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Eureka RapidClean Handheld Vacuum Review

Derek Hales

Written By: Derek Hales

Updated on:

The Eureka RapidClean handheld vacuum is at the top of Eureka’s handheld line. Weighing in at 6 pounds with a motor producing 6 amps of power, this little guy has a powerful degree of suction from both the rolling brush head and hose.

Although this vacuum may be a well-rounded choice for quick messes, it is probably not a unit that should hold the title of primary vacuum in your household.

Continue reading below to discover if the Eureka RapidClean is the best handheld vacuum for you.

YouTube video

Pros

  • Compact design allows for great maneuverability
  • Low price point adds good value
  • Hose is powerful and cleans with ease

Cons

  • Comes with a small dust bin
  • Shape can be a bit awkward when carrying to clean

Bottom Line

  • This vacuum is a good option for those who need a quick fix, but it should not replace your primary vacuum.
  • If you’re looking for a good value, this vacuum is priced lower than most and does a very good job of cleaning through both the hose and rolling brushes.

Table of Contents

Design

New Product Alert – It appears the RapidClean may be in the process of being discontinued. See our Eureka EasyClean handheld review, which seems to be the model replacement.

The Eureka RapidClean handheld vacuum is small by design, but offers a high degree of suction. The idea behind the smaller design is to provide users with a quick fix for smaller messes. If you notice a spill right away and feel as if a larger, more primary vacuum is not needed, the RapidClean is a great option to put into action.

As a handheld vacuum, the Eureka RapidClean is not necessarily built to handle larger fields of debris.

eureka rapidclean overview
Eureka RapidClean with notes – overall

How it Cleans

The Eureka RapidClean uses a 6 amp motor, driving debris and air into the dust bin. The motor powers both the suction of the vacuum and the rotation of the brush heads. Both of these work in tandem to provide a stronger degree of cleaning for most indoor floor types.

eureka rapidclean brush detail
Eureka RapidClean roller brush detail

Size & Dimensions

The Eureka RapidClean handheld vacuum offers a 6″ cleaning path in addition to a 16″ body. With everything in tact, the unit has a total weight of 6 pounds.

The lighter weight makes for an easier to carry vacuum as compared to your more traditional upright / stick vacuums.

Additionally, storing this Eureka vacuum is nice, as it does not take up a large amount of space.

eureka rapidclean size and dimensions

Accessories & Parts

The Eureka RapidClean handheld vacuum includes the following accessories and parts:

  • 18″ suction hose
  • Roller brush head
  • Crevice tool

In addition to these three accessories, the Eureka RapidClean has a 25′ cord, which wraps around the tail end of the unit. Directly above the cord is the 3′ hose, which wraps around the back of the base as well.

eureka rapidclean accessories
Eureka RapidClean with accessories

Cleaning Tests

All vacuum reviews on Modern Caste go through a series of cleaning tests. For these tests, we spread out rice (3 oz), kitty litter (3 oz), cereal (1 oz, since it’s larger), and sugar (3 oz) over ~11 square foot of a hardwood floor, low pile carpet, and high pile carpet. After spreading the debris, we complete the vacuum test.

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

To determine the amount of debris that the vacuum picked up, we use a three step process:

  • Step 1 – Weigh the empty dust bin
  • Step 2 – Run the vacuum and weigh the dust bin again
  • Step 3 – Subtract the weight of the full dust bin by the weight of the empty dust bin. This helps to account for every ounce of debris that is in the bin.

Hardwood Floor

After completing the hardwood floor test with each debris type, we found that this Eureka vacuum tends to blow debris around while picking it up. The crevice tool that attaches to the hose is located at the back of the vacuum. This is where air is pushed out to compensate for the air being sucked in. By doing so, the vacuum blew each debris type away from the vacuum.

All things considered, this handheld was able to pick up a majority of the rice, kitty litter, and sugar. Cereal was the only test where the RapidClean pushed the debris forward and blew it back, making it difficult to be sucked up.

Once the test was complete, I went back over each mess with the hose and found that the hose was the better option for the hardwood floors. Each one of the debris types were picked up with ease.

Cereal

27%

Kitty Litter

91%

Rice

92%

Sugar

89%

Eureka Rapidclean Hardwoods Test

Low Pile Carpet

Compared to the hardwood floors, the Eureka RapidClean struggled a bit more with the low pile carpet. Once again, the varying types of debris were blown around a bit before they could be sucked up by the vacuum. Although the vacuum did not perform as well on the low pile carpet, by no means did it perform poorly.

The cereal test on the low pile carpet was actually an improvement over the hardwood floors, sucking up 0.75 oz of the original 1.02 oz (74%) poured onto the testing lane.

Cereal

74%

Kitty Litter

86%

Rice

64%

Sugar

72%

Eureka Rapidclean Low Carpet Test

High Pile Carpet

Performance on the high pile carpet was much better for the RapidClean handheld vacuum. Throughout this test, the unit was able to grab each debris field with ease, except for the cereal. Once again, the cereal posed a problem for the vacuum, as it seemed to be pushed down into the high pile and struggled to make its way back up to the rolling brush head.

Cereal

34%

Kitty Litter

91%

Rice

91%

Sugar

90%

Eureka Rapidclean High Carpet Test

Usability

Setting up this Eureka handheld vacuum is a painless process. Simply open up the box, unravel the cord, plug it in, and get to cleaning.

The filter and dust bin already come assembled and attached to the vacuum so there is no strenuous setup required to start using the RapidClean.

Simplicity carries on when it comes to actually using the unit. There is a sturdy handle affixed to the top of the vacuum, which you can firmly grab to ensure it does not slip out of your hand while cleaning.

Additionally, the hose is easy to pull out from its designated spot, allowing you to clean with either the hose or the brush heads.

Finally, the dust bin can be emptied by pulling the power button (located on the handle) towards you. Sliding this button forward one notch will turn on the motor so that just the hose is running.

By pushing it two notches forward the brush head will begin spinning, giving you the option of using the brush head, hose, or both.

eureka rapidclean how to filter
How to remove the filter on the Eureka RapidClean handheld vacuum

Maneuverability

The Eureka RapidClean vacuum’s design allows it to maneuver around quite easily. Because it is a handheld vacuum, you are able to carry the unit around with you and tackle messes right away. That said, this specific Eureka handheld weighs 6 pounds, which may create a bit of an awkward carry for some users.

Throughout my experience, I found that this vacuum was easy to move around and the combination of the 25′ cord and 3′ hose allowed me to reach debris without having to unplug and plug back in over and over again

The hose also does a fine job of getting into those hard-to-reach places (corners, couches, cars, etc.) while the brush head is powerful enough to swiftly move through carpeted areas, such as your floors or stair cases.

Maintenance

The following table indicates the frequency at which you will likely want to replace the various maintenance components of the vacuum. The following replacement frequencies are what the manufacturer recommends. However, your individual experiences may vary.

Accessory / PartReplacement FrequencyReplacement Cost
HEPA filter1 monthCheck Price

To ensure your vacuum is working at its full potential, it’s important to keep up with maintenance. That said, maintenance on this Eureka handheld vacuum is not difficult. The most important areas to pay attention to are the brush head and filter.

Keeping your filter clean and the brush head free of any tangles will allow your vacuum to perform its best. Getting to the filter is simple, but cleaning it could be a bit of a hassle at times.

This specific filter tends to grab dust / dirt and hold onto it. Therefore, I found the best way to clean the filter was by washing it with warm water or spraying it down with compressed air. Both options helped to remove the dirt and debris stuck to the filter.

With regards to the brush head, removing any strings, hairs, etc. is typically the only maintenance you will have to perform.

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 3′ away from the vacuum.

eureka rapidclean decibel test

Value

Priced low, the Eureka RapidClean hand held vacuum cleaner is a solid value. While it’s certainly not a complete replacement to you full-sized vacuum, the RapidClean offers strong overall cleaning performance and good usability.

The 1-year warranty is pretty standard, but a nice extra given the price point. With regard to returns, the process and policy will vary based on where you purchase your vacuum. At the time of writing this review, there are very few retailers carrying this product.

If you’re unable to find the Eureka RapidClean for sale the Eureka EasyClean handheld vacuum cleaner offers comparable performance near the same price point. It appears that the EasyClean may be a model replacement for the RapidClean.

Specifications

Below is a complete list of important specifications and features included on the Eureka RapidClean handheld vacuum:

Specifications
TypeHandheld vacuum
ManufacturerEureka
ModelRapidClean 41A
Length (inches)16
Width (inches)7.5
Weight (pounds)6
Floor TypeAll
CordlessNo - 25 foot cord
BaglessYes
Corner CleaningYes - crevice tool
Edge CleaningYes
ReturnsVaries by retailer
Warranty1 Year
PriceCheck Price

Who Should Buy the Eureka RapidClean handheld vacuum cleaner?

The Eureka RapidClean handheld vacuum cleaner offers a great value for its compact design and powerful motor. As a lower cost vacuum, this Eureka is a well-rounded product containing the ability to clean up smaller messes in a hurry.

I would recommend the Eureka RapidClean if you’re looking for the following features in a handheld vacuum:

  • Lightweight: Only weighing 6 pounds, the RapidClean vacuum is light enough to carry around with ease while also offering a sturdy enough build to withstand accidental drops.
  • Powerful suction: Powered by a 6 amp motor, this unit has a strong degree of suction from both the hose and brush head. Regardless of the route you take, the vacuum is able to hold a wide variety of messes.
  • Low maintenance: Maintenance is a simple task with the Eureka RapidClean handheld. Simply empty the dust bin, knock off the filter, and make sure the brush head is free of any tangles.

For more information on the Eureka RapidClean handheld vacuum, see here.

Eureka RapidClean Handheld Vacuum
  • Design - 93%
    93%
  • Performance - 75%
    75%
  • Quality - 92%
    92%
  • Usability - 91%
    91%
  • Value - 75%
    75%
85%

Summary

The Eureka RapidClean is a versatile handheld vacuum. It’s built for small messes, while still maintaining a powerful level of suction and a ‘tank-like’ body structure. This vacuum is a great value for users looking for a small vacuum that could be used for corners, stairs, cars, or other upholstery.

About Derek Hales

Derek HalesDerek Hales is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of ModernCastle.com. He has been featured in Fast Company, Reader's Digest, Business Insider, Realtor.com, She Knows, and other major publications. Derek has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Kansas State University. Hales has been testing and reviewing products for the home since 2014.