My own little Star Wars R2D2 I can't remember how many years ago I bought the 18 gal. 6.5 HP machine but it is all black and I paid less than $80 for it at the big orange store if that narrows it down.
It is the hardest working tool in my workshop/garage. I store it under my work bench and it is the last thing I use before I turn off the light. I vacuum whatever tool(s) I used and then clean up the floor around them. It then rolls back under my bench like R2D2.
I have a 2HP VERY LOUD dust collector that attach to my bigger machines like the cabinet saw and band saw but I still need some sort of above the table clean up. I hook the ShopVac directly to my routing table, sander or biscuit jointer. It should come with a 1 1/4" attachment but you can buy them at the same place where you get the disposable bags.
I abuse this thing all the time! I have put off emptying it so many times that when I do open the lid it pops up four inches because the dust and debris is compressed in the machine. But it still seems to work as though it were empty.
I step on the hose, I pull it around by the hose harder than I should and sometimes over extend the extension cord. Yet, it's like the little rabbit and the drum, it just keeps rolling along.
The disposable bags are a big help in keeping things clean as well as having an extra filter so you can use the machine to clean the dirty filter when you switch them out.
I have the pipe in my driveway to attach my dust collector to all of my machines. I put it off because it is a LOT easier and quieter to use my R2D2.
Works Great! So i've been looking for a steam cleaner for over a week,reading reviews on any steam cleaner that has a review to try to choose one that will work for my family. With all the negative feedback on the Hoover I was disappointed and thought about changing brands. I had a hoover spin scrub and it has worked wonderfully for over 5yrs but with bringing up and down the stairs and my son letting it pound on the stairs the front plate broke off. Although i could get it repaired, honestly i felt it was a good excuse to get myself a new one and chose to give my old one to charity.
Of all the reviews i have read, the one that i felt had any true meaningful information was a gentleman that was an engineer that said that the plastic on the tank was too brittle. Armed with this information, i did go to my local Hoover store to see what they had in stock. I was ready to purchase another spinscub or to have mine repaired.
I purchased the All-terrain steamvac after talking to the rep. She did not dispute that the tanks plastic is more brittle and should be able to withstand a little more abuse, however, she also said that all of the people that have come into the store to have the tanks replaced, have abused it in some way. The plastic is not made for EXTREMELY hot water, so if your tap water is extremely hot, then fill the tank with some cooler water. the hotter temp. will crack the tank. She said her hot water heater is set so high that when you run only hot water it is too hot to touch. and she mixes her water with cold to get the temp. right. The other scenerio she explained is people dropping the tank when it is full of water. In all the years i can't remember ever dropping the tank so i wasn't concerned about that. And the last scenerio she explained that one woman had her teenager using the machine and had shoved the tank into place and it cracked somehow.
i tried replacing the tank myself in the store and it seemed pretty simple. so i bought it.
i have only had it for a few days but have already cleaned with it. and i love it.something must be wrong with the other reviewer's machine because i filled mine with 16oz. of cleaner and have cleaned my formal living room, formal dining, family room, guest room, stairs and basement , probably close to 1500sq. ft. and still have over half of the solution in it.
The new design is much better than the spinscrub. The hose for the hand attachments attaches in the front so it won't crack at the base like in the older models. I like that the cleaning solution is in a separate container so when you run out of clean water or the clean water gets cold, you can just refill the water side without having to waste cleaning solution or needing to measure out solution every time you need to fill the tank.
The rinse button is nice when you've sprayed down a stain in the carpet and it gets too soapy, then just flip the button and it only dispenses water.
The people I talked to at the hoover store say that most of the repairs with the valves involve the solution that is used. Oxy-clean eats at the rubber and then they don't seal properly. Never put oxy-clean into the tank. It is fine to use the spray oxy on the carpet but not the powder stuff.
i have to say that it cleans great. My dog barfed some green stuff on my carpet a week ago and since i haven't had anything to clean it up with, it has just sat in the carpet. Well the stain is gone and it sat in the carpet for a week!
The dirty water tank is always coming up with dirt and stuff. The dirt stains in my carpet from my dogs/kids are gone and the carpet looks great. I am very happy with it. I will buy the extended 3yr warrenty on the machine. For 50bucks it will protect my investment in case i change my mind about it in a few months!
But I recommend for anyone go to your local shop. I read a lot of the reviews with women bitching about the tank not fitting into the bathroom sink or the cord not being long enough. Personally, I don't want a small tank that fits in my sink. I have too much carpet to clean and the smaller the tank, the more I have to refill it. We've all had those days when nothing is going our way. Just relax. Get a grip! It's just a steam cleaner and our country is at war!!! Hope this was helpful!
This baby ROCKS! I've always enjoyed the simple things in life. To me, simpler is better, especially when it comes to machines. And cars. The more stupid gadgets, the more likely they'll break.
This machine does what it's supposed to do. It CLEANS carpets. It does come with two attachments that are really four, which is cool. The suction is amazing...even when using the attachments. It does sometimes tip when you're stretching with the hose, but honestly I don't mind because I love the fact that it's lightweight and easily maneuvered around toys, furniture, sleeping dogs...YES. It's that quiet.
I own 3 dogs and a long haired cat, and the floors are feeling much softer and looking newer. I even use it on my kitchen floor with great results. It doesn't spew dirt and crumbs and dog hair everywhere like my old Hoover. And get this: the KIDS can use it very easily because even at their level it stays flat on the floor.
Can a Vacuum Be Fun? Yes! Let's face it, vacuuming isn't fun. Right? Wrong! Using this new Eureka Bagless Whirlwind canister is actually fun. How can that be? Well, for starters, the power nozzle 'walks' across the rug on it's own, so the pushing effort is, well, effortless. The very aggressive brush bar raises the nap and picks up all the pet hair first time over. I love the self adjusting nozzle, no buttons or knobs to turn. Also, I especially like the fact that there are NO cords to plug and unplug every time you want to use the hose end with attachments. Sure, the dusting brush could be a little bit larger, but the fact that it is RIGHT THERE on the wand, along with the crevice tool, is heaven. No searching for lost attachments, or stopping to go back to the canister, open a lid, and retrieve an attachment. I love the large bare floor tool, I can cover the kitchen floor quickly and it picks up everything first time over. The power head can be used without the wands, directly on the hose end, so it's PERFECT for someone with carpeted stairs. The turbo brush works like a charm for pet hair on the furniture and for cleaning the inside of the car.
Now, the BEST part is the dirt container. It opens at both ends, which means it's a breeze to clean. I wash it out when I empty it, and there are no odors of last week's dust. The washable pre-motor filter system (both foam and electrostatic filters) keep the dirt OUT of the motor, and the post motor Hepa filter leaves the exhaust air smelling like, well, nothing. Which is far better than the smell of last week's dirt. It's easy and convenient to clean out.
The build quality is fine, not as good as you might have found twenty or thirty years ago, but very good for 2008. The light weight power head should perform well for a number of years, and it's very easy to change the belt and brush bar. The once-a-year change for the Hepa exhaust filter is nullified if you buy the replacement WASHABLE HF-1 Hepa filter, which is washable and doesn't need to be replaced (a cost savings of $20 per year). All in all, I love this quiet, efficient vacuum and feel it's a GOOD VALUE FOR THE MONEY SPENT.
Works great - no complaints We got a great price on the Dyson DC16. Very powerful and perfect for everyday use. Excellent for the car. Of course, the only problem is the short battery life (6 minutes). But because it is so powerful, its not really that big of a deal...