Upright Vacuums Reviews

This is a pretty good vacuum, in terms of suction power, but it is not a great appliance. My biggest gripe is the cheap materials they constructed it with. The handle is two-piece; assembly required. That's no big deal for me, because I'm handy with tools, etc. Unfortunately, I also had to use those skills to fix the thing when, within weeks, the handle broke where the two pieces -- one made of cheap metal; the other made of cheap plastic -- are joined by single screw. It's a terrible leverage point to put a joint, especially one with such weak materials. I've wrapped that joint with sheet metal and bound it with a hose clamp, which keeps it together, but it isn't sturdy. The other weak spot on the machine is where the power cord connects to the handle: it lacks an anchor plug, so tug on it enough times through normal usage and it will eventually split the rubber casing of the cord, threatening an electric short (conveniently located next to your hand!). I fixed it by anchoring the cord to the cheap handle with plastic tape. I've had my Oreck XL2 for maybe three years now. It looks like a hillbilly's truck, but it still sucks good. Put that motor on a well-constructed frame and it would be an outstanding upright vacuum. As it is, I'm in the market to replace it with ... a Dyson. (So far, those machines have gotten good reviews. ... Whaddya think?)

The Oreck XL2 is a lightweight vacuum that is more akin to an electric broom than a full-function vacuum cleaner. Without a carpet height adjuster, accessories, and even a handle release, about the only feature this offers is a dual-speed rotating brush. This simplicity is also this appliance's strength since it's easy to pick up and carry from room to room. It takes up much less space than my Kenmore upright.

The vacuum works best on hard floors, and actually cleans these better than my more powerful vaccum cleaner. Carpet is another matter, as the brush doesn't seem to beat well, leaving the carpet flatter and less thoroughly cleaned than I'd like. It does not transition well from hard floor to the higher pile of carpets; it's like running into a wall. The only thing you can do it lift it from one surface and deposit it on the next - good thing it's so lightweight! To get the handle to lower, you need to step on the base and pull the handle back toward you. The soft exterior bag that holds the paper bags looks old-fashioned, although the zipper allows for a wide-enough opening for easy bag replacement.

I keep this vacuum cleaner on my first floor to deal with my mostly hardwood floors on a frequent basis, but when I want to do a good, thorough cleaning, I haul my heavier machine downstairs to do the job.