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Customer Reviews: Average Rating:  Rating :  - This thing sucks (In a bad way)
We bought this as a replacement for our old warhorse Hoover WindTunnel, which was an excellent vacuum cleaner and served us faithfully for over 8 years. it was a disaster, so we replace it with another Eureka, the Boss SmartVac Ultra HEPA.
This is our first bagless vacuum cleaner (we had used bagged models for over 30 years), and at first glance, it looked like it was a winner. Eureka said it had excellent suction, clog-fighting ducting, high efficiency air filters (HEPA), easy maintanence (empty dust catcher, wash pre-filters, replace filters every 6 months), no bags to buy. Unfortunately, looks are deceiving. While it was touted to deliver excellent cleaning capability, the Capture was a train-wreck. It worked just fine for about 6 months, then it started making funny noises and lost a lot of suction. Without even taking it to a repair shop, I could tell the motor was burning up, probably from a bad bearing or broken part.
Aside from the mechanical problems, the Capture is very noisy. It's nearly one of the noisiest vacuums I've heard in a long time, made worse by the motor problem. Plus, it's physically big, not to mention heavy at nearly 25 lbs. Although it's got great wheels and maneuverability (rollerblade-like wheels in back), it's still cumbesome and difficult to move aorund. I have to man-handle this vacuum to get it up and down stairs or over thresholds.
To be fair, the hose did stretch out pretty far, and the PowerPaw turbine upholstry and stair brush worked good. The tools were less than stellar. The hard-floor tip and brush tip were cheesy and nearly useless. The on-board duster is a good idea, but it too was flimsy and didn't work well. It wouldn't stay extended for any period of time, didn't pick up much dust, and the built-in cleaning receptacle on the vacuum (put the dirty duster in, flip a handle, and it cleans it) didn't work well.
I wasn't impressed with the Capture's cleanint performande either. Our old WindTunnel had the strongest suction i've ever seen in an upright vacuum. It cleaned excellent, and was reliable, lasting for thousands of hours. We never had a problem with it, and if there was, it was easy to tear down and fix! I can't say that for the Eureka Capture. It has good suction and cleaning performance, but nothing that impressed me. I don't know if it's the bagless system, but for as loud and heavy as it is, you'd think it would have better suction. To add to the less-than impressive cleaning power, the bagless system clogs up under heavy use. Any vacuum will clog eventually, but it didn't take much to clog this one. The dust cup can also be messy. You get dirt all over when you empty it if you aren't careful (empty it the outside trash if you can).
The Capture does just that. It captures dirt, but mostly in the fan exhaust. It's got 3 layers of filtration, 2 pre-filters, and a high efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA filter). This is good if you suffer from allergies, asthma, or have indoor air quality problems.
So, the Capture Plus gets 2 stars. It's noisy, heavy, and the reliability is questionable. The suction/cleaning performance is good but nothing spectacular, and the tools could be better. Also, the bagless system has a propencity to clog under heavy cleaning. On the plus side, the filtration is excellent, it's easy to roll and maneuver, and the hose stretches out nice and long.
If you're looking for a new vacuum and don't want to spend $300 and up for a Dyson, Electrolux, Kirby, Rainbow, or other brand, but want superior cleaning performance and reliability, go for the Hoover WindTunnel with the bag, or the Eurkea Boss SmartVac Ultra. + See Full Customer Review |  |
