Review Of Sanitaire Vacuum Cleaners

Sanitaire is the name of a line of vacuum cleaners made by Electrolux (formerly Eureka).

They are predominantly manufactured for professional commercial cleaning purposes, but as you’ll see, one model in particular is a great buy for home use in certain circumstances.

This is the Sanitaire SC886 Quick Kleen™ Vacuum with Vibra Groomer.

It is an upright vacuum cleaner that is actually made for commercial use, but that doesn’t mean you can’t buy one for home use.

This vacuum is very good at what it does, but it was not designed to do more than clean carpets. So, if you need a vacuum that can pull double duty and take care of your hardwood, concrete, or tile floors, or clean upholstery and drapes, or handle the stairs, this isn’t the one for you. But, if you have had trouble getting your high-pile carpets really clean, this is one of the best you can buy.

Here is a list of the important features and specifications of this Sanitaire vacuum cleaner:

Sanitaire Features:

• 12-inch wide cleaning area
• Extra heavy-duty cloth bag (top fill)
• See-through, removable fan chamber
• 7 amp commercial grade motor
• 50-foot electrical cord
• 17 1/2 lbs
• Six carpet height adjustment settings
• Chrome steel ball bearing brusher roll (with replaceable bristles)
• Price range: $190-$250

Fan:

Let’s start with what there is to like about this vacuum if you’re looking to use it in your home. The transparent fan chamber is a nice touch. While commercial users have to worry about cleaning out that chamber a lot more often than you will at home, it’s still very convenient for checking the condition of both the fan and chamber. Anything that makes that job easier is a big plus.

Cord:

Then there is the 50-foot cord. A lot of commercial vacuums have longer cords than home machines, even though cord length is one of the most common complaints that home vacuum cleaner owners voice. The bottom line is that anything that speeds up a chore like vacuuming gets high marks.

Weight:

Another good point about this Sanitaire vacuum cleaner is its modest weight. At 17 1/2 lbs., it’s not the lightest vacuum out there, to be sure, but it’s also not nearly the heaviest. Call it about in the middle. At worst, you can find a lighter vacuum that has similar features. At best, the weight of this machine is not cumbersome.

A big key to the high user ratings for the Sanitaire SC886 review is the six carpet height settings. Here’s a typical customer comment that explains why this is so important:

Here is an example of a typical customer review:

“Overall this vacuum is designed to do ONE job really well — CLEAN CARPETS…. No other vacuum I have ever used has worked this well… Even my neighbor has commented on how much better my carpets look and feel.” – Karen Smith [Source: Amazon.com]

Price:

And that leads to the other positive aspect of the Sanitaire SC886 – price. If you really shop around (especially online), you can find a new one for less than $200. Not too shabby for a high quality, commercial grade vacuum cleaner!

Sanitaire Vacuum Pros and Cons:

One important thing to keep in mind is that the Sanitaire SC886 is built for commercial use, so the one-year manufacturer’s warranty on parts and labor only applies when the vacuum is being used for business purposes. You may be able to get additional warranty coverage, if the store you buy the vacuum from offers it, but expect to pay extra for it.

Next, the 7-amp motor is not the strongest – not by a long shot. While customer ratings that are available to the public do not mention anything about a lack of power, be aware that there are comparable vacuums out there with 12-amp (and higher) motors. Other factors come into play, but the number of amps tells you how much suction power to expect (the higher, the better).

Then there is the cloth debris bag that must be removed, shaken out, and replaced. For many people, this is simply unacceptable in this day of bagless vacuums and disposable bags. It’s older technology. The one potential benefit is that the cloth bags tend to hold a larger volume of debris, so cleaning it out has to be done less often than dumping a bagless container or changing disposable bags. This might be an important feature if you have a large home and don’t relish the thought of having to stop to dump out debris.

As mentioned above, there’s also the matter of a lack of versatility with this Sanitaire vacuum cleaner model. Many homes have both bare floors and carpets. But, the Sanitaire SC886 is a ‘one trick pony.’ It does what it does very well (vacuuming carpets), but it has no attachments for stairs, upholstery, drapes, etc., and it will only push the dirt around on bare floors.

Another possible downside to choosing this vacuum cleaner is the 12-inch cleaning width. You can find comparable vacuums for less money that have wider cleaning paths than 12 inches. Wider equals fewer passes, which means faster vacuuming.

Finally, there is the issue of price. This is a great carpet vacuum for $200, but the fact is, you can find cheaper vacuums that have motors that are more powerful and that can pull double duty and clean bare floors as well.

Overall, the most reliable indicator of a vacuum cleaner’s true worth is found in what the people who own it say about it in the review. The lack of negative comments from current and past owners is a big clue that the Sanitaire SC886 vacuum cleaner is worth considering.