This powerful hand-vac worked great for a while
584717
This powerful hand-vac worked great for a while, hence the two stars. But after 16 months of very light use, the motor developed an electrical fire odor and it no longer works. Of course, the manufacturer's warranty only covers the first 12 months, so this is now basically a hard-to-recycle, expensive doorstop. We will not replace it with another Shark product, based on reading the many problems that other buyers have had. Also, the brush attachment was useless for picking up anything when it did work, but the brush attachment stopped working after the 4th or 5th use.
502175
I bought this vaccum about 2 years ago and I was absolutely amazed... it worked great, suction everything was just as promised... We have two dogs (including one 140 pound Newfoundland with long hair) and I was floored by everything this vaccum picked up. After about a year or so (and we are sparse vaccumers) things started to go south. I have replaced a belt and a brush (i put the brush in wrong because it's so hard to manuever with the belt, etc. and the first brush melted haha but my mistake). Now everything I vaccum I get about half way through a room and have to unclog ALL the hoses (meaning i have to take every hose off, the brush, the belt, etc) and that's after every half a room. Besides that the suction power has severely decreased.. now it's more like i'm pushing everything around. Considering how affordable this vaccum is I don't think expectations should run too high as far as longevity, so be warned you will be pleased at first and end up very disappointed when the performance starts to decline. This is a vaccum I imagine would need to be replaced every 1-2 years.
2610708
This is one of the best hand vacs I've ever owned. The nested filter design makes it easy to pull apart for emptying and cleaning. The power has not diminished over time (as long as you knock the dust off the filter every now and then) and I've had it about a year. Spring for the little extra cost for the Lithium battery and you won't be disappointed. I use it every morning to clean the seeds out from under the birdcage, and I only have to charge it about once every week or week and a half. I ended up buying a second one to use at work.
4555220
I must say, I was first impressed with this stick vac. The manueverability of the head was impressive. But this holds a charge for a minimal length of time - in other words, once you vacuum the standard kitchen floor, you must recharge. Furthermore, I found it to have a loud, irritating noise when turned on. Easy to remove and clean the filters; pretty good at picking stuff up (I dropped a bag of confetti on the kitchen floor and it did a good job). After a little over a year, it adamantly refused to work. I got a Shark and love it.
1577113
Very powerful for a hand-held vacuum.  Great as long as you don't mind the cord.
1463526
I had the previous less powerful version of this hand vac that finally gave out after many years of good use.  This one is more powerful and a little heavier.  It has a second or two delay before starting up after turning it on.  I suppose it's to conserve on the battery power, which is a good thing. It's just takes getting used to.
4657464
I really love this handless vacuum. It's attractive and incredibly powerful.  The battery lasts very long time after a complete charge.  I disconnect the charger after a full charge (to preserve battery life and efficacy)and the charge lasts a few weeks!

I have pets and this device is indispensable for vacuuming cat hair, bird feathers/dust, and much more.

My only complaints are:

1) The vacuum's cannister is a bit hard (and messy) to empty. I find myself having to use fingers to empty it, and that's kind of gross.

2) It's very LOUD!  Every time I use it my pets get scared!

Despite these two factors, I feel that this hand vac is the best one I've ever owned.  It's super powerful!!
4612640
This is the best hand vac I have ever owned.  It has the power to pick up almost anything, the battery lasts a long time, it is easy to clean and has been very dependable.  I got my first one about three years ago and it was working great until the new cat chewed up the charger cord, so I ordered another one. This time the charger cord is where the cat can't get to it!  You won't regret buying this vac.
934889
This vac works fine... for a while.  I thought all the other reviews who complained of a short battery life were just suffering from lack of proper upkeep.  How long should a dust buster work? This one worked fine for 1.5 years- but now I see I was wrong to judge the other users and their charging habits.  Wont hold charge long enough to vacuum.  When it did worked it worked well enough to do what I needed- baseboards, dog hair off bed, etc.
2274578
I have 4 cats and carpet, tile, and wood floors in my home.  I don't consider myself hard on my vacuum, nor do I think there is a mountain of pet hair in my home.  This vacuum replaced a 7 year old dyson animal that the beater bar broke and was no longer in warranty.  It was a great vacuum and picked up everything in its wake at the beginning,  but after 9 months the suction significantly decreased.  I was using it to vacuum the cat hair off the bottom of the drapes when it finally overheated and died.
For the price and the length of time it lasted, I'd have been better buying a new dyson, but I have a real dislike for the ball style base.  Now, I am back in the market for a new vacuum, 1 year and 4 days after the previous purchase.
3024182
We bought this as a replacement for our old warhorse Hoover WindTunnel, which was an excellent vacuum cleaner and served us faithfully for over 8 years. it was a disaster, so we replace it with another Eureka, the Boss SmartVac Ultra HEPA.

This is our first bagless vacuum cleaner (we had used bagged models for over 30 years), and at first glance, it looked like it was a winner. Eureka said it had excellent suction, clog-fighting ducting, high efficiency air filters (HEPA), easy maintanence (empty dust catcher, wash pre-filters, replace filters every 6 months), no bags to buy. Unfortunately, looks are deceiving. While it was touted to deliver excellent cleaning capability, the Capture was a train-wreck. It worked just fine for about 6 months, then it started making funny noises and lost a lot of suction. Without even taking it to a repair shop, I could tell the motor was burning up, probably from a bad bearing or broken part.

Aside from the mechanical problems, the Capture is very noisy. It's nearly one of the noisiest vacuums I've heard in a long time, made worse by the motor problem. Plus, it's physically big, not to mention heavy at nearly 25 lbs. Although it's got great wheels and maneuverability (rollerblade-like wheels in back), it's still cumbesome and difficult to move aorund. I have to man-handle this vacuum to get it up and down stairs or over thresholds.

To be fair, the hose did stretch out pretty far, and the PowerPaw turbine upholstry and stair brush worked good. The tools were less than stellar. The hard-floor tip and brush tip were cheesy and nearly useless. The on-board duster is a good idea, but it too was flimsy and didn't work well. It wouldn't stay extended for any period of time, didn't pick up much dust, and the built-in cleaning receptacle on the vacuum (put the dirty duster in, flip a handle, and it cleans it) didn't work well.

I wasn't impressed with the Capture's cleanint performande either. Our old WindTunnel had the strongest suction i've ever seen in an upright vacuum. It cleaned excellent, and was reliable, lasting for thousands of hours. We never had a problem with it, and if there was, it was easy to tear down and fix! I can't say that for the Eureka Capture. It has good suction and cleaning performance, but nothing that impressed me. I don't know if it's the bagless system, but for as loud and heavy as it is, you'd think it would have better suction. To add to the less-than impressive cleaning power, the bagless system clogs up under heavy use. Any vacuum will clog eventually, but it didn't take much to clog this one. The dust cup can also be messy. You get dirt all over when you empty it if you aren't careful (empty it the outside trash if you can).

The Capture does just that. It captures dirt, but mostly in the fan exhaust. It's got 3 layers of filtration, 2 pre-filters, and a high efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA filter). This is good if you suffer from allergies, asthma, or have indoor air quality problems.

So, the Capture Plus gets 2 stars. It's noisy, heavy, and the reliability is questionable. The suction/cleaning performance is good but nothing spectacular, and the tools could be better. Also, the bagless system has a propencity to clog under heavy cleaning. On the plus side, the filtration is excellent, it's easy to roll and maneuver,  and the hose stretches out nice and long.

If you're looking for a new vacuum and don't want to spend $300 and up for a Dyson, Electrolux, Kirby, Rainbow, or other brand, but want superior cleaning performance and reliability, go for the Hoover WindTunnel with the bag, or the Eurkea Boss SmartVac Ultra.
1405887
I bought this cordless hand vac based on the reviews I read on Amazon.  I have had it for a month and it rocks.  Very powerful and very easy to use and clean.  It has a built in filter that is reusable and washable.  It only lasts about 5 to 10 minutes, but that is fine for my needs.  It comes with a recharging unit and is easy to plug in and remove it.  I highly recommend this cordless hand vacuum.
2727793
I received this vacuum before Christmas 2011, and was very impressed with the power and flexibility as a blower also. We used it for several months in the home workshop and also on the patio. Then about a week ago, a burning plastic smell preceded the death of the power unit.

Others have written about motor failure so I wasn't surprised. After digging out the receipt, I looked online for a local warranty center, but learned all warranties had to be returned to the Cleva NA factory in Greenville, SC. I boxed it up and sent it parcel post ($12) on Monday 6/11. A new unit was just delivered 6/20, which works great (so far) with lots of power. I was holding the power unit by the handle when I plugged it in, and almost dropped it from the torque surge. After blowing away the new plastic smell outside (I remembered not doing that at first and stinking up the basement) I used it to clean up sawdust. This vacuum has so much power it lifts hand-sized chunks of wood.

I can't give it 5 stars, but overall I'm happy with the quick service from the manufacturer. I'm hoping the replacement motor holds up better than the original one.

Update 3/15/15: Replacement motor works great last 2 years. Need to clean the filter often because of fine sawdust in the workshop.
1027627
I purchased this vacuum around a year ago. We live in an area that dirt gets tracked in the house a lot. So, when after 2 months the vacuum started making a howling noise, I called customer service. They promptly said that they would replace it. I had to cut the cord off of the old one and send it back to them. I received the new vacuum, but I left it in the box. I took apart the old vacuum and found that dirt had gone up in the motor and was in the motor bearing. I cleaned the old one thoroughly and put a new cord on it, then I put it back together. The vacuum ran smoothly for 3 more months, then the howling came back. I decided to start using the new vacuum, but sure enough, about 3 months later, it was howling as well. I cleaned both of the vacuums, and used them for the past couple of months, but the cleaning does not seem to be working any more. I bought this based on the reviews. The customer service was great. I would not suggest buying this if you live in a dusty area. Otherwise, it is a great vacuum.
1409972
UPDATE: After a year of use, the lights stopped functioning unless the head of the vacuum was swiveled to the left. By the second year, the brush motor stopped working, making the vacuum nearly useless. The handheld component still works, so I use that and the tools to clean up crumbs and fur from the furniture. Im disappointed in its durability. It started out so well. Dropping from five stars to three.

I actually don't mind vacuuming now, and I always disliked it before. The unit came fully charged and ready to use after about five minutes of assembly. The power button remains on until you turn it off, unlike my sister's much more expensive and awkward-to-use Dyson, which is heavy at the top end and requires you to keep your finger on the power trigger to run it. This vacuum is lightweight and changes direction easily with a turn of the wrist. No more having to throw your body weight behind it to turn. There are no stupid cords to trip over or to stop the vacuum in its tracks. The run time is accurate as stated. I'm able to clean the hardwood and tiled floors in my 1150 sq. ft. home easily during that time. The recharge time I think is about 5 hours. The lights on the head make vacuuming in dim areas more productive and motivating, as it lets you find dirt and fur you wouldn't otherwise see. It has no problem picking up the plant debris, fur, or kitty litter that my dog and two cats track through the house. I have no carpets, so I can't speak to its ability to extract those things from rugs. The upholstery attachment helps keep upholstery clean, though the unit is not as powerful as a full-sized vacuum. Removing the handheld portion is quick and easy - just press one button. Emptying the cup is also easy and done in just a few seconds. I've been using this vacuum for about six weeks, and I'm very pleased with its performance. I would buy it again.
1329097
UPDATE: This vacuum stopped working already, and the suction is gone. It seems like the self propel function is broken. And because it's so heavy, I can't vacuum with it. I had taken care of it, making sure to take off any hair that got on the beater bar, and changing the bag regularly. Pretty disgusted that it stopped working in less than a year.

Did a lot of research before settling on this vacuum. It is incredibly heavy, which is a pain for going up and down stairs. But the self-propelling function is useful. I have found it to be excellent in cleaning up after dog, cat, and humans who like to shed everywhere. I appreciate that it's bagged as well as that is easier to dispose of. The bags seem to hold a ton of dirt. The cord is nice and long.
4135400
I loved this vacuum until it just stopped working.
This was perfect for our home in terms of suction and battery use.
Then one day the battery just stopped charging.
The very friendly customer service operator told me the battery lasts a year.
The new battery costs 2/3 of a new vacuum.