Bissell PowerGlide Pet Slim Overview

At $270, the Bissell PowerGlide Pet Slim will not be a finances vacuum. That worth places it immediately towards the Dyson V8, the Shark IZ collection, and different mid-tier cordless vacuums which have been confirmed via years of testing. At that worth level, you’ve the proper to anticipate strong cleansing efficiency, dependable filtration, and {hardware} that lasts.

After operating it via my full check suite — airflow, arduous flooring, carpet, deep cleansing, hair wrap, edge cleansing, crevice pickup, filtration, and noise — right here’s what the numbers truly say.

The floor cleansing is genuinely good. Total pickup landed at 95.37%, and arduous flooring outcomes are near-perfect. Hair efficiency as much as 9 inches on arduous flooring is superb.

However a number of issues don’t maintain up at $270. The fog check was a catastrophe — this vacuum leaks badly, which is inexcusable at this worth. The battery isn’t detachable. Runtime on excessive is just 17 minutes. And the nozzle is bulkier than the “slim” title suggests.

While you’re spending $270 on a cordless vacuum, these aren’t minor inconveniences. They’re causes to have a look at the competitors.

Right here’s the complete breakdown.

Options

The PowerGlide Pet Slim is a light-weight cordless persist with two energy settings, a brushroll designed for pet hair, and a bottom-release dustbin. It converts to handheld mode for above-floor cleansing, giving it extra versatility than a floor-only unit just like the Bissell Air Ram.

Nozzle

The nozzle is the place the “slim” branding begins to really feel like a stretch. It’s wider than you’d anticipate from a vacuum marketed round tight areas and furnishings edges. Moving into slim gaps between furnishings legs is awkward.

Whereas this vacuum is marketed for pets, it doesn’t have an lively anti-tangle system. It depends on a thick brush with stiff bristles that works to some extent, however bigger quantities of lengthy hair will wrap round it.

Dustbin

The dustbin doesn’t have any quick-release mechanism like a Dyson. To empty, you detach the dustbin container from the body, pull out the filter meeting, then pour out the contents.

Battery

The battery is built-in and non-removable. That’s a long-term sturdiness concern. When the battery degrades — and it’ll — you possibly can’t swap in a recent one. You’re both shopping for a brand new vacuum or looking for a third-party restore resolution.

Filtration

There are not any HEPA filtration claims right here, which is ok, however the fog check end result (coated under) exhibits the filtration system has severe real-world issues no matter what filter is put in.

Deal with Management

The Bissell PowerGlide has a easy handle-mounted management interface that lets customers flip the vacuum on and modify energy. Not like different cordless vacuums, this mannequin defaults on the max setting as a result of it’s essentially the most usable, guaranteeing that you just decide up essentially the most particles doable.

Airflow

Measured on the nozzle and wand utilizing my calibrated airflow meter:

Nozzle

• Low: 22.58 CFM
• Excessive: 29.64 CFM

Wand

• Low: 27.43 CFM
• Excessive: 36.32 CFM

The wand readings are greater than the nozzle — that’s anticipated, for the reason that nozzle provides restriction on the cleansing head. What issues for efficiency is the nozzle determine, since that’s the place suction meets the ground.

29.64 CFM on excessive is low. For reference, the Dyson V8 sits round 37 CFM, and higher-tier cordless vacuums just like the V15 measure over 70 CFM. The Air Ram, which solely has one energy setting, registers 28.52 CFM — and the PowerGlide Pet Slim on excessive barely clears that.

That low airflow ceiling is why the floor cleansing numbers look first rate, however the deep-cleaning rating drops off, and it’s precisely why the crevice pickup check failed (extra on that under).

Run Time

Nozzle on Arduous Flooring

• Low: 32:00 minutes
• Excessive: 17:31 minutes

Nozzle on Carpet

• Low: 29:11 minutes
• Excessive: 16:57 minutes

Runtime on low is appropriate — about half an hour on arduous flooring and slightly below half-hour on carpet. On excessive, you’re roughly 17 minutes earlier than the battery provides out, which is tight in the event you’re cleansing a bigger house in a single session.

The carpet runtime being shorter than arduous flooring is anticipated — extra motor load on carpet, sooner battery drain. Nothing uncommon there.

What’s an issue: the battery will not be detachable. You’ll be able to’t swap in a second pack to increase cleansing time. If you want to do greater than 17 minutes of high-power cleansing, it’s important to wait till it’s totally recharged.

One other difficulty is usable energy. The default energy setting is max, which is its most usable. I attempted utilizing the bottom setting on sand, and this occurred.

You could possibly see a sand path behind the nozzle after the ahead go, which is a danger on the lowest setting, particularly with heavy particles.

Clearing Efficiency

• Total: 95.37%
• Arduous Flooring: 99.9%
• Sand on Arduous Flooring: 99.3%
• Carpet: 99.8%
• Deep Cleansing: 82.5%

The floor cleansing numbers are the headline end result right here. A 99.9% arduous flooring rating and 99.8% on carpet are wonderful — this vacuum picks up surface-level particles very successfully. Particular person hard-floor outcomes have been equally sturdy throughout all 4 check supplies, and each low- and mid-pile carpet assessments have been near-perfect.

Arduous Flooring Outcomes

• Quaker oats: 99.8%
• Espresso grounds: 99.8%
• Quinoa: 100%
• Pet litter: 100%

The Bissell PowerGlide carried out excellently throughout all assessments, reaching 100% in two and 99.8% within the different two. Please observe that I used the max setting in all of the assessments because it doesn’t have a tender curler.

With out it, there have been cases the place it pushed particles ahead, notably Quaker oats, nevertheless it has a gap within the center the place dust was funneled, and it will definitely picked up the whole lot.

Edge Cleansing

The sting cleansing check stunned me. Regardless of the cumbersome nozzle, the PowerGlide Pet Slim dealt with edge cleansing effectively, selecting up sand alongside the baseboard in only a few passes. The nozzle geometry works higher alongside edges than the width suggests.

Sand on Arduous Flooring

Outcomes of this check have been wonderful with the PowerGlide selecting up a 99.3% common in two assessments.

Crevice Pickup Check

The crevice check tells a special story. I scattered quinoa in a quarter-inch crevice and ran the vacuum over it. The end result was poor — solely a small share of the particles was picked up.

It is a direct consequence of the airflow limitation. Crevice pickup requires concentrated suction pulling particles up and out of a slim hole. At 29.64 CFM on excessive, the PowerGlide Pet Slim doesn’t generate sufficient targeted airflow to try this reliably. In the event you recurrently want to scrub between floorboards, alongside tile grout strains, or in related slim gaps, this vacuum will go away particles behind.

Hair Wrap Check [Hard Floors]

• 5″ strands: 100%
• 7″ strands: 100%
• 9″ strands: 100%
• 11″ strands: 81.3%
• 12″ strands: 97%

The arduous flooring hair pickup outcomes are one of many strongest facets of this vacuum. Excellent scores on 5″, 7″, and 9″ strands, and near-perfect on 12″ strands. The 81.3% on 11″ strands is a slight dip — probably a consistency quirk in brush engagement at that size — however the total sample is excellent.

For single-pet households coping with shorter to medium-length hair on arduous flooring, this brushroll handles it nicely.

Carpet Outcomes

Low Pile Outcomes

• Quaker oats: 98.6%
• Espresso grounds: 99.8%
• Quinoa: 100%
• Pet litter: 100%

Mid Pile Outcomes

• Quaker oats: 100%
• Espresso grounds: 100%
• Quinoa: 100%
• Pet litter: 100%

The carpet pickup numbers are sturdy throughout the board. Mid-pile carpet scores are good throughout all 4 check supplies, and low pile is shut behind. Floor particles on carpet will not be an issue for this vacuum.

Hair Wrap [on Carpet]

• 5″ strands: 100%
• 7″ strands: 100%
• 9″ strands: 85%
• 11″ strands: 100%
• 12″ strands: 43%

The carpet hair wrap outcomes are extra inconsistent than arduous flooring. The 43% rating on 12″ strands is a major drop — longer hair wraps across the brushroll on carpet, which implies you’ll be stopping to scrub the brushroll extra incessantly if in case you have lengthy hair or a long-haired pet. The 9″ dip to 85% provides to the sample.

On carpet, this brushroll begins combating hair longer than about 9 inches. Value realizing earlier than shopping for if lengthy hair is a major concern.

Deep Cleansing Outcomes

That 82.5% deep cleansing rating is the place the restricted airflow begins to point out. Deep cleansing requires sufficient suction to tug sand that’s been labored into carpet fibers, not simply sitting on prime. At underneath 30 CFM on excessive, the PowerGlide Pet Slim doesn’t have the airflow to extract closely embedded particles. An 82.5% rating is within the decrease half of what I’ve seen from cordless vacuums I’ve examined.

Noise Ranges

73.8 dB on low is cheap — just like a traditional dialog at shut vary. 80 dB on excessive is noticeably louder however not excessive for a cordless vacuum at this energy stage. For perspective, the Dyson V15 on enhance measures round 84–86 dB. The PowerGlide Pet Slim is quieter on max than many higher-end vacuums operating at full energy.

Filtration – Fog Check

That is essentially the most regarding check end result. The fog check exposes filtration leaks by filling the vacuum path with theatrical fog and checking for any smoke escaping via gaps within the physique, round filters, or via seams.

The PowerGlide Pet Slim leaked closely. Fog escaped from a number of factors on the vacuum physique — not only a minor wisp, however a transparent failure. In sensible phrases, this implies high-quality particles — mud, allergens, pet dander — that the brushroll picks up are being exhausted again into the air via physique leaks fairly than passing via the filter.

In the event you or anybody in your family has allergy symptoms or bronchial asthma, it is a major problem. A vacuum that leaks this badly through the fog check is redistributing high-quality particulate matter fairly than capturing it. The filter put in is irrelevant when the housing round it doesn’t seal.

Availability of Components

Bissell components availability is usually first rate in comparison with off-brand choices, however the PowerGlide Pet Slim sits in a product line that Bissell rotates incessantly. Alternative filters, brushrolls, and batteries (the place relevant) are usually out there for just a few years after a mannequin is discontinued, however long-term help will not be assured.

The fastened battery is the most important long-term danger right here. As soon as Bissell stops stocking the substitute battery for this particular mannequin — and that can occur finally — the vacuum’s helpful life is over until a third-party provider picks it up.

Product Specs

The place to Purchase?

Verify the present worth on Amazon and Walmart earlier than shopping for — this mannequin has been out there under $80 at retail and incessantly goes on sale.

Disclaimer: I’ll earn a fee in the event you click on on any of the hyperlinks above, however at no further value, so it’s a win-win for us!

Does The Bissell 1984 PowerGlide Provide Good Worth?

At $270, no — not while you have a look at what else is on the market at that worth.

The Dyson V8 prices across the similar or much less relying on the place you purchase it, measures 37 CFM on the nozzle versus 29.64 CFM right here, has a sealed filtration system that passes the fog check, comes with a full attachment set, and has a detachable battery with replacements available. The Shark IZ collection sits in an identical vary and gives comparable floor cleansing with higher runtime.

The surface-cleaning efficiency is actual — 95.37% total, near-perfect hard-floor scores, and robust carpet pickup throughout all check supplies. That a part of this vacuum works. However at $270, sturdy floor cleansing alone isn’t sufficient. The fog check failure, the fastened battery, 17-minute high-power runtime, and the weak crevice pickup are issues that opponents at this worth vary don’t share.

If the worth have been $100–$120, the worth math modifications. At $270, you’re paying a premium for a vacuum with budget-tier filtration and a battery that may’t get replaced when it dies.

The Verdict

The Bissell PowerGlide Pet Slim cleans surfaces nicely — that’s not in dispute. Arduous flooring scores are wonderful, carpet pickup is powerful, and hair dealing with as much as 9 inches on arduous flooring is dependable. If floor cleansing have been the one metric, it will be an inexpensive possibility.

However at $270, floor cleansing alone isn’t sufficient to hold a advice.

The fog check failure disqualifies it to be used in households with allergy symptoms, bronchial asthma, or younger youngsters. Heavy filtration leaks at this worth level aren’t acceptable — opponents at $250–$280 seal correctly. The 29.64 CFM airflow ceiling limits deep cleansing to 82.5% and makes crevice pickup basically ineffective. Lengthy hair wraps on carpet. The fastened battery will finally finish the vacuum’s helpful life with no substitute path.

The Dyson V8 is a greater vacuum for a similar cash. Stronger airflow, sealed filtration, detachable battery, full attachment set. In the event you’re spending $270 on a cordless vacuum, that’s the place the information factors.