Using the Eureka Whirlwind Vacuum

Eureka is one of the best-known brands in the vacuum business. Eureka is a part of the Electrolux family, and has been making vacuums since 1909. After a century in the business, it is no wonder they know what they're doing. Eureka makes a wide variety of vacuum cleaners, from small handhelds for spot cleaning to full-size uprights made for anything your household throws at you. I had a chance to try out one of their primary upright models, the Whirlwind Plus. Their experience shows.

(For more technical information on the Whirlwind Plus or to see more Eureka vacuum cleaner products, visit http://eureka.com.)

The most important thing for a vacuum boils down to this: Will it clean up my messes? The version of the Eureka Whirlwind vacuum that I used looked more than up to the task. It included various tools and attachments, including a static-charged duster and a turbine-driven brush nozzle called a Power Paw. It even had HEPA filtering for outgoing air to reduce allergy problems.

Looks can deceive though, so I made sure to pit the machine against everything that my family—which includes two very active toddlers—could produce in our day-to-day living. Challenges included shredded tissue, spilled flour and sugar, dirt (of course), leaves, a couch covered in baking soda, dust bunnies, and more. The Whirlwind Plus stood up very well to our heavy use. Here are some of the particulars on my experience:

• Ease of Use. One of the first things I noticed in using the Whirlwind Plus was how easily it moves. It feels almost as if it were a self-propelled model (it is not), and the balance and hinging make the back-and-forth motion very easy and smooth. The foot switch to release the hinge is easy to see and easy to activate. The cord is plenty long enough for any room in the house. The one major hang-up that I had was with removing the hose. The end of the hose connects to the storage/charging chamber for the static duster. The chamber is not permanently or even solidly attached to the vacuum body, and the first several times that I removed the hose, the chamber came with it. With some practice I was able to remove the hose while keeping the chamber intact, but it is still a little tricky sometimes.
• Maintenance. One of the maintenance benefits of this vacuum cleaner is that it is bag less, which means no need to buy any bags. The dust canister on the Whirlwind Plus is a pleasure to use. It comes out and goes back in very easily, and there are few internal corners to accumulate packed-in dust. Both the top and the bottom open, and the Eureka vacuum filters are very easily accessible, both the one in the canister and the HEPA filter that sits below. For some reason the wall behind the beater bar seems to accumulate dirty build-up easily, and the internal angles there make cleaning a challenge. I should note that the build-up may be the result of something sticky or damp that my children spilled without my knowledge, so your mileage may vary.
• Pros. The biggest advantage I found with the Whirlwind Plus was the power. The suction is excellent and the beater and the hose picked up beyond my expectations. The turbine-driven nozzle cleaned very well; I had to use baking soda to clean something on my couch, and the Power Paw left the couch cleaner than it had been before the baking soda. The movement is easy, which makes it less tiring for long cleaning sessions.
• Cons. The difficulties with the duster storage canister are ongoing, and the build-up underneath is difficult to clean, but other than that I found nothing to complain about with this vacuum cleaner.
• Overall Experience. I was very impressed and pleased with my experience with this Eureka vacuum cleaner. My house is cleaner now than it was, and I recommend the Whirlwind Plus to anyone with heavy-duty household cleaning to do.