Eureka Boss SmartVac Pet Lover Upright Vacuum Cleaner (4870SZ)

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Avg. consumer rating = 64/100 

The Eureka Boss SmartVac Pet Lover 4870SZ is a bagged upright vacuum and has been rated as a Consumers Digest Best Buy.  However it is getting pretty average consumer reviews and some owners have highlighted a number of issues issues. The 4870SZ was created for households with pets, and as such comes with several pet-friendly features including odor-eating vacuum cleaner bags, a sealed system, and High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filtration.

A review of several quality websites has found consumer ratings for the Eureka Boss 4870SZ - see table below.  These provide a weighted average score of 0.64.  This is not a particularly high score and we have higher rated uprights on the site. 

The Eureka Boss SmartVac Pet Lover is powered by a 12 amp motor and is a bagged machine.  Some folks like bagged vacuums while others prefer bagless units.  There is really no “right” or “best” approach here and bagged or bagless is a matter or preference.  An excerpt from our online vacuum guide follows:

“Bagged vacuum cleaners use a disposable bag to collect debris. When the bag is full it is removed, thrown away and replaced. There is a long standing debate about whether bagged or bagless vacuum cleaners are better.  It is typically easier to dispose of collected dirt and debris with a bagged vacuum cleaner. With a bagless vacuum cleaner it can be more of a chore to empty the dirt container (while keeping yourself and surroundings clean), however you do not have to purchase or toss away bags.”

As the 4870SZ is a vacuum geared towards pet owners it comes with several features including:

- Odor eliminating vacuum bags.  These bags are by Arm & Hammer and help eliminate odors caused by pets, mold and bacteria.

- HEPA filtration.  HEPA filtration is a very high level of filtration that is capable of removing 99.97% of all particles with a diameter of 0.3 microns or greater.  This typically includes pet dander, dust, pollen and other allergens.  HEPA filters are popular with those suffering from allergies or asthma.  The HEPA filter on the Eureka 4870SZ is also washable.

- A sealed system.  Eureka doesn’t go into much detail regarding this feature but they call it “sealed HEPA filtration”.  A sealed system ensures that all of the air sucked into the vacuum gets passed through the filters before it is exhausted.  Non-sealed system vacuums may allow air (and thus particulate matter) to pass around the filters or leak out from the vacuum body.
 
- The power paw turbo tool.  This is a specially designed tool with plastic teeth that is proficient at removing dirt and pet hair from carpet and upholstery.

Several consumers have mentioned that the Eureka Boss 4870SZ is effective at both cleaning carpets and bare floors.  It has a motorized brushbar that can be turned on and off, with the “Off” setting for cleaning bare floors and “On” setting for deep carpet cleaning.   The Eureka Boss SmartVac also comes with a crevice tool, dusting brush, and upholstery nozzle. 

Other vacuum features include the ability to adjust the height of the vacuum nozzle above the floor thereby ensuring optimal cleaning, a 15 inch wide cleaning path (fairly wide), and a 30 foot power cord.  A 30 foot power cord is a good length.  This is longer than most.  We see a lot of complaints from consumers when the power cord is too short.  The power cord on the 4870SZ does not auto-retract however.  A stretch hose is also featured with this machine and a suction switch allows the user to switch suction from the floor nozzle to the hose.

Probably the number one consumer concern with the 4870SZ is the vacuum weight.  It weighs in at a hefty 21.5 lbs and some folks find it hard to lift.  But it does have a comfortable oval shaped handle made with soft materials that at least make it easy to move.  It also carries a 1 year limited parts and labor warranty.

A review of consumer comments from a number of online sources has indicated the following common Eureka 4870SZ likes and dislikes.

PROS
- Easy to assemble
- Very Strong suction
- Effective on both hard surfaces and carpet
- Good on pet hair
- Attachments work well
- Respectably long power cord

CONS
- Heavy
- Bags are a bit small
- Hard to use lever that switches from bare floors to carpet
- Attachment holders don’t work too well