 44 feet of reach from an outlet which is rather good.  It also comes with a 3-in-1 “versa-tool” that operates as a crevice tool, upholstery nozzle, and stair cleaning tool.  This is a rather unique tool (you can see it at work in the video link provided below) but there are several comments from owners indicating that they would have preferred separate tools.  Having said that, some folks do like the versa-tool but it isn’t overly popular.

This is a bagless upright and as such has a dirt canister as opposed to using vacuum bags.  The dirt canister when full is removed, emptied and reattached.  Owners have indicated that the canister on the Electrolux Nimble is easy to empty.  It has a capacity of about 1 quart.

Electrolux states that the Nimble is at home on both carpet and hard flooring. It does indeed have a nozzle with a motorized brushbar and also brushbar on/off controls located conveniently on the vacuum handle.  However some owners have reported that on area rugs the brushbar bogs down and doesn’t spin, resulting in the "check roller brush" red warning light coming on.  The Nimble also does not offer vacuum height adjustment which can be a useful feature when transitioning from one level of floor surface to another. 

The vacuum gets its name from the swivel head and many consumers do feel that it is easy to maneuver and that mobility is good, although there are also comments that the machine can be hard to push on carpet.  It weighs 18 lbs and this is probably a bit more than your average upright but not too far out of the ballpark.  A very bright LED headlight is built into the nozzle of the vacuum and this feature is useful when vacuuming in darker areas.

Other Electrolux Nimble features include a relatively wide cleaning path of 14 inches, parking wheels that retract when the vacuum is in use, and a lifetime belt that requires no changing.  The Nimble carries a lengthy 5-year limited warranty.