Eureka 431A Optima Bagless Upright Vacuum

Pros: Lightweight, Great suction, Love the color, Picks up everything, Not too expensive
Cons: Canister could be a little bigger.

My mom kept mentioning getting a new vacuum cleaner last Christmas. I would've loved to buy a Dyson but I don't have $400 to spend on a vacuum cleaner. After searching the net I heard the Optima was just as good as a Dyson. So, I gave it a try. When I ...

Pros: Light, powerful, easy to use, very competitive price.
Cons: Brushes can stop and clog easily on my model.

The Eureka 431A (431A for short)is a light, powerful and easy to use vacuum cleaner for under $60. I could stop right there, but you deserve to know the redeeming features of this nice little machine. Since context is the essence of any Epinions ...

Pros: Value, Suction, ease of use, lightweight, comfortable and extensible handle
Cons: A bit noisy, blows some dust away from intake

We've used the Eureka Optima for two months now, and we are quite pleased with our purchase. Main strengths are it's attractive price (55$), low weight, ergonomic design and good suction power. Main drawbacks are the noise, the odd placement of the ...

Pros: Lightweight, Great Suction, Adjustable Handle, Bagless and Cool Design.
Cons: Dial is easy to forget to change. Filter hard to clean off hair and dust.

My vacuum of 8 years had finally died. I originally wanted a Dyson, but at the price of a Dyson Vacuum was outragous so I browsed through Epinions and found the Eureka Optima. The Optima had great reviews and the price was right. I headed to Target ...

Pros: Powerful, packs away nicely
Cons: Noisy, still heavy, no HEPA filter

My Green Monster I bought the Eureka 431A Optima Bagless Upright Vacuum at Costco last year. Priced at $48, it was the cheapest vacuum available at the store. I had just moved into an apartment with thick carpet in the bedroom and needed a ...

Pros: Light and compact, yet powerful and includes basic attachments.
Cons: Tiny front wheels, exhaust vents directly in front, no floor nozzle release button.

I just purchased the Eureka Optima to replace an old Hoover full size upright. Compared to the worn out Hoover, the Optima is far superior. The Optima is inexpensive ($56 at Target) and compact, weighing about 11 pounds. The non-retracting powercord ...

Pros: Great suction and usability on hard floors, lightweight and small size, great price.
Cons: Filter clogs fast, wheels don't turn well on carpets. Better used as a second vacuum.

My Husband and I moved into a home with pretty nice carpet upstairs and no flooring downstairs. We installed laminate hardwoods in the downstairs and I quickly found myself carting our heavy Dyson vacuum up and downstairs every week to vacuum both ...

Pros: Excellent suction. Adjustable handle. ONE filter to clean.
Cons: No height adjustment. Small wheels.

We've gone through so many vacuums in our house. We vacuum every day. We've owned KENMORE, HOOVER, BISSEL and others, several costing $200-$$279. We decided to buy this EUREKA OPTIMA because it was on sale (clearance) at HHGREG for only $38! We ...

Pros: Cheap, Small, Initially Powerful, Good for Basic Tasks
Cons: LOUD, Loses Suction, Bad on Hard Flooring, Pain to Maintain

**Update as of August 2008 - I just used a Bissell Velocity on my floor, and it extracted a full measuring cup (solid handful) of silt from my 650 sq ft of carpeting. I believe this indicates that it is not able to extract fine particles due to weight ...

Pros: Great suction, great cleaning, amazing versatility
Cons: Filter cleaning is tedious and must be done frequently

With a 12 Amp motor, this unit has a lot of suction. But here are some of the less obvious features that make it great in my opinion: The rolling base fits snug to the floor, and there is something like a weather strip on the bottom that helps sweep ...

Pros: Lightweight; inexpensive; powerful for its size; don't regret my purchase
Cons: Filter doesn't last long; a part on mine broke easily; not a Dyson =)

I find it difficult to write a helpful review on a vacuum because everyone has different needs for their particular vacuums (e.g. playroom, downstairs, whole house, random rugs, etc). So, as you read this review, please keep in mind that I have young ...

Pros: Strong suction, convenient stair cleaning handle.
Cons: Frequent filter cleaning required, front air exhaust pushes dirt, design hinders mobility.

It seems most reviewers are giving somewhat of a pass on some major drawbacks for this product. Before I go any further, let me say that I was absolutely amazed at the suction power of the Optima. Just standing in one spot moving it forward and back, I ...

Pros: light weight, easy to handle, less storage space required
Cons: yucky filter to clean, does not handle constant use well

I originally bought this vacuum because I was looking for something lightweight to haul up and down the stairs of our two-story house. The selling point for me was the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval and the fact that it has as many amps as a full ...

Pros: Inexpensive but POWERFUL. Lightweight. Simple (no bells and whistles).
Cons: The green, sparkly color makes it look cheap.

I needed a lightweight vacuum cleaner, but didn't want to sacrifice power. The majority of cleaners today, it seems to me, derive from a bigger-is-better design mentality. But I have a small cottage, and just wanted something powerful AND small. I ...

Pros: Light weight, easy to store, on/off switch for roller, cheap
Cons: It blows! Not sure I'm in love with bag less vacuums.

I recently pulled up most of my carpet and refinished the hardwood floors underneath. Though my old Hoover still worked, the brush wouldn't turn off and that is not good for hardwood floors. I was looking at expensive vacuums like the Dyson but saw ...

Pros: Suction. Light weight, easy to tote up stairs. Small, convenient to store. Comfortable handle. Cute.
Cons: Louder than expected. A bit time-consuming to clean filter thoroughly.

I love this vacuum. First of all, I love it's light weight, and how powerful it is for it's size. The handle is, well, handy, very comfortable to use, and I have problems with repetitive motion and grip on my right-hand side. The switches, ...

Pros: It's cheap, green, and sparkly. That's all it has going for it.
Cons: Everything. Terrible suction, parts break off, motor shuts off when canister is empty, etc.

I hate this thing. I really do. I bought the Eureka Optima about a year ago after our old canister vacuum finally died (it was given to us by a family member so who knows how old it actually was). The Eureka worked well at first. I'd say for the ...

Pros: Small. Easy to store. Perfect for cleaning small area rugs.
Cons: Noisy. Attachments never stay in compartments. Not too powerful. Messy clean-up.

I received this vacuum as a gift from my mother-in-law. I had told her I was in the market for an inexpensive, no-frills vacuum, as I had been vacuuming my three area rugs with an electric broom for months. I didn't need anything high tech or fancy, ...

Pros: light-weight, small, great hose, easy to assemble and use, and inexpensive.
Cons: canister and filter are hard to clean, not great on bare floors.

I hemmed and hawed a lot while shopping for a vacuum.  On the one hand, I didn't have a lot of money to spend, but on the other hand, I wanted something that would actually WORK.  On another hand, I wanted to get the absolute best deal for my ...

Pros: Easy storage, cheap
Cons: Hard to push on carpets, cleaning nightmare, exhaust location and a wily power cord.

We purchased this vacuum for its small size and apparent power but in actual use, it turned out to be one of the worst ones we bought. First, if you have specialty carpets like berbers or thick cut pile, this supposedly lightweight machine was a ...

Pros: -Good pick up & suction -Reasonable upfront price but see below
Cons: -Suction option -Hose/attachment way too short -Horrible Eureka customer "service"

At first I though my suction hose was broken until I remember you have to pull a switch at the base (a bit annoying) but it has powerful suction! Really good pickup especially for a light weight. But buyer beware...the cons can outweigh the pros ...

Pros: Great suction. Lightweight. Easy to push. Inexpensive.
Cons: Loud. Exhaust vent poorly designed. Filter and brush roll need constant cleaning.

This little vacuum works really well. It has a 12 amp motor, the same amperage as my full size vacuum, and just as loud. I was hoping for a quieter vacuum since this is much smaller and lighter weight than my 10 year old Kenmore. But it's loud. And ...

Pros: A very powerful vacuum for the price.
Cons: The vacuum is very loud. Exhaust blows in front on vacuum

The wife and I decided to replace a cordless Oreck Vacuum we had for little more than a year. We have laminate flooring throughout the house with several area rugs. It got to the point were the Oreck wouldn't hold a charge long enough to vacuum the ...

Pros: lightweight, great suction in hose, semi easy to push, no bags to replace, cheap price
Cons: not durable enough for me, not the most powerful suction, pretty noisy

I bought this vacuum during my first pregnancy when I had 2 heavy shedding corgi. I had a car mat that I tested it on. It was covered in dog hair and with only one pass it lifted all the hair and fuzz up. It worked great considering it was the first ...

Pros: Excellent for hard flooring with options for vacuum with or without the brush roller...
Cons: Not a practical unit if you're looking for a vacuum for just carpet.

I purchased the vacuum for use on my newly refinished hardwood floors and find it excellent for that purpose. The power switch has three settings: off, vacuum and vacuum with brush roller. (You don't use a brush roller on hardwood floors.) This is ...

Pros: Great suction! Easy to store
Cons: Blows dust and dog hair around before having a chance to vacuum it.

I had been using a canister vacuum for some time but found it lacking in several areas. I could go up my long staircase and vacuum all the dog hair that had collected in the corners. I found it kind of hard to drag around and basically it was a little ...

Pros: Suction great for getting animal fur from corners and under couches.
Cons: Not good on crumbs or cat litter.

I have done several reviews on stick vacuums and they catalog my hunt for the perfect hard floor vacuum. My requirements in a good vacuum include the following: 1. Pick up tracked kitty litter on the first pass 2. Hose attachment, preferably with a ...

Pros: Price, weight
Cons: Messy, noisy, durability

This review is after owning this vacuum for the last year and a half. I initially purchased this vacuum due to it's pricing and size, as my last place was mostly tile, and the smallish bedrooms where carpeted. Once I moved to a bigger place that had ...

Pros: powerful, lightweight & small, low cost, long hose, long cord, hose tools, cool looks
Cons: no floor nozzle release, loud

After my Hoover WindTunnel died on me (and lit on fire...yikes!), it was time to look for a new vaccum. This was one of the cheaper models at around $70 (I'm not sure it was a present, I saw a similar model for that price) and was wondering...would such ...

Pros: Lightweight, great suction, great on low-pile carpets & cat hair
Cons: Frequent and messy cleaning of filter and canister.

I bought this vacuum a few weeks ago based on others' reviews and I am very pleased so far with my choice. Apparently my other old vacuum did little or nothing as I filled up my new vacuum's canister twice in my first house cleaning... gross. Anyway, I ...

Pros: $60, easy to operate, easy to assemble, long hose, long cord
Cons: NONE!

I bought this vacuum today at Target for $59.99 plus applicable taxes. I could have bought it at CostCo for $5 less, but I didn't feel like signing up a membership card with that company for just a vacuum cleaner. I had done much research beforehand ...

Pros: Lots of power without lots of weight.
Cons: can be a little hard to push at times.

With a house full of kids and pets I needed a vacuum that could stand up to the challenge of a busy household with lots of hair, dirt, food, you name it. I bought this vacuum after mine quit on me it couldn’t keep up with my needs. I love the fact that ...

Pros: It's pretty, compact, sucks like crazy, it's bagless and my cats like it!!!
Cons: Not good for large houses or for insecure men!!!

Lets start at the beginning - I bought my first vacuum (a Eureka Victory 4465D) at age 16 (along with my first apartment). I have always been obsessive as well as compulsive about cleaning and I am also very picky about the quality of products I buy. ...

Pros: 12 amp, lightweight, bag less, inexpensive, adjustable handle, brush roller turn off feature
Cons: power cord too short, filters have to be replaced

In my search for a new vacuum, I was looking for the best vacuum at the best price. I have had two previous vacuums in the last 6 years each of which cost nearly $200 and each which lasted 3 years. Although both of these vacuums did their job or ...

Pros: Cleaned hardwood floors
Cons: Does not pick up dust, pet hair, or fuzz

Well I wish I could say this vacuum sucks, but it doesn't! I have a dog and this vacuum does not pick up dog hair very well. I have black carpet and black and tan curtains, the vacuum won't even get the dust off the curtains and leaves fuzz on my carpet! ...

Pros: Light, powerful
Cons: Blows the dust. The filter is hard to clean and messy. Round handle thing(Con-in-my-book).

Now that I have become the resident expert at Vacuums in our household. We currently have three in the closet, two that we returned and now working on return number three. We just got the optima, I looked at all the ratings for it and after using it ...

Pros: Lightweight, great size for storing, and reasonable price
Cons: Cord length, filters expensive and need replaced often, wheels break easily, latest suction design bad

I originally bought my first Eureka Optima vacuum about a year ago. It had wonderful suction power, was small and light weight, and fit me just fine. A year later the wheels broke off both at the same time. To be fair though they are only held ...

Pros: It is cheap and fits into small spaces both for vacuuming and for storage.
Cons: Absolutely NO mobility despite its light weight.

This vacuum picks up dirt and fuzz fine (at least for me in a small apartment that is always picked up). But one of the wheels fell off as we took it out of the box. Even without this pain, the thing barely moves. I am lucky it only weighs 11 pounds ...

Pros: Cheap Lightweight, if that matters
Cons: Gets clogged easily Difficult to switch between floor and hose

I read lots of glowing reviews on epinions before rushing out to get this vacuum when our Bissell Clearview died. I used it once in one room of our clean 900 sq ft house and it died. It does have strong suction, but it got hopelessly clogged immediately ...

Pros: Small in stature - GREAT on performance Excellent for stairs because its so light!
Cons: Well - like everyone says - Cord could be maybe 5 ft longer.

OK, picture this.... 14 days, 4 long haired cats, - - -and no vacuum cleaner!!! So I do the google thing after checking on ebay for used vacuums. It seems no matter what I buy retail, no matter what price range, if I buy it new it lasts no more ...

Pros: It is light weight, is 12 amps and has an attractive color.
Cons: Too loud that you'll end up having Tinnitus. Dirt compartment fills up easily.

I wish I could say the same positive reviews like the other reviewers are saying about this vacuum. Unfortunately, this vacuum was a waste of my money. Not worth buying!I bought mine at Target for $59.99 plus tax. I was looking for a light ...

Pros: Can serve as a rudimentary bludgeoning tool against Best Buy employees after it breaks.
Cons: Suction feature breaks too easily. Makes a mess when you clean it.

I have owned two of these things (the second not by choice but because Best Buy would only let me exchange it for another when the first broke). Both times the same problem occurred. The suction fan suddenly broke. It's not like I'm vacuuming gravel or ...

Pros: Good beginning suction, ULTRA light, handle, color.
Cons: Loses suction very fast, expensive filters which aren't even HEPA, overheats very easily.

This vacuum is generally good for the price. It begins with very good suction, and has a nice beater bar, great looped handle, and a nice slim case. Also, the color is cool. It is very easy to meneuver and would be recommended for the weak or elderly. ...

Pros: Good suction, easy to assemble, carry & store
Cons: Canister is a little small.

For a light vacuum cleaner, this is a fabulous find. It has great suction, and I now use it more often than my full-sized vacuum. Plus, it took me fewer than 5 minutes to put together, all of the parts fit, no tools required. The canister snaps in & out easily, and the telescoping handle is a big plus for tight-space storage.

Pros: None
Cons: Suction dies out really fast.

It is a waste of money! First of all, it is louder than your average vacuum. Suction dies out really fast. The brushroll gets stuck very easily. The canister breaks really easily as well. It is recommended by Good Housekeeping which shows me that their judgement is not to be trusted. Save your money!!

Pros: Easy assembly, lightweight, powerful
Cons: wheels fall off, can only buy filters online.

I love the design of this vacuum. Its easy to assemble and easy to manuever. The power of this vacuum is awesome. I have 2 dogs and the carpets look great after cleaning. The attachments allow you to get deep into corners.

Pros: great suction
Cons: noisy

I bought this product because I have a small home and needed something lightweight because of my back. I have had it for 4 months and am generally pleased- no problems yet. It has great suction, a long extension cord, and it is pretty easy to clean (as far as bagless vacuums go). The only complaint is that it is very very noisy. Overall- a very good product for the price.

Pros: Powerful, light weight, compact
Cons: I can't think of ANY!!!

I have been through many vacuums as I run a family childcare business in my home, we have two very large dogs, two cats, and three birds. This vacuum is the best ever! I have purchased very expensive vacuums, and they lasted maybe a year, in this house. I use it everyday, and with an Old English Sheep Dog, and an Irish Wolf Hound, the dog hair and fur is awful! As I vacuum, the power of this vacuum actually pulls the fur and hair out from under tables, chairs and I use it EVERY day! I have purchased two of the filters, that I exchange about every 5th day, wash and soak the previous one, air dry, and it's GREAT! I will NEVER pay $499.00 for an expensive, huge, bulky vacuum, when this one is so tiny, compact, light weight, and works just wonderfully. I purchased this one over a year ago, and it's STLL going strong! HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend the Eureka Optima!

Pros: easy to assemble.. Price
Cons: blows dust and dirt instead of vacuuming

I checked on many reviews before purchasing this unit. I live in a city apt. and as I don't have carpets, it's ability to clean floors was key..especially dust and cat hair. So, I set it up(easy) and fire it up right in front of a heap that I swept together for it's maiden job..And to my amazement a jet of air blew the heap all over the place. After taking a closer look at this machines operation, I can attest that a relatively powerful stream of air is blown out roughly 5" above where the "supposed" vacuuming is being done..are you kidding me? Why would someone design a vacuum in such a way. Maybe that's why I was misled by the positive reviews as those people didn't see the dirt and dust anymore..but you see, it wasn't vacuumed, it was blown.
Not for me, I took it right back...
Next..................

Pros: light weight, compact, good suction, comes with extra filter
Cons: is not self propelled

I purchased the Eureka Optima after my previous and twice as expensive vacuum died after less than one year. I was tight on money and needed a vacuum so due to it's low price I chose the Optima. I was surprised at how well this compact unit cleaned. The Optima picked up everything including all the pet hair. the unit is light weight and due to it's compact size stores easily. The vacuum also came with an extra filter. I have had this vacuum for a number of months now and I am constantly amazed at how well it cleans. It works better than the more expensive models.

Pros: Good suction...lightweight....
Cons: Difficult to use. Blows dirt and pet hair away from vacuum.

I thought that this vacuum would end my troubles. I have hardwood and vinyl...and an occasional floor mat. This product seemed to address all of my cleaning needs. The main problem with this is the high pressure "wind" that comes out of this thing. It blows all of the pet hair and dirt AWAY and under the furniture. I then have to move the couches, chairs, etc. It is a mess! I then have to use swiffer pads to get all the stuff that has blown away under the furniture. Am I doing something wrong with this thing? All I know is that I dread using this and the power cord is bad too. I think I will count this as a loss and go back to what I know works! This vac is great if you have very little dirt, or a husband that is immaculate...not for the everyday person. I would love this vac to clean as well as it looks, I would not have purchased it otherwise!

Pros: worked great for a couple of weeks
Cons: planned obsolescence, maybe?

I read all the great reviews, and I think maybe they were written by folks who had just gotten the vacuum, because for a couple of weeks I just loved this machine, was very happy with the suction, its light weight, etc. But after just 3 weeks it started acting up. I have now had the vacuum for 6 months and am about to throw it in the garbage. It runs for a few minutes and then cuts off. I run it for a few more minutes and it cuts off again. And on and on. So I can't recommend it, unfortunately. I'm going to get something else.

Pros: AWESOME Suction. Adjustable handle height.
Cons: Ironically, the awesome suction makes it hard to push. Cord is too short.

I just bought the Optima. It's power was great. Unfortunately, I'm returning it because the awesome suction makes it hard to push. I'm totally bummed because it cleaned my carpet so well. Also, the cord was WAY TOO short and the filter gets very dirty (which is normal, but dirt and fur and dust balls get caught in it) and is hard to get all that stuff out of the deep crevices (and I only did one room). You would have to be plugging and unplugging this thing constantly. So, especially for people with bad backs, all the hard pushing and bending over would really be a PAIN in the back. Too bad... Oh well...

Pros: Compact, light.
Cons: Shoddy construction. The vent blows dust out of your path as you vacuum.

I've had my Eureka Optima Upright for about eight months and it has basically fallen apart. The host attachment falls off continuously, one wheel fell off, and it barely works anymore.
If I pay up to $80 for a vacuum, I expect it to work for at least a few years. Don't waste your money on this cute, green piece of junk.

Pros: Small, compact, lightweight, powerful, has handheld hose handy.
Cons: The filter got really coated on first use.

After dealing with a horrible canister vacuum that always clogged up, weighed a ton, was cumbersome and spit stuff back out, I went and bought this cheap, tiny number.
Mine isn't this green one -- it's blue and a Optima 433A --but other than color, it looks the same.
It's lightweight, stores easily (about 1/4 the space of my canister) and it is oh-so-powerful. I went over the room where I used my upchucking canister the day before and this little guy picked up half a container full of junk my other one didn't. It's also much easier to clean the stairs with than any other I've used (the reason I wanted something so small). I was afraid if I got something small, it would be wimpy and just be used for the stairs. But I'm pleased to see it can be used for the whole house as a regular vacuum and it fits in tiny places a regular vacuum doesn't, like under my end tables. You can also switch off the brush and use it on hard floors. This will be great by the litter box where sweeping leaves some stuff in the grout of the tiles.

Pros: Bagless, decent suction.
Cons: It stops mid-vacuuming. Overheats too easily. Can't get the job done.

I don't understand how other users are raving about this vacuum cleaner; they're obviously not using it themselves. I've come to hate this vacuum. When I first bought it, I thought it worked wonderfully. But within months, something really annoying started to happen: it just stops working in mid-vaccum. I've read it's because the motor gets overheated. It's 2007 - how is it possible they still haven't invented a vacuum that doesn't overheat?! What happens to people who live in homes bigger than a shoebox? Do they vacuum their home over the course of 10 days? It's taking me all day just to get thru 1 bedroom because it keeps stopping in mid-vacuum. I've tried cleaning out the filter, replacing the filter, cleaning out the can, everything. Unplugging, replugging. What else can be done?? It's a vacuum. If I need to put in this much effort, I might as well use a feather duster and save myself the money I spent on this vacuum cleaner. If you're looking to buy a new vacuum cleaner, don't fall for the sale ads at Wal-Mart. That's how I got conned into buying this worthless piece of junk.

Pros: Price is right, powerful suction, easy to use for all, easy to clean, funky color
Cons: It could use a slightly longer solid hose attachment for baseboards! A bit noisy.

My family loves this little thing! When we got this home, my children fought over who got to vacuum the stairs! Can you believe that? They love using it, too! It looks kinda like R2D2, so that helps.
You can easily take it with you into any room in the house. We have no need for a larger vacuum in out little home. This one is extremely powerful, yet light weight and compact.I am never going back to the jumbo jet vacuum with onboard attachments. The little brush that comes with this one is just fine for your upholstered furniture, electronic equipment and knick knacks. Also, it can fold so low to the ground that you don't have to move tables to clean under them. GREAT MACHINE
This cleaning machine makes vacuuming fun again, like it was when I was a kid!

Pros: lightweight, works great, love the adjustable handle.
Cons: can't get replacement filters.

This vacuum works great, I've had it for over six months. It's lightweight it's powerful...but you know it doesn't matter because you can't get the filter anywhere, not even from the Eureka website.

Pros: Great suction, inexpensive, compact.
Cons: Bad quality.

When I first purchased this vacuum I loved it, I went around recommending it to all of my friends. It worked just as good, if not better than a full size vacuum. I loved how compact it was and how easy it was to vacuum the stairs. The only initial cons I found were how short the hose and cord were, but to be fair, it is a compact vacuum. However, less than a year later, the whole thing is starting to fall apart! Both back wheels have fallen off and the plastic guard under the vacuum broke off, which is what gives you most of the suction. The hose never stays in the hole when you are vacuuming which is really annoying. Yes, the canister has to be changed frequently and it is very loud, but I could have lived with that. If this vacuum had held up longer it would have been great. I would only recommend this vacuum if you do not have to use it everyday or for minimal vacuuming. Now I am on a search, once again, to find another vacuum.

Pros: No bags needed! Extra filter included. Washable filter and cup. Great suction. Excellent brush.
Cons: Only annoying things are that it is loud and cord could be longer.

I've had a large upright for about 12 years and hated to use it because it was so big and needed bags and little filters that I couldn't reach. It, too was 12 amps. I then got a rechargeable sweeper and loved it until it died due to my misuse of the batteries...then I couldn't get the batteries. So, I decided this one looked like the best compromise between the two.
And was I right!!! This little guy picked up the cat hair, kitty litter and just plain dirt that has been lurking all over my house. I had to clean out the cup twice....that's sort of gross....and will wash the filter when I finish this...but I love the little thing. It is actually better than the big one for about a quarter the price!!!! I bought it from Q.V.C. so it was about $63 with
shipping and handling and tax....still cheaper than if I'd gone to the local Target....

Pros: Small, lightweight, easy to carry, fits under and between just about everything.
Cons: Short cord.

This vacuum sucks - and that is a good thing! For such a small vacuum, it has an impressive amount of power! The hose also has a very powerful suction. As for the unique handle and design, it is very easy and comfortable to use. The vacuum is lightweight and can be held and carried from a choice of three different handles.



The only negative aspect of this vacuum is that the cord is rather short which can be frustrating at times. Also, at least with my vacuum, the grooves on the top of the collection container are difficult to align. However, an arrow drawn in permanent marker to mark the grooves solved that problem.

Pros: Great suction, cleans wonderfully.
Cons: Cord is WAY to short, constantly unplugging and plugging in elsewhere.

Best vacuum I've ever used, picks up everything, no bags to buy. I used my other vacuum which is an expensive name brand and then re-vacuumed right away with the optima and was shocked at the amount of stuff it vacuumed up! My only complaint and it's fairly substantial to me is the the optimas cord is way to short. I constantly had to unplug and replug it in a new spot.

Pros: Suction is strong, the vacuum is light and the handle adjusts to different height
Cons: Stops working before I am through with one room, needs constant cleaning

I liked this vacuum for about a week. Then it stopped working so I cleaned it (very messy job) and it stopped working again within two minutes. I am taking it back tomorrow. Wish I could figure out how to keep it working as it is a nice vacuum. Sucks hair very well with the bottom brush but it takes scissors to clean the hair out.

Pros: Powerful yet lightweight. Compact for easy storage. Stylish, ergonomic loop handle.
Cons: Filter clogs and is hard to clean effectively.

This upright vacuum is compact and lightweight but (according to the specs) has the power of a full upright - it is rated at 12amps and a cleaning effectiveness of 33. Manufacturer's claims aside, I can't say I disagree with that statement. The see through dust canister lets you see the dirt that's being picked up so you also know when to empty it.

The valve to switch between floor and hose is built into the body instead of the hose which means that you won't lose floor suction if there is a hole in the hose.

One problem I have with the vacuum is that the filter is hard to clean well. I don't have experience with other vacuums. Otherwise this vacuum would get 5 stars from me.

Being compact, it's also very easy to store.

Overall, I think it does a superb job.

Pros: Great suction with Onboard Attachments!
Cons: Front Exhaust a Minor Flaw.

With three kids and dog home 24/7, sweeping up a little is just totally unrealistic. A small vacuum that fits in my pantry closet seemed to be just what we needed. After trying a cordless model that did not work, I swapped it out at the store for the Eureka Optima.

This vacuum is now the vacuum of choice for our whole house. We still use our "Rainbow" once a month for a big cleaning, but the rest of time it this little guy. It has great suction, a large dust cup that empties easily & best of all a hose attachment that does not need to constantly be attached. Just a flick of the dial and the suction switches to the hose. The rolling brush can be turned on or off for cleaning rugs & floors.

The only disadvantage is the exhaust is located on the front which can cause you to blow every piece of paper off the refrigerator front that does not have a SUPER magnet holding it. That aside this is a great little vacuum.

Pros: Ok when brand new
Cons: You cannot access the roller to clean the vacuum.

This thing worked fine when it was brand new, but God forbid that you get something stuck in the roller, something like hair, because it is so cheaply made that if you take out the roller, you need a screwdriver and the whole thing comes apart. I had to remove 12 screws to get at the roller and after I did, I found that the teensy tiny vacuum motor was not mounted on anything, so it never worked after I put it back together. Major engineering faus paux. Spend the extra money and get something that will last more than two to six months.

Pros: Green, bagless.
Cons: No height adjustment, separate motor for brush keeps overloading, short cord.

My wife wanted a lighter vacuum to carry up and down the stairs and the belt on our old vac burned out and is hard to locate. We found this at Target and we thought it was cute. First thing we noticed is that without a height adjustment it is not real easy to push on thick carpet. Then after 10 minutes it wasn't picking up very good and we saw that the brush wasn't spinning, so after reading the manual found the reset button, which got the brush going again... for another 5 minutes. We are taking it back. This may be ok on hardwood or short carpet but not for us.

Pros: The suction and weight were as described.
Cons: cheap plastic construction and poor design.

I have now owned this vacuum for just over a year so all warranties are off. The wheels have come off (literally). The plastic spindles that the wheels snap on to are both cracked and the wheels constantly fall off. I've contacted the company since I don't believe I've used it particularly hard - I bought it to zoom around bare floors and two area rugs to pick up dog hair. I was told to take it to an authorized repair shop but the closest dealer is more than 50 miles away. I thought I could repair it myself by replacing the grey bottom cover but can't get one.
Who would put the exhaust in the front so that you have to chase the dog hair into a corner to capture it? Cleaning the filter is another pain - and the cost and trouble of replacing it has already been mentioned

This vacuum is the equivalent of a disposable lighter - it works until it doesn't and then I suppose you should get another.

Pros: easy to assemble lightweight cute color (green) easy to use inexpensive
Cons: completely ineffective for vacuuming dust and hair from hard floors. No HEPA filter

I purchased this vacuum because I needed a lightweight vacuum that wouldn't scratch my hardwood floors. This vacuum seemed to fit the bill because you can turn off the brush roll and since it was lightweight, it wouldn't dent the floors. I have 2 dogs and need to vacuum frequently to pick up dog hair, so the fact that it was lightweight and easy to use appealed to me. However, I was frustrated because when I went to use this vacuum for the first time, the air is expelled out of the front bottom of the machine, blowing the dust and hair up into the air that you were trying to vacuum. This is the stupidest feature of a vacuum cleaner I have ever seen! You can actually see the dust and hair being blown up into the air. I'm returning it immediately to the store I purchased it from.

Pros: It's light, powerful and does a good job and we were quite happy with it.
Cons: Didn't last long. Great product but what ever happened to quality control?

I loved my funny green Eureka vacuum and it came with a great referral from a pet owner who vacuums twice a day. Even our daughters loved it and started vacuuming. Unbelievable. But suddenly in it's eighth month it expired. It would no longer turn on. The brushes whirred but the motor and suction were silent. I returned it to the store and received an exchange at no cost. Happily I assembled the new one only to discover that no matter which setting I chose the brushes always came on. I'm about to exchange it now. But if this doesn't work I'm not keeping it beyond the warranty period.

Pros: good suction, stores easily, light weight
Cons: Dust Collection canister is NASTY to clean out.

I bought this vacuum after spending an hour in Target looking at vacuums. I have laminate flooring through out my entire house. I needed a hard floor vacuum. Honestly, one of the main selling points was this vacuum had the "Good Housekeeping" seal of approval.

I will say it has great suction. It is light weight and stores well. The big problem is the emptying and cleaning of the dust/dirt container. It is such a mess!!!!!!!!!!!! I have to take it out on the street to empty it into a plastic grocery bag. The filter is just impossible to clean out. I prefer vacuum bags I guess. At least with a bag you can take it out and throw it away and you are done. With the optima the entire dirt canister is nasty dirty and impossible to get clean.

Just something to keep in mind.

Pros: Strong suction. Size and weight. Grip underneath canister for stair cleaning and carrying.
Cons: Filter cleaning may require some work and patience after vacuuming.

Recently purchased 3rd one (for different family households). Easy to use lightweight vacuum with the power of a heavyweight. All the essentials are provided without the unnecessary tools that add weight and cost to a vacuum. Bare floor and carpet cleaning functions are easy to use. Simple cleaner for complex cleaning.

Purchased at Costco.com for low price (w/ includes free shipping and an additional filter cup), not to mention their great return policy. Not that you'd need it.

Pros: Cheap, quiet, small
Cons: none really

I recommend this vacuum...it's small, quiet, light and efficient. The bagless vacuum is the way to go...just vacuum up and dump it in the trash. Ready to go again.

Pros: Lightweight, inexpensive, strong motor.
Cons: Have to remember to turn the brush off when using attachments.

I got a great deal on this little vacuum, and I couldn't be happier with it. It doesn't have the features of some of the fancier ones, but what do you expect for this price? What it does have is a powerful little motor and all the attachments you really need.

I had intended to have this vacuum to get me by until we buy a house and get a nicer vac. Instead, I will be keeping this one for my new house, I like it that much!

I wouldn't normally call an appliance cute, but I'll make an exception for this.

Pros: Lightweight, Powerful, HEPA Filter, Electric-Driven Brush, Cleans Carpets, Bare Floors, and Everything In Between.
Cons: A little messy to empty, but aren't they all? Still beats a bag!

We purchased this vacuum as a replacement for our heavy self-propelled upright. We weren't sure if this could do the job of a traditional upright, but what a surprise! It does a fantastic job! We have three cats - this vacuum is able to pick up all of the hair, dander, cat litter, even our cat perch looks like new again. It's very easy to handle a tons lighter than a traditional upright. We really love this vacuum and highly recommend it. You may have to empty it a bit more often because it is smaller, but what power!!!

Pros: Cleans fantastic!, light, cool looking!
Cons: Strange exaust location

I could write all day about this, but the fact is... it will meet or exceed your expectations. Run your old vacuum before you run this one.... then be in shock when the optima picks up sooo much more dirt.

Pros: light weight, compact, great, great suction, cool tools
Cons: cleaning filter. cord length

I did a lot of comparing when I decided that I wanted another vacuum. I currently own and love my $1500.00 Rainbow (all bells and whistles)but... I wanted something that I could just grab and go with. Knowing that I did not want to spend a lot of money, i had my eye on something small like this little green machine. This little sucker cleans my bare floors and carpet. My stairs are easy to clean too. Nice tools on board stretch a distance too. Light weight. I wish that the cord was longer so that I can keep going. I find that cleaning the filter with a stiff dry paint brush does the trick. If you do this DO IT OUTSIDE!! Picks up everything and I am completely happy that I chose this one. The little blower on the front is no biggy to me. You gotta have this little machine!! One more thing is the handle, it telescopes down, perfect fit in the foyer closet!

Pros: Good suction. Light and easy to carry. Works well on pets.
Cons: Idiotic design. Terrible for hard floors.

Very good suction. Fairly noisy but I guess what do you expect for the price. The worst thing about this vacuum is its design. I think the engineers who put this thing together where recovering from a late night out because it has and incredibly idiotic configuration. The vacuum exhaust is to the front and down. Therefore when trying to vacuum a solid surface all dust, dirt and fur(for you pet owners) it blow away and you wind up chasing it and can never really get it all because it becomes airborne. I use it to vacuum my dog with the crevice tool after I brush him and this is probably the only thing this particular vacuum is good for. Be careful before buying this unit..........

Pros: Strong but small and elegant. Easy to use.
Cons: Dirt accumulates on the filter.

I love it.  Elegant, powerful, and well designed.
I'd buy it again. I have it for 4months.
Maybe was better to have the filter protected with a small bag. But it is not a big deal and once in 10months we can afford a new filter.

Pros: Lightweight, great suction, compact.
Cons: Cleaning the filter - Yuk!!! and the short electric cord.

I am really hard on vacuums and I've had a lot over the years, but for the money and being such a small vacuum it has a lot of power and picks up things great. I love the fact it is lightweight and easy to get around.

Pros: small, good for tall people, strong suction, lightweight, price, hose, it's green
Cons: replacement filter = mystery search, interact with the gross dirt, short power cord

So it's a bagless vacuum that uses a filter. It sucks up the junk from carpets just fine. But what is very strange is that if you try to buy a new filter good luck with that. Try buying a replacement filter at stores who sell the vacuum. (I checked Target, Bed Bath & Beyond although I purchased at Costco which of course doesn't sell the filter.) If you have a pet, the filter must be changed more frequently and therein lies the cost and challenge. Why would stores not stock the filter like they do for every other vacuum on the shelf? It's odd, like dicy vacuum salesman odd. It's almost more practical to purchase a new one which come with two filters. AND Eureka came out with a slightly more pimped out vacuum for about the same cost. It's like having a disposable vacuum. Within 5 years you could pay for a Dyson (the supposed greatest upright) with as many filters you could end up buying as well as I don't believe this vacuum will last 5 years.

Pros: compact, easy to assemble, incredible power
Cons: odd-placed exhaust

This vacuum is incredible for its price. IT is the most powerful vacuum I have ever owned...gets carpets AND wood floors spotless. Suction is so great that it pulls dirt and dust right out of corners and baseboards. Exhaust fan is in the front and blows stuff around a little but is such a minor thing since the vacuum sucks it up anyway!

Pros: Great suction, easy canister removal, lightweight
Cons: Cleaning path size

Our old vacuum had broke so my sister went out and bought the cheapest vacuum that she could find. I chuckled at first because this vacuum looked like it was a toy vacuum for my 4-yr old son. But it works great! And my 4-year old son loves to use it!

Let me tell you this vacuum picks up all of the annoying little strings on the floor that no other vacuum will pick up(and on the first pass...big plus!). It works well on the bare floors. And it has a switch for floor/hose which allows great suction on the hose. It also has an adjustable handle comes in handy. We have had this vacuum for about 5 months now and we have had no issues with it at all.

This is a great buy for the money and you will be completely satisfied.

The only downfall would be the width of the vacuum. The cleaning path is only about 10 inches so it takes a little longer on the big rooms.

Pros: Compact, good cleaning power
Cons: Filter hard to clean and not available in any store we have checked.

We went looking for a small vacuum for our motor home as storage space is limited. Yet we needed a powerful one as our Miele stick vacuum just did not cut it. The vacuum is compact and yet powerful with a switch to shut the brushes off for bare floor. It does a very good job cleaning and the hose stores well although it could be longer to reach high places. The canister is easy to empty but the filter is very difficult to clean and replacement filters have been unavailable in the stores. We had to order filters on line, cheaper than if you send in a mail order by several dollars. The handle collapses for storage and is adjustable for height depending upon how all you are. All in all we are very pleased with it except for cleaning the filter.

Pros: LIGHTWEIGHT, INEXPENSIVE, EASY TO MANEUVER, FITS IN SMALL SPACES, POWERFUL.
Cons: SMALL BASE REQUIRES MORE PUSHING IN LARGE AREAS. SHORT CORD.

THE EUREKA OPTIMA IS A DREAM COME TRUE FOR ME! I HAVE USED IT FOR ABOUT A MONTH NOW & I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! I HAVE BEEN USING A HOOVER WINDTUNNEL WHICH I LIKED VERY MUCH (ESPECIALLY THE DIRT INDICATOR), BUT THE EUREKA BEATS IT HANDS DOWN. IT IS SO LIGHTWEIGHT & EASY TO MANEUVER THAT I USUALLY VACUUM EVERY DAY NOW (THAT'S BIG FOR ME)! IT HAS AN ADJUSTABLE HANDLE THAT MAKES IT COMFORTABLE FOR ANYONE TO USE. I LOVE THE HANDLE STYLE. THE DIRT CUP IS EASY TO EMPTY. BECAUSE OF ITS SMALL SIZE, I CAN FIT IT INTO SPACES THAT NONE OF MY VACUUMS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO BEFORE, LIKE BESIDE THE TOILET. I USED TO HAVE TO PULL OUT THE HOSE. IT ALSO FITS EASILY IN MY COAT CLOSET. BEST OF ALL, THIS IS A POWERFUL LITTLE VACUUM. IT CLEANS JUST AS GOOD OR BETTER THAN MY HOOVER & IT WEIGHS MUCH LESS. MY HOOVER WAS $299 3 YEARS AGO & I PAID $59.99 FOR THE EUREKA OPTIMA. EUREKA IS VERY SMART MAKING SUCH A GOOD VACUUM FOR SUCH A REASONABLE PRICE. THE ONLY THING I DON'T LIKE SO FAR IS THE SHORT CORD.

Pros: weight, portability, price
Cons: filter requires constant cleaning, smaller tubs clog easily

This is the lightest, most portable vacuum I've owned. It works well for a smaller space with light pile or indoor/outdoor carpet. The telescoping handle and long cord make it incredibly convenient to pack and go.

Unfortunately, the Achilles heel with this vacuum is that you have to clean the filter after nearly every single use and it's not easy to get off the top of the canister in order to clean properly.

Moreover the smaller size of the vacuum tubes means that even the smallest object can clogs it up.

I've also found that (due to it's extremely light weight) I sometimes have to "push down" on the vacuum in order for the brushes to make contact with the carpet and properly sweep up dirt.

Pros: It's little and pretty light; also cheap to purchase.
Cons: Everything else.

It might work well for others, but I wanted a lightweight upright to use in the room where the cat's litter box is (low, industrial-type carpet).  It hardly picks up the kitty litter at all.  It bounces it around quite a lot though.  I have to go over and over the same spot five or six times to get *most* of the litter picked up.  If I want a really clean surface, I have to get out the heavy duty Kenmore (still doing an A+ job after twelve years!).

Just thought I would warn anyone who might be tempted to purchase this small vacuum for something like this:  It doesn't work well at all.

Pros: The Eureka Optima is great for rugs and corners.  Powerful suction while staying light-weight.     
Cons: Filter clogs easily.  Exhaust blows down into vacuum path.  TERRIBLE for hardwood floors. 

The Eureka Optima vacuum has decent suction with a filter that clogs easily. I wouldn't recommend this for dog owners with hardwood floors (like me).   The powerful exhaust vent on the front of the vacuum is angled DOWN, so it blows everything out of the way before you can vacuum it up.  It's VERY, VERY FRUSTRATING.  This design blunder baffles me.  I can't imagine marketing a product for bare floors without even testing to see if it's effective on bare floors. 

Pros: LIght weight, easy on the wrist, small storage, strong suction, easy to use, looks nice.
Cons: Needs a bigger dirt holder!! (maybe if I vacuumed more often, wouldnt need it, haha!)

by far the most in a small vacuum!! have problem with my wrist (carpl tnl) but this vacuum helps a dull task happen easier!! Have been thru many vacuums. Have mostly tile w/ a few large area rugs. This vacuum does it all!! And best of all, have had it almost a year and it works just as good now as when I got it! Paid 55 @ target. Worth every penny. Light to carry too! Such strong suction,