very powerful, does a very good job in cleaning which is what it was designed to do. However it is very heavy and can be a little challenging to move around. If you are looking for a strong vacuum for things like pet hair this will work but be prepaired to give your arm a work out. Also this was a best buy vacuum from Consumer reports so overall it is a really good machine

I bought this vacuum because of a positive rating from Consumer Reports. In general, the vacuum does an excellent job of cleaning carpet. They don't come any better. However, there are a variety of trade offs. First, the quality is questionable. The bare floor switch never worked. At first, I thought it was just me not turning it on properly. No, it simply never worked straight from the factory. Second, it is very heavy. If you're petite or a little on the weak side, just beware. Third, the airflow for the attachments is poor. Therefore, don't expect this vacuum to be any good for picking up pet hair on furniture. Fourth, the handle release is very hard to engage. If you're like me and clean house in your bare feet, it's especially hard. Fifth, this machine is incredibly LOUD! Sixth, the bag can be a little tricky to change. Again, it vacuums carpet extremely well. But everything else makes me wish I had made a pass on the machine. It became such a nuisance that I eventually bought an Electrolux Oxygen canister. Electrolux makes Eureka too. That was a mistake. It vacuumed great when it worked. But that machine was of extremely poor quality and prone to wiring problems that kept it in the repair shop. I eventually bought a Kenmore Progressive canister. It's much quieter and does a super job at everything.

To get the best results from this vacuum, refuse it at the door when the UPS driver arrives, then order "Dirt Devil"! The hose is the ideal length for homes with a 3 foot ceiling! It clogs constantly and blows dust everywhere. How can something so heavy, do so little? It picks up pet hair provided that you follow up with a broom then pick the hair off with your fingers. I vacuumed my house twice, then discovered that my house guests were covered with pet hair, also embarrassed when I saw dust bunnies drifting across the floor. Cleaning a 3 story house requires a decent vaccum, but to have to do it over and over again on the same day is rediculous! I've owned a "Dirt Devil" upright for years with absolutely no problems. Pay attention: If this vacuum is darned good, why are there soooo many refurbished models available? My last review was deleted. Let's see if this one sticks!

The Boss really sucks up a lot of dirt. It is a little heavy, a little noisy on the laminate flooring and the belt on our refurbish unit broke the second day but we've been please with the performance.

the vacuum works great and cleans the carpet better than any other vacuum i've used! the only downsides to this product are: 1. the bulky size 2. it's surprisingly heavy and not as conducive to cleaning the stairs 3. i bought a refurbished one and the pedal to get the upper portion to lean back is difficult to push Even with the above cons, I still recommend this vacuum!!!!

I have had this sweeper for about two or 3 weeks and find it easy to use. Very pleased witht the suction and ease of handling. Easy to carry up or down stairs. The hose attachments are easy to use and quick to change from one job to another. I don't find it hard to push on the carpet at all. Very pleased with how it picks up everything.

This is my 2nd The Boss. The description when I bought said it was bagless, I knew it was not but others may not. If you want a vacuum to nearly suck the carpet off the floor this is the vacuum for you. Easy to work with, on board attachments, rr style bag, very easy to use. Cannot say enough about this vacuum, I would / will hopefully never own anything but a Eureka The Boss

Love this vacuum, this is the second one I bought: one for myself and one for my mom. Rated high on consumer reports, it is heavy but cleans like a champ.

I keep having to remind myself that if I use the wand, not to point it up, or it'll suck the sun out of the sky. It's that powerful. It could cause a worldwide cataclysm. It's big too. We call ours, Robby, like Robby the Robot. It's that big. It's heavy, very, and it's wide. It doesn't fit in tight spaces. The little attachments that come with it aren't big enough to make up the difference. So it would be great if there was an attachment that covered a wider swath than they do, but not as wide as Robby's.

Was on the prowl for a new vacuum and didn't want to spend an exorbitant amount of money, was planning on buying a dyson. Read hundreds of reviews on this vaccum before I decided it was the one. The hair from my dog was taking over my house with my old vacuum, with very plush carpet the cleaning was impossible. As soon as I used this thing life became so much easier. It can clean the white off of rice. Was ansy about switching from bagless to bagged, but it's actually easier to deal with. It's heavy, but an 86 y/o woman was at my house and she had no problem at all pushing it. The mechanism to angle it for vacuuming is a little tough, but completely doable. I would recommend this to anyone that wants a high quality vacuum, mines still going strong after 6 months. And as for the belt breaking on the previous reviews, check the height you have it set at, too low causes too much pressure, yes, it will break if you don't adjust correctly.

This is the second Smart Boss I have bought. The first one I gave to my son recently when he moved out into his apartment. Admitedly this vac is heavy. But, once you get used to the weight you will not think anything of it. This is a good vac and definitely has GREAT suction power. I wish it was cheaper but it is much cheaper than a ORECK.

I too bought this on the recommendation of Consumer Reports, and everything they said about it is true. This vacuum cleans REALLY well and has a HEPA filter, but it is heavy. I have learned how to move this around with not too much effort. It is a pain, but it CLEANS so WELL. I guess to me it is worth the trade off. Not to mention the price. Consumer Reports gave it a best buy. It is. It does what it is suppose to do. Finally, I feel as if my efforts at cleaning aren't wasted.

Despite the product description, and despite a lengthy conversation with an extremely helpful and gracious staff member, THIS IS NOT A BAGLESS MACHINE. I had a new one at the time, knew it to be bagged (RR), and doubted any refurbishment would change that feature. Turns out I was right. THIS MACHINE REQUIRES RR Bags, even if refurbished. But the fact that I have now bought and regularly use TWO of them should tell you something.

We've had our Smartvac for 8 years (?) now and it has done a great job. The bare floor feature worked flawlessly. The attachments chipped or cracked after about 3 years of use and the clip holding the hose also broke, but it hasn't been a deal killer, just a bit of a pain. Nice to have a HEPA filter on a vac that is so inexpensive.

This unit is very heavy and not user friendly. The attachments and cord continually get in a tangled mess. I smelled burning after the first time using it and after the second time the belt broke. Bought a new belt, used it again, then suddenly it stopped, over heated I guess. I let it rest, turned it back on and it started working.Now every time I turn it on I smell burning. I would return it if it weren't such a hassle.Actually I thought I was buying a bagless vacume, that may have been my mistake. With this unit I cannot tell how much, if any is being picked up as you can with a bagless vac. I would not buy this vacume!