I don't know how long this particular vacuum cleaner will last, but so far I love it! Most other vacuum cleaners that come with attachments pretty quickly get lost as the manufacturers don't design proper storage for them. The attachments are very easy to keep on board with this one, so you can actually use them instead of spending your time hunting for them. The cord comes with its own piece of Velcro for securing or you can wrap around the top as shown in the picture. The cord is actually long enough to be able to be useful as well.
I'm less crazy about how the hose stores, and the manufacturer could have made some improvements here. I find it best to detach from the vacuum cleaner, and put the ends under the handle. There are two indentations on the side that will lock the hose in place, but the manufacturer does not provide any provision for the ends, so they flop around. Again, sticking them under the handle seems to work.
This is vacuum cleaner, so the big question is how is the suction? Well, I'm happy to report it is excellent. I empty mine pretty frequently, so not sure how this would hold up if you got it half way full, but in the for five times I've used it so far, no complaints on the suction. It handles water pick up extremely well with a separate included filter.
You can use either a filter or a bag. The supplied filter seems to work well, assuming you take the time to knock the big dust off of it occasionally. I just ordered a few bags, and will see how those work. I do like the idea of disposing a bag as opposed to emptying the dirt into another container, which always causes a certain amount of dust to fly everywhere. So, you may want to consider a bag if you vacuum a lot of dust, as opposed to larger debris--it's just less mess to deal with.
This machine does not come with a Hepa filter, but I also don't really notice any smell or dust flying around either. Most vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters are notoriously bad about clogging or losing suction. Once you take them apart to clean, you kind of loose the advantage of the HEPA filter as the the dust flies all over the place trying to clean the filters. Still, it would be nice if there was an option for one, but the supplied cloth filter does an adequate job.
Hose is just a cheap plastic, but it is soft enough you can step on it, and seems to come back to life. Overall, for the price I don't think you can go too wrong. I'm sure that anyone would enjoy the really compact size, and to have this kind of suction in such a small unit is amazing. If you're a wood worker needing a small vacuum that won't blow fuses or take up a bunch of space, you'll love this as well. Many times I'm running off a single extension cord, and a big 16 gallon shop vac is way overkill, and blows fuses. This vacuum draws minimal amounts of power, so this is not an issue.
This does take a little bit longer to set up then some portable units, but you're also getting some real suction power, and versatility with the attachments, so it's a trade-off I can live with. Recommended!
| Brand | Armor All |
|---|---|
| Special Feature | Wet/Dry, Wheels |
| Filter Type | Cartridge |
| Included Components | Accessory Kit |
| Is Cordless? | No |
| Capacity | 8 Gallons |
| Wattage | 1080 watts |
| Hose Length | 7 Feet |
| Form Factor | Cannister |
| Color | Orange |
| Model Name | VBV809 0901 |
| Product Dimensions | 19.3"L x 17.6"W x 20.8"H |
| Amperage | 9 Amps |
| Manufacturer | Cleva |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Controller Type | Push Button |
| Motor Horsepower | 4.5 Horsepower |
| Control Method | Touch |
| Style | 8 Gal Vac |
| Number of Handles | 1 |
| Number of Wheels | 4 |
| UPC | 814953014041 |
| Part Number | VBV809 0901 |
| Item Weight | 17.2 pounds |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Item model number | VBV809 0901 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Special Features | Wet/Dry, Wheels |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
