BC3002 - Kenmore 200 Series Pet Friendly HEPA AllergenSeal Bagged Canister Vacuum Cleaner

This vacuum feels like a bit of a throwback, given its dated appearance, solid-color plastics, canister build, and bagged style. Despite this, it works very well. It's a vacuum, not art - store it in the closet and you'll never know the difference. Appearance aside, the performance is solid. It works well on bare floors and high carpets, with a host of attachments to cover those jobs in between. The telescopic wand is sturdy aluminum and includes a switch to start/stop the brush on the Powermate attachment. I would like to see a power switch that controls the whole machine here, but that's not included. Overall, this is still a very useful wand. The Powermate cleaning tool really stands out. The brush is strong, easy to adjust, and there's a built-in breaker to prevent damage if the roller gets tangled up. It's powered by an electric motor, not just the strength of the air moving across it (as some vacuums do), so it really spins well. It truly combines the maneuverability of a stick vacuum with the power and capacity of a canister. I used it to clean a car floor mat that my cat's spent the last month sleeping on, and it picked up all the fur right away. If you don't have cats, just know that's incredible. The rest of the attachments are more or less standard vacuum attachments, relying mostly on the power of the vacuum motor. They work as you'd expect. The cord retractor is amazing. I do wish there were integrated storage for the crevice tool, but it's not that big of an inconvenience to store separately in the closet. The bare floor tool does have a dedicated space, but honestly, I just use the Powermate attachment for my hardwoods anyway. The bagged design is a departure for me. I prefer the idea of bagless, but I've run through 3 of those in the past 5 years (don't ever sand drywall and use your vacuum to clean it up), and they were all kind of a pain to empty and made a bit of a mess. The combination of the bag and HEPA exhaust filter really keep things cleaner than those other vacuums ever did. As much as I dislike the idea of replacing bags, the functionality is still better in mid-range products like this one. The bottom line is that it cleans very well, and it represents a nice balance of price and quality. It generates a lot of suction, includes a standard array of attachments, and is plenty maneuverable. It's nicely balanced and not terribly heavy, though its best to use two hands to move it. I've learned to accept the bagged system design. I'd like to see a power button on the extension wand, but otherwise, there's not much I'd change for a vacuum in this price range.

Overall, this is a nice vacuum. It's similar to my 25 year old Kenmore I replaced. The extendable hose is a great feature. It has good suction %26 picks up dirt well. - The biggest issue is the on/off button is Not on the handle, which is very inconvenient. It's on the back of the canister, with the cord rewind button. I kept rewinding the cord instead of turning the vacuum on/off, so I finally put a sticker on the On/Off button. Sleek design is great, but not when it interferes with functionality. - The extra brush attachments are flimsy and much smaller than they used to be. I use these as much as I use the carpet cleaner, so that was disappointing. - Minor issue - hinges jam when you open the canister lid to change the bag or filter which was also a problem with the old version. The