Vacuum cleaner review: Bissell Cleanview Helix upright vacuum

When it comes to buying a new vacuum, the choices are almost limitless.  If you've decided to go with a standard upright vacuum, the Bissell Cleanview Helix (model 82H1) is a good choice.

The Cleanview Helix is a powerful 12-amp vacuum with plenty of features and capabilities.  Rather than using a bag, it uses a removable dirt cup that fills with dirt and debris (so you don't have to buy new bags).  The vacuum has two main filters -- one that sits below the dirt cup and can be cleaned as needed, and a HEPA filter on the side that can't be cleaned and must be replaced.

The Cleanview is not a lightweight vacuum (it weighs 16 pounds) and carrying it up a flight of stairs can be a chore.  But it packs a lot of power and does a great job of picking up whatever is in its path.  It has variable settings for low carpet, high carpet, or a bare floor (ie. tile).  Mounted on the front of the vacuum is a small headlight -- very helpful for vacuuming under beds or tables, or in dimly-lit rooms.

Emptying the dirt cup is easy.  It's transparent, so you can look in from the outside and see when the cup is getting full.  When it does fill up, all you have to do is unlatch it, remove it, dump it, and lock it back in.  But sometimes dirt and dust can also get stuck above the dirt cup, and when that happens you'll have to lay the vacuum on its back when removing the dirt cup, then scoop out all of the debris from above it.  The outside of the vacuum can become dusty as well, but a damp cloth will clean it off.

A hose attachment comes with the vacuum and is conveniently stored right in the back -- easy to pull out and use and then put back in.  There is also a turbo brush attachment which makes vacuuming the stairs easy, an upholstery attachment, and an extension tube for the hose.  The power cord for the vacuum reaches 27 feet, so you can do several rooms without having to unplug the vacuum and plug it in somewhere closer.

The Cleanview Helix's main drawback is its weight, making it a good vacuum for one-story residences, but not so good for multi-floor homes.  Other than its weight, this is a good vacuum that will run for years.

(Originally published on Helium.com, April 2011)