The Bissel Pet Hair Eraser - A Pet-Specific Vaccuum Review

You know you're officially an adult when you get excited about a vacuum cleaner.

I'm only 21 years old, but with three cats and various other critters in my apartment, I needed a heavy duty vacuum. My boyfriend and I each brought our cheap little vacuums with us when we moved in together, neither of which did a very good job. They were constantly clogged, either with cat hair or with my boyfriend's hair (it's long and thick - it's gorgeous when it's on his head, but it isn't kind to vacuums). We needed something far stronger to make sure that we were actually getting the carpet clean so that everyone, including the pets, could be happy and healthy.

I had first looked at the Dyson vacuums, because they really are some of the best vacuums out on the market. They have excellent suction, efficient design, and are durable. They are also very expensive. The cheapest one I could find was $300. Ouch. That was a little out of my budget.

It seemed that the next best thing would be the Bissel Pet Hair Eraser. At $150, I still thought it was expensive but I knew if I went with something cheap I'd end up dissatisfied. I brought it home, assembled it (okay, so my boyfriend did that), and started it up.

It's loud and big, but after going over just the small hallway that leads to the bathroom (which is probably about 10 square feet at best) the canister was already full of hair, dust, dander, and all that nasty stuff that you don't know is actually down there. It was so pleasantly disgusting that by the time I was done, I was ecstatic! At last, my apartment could be clean and I didn't need $300+ to do it!

Aside from the noise and size, I honestly have no other complaints about this beauty. Though I truly hate vacuum cords, this one is long enough that I can cover my entire living room without having to find another outlet. The hose and included attachments are great for getting into the little nooks and crannies that you can reach otherwise.

The biggest plus to me, though, is the lack of clogging. Very rarely does this vacuum clog or does the brush get so entangled with hair (again, mostly from my boyfriend) that we have to stop to unclog it. That is pretty miraculous considering we have rabbits who eat timothy hay, a notorious enemy of the typical vacuum cleaner. That stuff clogged all of the previous vacuums I'd tried but this vacuum has enough suction that it breaks an of the long straws so that it can't get stuck in the tubes.

I can imagine that if you live in a house with stairs, this vacuum would be a bit of an annoyance in that instance. The hose doesn't stretch all that far, so if you do have stairs you might want to consider a small hand vacuum for that. I live in an apartment so that's not an issue for me, at least not yet.

Again, if I'd had the money to buy a Dyson, I probably would have. I probably would have been just as satisfied, too. If you are like me, though, and simply can't (or don't want to) spend that much money for a vacuum cleaner but still need the same results, the Bissel Pet Hair Eraser is perhaps the best alternative. It's great for cleaning up after critters, boyfriends, or whoever else in your house who leaves a big mess behind!