Bissell : 3950 Velocity Vacuum
by BISSELL INC
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Our Price: $199.00 Availability: Usually ships in 3-4 business days Category: Lawn & Patio See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Bissell : 3950 Velocity Vacuum
Customer Review: Nice hose suction, but.....
Summary: 2 Stars
We purchased this vacuum several months ago to replace an aging Hoover Windtunnel, but after using the new Velocity, we decided to continue using the Hoover until it's wheels finally fell off the bottom. We have had the Hoover for 4-5 years, so it was definately a good purchase. As for the new Velocity, it has more negatives than positives.
On the positive side, the unit is fairly easy to empty and the hose has excellent suction. The turbo attachment nozzle is also impressive, much better than the Hoover's was.
Now on to the negatives. It seemed to vacuum pretty well early on, but now when vacuuming a dark rug with dog hair, the performance is TERRIBLE! This is after less than 20 uses, and the upper filters are not plugged. I also cleaned the air filter, but that was no help either. The belt is not slipping, so I can't explain why this is happening. You can see on the carpet where the brush roller hits the carpet, but I need to go over the same spot 5-10 times to fully vacuum the area. The second thing is the center of balance. I use the attached wand quite often on our solid surfaces, and the vacuum will tip over very easily. This is where the hose suction is too good as it compresses the hose and the vacuum ends up flat on it's back. The on/off switch is also not easy to use as it is blocked by the upper vacuum unit.
I bought my mother a more basic Bissell model and it has been used 10 times more often than this model while it's performance is twice what the Velocity has. I definately would not buy again and will be selling a vacuum that still looks brand new to get either another Hoover or possibly shell out the bucks to give Dyson a shot.
Customer Review: Not very durable. Works great for a little while.
Summary: 2 Stars
This vaccum is not durable at all. When we first got the vaccum, it did an OK job, but didn't pick up as well as the dirt devil it was replacing. I was kind of disappointed as I had read the reviews and tried to research it before purchasing and thought it would do a much better job.
After about 4 months, the mechanism that lock s it in an upright position wore out. A couple months later the motor became so loud that you have to wear earplugs while using it. It still runs, but is louder than a freight train. The filters were regularly cleaned after each use, and it hasn't been too heavily used... Very disappointed, and now in the market fora new vaccum.
Customer Review: Loved it the first 6 months, then....
Summary: 2 Stars
it stopped sucking!!! NOOOO!! I can't believe a vacuum only lasts 6 months! What the heck?? I adored this vacuum when I first got it. I vacuum atleast once a day and this one couldn't keep up. Dyson here I come!Customer Review: Terrible
Summary: 1 Stars
I thoroughly researched vacuums before settling on this one. At the same time, I also bought a Bissell steam cleaner. Both products have been disappointments.
I do think this vacuum has good suction, but too many little things on it don't work properly. The cord gets knotted very easily and the attachments do not stay in their respective cubbies on the vacuum. They pop out or fall off. The head at the bottom stopped turning after about a year and a half. The balance of the vacuum is also very, very poor. If you are trying to use the hose with an attachment, you need to hold the vacuum body with your other hand or it will come crashing down, often on your body. This makes it hard to clean if you need your other hand. This happens even when the hose is barely stretched or when you are vacuuming right next to the vacuum without making the hose taut. Also, the mechanism that holds the vacuum locked in the upright position did not hold the vacuum up tightly right from the start. After a while, it completely broke so now the vacuum doesn't stay locked in the upright position.
As I said, the suction does work well but a lot of the little things make using this vacuum kind of a pain. Poor overall design. I had the same issues with the steam cleaner. These two products will be the last Bissell products I ever buy.
Customer Review: Works well at first
Summary: 1 Stars
I was so impressed with this vacuum for the first couple of months. It seemed to be picking up all the debris that my old Hoover was leaving behind. However, after those first few months, it started getting clogged up very easily. I emptied the dirt cup regularly and the top piece above that which pulls out and comes apart for cleaning. We have two hairy dogs, and the dog hair just piled up in there. I even started washing everything out with water and letting it dry to maintain it. But, it barely sucks anything now, and it will definitely melt or ruin carpet or rugs if you leave it sitting upright on carpet to use the attachments. The agitator brush just spins and spins on your carpet or rugs.
My biggest complaint, though, is that the hose tube disconnects very easily from the vacuum so that everything you are vacumming comes up the hose and flies right back out into the air. I'll have vacuumed an entire room and notice that the dirt cup is empty (and that I'm sneezing a lot) and when I look down, I notice that the black hose is disconnected from the clear hose casing it plugs into. It's major design flaw with this unit, and it's the worst thing ever for allergies.
This was a huge disappointment. I'm looking into the new Hoovers to see if they've fixed some of their problems.