Need info on a 8pound Powr-flite/Bissell Prolite twin fan

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volsboy1

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Joined
Oct 14, 2008
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I bought that Vacuum but its under the Tornado brand name and sence it was cheaper than the Freedom or Supra lite.I found out after I got it, about the Bissell.Who makes it?Bissell or Tacony I have no Idea what it is.The Tornado site says 5.5 Amp but my Vac has 7 Amp on it.It has a Plastic Fan but says metal fans in the specs.Does anybody know anything about the Bissell prolite?Is it any good?The Vacuum does seem to have alot of power and runs fine but I am worried now cauz the specs on the Web-site is wrong so what else is wrong?
 
I have a Bissell

I have a Bissell Prolite in my shop. It is a dark blueish color with a huge grey bag. I think mine is 6 or 7 amps and it does clean very well. As for the rest of the info??????
I can tell you that they are cheap made but high in price (like everything else) I don't really like it. I like the Simplicity Freedom better.

oh P.S just to add to your confusion there was also one made with the Rubbermaid name on it.
 
Actually....

I like the Kenmore e4 better than the Bissell Prolite. It's the identical cleaner, but the Kenmore has a twister cup on the back, which makes it quasi-bagless. As a result, the bags last much longer. I know Sears has not offered the e4 in about 4 or 5 years now. I'm not sure if the Bissell Prolite is still available either.
 
That is what burns me up.I was thinking that it had the same motor as the Freedom since it was 5.5 Amps and that's what the Website Tech page said also.Well after I got it and saw 7 Amps on it I called Tacony they told me that has not been updated yet and when I looked further it showed the Simplicty freedom schematics.They offered to take it back but with a restocking fee plus shipping I would only get back a little more than half my money I paid so Im going to sell it.I have a Eureka 5071 for a deep cleaner but want a good ultra light.Well I guess Im just going to haved to get me a Riccar..I also Emailed Bissell and they told me they don't make either..
 
No Bissell dont offer them anymore either.That Tornaodo says made in the U.s. but Im not sure I can trust Tornado,Powrflite,CFR on anything they say...
 
I tried to post this days ago, but the forum wasn't working. I e-mailed it to myself to save it until I could get it to work!

I was just thinking about those machines yesterday. I was thinking, "Wow... no one even says anything about those machines and I never see them, did they just vanish?"

I worked at Sears when the E4 came out. It was identical to the Bissell Pro-lite except on color of course it had that "bag saver" on the back of it. What I remember is that the customers were quite annoyed with it. People who want a machine like that usually want it not only because if its light weight, but also because it can go flat and fit under furniture and beds and things. Well, with that silly cup on the back, the machine wouldn't lay very flat. People were very confused as to if the machine was bagless or not, and it was hard to explain.

It had nice long cord, and a great handy rocker switch. It was pretty loud, but seemed to clean well.
 
Kenmore E4

"Did they just vanish?" In Sears mind's eye they did. I'm not even sure if bags are still available for this machine. It was the bag saving "twister cup" that I felt made it an interesting variation on the Bissell ProLite. It's powerful and it does clean well. But the ProLite, e4, Simplicity Freedom, and many others are simply viable, more affordable alternatives to the Oreck. I don't think in daily use any of them would last as long.
 
This is the Vacuum well a Pic of it.This is like the one I have.I found a small defect in the plastic head right under the ruuber bumper.I took a file to it and they fit now perfect.I was losing a ton of suction from that so it does work ALOT better now atleast.I don't know everything about Vacuums like I do dishwashers,Disposer's but did is this Vacuum a old Singer design?We had a twin fan Kenmore when I was young it was a good Vacuum but it was the one that turned on when you lowered the handle so it was always broke.I heard the Singer used Ryobi motors from somewhere in there Vacuums.I called Tacony and they got mad at me for asking why there specs are differnt on the motor and other things.I guess I should have left out that a 1/3 of my relatives are attorneys but my aunt did spit out a bunch of legal jargon about advertisment's and consumers rights.I won't call while in the car with her again that is for sure.I got a email last nite stating that Tacony bought the rights for this Vacuum from Bisslle the reason was Riccar/Simplcity dealers where complaning.Why pay double for the same machine with the Riccar name when you can get a copy under another.The email mentioned Singer and their twin fan motor will fit my Vacuum but I am very Picky when it comes to motor quality.I want to take it apart to see motor windings and commicating bars and to see if its from China I would not be so worried if it said 5.5 Amps on my Vacuum in the place where it says 7 Amps now the same Amperage the the Bisslle had.

11-13-2008-11-03-31--volsboy1.jpg
 
Looks just like the Bissell ProLite/Kenmore e4. Can you tell us the website where these vacuums are sold?
 
Sure I got mine from Bettymills.The first time I saw it they had it at 140 bucks but now its at 160 with free shipping.I now love this Vacuum after I fixed it and it is unreal in power.The specs on my Vacuum say 7 Amps so that part is still a big ??? for me but 160 CFM is alot of power and I love the twin fans in it.The one thing is if you get it buy Oreck belts for it there better quality and are wider and won't slip.
 

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