Bissell Powerforce In Commercial Settings

[bagintheback]

These Bissells are getting more and more popular every year. I see them everywhere, and often outside household use. I see them in use at thrift stores, gas stations and department stores. Just about every setting you would think it would perform the worst. And of course the pre-motor filter is always dirty. A few years ago all these places had Sanitaires. Any idea why people are doing this?

Note that this is not my picture, but I used it to show how DIRTY every one I've seen looks.

 

[kirbysthebest]

Any idea why people are doing this?

They are cheap, reasonably good performers, and disposable.

 

[dustin]

There is 3 at our church, (2 BOL bagged, one mid range bagless) and they perform fairly well even though two of them are really worn out. The worst one (black BOL bagged) was bought new for the church in 2003 and while its still working, the height adjustment is gone, the handle release is broken, the brushroll is worn out and the motor bearings are loud. Of course the headlight is still working... I donated the other two over the 2 years I cleaned the church, the bagless has noisy motor bearings and a worn brush, and the other bagged one is in good shape. I don't think they are too bad for the price, better than most walmart brands.

 

[sanitairered]

Not to mention easy to work on. If something goes wrong, replace a belt or clean a filter! They're cheap and reliable.

 

[director12]

I feel Bissell is not very popular towards commercial products.

 

[trebor]

Wal-mart sells...

an exclusive model called the Powerforce Helix for 47.84. A new brushroll is 24.99, and belt 4.99 and a set of new filters 19.99. Do the math. It is cheaper to replace it every six months and have no maintenance costs except perhaps one or two belts. Four new vacuums per year for under $200.00. The miracle of mass production and cheap foreign labor at work.  I do not blame retail shop owners for going this route. No matter what they do the help they hire is not going to give a damn about the vacuum, and these can be unclogged, the brushrolls and filters cleaned, and a new belt installed. Cords can be replaced with a cheap extension from the hardware.  Sad, but this is the world as it is now.


 

 

[dustin]

Walmart also has a bagged version for like $42. That's what we have at our church, and one has been going since 2003. The church has about 10,000 square feet carpeted. As far as I know it has had the belt changed twice and the bag changed as needed and it keeps going.

 

[director12]

Since 2003 you say? Well, I'm guessing that was proof Bissell used to be awesome. They launched the Powerforce in 2001 as a cheaper alternative to the Powerglide.

 

[dustin]

Yes I have looked at the manual for the vacuum which was dated feb. Of 03 and had a new post motor filter in 04. Its not in great shape but can still be used for vacuuming and picks up dirt.

 

[sanitairered]

"Well, I'm guessing that was proof Bissell used to b

Bissell still is 'awesome'. They are reliable, cheap and easy to work on, just like they always have been..

 

[cam2s]

Bissell Cleanview

We use a Bissell Cleanview were I work. I probably wouldn't mind using it if I didn't feel like I was going deaf when it is on. However, it always is always dirty and nobody there bothers to clean the filters. (except me of course) I've had to take it apart to fix it and I can say that it get horrendously filthy inside the machine. I can't even begin to imagine what the machine pictured in this thread looks like on the inside.

 

[jodan3399]

They're cheap, can take alot of abuse, and some employee's don't know how to change a bag...or like the last young bartender my ex hired will run it without one and wonder why dust is flying everywhere because "they thought it was bagless". lol

I've picked up alot of them (I scrap the motors, etc when they're beyond hope), most seem to use them like they would a shop vac, even saw a couple they used to suck up water with.

 

[fan-of-fans]

At work we have a tan Bissell bagless, slightly higher end I guess as it's HEPA and has a turbobrush. I've also used the low end purple ones without HEPA. It wasn't bad for a $40 machine, but I could see fine dust coming out.

Really, I see a lot of those purple Bissells around. They must be like the modern day Elite of uprights! They seem to last OK despite needing a good clean.

 

[gsheen]

My Dad and I co own a carpet cleaning company, If we have to do a house that is infested or particularly dirty Were I wouldn't want to use one of our own vacuums.We buy a powerforce use it and then dispose of it with the hazardous waste. The model we get here comes with a small cartridge filter located under the dust container so it filters pretty well, ( filters as in it stops the dirt getting out while its still new .

 

[director12]

I replaced the HEPA filter in my Powerforce Turbo today, and it smells so good. It's a Febreeze filter, and it smells so much better than the original filter. I still do not have a foam circular filter, I threw it out, but the pleated one is there.

The plastic filter, small filter, and bin are rinsed when using another vacuum doesn't work at times.

 

[gsheen]

when that filter is clean this is a very effective vacuum cleaner

 

[jmurray01]

Why they are being used instead of a dirty fan Hoover, Oreck, Sanitaire et cetera is because they are cheap to buy, simple as that.

I'd far rather have one of the aforementioned GOOD Vacuum Cleaners that last a lifetime, but that is the world these days, driven by money and what is cheapest.

 

[ncovert]

jmurray01

I concur. I think it is better to have a good one that will last a long tome than buying a cheapo one from walmart.

 

[gsheen]

You are missing the point, its very nice to have a Hoover guardsmen or Sanitaire but when you have staff they wreck it anyway.

The cleaning staff of today are not the same as the last generation, they don't care about your equipment they just want to clean and get it done. when we hire new staff we always give them the cheaper machines because they stuff them in a week.

Why waste money on a sanitaire when its just going to be broken in a week any way