This is another in-depth topic that I've been meaning to post about for a long time now.
I'm referring to upright vacuums that have a "lift-off" or "lift-away" design. This feature was pioneered by Bissell, and later arguably popularized by Shark. The basic idea sounds neat on paper, seeing as you can detach the main unit and use the vacuum like a handheld canister for above floor cleaning.
This feature has baffled me for a number of reasons. First off, you have to carry the full weight of the canister in one hand, which can get tiresome. I often like to do my hose cleaning with both hands, particularly when I clean walls and ceilings.
Second, stair cleaning becomes a challenge. I had a Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Lift-Off over the course of two years, and doing stairs with it was a huge pain in the rear end. Both hose and telescopic wand were very short, and the wand would constantly collapse in the middle of cleaning, since the locking collar wasn't very secure. Whenever I used the turbo brush, the hose would get stiff, causing the canister to flop all over the place during stair cleaning. It was impossible to get it to stay put.
Third, weight distribution. Lift-off vacuums tend to distribute the weight somewhat unevenly, due to the nature of the detachable design. This makes the machine a little hard to manuever, at least for Sharks. They have a harder time going under furniture for that very reason. However, Shark has solved that problem with their "Powered Lift-Away" models.
What exact benefit does the "lift-away" design provide over conventional upright designs? In my mind, it's not that convenient, for the very reasons I listed above. Sadly, I haven't seen any companies offer a shoulder strap for easier carrying. I personally prefer the standard upright form factor. The reason I'm partial to Dyson is due to most of their uprights having a long hose and wand. This makes above floor cleaning a breeze.
I'm referring to upright vacuums that have a "lift-off" or "lift-away" design. This feature was pioneered by Bissell, and later arguably popularized by Shark. The basic idea sounds neat on paper, seeing as you can detach the main unit and use the vacuum like a handheld canister for above floor cleaning.
This feature has baffled me for a number of reasons. First off, you have to carry the full weight of the canister in one hand, which can get tiresome. I often like to do my hose cleaning with both hands, particularly when I clean walls and ceilings.
Second, stair cleaning becomes a challenge. I had a Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Lift-Off over the course of two years, and doing stairs with it was a huge pain in the rear end. Both hose and telescopic wand were very short, and the wand would constantly collapse in the middle of cleaning, since the locking collar wasn't very secure. Whenever I used the turbo brush, the hose would get stiff, causing the canister to flop all over the place during stair cleaning. It was impossible to get it to stay put.
Third, weight distribution. Lift-off vacuums tend to distribute the weight somewhat unevenly, due to the nature of the detachable design. This makes the machine a little hard to manuever, at least for Sharks. They have a harder time going under furniture for that very reason. However, Shark has solved that problem with their "Powered Lift-Away" models.
What exact benefit does the "lift-away" design provide over conventional upright designs? In my mind, it's not that convenient, for the very reasons I listed above. Sadly, I haven't seen any companies offer a shoulder strap for easier carrying. I personally prefer the standard upright form factor. The reason I'm partial to Dyson is due to most of their uprights having a long hose and wand. This makes above floor cleaning a breeze.
