This vacuum sure does suck... (VAX Appliances VS-190 Swift)

Member Name: dbarcl10

Product:	VAX Appliances VS-190 Swift
Date:	25/05/09 (159 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good suction, high quality, easy to clean

Disadvantages: Power cord could benefit from being just a little longer

Our last vacuum was a lightweight, cordless affair whose looks betrayed the strength of its suction. At only £40 it was a great buy and made a massive difference to the cleanliness of our carpets. However three years down the line, the suction had decreased to the point where it left clumps of cat hair in its trail. It was time for a new model.

We needed something with a good suction that could pick up cat hairs and not be too big as we don't have the greatest amount of storage in our flat. A Dyson our preferred choice, but that was more expensive than our budget allowed, so we settled upon the Vax VS-190APP Swift Pet Premium from Argos.

Our model is slightly different from the one pictured above, in that where the model pictured is yellow, ours is white with a blue trim. The vacuum has 1600 watts of power and a clear plastic dust compartment similar to Dyson models. There is a washable HEPA filter and carbon filters.

Vax claims that this model is ideal for collecting pet hairs from both carpets and hardwood flooring and this was the factor that most attracted us to this particular model in the hope that it would live up to its expectations.

Getting the box home, I was somewhat surprised about the size of the small box and how lightweight it was. Upon opening the box however I realised why it fitted into such a small space - it required some building. I hate companies that use excessive packaging, so I was quite glad to see that this vacuum was packed in a sturdy cardboard box and only a few small bits of polystyrene which held that various parts in place within the box. There was no unnecessary filling material.

Philips screwdriver in hand, I set about removing each part from the box. I'll admit that I did need to use the instructions as I had no idea what have the parts were or where they went, but I found that the instructions were very easy to follow and only took about 10 minutes to put together.

The base of the vacuum was a little bigger than I'd expected, but it was quite lightweight, so would be easy enough to carry up and down stairs. Fortunately all the attachments can be fitted to a tool holder on the vacuum handle so there should be no excuse for losing them.

So ready to start vacuuming, I hit the button to release the base then the power button, both of which are located on the base of the vacuum on the left hand side. I must admit that the power button is in slightly an awkward place, just under the extension hose and I found it a little awkward to switch the vacuum on, however I am sure that this is something that will grow easier with practice.

The vacuum started up and at first seemed quite loud, deafening out the TV, but I soon became accustomed to the noise level. I don't think that this is a particularly noisy machine rather that our previous hoover was so quiet that anything else would have appeared deafening. Indeed, only a few days later I no longer notice the noise to be as loud.

So, onto the important details for a vacuum review - how well did it pick up. I used it first on a shaggy rug that has been looking a bit flat recently and was amazed at the difference it made. The pile was instantly picked up and despite not thinking it was dirty, the amount of hair and dust that the vacuum picked up was disgusting. So much so that the dust contained was nearly full after only a few minutes.

Moving onto our bedroom carpets, the vacuum continued to perform well. There was a noticeable difference in the carpets, which unfortunately only served to show up some stains and marks more obviously. The vacuum picked up the pile at the door wells, areas that previously looked quite worn and flat.

Even on our hardwood flooring in the lounge and kitchen, the vacuum gives great results, picking up every bit of dust and hair first time.

If I had to mention any complaints about the performance of the vacuum it would have to be the cord length. Although advertised at 7m I found it a little short. I don't think we have massive rooms, although our bedroom is quite wide and the cord only just stretched to the end of the room. Perhaps not a big thing as it is easy enough to unplug it and move to a more convenient plug socket, but it ay be worth baring in mind if you have to do this every time.

The vacuum came with a number of accessories including a crevice tool, dusting brush and a 1.5m extension hose and a further extension handle. Like I mentioned earlier in the review, the handle has an integrated tool holder with dedicated spaces for each of these accessories so hopefully there will be no lost tools in the near future.

I rarely find a need to use the tools as the vacuum does seem to clean from wall to wall, however using the crevice tool really does get into any hard to reach spots and does so without any loose of suction.

Emptying the dust container is quite simple too. Simply press a button on the front of the machine to release the container, twist the lid to the right to unlock it then pull out the filter which also brings out all the dust, hair and everything else that has been sucked up. Personally the Monica in me likes to keep my vacuum clean and tidy, so I often wash out the dust container every time it has been emptied. This was easy enough as it is a perfect cylindrical space, meaning that there are no awkward to clean areas, and is also easy to dry using a clean towel.

The machine is made from a heavy plastic, which seemed a little fragile whilst I was building it, however once it was built and in action, it did seem to be of a high quality and a sturdy machine, so I have no worries about it breaking in the near future.
And so, onto the final important detail - the price! We bought ours from Argos where it is normally sold for £117.39; however it was on offer for the bank holiday weekend and was reduced to £46.95, better than half price! It is also available from Amazon for £59.

All in, I'm very happy with the Vax VS-190APP Swift Pet Premium vacuum cleaner. I'm giving this machine 5 stars overall, although I only award 4 stars for ease of use due to the length of the power cord.

I'd recommend this for anyone that requires a powerful, bagless vacuum cleaner without the price tag of a Dyson.

Summary: A great vacuum to rival the mighty Dyson

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