Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Upright Vacuum Review

In need of an upright vacuum capable of taking care of your pet hair needs? The Bissell may be a brand you should consider exploring.

Although made in a few different forms, the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser comes in an upright vacuum, which is what we will be testing this week. Now it’s time to see if this upright vacuum is all it cracked up to be.

Pros

• The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser upright vacuum does a great job of eliminating pet hair.
• The tangle free brushroll provides a nice touch with regard to not losing suction.

Cons

• This upright vacuum somewhat struggled with finer debris types, especially on carpet.
• The Pet Hair Eraser upright is a little heavy, which could be daunting for some users.

Table of Contents

• Design
• Cleaning Tests
• Usability
• Value
• Specifications
• Who Should Buy

Design

The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser upright vacuum utilizes somewhat of a standard upright design.

A bright green color scheme covers a majority of the vacuum while hints of gray cover some of the smaller sections. An advanced swivel is also built into the steering of this Bissell vacuum.

There is also a breakaway wand that allows users to attach the cleaning tools included with the vacuum. The wand stays attached to the upright vacuum, but does add some reach while feeling more like a handheld vacuum with a hose.

Additionally, the nozzle of the vacuum is 12″ wide and the dust bin can hold a total of 1.5L of debris.

How It Cleans

The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser cleans using Bissell’s cyclonic pet hair spooling system. This system starts with the brush-roll,which is built to reduce hair from wrapping or catching on the bristles of the brush.

It uses the floor surface to pull the hair off of the brush roll. As the pet hair, and other debris types, are sucked up through the brush roll and make their way into the dust bin, the cyclonic action kicks in.

Cyclonic spooling means the hair and debris types work their way straight to the top of the dust bin while being spun in a circle.

By doing so, the dust bin is able to hold more debris without losing suction power, and the debris will typically empty much easier, avoiding getting stuck in the filter or dust bin chamber.

Depending on the surface being vacuumed, users have the ability to select one of five different floor types.

Once selected, the head of the vacuum will raise or lower, either coming into closer contact with the ground (this typically occurs on the high pile carpets) or moving up and away from the floor (e.g., on harder floor surfaces).

The design of this upright vacuum includes a rear cord wrap, wheeled base with brushroll, and a hose extension — with ergonomically designed handle.

Size & Dimensions

The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser upright vacuum stands at 46.8″ tall, measures at 12.4″ wide, and brings home a total weight of 18 pounds.

The head of the vacuum is also 3″ tall, which allows the vacuum to slide under the first few inches of furniture for a deeper clean.

• Height – 46.8″
• Width – 12.4″
• Weight – 18 pounds

Accessories & Parts

The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser upright vacuum includes the following parts and accessories:

• Crevice tool with LED light
• Pet hair tool
• Filter
• Accessory holders x 2

Cleaning Tests

The following vacuum cleaner tests are designed to show how the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser upright vacuum performs on different surfaces, picking up a variety of debris types.

We test on three different floor types, including hardwood floors, low pile carpet, and high pile carpet. For each floor type we test the vacuum cleaner against:

• Rice – 3 ounces
• Dry Cereal – 1 ounce
• Kitty Litter – 3 ounces
• Sugar – 3 ounces

Each of the aforementioned debris types was spread across our testing lane. The base surface of our testing lane is an engineered hardwood floor. For our carpet tests, we slide in a low pile and high pile carpet insert on top of the hardwood floor.

Testing Debris – From left to right: Rice (3 oz.), Kitty Litter (3 oz), Cereal (1 oz), Sugar (3 oz)

Our vacuum cleaning process strives to be as consistent, fair, and true to real world use as possible. Our tests utilize the following procedure:

1. Measure the weight of the testing debris and the weight of the empty vacuum debris container.
2. Spread the respective debris type evenly across the central portion of the testing lane.
3. Run the vacuum cleaner over the testing lane.
4. Measure the weight of the now filled container and take notes on the cleaning performance.

MORE – See more Bissell vacuum reviews from Modern Castle.

Hardwood Floor

After testing the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser on hardwood floor surfaces, I was a bit surprised to see the vacuum struggle.

While none of the debris types was cleaned up at a level of 100%, the cereal was the worst performer, only being cleaned up at a level of 57%.

The vacuum seemed to struggle to suck each debris type up on the first pass, but was able to get a decent amount of each type on the second pass through.

Sugar was a bit of an oddity. As it was so fine, some of the sugar particles stuck to the wheels and were being dragged behind the vacuum.

Low Pile Carpet

The low pile carpet tests were about the same as the hardwood floor tests, but there were a few slight drops in performance.

On one hand, cereal was cleaned up at a much higher level, reaching 93% compared to the 57% on the hardwood floors. The few drop offs came from the kitty litter, rice, and sugar. Most dramatically, rice.

This Bissell upright vacuum seemed to struggle on the low pile carpet as it had the tendency to fling the debris around before picking it up. Therefore, less was in its path, making it more difficult for the unit to clean up.

High Pile Carpet

Finally, the high pile carpet test. This test series was actually the most successful tests that the Pet Hair Erasercompleted. Each debris type was cleaned up at a level of 78% or higher, with the lowest being sugar. Although sugar tested better on the hardwood floor, the other three debris types were more successful on the high pile carpet.

The added friction of the carpet helped keep debris in place, which allowed the brushroll and suction to grab and remove them from the carpet more easily.

Usability

Setting up and using the Pet Hair Eraser is quite simple. Although this vacuum does come disassembled, the assembly process is short and to the point. It took me about 2 minutes to fully assemble, which included the following steps:

1. Check out the instructions
2. Snap in the handle
3. Snap on an accessory holder
4. Place the accessories into their respective slots.

Once completed, the next step is plugging in the vacuum and getting to work.RELATED – Need a handheld? Check out our Bissell handheld Pet Hair Eraser review.

As you start to use this Bissell vacuum, you have to first select what type of surface you’ll be cleaning. Four different options are listed on a small knob on the head of the vacuum, including:

1. Bare floor
2. Low carpet
3. Premium soft carpet
4. High carpet

After you choose the surface type, simply push the head of the vacuum down with your foot and start your cleaning session. There is not much too this vacuum with regard to usability.

Silver accents are used to highlight special functions of the vacuum, like floor height adjustment and dust bin release.

That said, users do have the option of removing the wand from the unit, which then allows you to snap on a cleaning tool / accessory.

The hose attached to the handle is 8′ long, which gives users a good amount of reach as well. A small latch located in the middle of the vacuum, where the handle slides into place, is where the handle will also break free.

Unclip the latch and you’re free to use this attachment with one of the cleaning tools included.

All things considered, using this vacuum is not complicated, in my opinion. There are a small number of buttons and latches that are clearly labeled, helping to provide insight into what each piece does.

Most users should feel comfortable operating this vacuum on an every day occasion.

Maneuverability

Maneuverability is a large part of the decision making process when it comes to purchasing an upright vacuum. Built with a head that swivels, this Bissell vacuum actually maneuvers quite well.

It is a bigger unit, which can cause issues around some furniture as well as other obstacles, but for the most part this vacuum is fairly nimble when it comes to maneuverability.

• Weight: 18 pounds
• Power: 30′ long cord
• Hose: 8′ max length
• Turning: 45° turning radius
• Height: 3″ cleaning deck
• Width: 12″ cleaning path

Pushing the vacuum is not too tough, as the wheels do a good job of rolling smoothly and responding to changes in surface type. 

Once the brush roll is turned on, the Pet Hair Eraser feels as if it is almost driving itself, which can be a benefit for a multitude of users.

If you decide to release the wand from the top of the vacuum, the eight foot hose is able to bend and contort its shape, making reaching all sorts of tough areas much easier.

Maintenance

The following table indicates the frequency at which you will likely want to replace the various parts and components of the vacuum.

The following replacement frequencies are what the manufacturer recommends. However, your individual experiences may vary.

Maintaining the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser is extremely simple. Replace the filter every three months (or as needed), empty the dust bin, and double check to be sure there are no tangles in the brush roll.

Other than these three tasks, there is not much maintenance required by this Bissell vacuum.

Since you only have to replace the filter, the annual costs fall right around $52 a year if you’re using the standard filter and $60 if you decide to upgrade to the Febreze filter.

Bear in mind, these costs are based on Bissell’s recommendation of replacing the filter every three months.

Some users who do not use the vacuum as much may be able to get away with changing the filter every 4-6 months, which means annual costs could range from $39-$45.

Noise

All vacuum cleaner reviews on Modern Castle are put through our standard noise test. For this test, we use a sound meter to measure noise in terms of decibel level approximately 3′ away from the vacuum.

At 3′ away, the Bissell Pet Hair Erasier upright vacuum emits 81 dB of sound.

Value

Overall, this vacuum offers a okay value, in my opinion. Given the price, I do believe the vacuum should perform a bit better in certain areas.

Throughout our cleaning tests the vacuum struggled on hardwood floors and low pile carpets for a few debris types.

Other upright vacuums in the same price range have performed at a higher level, making it hard to value this vacuum much above average.

Bissell does offer a great warranty, lasting 5 years. This is higher than most others in the industry, which is certainly an advantage to Bissell’s end. Additionally, they offer a 30-day refund policy if the vacuum is purchased through Amazon.

CONVENIENCE – Looking for a simpler vacuum? Check out our Best Roomba page for the full story on robot vacuums.

Specifications

Below is a complete list of important specifications and features included on the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser:

Who Should Buy the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser upright vacuum?

The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser upright vacuum is a durable, well-built upright vacuum designed to make cleaning your home quicker and easier, especially for pet owners.

If you’re constantly having to deal with pet hair, this vacuum can take care of both large and small pet hair messes.

All in all, this could be a good option for users who are focused more on eliminating pet hair, but still want an upright vacuum instead of a handheld, robot, or stick vacuum.

I would recommend the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser if you’re looking for the following features in an upright vacuum.

• Want an upright vacuum – Upright vacuums are typically the more traditional option for most. As an upright, it is on the heavier side, but the added accessories do help to provide a nice degree of adaptability in how and where it’s able to clean.
• Consistently clean up pet hair – This specific Bissell vacuum does a fine job of lifting and removing pet hair with the Pet Hair Eraser tool. As an upright, the vacuum is able to clean the pet hair, but not as deeply as the pet hair tool. For more localized pet hair removal check out Bissell’s handheld Pet Hair Eraser.
• Want a tangle-free head – The design of the rolling brush on the Pet Hair Eraser is built to avoid tangled messes, due to solid rolling brush with only one strip of actual brushes.
• Want multiple floor level cleaning options – This upright vacuum includes five floor cleaning options, ranging from hard floor surfaces to low and high pile carpets.

For more information on the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser visit here.