Vacuum Cleaner Reviews

I got this vacuum for $108 (which includes tax and shipping), and I am quite pleased for what I got for the prince. What I needed was a vacuum that can fit my student budget and that can clean the carpeting well and yet protect me from allergens in the dust. This machine's power and its hypoallergenic filter seem to be doing the job. I find it easy to navigate and clean. My major disappointment is with the hose for the peripheral brushes. It is very, hmm... suspicious... It is very short and made of poor material; together these two things mean that it will get destroyed easily and also that it is difficult to use. Since I probably wasn't going to use it anyway, and since a lot of vacuums of this kind and at this price don't even have a hose or a hypoallergenic filter, I say that I am quite pleased overall. Finally, I don't think the description says that the vacuum has a nifty-looking light source in the front, which makes cleaning more entertaining :)

Great vacuum and excellent value! Seems well built and should last for a long time. We especially like the smooth operation and easy handling. HEPA filter and easy to use bagless container are a big plus and bottom line is that it does a fine dust-free job of cleaning. Highly recommend this Westinghouse machine as a lower-end price scale choice. Will be looking for other Westinghouse products when we need something.

Got a great deal so ordered. I didn't realize that the trimming wand and the handle that you use to manuever the vaccuum were one and the same. Kind of grossed me out. Also, it doesn't slide back together easily once you try to use the trimming wand. The hose has to be completely stretched out to replace the cleaning pipe. I bought it for that feature (easy access for attatchments). It also is very heavy. And last but not least, the inside filter clogged about the third time I used it. This caused the suction to completely stop on the attatchments. It took me a while to figure out why it wouldn't pick up any more. I'll stick with my old vac.

This is a big upright that is pretty hard to push around. Plus, the way it's configured, the dog hair (I have three) gets stuck on its way to the cannister which means lots of cleanouts. And when you use the hose feature, it doesn't have enough power to pick up much. I'm on my way to sending it back right now.

This review refers to the Westinghouse WST1551 Wire Deluxe Vacuum....

I was truly in need of a new vacuum. My windtunnel seemed like it was just pushing everything around, leaving a line of dirt and dog hair wherever it finished.When this one popped up in my gold box I jumped on it. So even though I had just vacummed the day before, I tried this one out within minutes of it's arrival. I was stunned at the amount of dust, AND dog hair I immediately saw in the clear roomy collection bin..and that was just one room!

The vacuum , besides being very powerful, has several other nice features. The collection bin, removes easily,and is well sealed so no dirt comes out until you open and empty it into the trash.And no messy bags to buy anymore! The tool storage has a nice little compartment that closes, so they are on board but not falling off all the time. The tools attach to a wand which is released right from the upper handle. It pulls out with the hose already attached. Attachments include a dusting brush, a bare floor nozzle(you can adjust the vacuum for this), a crevice tool, and a universal cleaning tool that is nice for cleaning upholstered furniture.There are 4 carpet height adjustments, a 25ft power cord(which coils up nicely on the side), and extra hose extension making it easy to move up stairs or reach high places(especially for us short people), and a HEPA filter with instructions for cleaning it about every 3 months.And once you get used to how to release and attach all these items, it's a breeze.There are also 2 headlights(came with a spare as well), and it gets along the edges beautifully.Of course there is also a pedal to release it from an upright position to get underneath things(it didn't quite fit under everything though).

The vacuum is a litle on the heavy side though. I found this to be a little bit of a problem when I was using the extension hose. Because the hose and the upper handle are all one piece,when you use it, there is no handle to hold.Although the hose is quite long, I found it difficult to have the vacuum follow me around without having to pick it up and move it occasionally. It has a carry handle, but like I said, it is a bit heavy.

The instruction booklet is very detailed and clear for use and care. It includes some useful tips(like the best way to empty the bin if you have allergies).There's a question and answer section, an 800 number and an e-mail for questions, an accessory order form,warranties(1 year on the unit and 7 years on the HEPA filter). There is even an address to return if there is a problem(I noticed one person said, their's was not working well).

One review mentions that this vacuum needs to be charged. This is not cordless vacuum and there is no way to charge it that I know of.

I highly recommend this unit, if you are in the market for a new vacuum. After using it for several weeks now, I just feel better after seeing what it cleaned out of my carpets and upholstry!

Go For It... and really clean up.....Laurie

The unit's brushes become clogged with junk, mainly hair, and then shut off every 10 seconds to 1 minute. Yes, we've taken it apart; yes, the batteries are conditioned and charged fully; no, my carpet is not tall. After several calls to Salton (Westinghouse's distributor) they sent me a replacement that was dirtier and more dinged up than my own vacuum and had the same problem out of the box. They did apologize and send another; however, the money-back part of your warranty they say is only if the product is discontinued. This review is my vindication :)

I work in a large retail store e.g. kmart/walmart and work in housewares. We have now carried this cordless vacuum for 3 months and have not sold a single one. We let all customers turn the vacuums on and check displays out before purchasing and even though it is the easiest for me to display, since I don't have to run to an outlet everytime someone wants to turn it on, it is a waste of my time as no one is interested once they get to really check it out. It's bulk and weight are a large turnoff followed by it's lack of power. Yes I conditioned the batteries. Westinghouse spent too much time making it look cool rather then making it work.

I too was talked into buying this $300 vacuum,after reading the review.I absolutely hate cords,so this was perfect for me.I charged it as it instructed,the battery charger is loud,but I figured that if it worked it was well worth the noise.It was fun to use,the kids even enjoyed helping,which is very rare.It picked up dirt,and pet hair,but then I put it to a test vacuuming ,first with it,and then with my old corded model.My vacuum was nearly full,after,I'd already cleaned good with this vacuum.This vacuum,was fun to use,but didn't pick up deep down dirt,or anything on my carpet with a deep pile.I even gave it another try,hating to return it.I recharged it ,making sure nobody messed with it.It didn't help any,so we returned it.I miss the ease of the cordless,but after all I vacuum,to remove dirt,and no matter how much fun it was to use,it just didn't do the job.

I did not expect great things when I bought this piece of junk, but, I expected something. I needs cleaning out every three minutes. The suction is almost nonexistent even when cleaned out. It is made of cheap plastic, and whoever desigend the thing certainly never planned on it being used as a vacuum. If you need an anchor for your canoe, with a little lead weight added, this might work. Other than that, it is good for nothing. (...)