This Vacuum Cleaner Sucks

File the Bissell CleanView Compact Upright Vacuum under pleasantly surprised (especially the price tag)

Hello Gorgeous!

I have what sometimes feels like an unhealthy obsession with vacuum cleaners. Maybe it’s my aggressive allergies or the hopes of getting rid of the endless dust that seems prevalent in my neighborhood, but I find an inordinate amount of pleasure in vacuuming up anything that’s dirty or dusty.

My pal Edmund, a therapist specializing in urban anxiety (apparently it’s a thing), said that it makes sense to want to create order out of chaos. He added that vacuuming is an easy fix since it provides instant satisfaction. Ahhh. So that’s why it feels so good!

In any event, I recently wrote about dorm essentials you can proudly use anywhere. A lovely reader named Ellie (who lives in the cutest tiny house ever!) wanted to know if I had any vacuum cleaner picks for tiny spaces. As a matter of fact, I do.

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Bissell CleanView Compact Upright Vacuum

At under $60, you’d be forgiven for expecting this to be a pile of junk - but it isn’t. The Bissell upright is a petite powerhouse with a few quirks.

• First off, it has very powerful suction. There’s something extremely satisfying about extricating a stubborn dust bunny from a random corner of the room.

• It’s also comfortable to use. Instead of a fiddly switch, you use your foot to tap it on and off, and to also push your unit into a recline position so you can get at the dust or crumbs under the table.

• It’s corded. If you’re looking for a cordless vac, you should probably look elsewhere. This lightweight model has a very long cord (18 feet!) that can get tangled if you’re not careful. That said, it was strangely refreshing to not need to recharge the unit after a quick bout of cleaning. The unit also seems to have more power to it. Rewinding it made me a little cranky too.

• It’s noisy. Very. I love the hum of a great air purifier working in the background, but this is one noisy machine.

• The accessories can be complicated to connect. I’m usually pretty good with these things, but the corner tool and fabric brush felt unnecessarily complicated to use.

• It’s a bit rough. This unit seems to be made for tackling pet hair, so maybe don’t use it on your antique silk Chinese rug.

All my crankiness aside, I am in awe of how deeply this machine cleans. If you have a large home, this might be good to leave in your mudroom. If you have a small space, it will tackle every room in a short amount of time. We’ll see how long it lasts, but right now this is my fave vacuum (and I have an $1,800 model I’ve been testing for a vacuum cleaner round-up feature. About $54 on Amazon).

Do you have a vacuum you love? I know we’ve discussed this topic before, but let’s meet in the comment sections to discuss!

Rachel, Your beauty concierge 💋