Jaiho "Jaiho" Say: Bestsellers Carpet Pro CPU-1 Heavy Duty on Sales
BEST VACUUM UNDER $200!!, 2007-11-02
This review is for: Bestsellers Carpet Pro CPU-1 Heavy Duty on Sales
I had almost forgoten about this vacuum cleaner until someone asked me what I thought was the best vacuum cleaner under $200. This machine is made by Tacony USA, who also makes Riccar and Simplicity vacuum cleaners. This model is made under the Carpet Pro name brand. The CP1 has metal in all the right places including the motor, the handle, the bottom plate, and importantly the roller brush.The thing that makes this vacuum so durable is the patended clean air bypass motor system. This means that everything that is vacuumed up goes directly into the vacuum bag first, instead of many other vacuums that the dirt goes through the fan and motor first, then goes to the vacuum bags. This makes the motor on this machine much more durable, as the all of the dirt is captured in the bag first, then clean air is passed through the motor. As long as you keep the filter underneath of the bag clean (it's washable) your motor will last you 15+ years with no problems.Most other vacuum cleaners now use a plastic roller brush. The plastic roller brush will actually melt if anything is vacuumed up that gets stuck in the brush like a sock under a bed, or tassles on an oriental rug. The plastic brushes use plastic bearings on both sides of the brush that will eventually melt to the brush.The Carpet Pro machine has a completely metal roller brush, and metal bearings. The brushes themselves are made of Teflon, and slide out of the brush roll, allowing you to replace just the brushes, instead of replacing the entire roller brush assembly complete. Since the brushes are made of Teflon, they really do a nice job of deep cleaning carpets, as well as eating pet hair for lunch!The really only downfalls to this machine is the fact there are no attachments on board the vacuum, and the color of the vacuum might even hurt your eyes! The earlier reviews mentioned that the attachment hose would fall out while using it, however they have improved the hose to fit more securely in the vacuum and not fall out. The deluxe set of attachments is nice because it comes with a 15 foot hose, which allows you to leave the vacuum at the bottom of your stairs and work all the way up without moving the vacuum cleaner.Most people have never heard of Carpet Pro, and become worried about being able to find bags for this machine. This is not a problem as the machine will either take Riccar 4000 bags (slightly harder to find) or you can use Panasonic upright bags which are widely available in your local grocery store, or home improvement stores.This machine is by far the best vacuum available for under $200. You can't find this type of quality at this price. The sister companies Riccar and Simplicity sell for $400-$700.

A. Long Say: Bestsellers Carpet Pro CPU-1 Heavy Duty on Sales
Professional Grade Vacuum, 2006-12-13
This review is for: Bestsellers Carpet Pro CPU-1 Heavy Duty on Sales
I bought this vacuum from another web store. The man who sold it to me talked to me about it over the telephone. He said the outside was plastic but the motor is all metal construction. I purchased this about two years ago and paid $199 for it. I bought it to take to the beach for cleaning cottages during the summer. I have dragged this vac from house to house, up and down the stairs and all over different heights of carpet. The outside looks roughed up but the motor in this vac is a winner! I have sucked up everything from peanuts to paperclips and it just kept on going. As a matter of fact, no matter what was sucked into it, the belt never broke though after numerous uses, and I use that description lightly, I replaced the belt because it had stretched and slipped off, but never broke. I have never smelled a burning smell from it like the infamous Hoover brand, which I shall never buy another product they make. I do believe the stretching of the belt came from the fact that the bags can be filled so full they become very heavy (there's lots of sand at the beach), but the suction continues until you change the bag. The vac I have has also been banged into and around all kinds of furniture, and it never scratched any of it. The rubber bumper did dislodge but like I said, it cleaned many cottages in addition to being dragged in and out of my vehicle.The only drawback was that I purchased the attachment set for $99 and that was a total waste of money. The long hose and attachments were used for hard floors and in tight spaces. The long hose would not stay attached and lost suction in a short period of time. I ended up throwing away those attachments.All in all, I would purchase another one of these to tackle any type of carpet. And yes it is a heavy vac, hard to do the stairs with but is worth every dollar I invested in it.

lee sparks "shinynblue" Say: Bestsellers Carpet Pro CPU-1 Heavy Duty on Sales
Smart choice in a vacuum - one of the best buys you will ever make!, 2008-02-20
This review is for: Bestsellers Carpet Pro CPU-1 Heavy Duty on Sales
You will not get a better vacuum without paying around three times as much. I have used many high and low priced vacuums, and comparable models to this sell for as much as $600 or more. If you want the best bang for the buck and a vacuum cleaner that you will not be throwing away or replacing within months or years, this is the machine for you. This vacuum cleaner is far superior to anything you will find in any department, discount, or home improvement store. Stock up on vacuum cleaner bags, you will be needing them for a long time to come as this machine is built to last (and this cleaner sucks up a lot of dirt - enough to fill those bags up fast!!!). Bags that fit this cleaner can easily be found at vacuum and sewing repair shops, or online and are not expensive either (about the same as eureka, hoover). This is a rare case where you are getting pro quality without the premium price tag. Even if you are only THINKING about replacing your current vacuum, I would recommend this one. What a value! A final note, my opinion is that this machine is better suited to carpet and rugs than hard floors.

A4Q96 "Gadget Lover" Say: Bestsellers Carpet Pro CPU-1 Heavy Duty on Sales
THE best Vacuum Cleaner choice, does the job by cleaning great!, 2009-12-30
This review is for: Bestsellers Carpet Pro CPU-1 Heavy Duty on Sales
Pros: It is a reasonably priced (less than half the price of a Dyson!), reasonably quiet, has a reputation for durability, picks up cat hair (yea!), and has a nice long cord so you are not having to move your plug around every room.Cons: Haven't found any yet... I guess the one thing some people will dislike is that it's a big yellow monster, so it doesn't have the style cachet of a Dyson or even Hoover. But it's a vacuum cleaner, so I quickly got over that.I stressed over our vacuum cleaner purchase more than I should have. I read the Amazon reviews, Consumer Reports, Consumer Search, and any other site I could find.At the end of the day I came down to this vacuum and the Hoover U8173 Savvy TurboPower... Amazon's reviews of the Hoover U8173 Savvy TurboPower vacuum were limited in number but all positive; however, there was a mixed story out on the web on other sites/reviews about it. There were a few others that I absolutely ruled out after finding killer issues:Dyson: destroys berber carpets AND costs $500Hoover Tempo: only $70 or so, but seems to have some durability issues and no onboard tools.Eureka: Not well built based on reviews and personal experienceThis Carpet Pro is thus far amazing. The night it came, I vacuumed and it picked up every piece of dirt and lots I couldn't see. It was also quiet enough that it did not wake my sleeping kids.Three other observations:1) I did not order this exact model - I got the CPU-2T model with on-board accessory tools.. I couldn't find that model on Amazon so I ordered it from EZVacuum... And I paid the same price WITH tools as most other stores had the CPU-2 (the model without tools) because of a 10% off coupon... The tools work well - intuitive to use and the hose is sufficiently long for me. I have already e-mailed several Amazon stores to add the CPU-2T as I would have rather bought the vacuum on Amazon.2) This vacuum is not well known... It took a lot of hunting to learn about it, though two reviews I read were from Vacuum repairmen, who said it was the most durable, trouble-free vacuum they see. I knew it was a bit of a risk to buy a relatively lesser known vacuum. But it is commercial grade and made by the Tacony Corporation, who also makes Riccar and Simplicity vaccuums. Two different vaccuum stores recommended Riccar to me, so I felt better about this choice as a result.3) We have a cleaning person come for occasional "deep cleaning" of our house - she loved the vacuum. Since she is someone who has lots of experience with different choices, I thought this was a good indicator that the Carpet Pro is a keeper!--------UPDATE July 09: We have had this vacuum now for about 9 months, and still love it. It picks up dirt and dust as well as it did when it was new, and behaves like it is indestructible. The only thing I don't love are the bag changes - not the neatest, but well worth the effort!--------Update Dec 09: Still going strong - no issues, and cleans as well as the day we got it! One additional comment - it is great for pet hair - the onboard tools do a nice job of snapping pet hair up, and what it doesn't get I use a lint roller on.

ChurchOfJesusChrist.Net Say: Bestsellers Carpet Pro CPU-1 Heavy Duty on Sales
Light/No Light? CPU-2 & -1 Comparison, Full Review, 2009-03-24
This review is for: Bestsellers Carpet Pro CPU-1 Heavy Duty on Sales
Amazon may be lumping reviews of CPU-1 and CPU-2 together? Either that, or reviewers are cross-posting?I own a CPU-2 and am happy with it, but mine did NOT come with a headlamp/headlight, contrary to what the description said. The photo clearly shows a light, where mine has a solid piece of yellow plastic where the diffuser would go (which I snapped out, and there's just an empty holder for models which do have it--there was no light inside, no wiring). The photo as of this writing is a CPU-1. You can tell because the body is all yellow. The CPU-2 has a black back. I personally like having a headlight, but can also live without it. I managed to jam a 'headlamp' (the kind you strap to your forehead) into the empty lamp hole, it worked but I'm too lazy to do that for practical use.Updated, these are the differences:CPU-1:- shorter cord (but not 'short')- 2-prong cord (lighter weight, one less conductor)- headlight (verified!)- all yellow plastic bodyCPU-2- longer cord (veried long)- 3-prong cord- no headlight! (verified!)- yellow front/top with black plastic back ('bumblebee' look)Essentially, the CPU-1 and -2 are the same price, so it's a 'take your pick' scenario. I personally prefer 3-prong cords (CPU-2) simply because they hold into the wall better! But the CPU-2's cord is so long, I never pull it out of the wall! Kind of a self-obviating feature in a way, lol. Don't think just because it's a higher number, that it's better. If the CPU-2 really had a headlamp as described, it would be no contest for the CPU-2, but it doesn't (I've used both personally). The differences between the models is pretty much a wash, apparently intentionally.While I'm still beating the dead horse which is the headlamp option, I could see that wiring a headlamp into a vac is kind of an unnatural act. The bottom ("foot?") segment of my CPU-2 has no electronics, and needs none. I do like that. Wiring in a headlight adds to complexity of manufacture, complexity of dissembly, and possibly overall longevity. However, it's still a nice feature.Carpet Pro is a downscale name of manufacturer Tacony, based I think in Kansas City. I think this vac is quasi-American, or probably as close to American as you can get without going to a "true" American brand like Kirby. I know the tool set is made in China, and they seem to use imported parts, but I think their setup may still be more American than, say, Hoover, who closed their main American plant to NAFTA-ize, not too long ago? It's possible your order through whichever retailer could be drop-shipped from Tacony. Mine was, and I called Tacony and got a nice American rep who was able to give me my tracking number.Tacony makes higher-scale marks like Fuller Brush, and I believe Riccar and Simplicity. I think the strategy here is to offer a lower cost, intentionally ugly vac, with the same build quality, minus some fancy features. Mess up the cosmetics with a horrible color, such that someone who is truly "cheap" and a genuinely pragmatic shopper, Tacony will still get their business instead of driving them into the arms of a competitor... and people who want the best and are willing to pay for nice looks and a couple fancier features, will. Seems logical to me, comme business move. Yeah, I don't like the bumblebee black & yellow color scheme, but "green" is a more important color to me. My vac also has a long decal on the plastic panel where the headlamp would otherwise be, which embarrassingly reads, "COMMERCIAL". I've found in life, that if something says "pro" or "commercial" on it, it usually isn't. With vac cleaners, you'll notice the only difference between commercial and household models (of any manufacturer) is typically the length of the cord (true here).... but also, in this case as well, the color scheme too (lol).So MY story is, I owned 4 vacs (not including this) in the span of 12 years. That was not acceptable to me. As a young adult I did something really stupid and left behind my late grandmother's vacuum sweeper from the 60's. It was almost all metal, and still lightweight, and was still going strong, and the older I get, the more I kick myself for it. I didn't know what I had. I witnessed 3 supposedly high-quality vacs die on me in subsequent time, 2 of them Panasonics--which is otherwise still my favorite brand name from a reliability perspective. When the 2nd Panasonic died on me (small replacement part was almost as much as a new vac, and why would the replacement be any more reliable?), I'd had it.I set out to find a vac which would LAST. Something with MINIMUM FEATURES, emphasis on quality. I wanted more metal, less plastic. I deliberately looked for models with no included attachments, b/c I almost never used them. I wanted my money to go toward the vacuum cleaner itself. Fast forward over hours of research primarily scouring Amazon.com and epinions to see what was out there, and reviews. I came upon this brand only through deep searching, and I hope it's gaining ground.I did actually come upon some neo-retro vacs which mimicked my grandmother's vac. I saw I was not alone, that they had a following. As a younger chap, I had thought newer ones would clean or at least filter better. Admitting to not be the source of all wisdom, my opinion now is that the actual cleaning ability of vacs (and physical mechanisms whereby that is accomplished) has not changed in decades (they even had centrifugal-filtering canister vacs in the early 1900s!). And, as for filtering, no matter what output stage filter the mfr claims to put on the vac, the real filtering is in the bag. And at the end of the day, a vac bag is an unglamorous, unwoven mesh of paper fibers, differing in thickness only, and really, they're all thin when you consider other forms of filtration, be it air or fluids. It's an imperfect world.But those neo-retro models were unfortunately more than I was willing to pay for a new vac of any type. I stumbled onto this brand/model, which looked deceivingly plasticky, superficially resembling the 3 previous vacs which let me down, but I discovered this had more metal where it 'counted' than other models.The handle bar is metal. The grip is an open cell foam, which I don't like. It's comfortable, but all foam in my experience breaks down over time. I was buying this for longevity, and couldn't even tell the grip was foam, from the horribly small photos and lacking info everywhere. I'd prefer an ergonomic solid plastic or metal grip, even if slightly less comfortable in the short term. I think a worn-out grip could be replaced with bike handlebar foam or tape, but mine is going strong with no sign of problem.The bottom plate is metal. The roller is metal--heavy and solid, it rolls smooth. The pieces the belt go around are metal. The brushes themselves are replaceable (slide out from roller). The brushes are wearing well. I haven't seen OEM brushes for sale online, but they're probably available from Tacony directly if needed. I don't remember reading anything about this in the manual, but it's a horrible manual.Speaking of the manual, when it was delivered, I immediately wanted to inspect what kind of output filter it had on it, before I even turned it on. The directions were sorely insufficient, but not only that, the photos they used were of some similar yet strangely different model! Simply put, you could not say that the directions directed you on how to replace the filter. I went down a rabbit hole of dissembly, which got so frustrating and eventually frightening, I 1) wasn't sure I would be able to get it back together, 2) had to actually FULLY DISSEMBLE and remove the lower portion, in order to actually hope to get it back together (speaks to design disgrace), and 3) the manual was salt in the wound, like a person who convinces you to do something, then when you get yourself into a bind, they point their finger, jump up and down, and laugh. 4) I thankfully did get the thing back together (paid close attention taking it apart), but was left with a plastic circular piece leftover, which I simply have no idea what it does. I actually wanted to write a nasty email to Tacony with a digital photo of the plastic piece, asking what it did and where it went, but never did. I also would have offered my technical writing skills to them--they need it. What good is having an American write your manual, when they themselves can barely write English?So I and Tacony got of to a bad start. Luckily, from there, things improved. And let me tell you, I now know her from the inside out. Oh--and back to the output filter. It's just a rectangle of VERY open-cell foam, so open it's hard to really consider it a filter at all. Reminds me of the strip of foam you see on the backs of space heaters, but this is actually more high-flow, and smaller. The good news is, it's hand-washable. The bad news is, it's incredibly, stupidly difficult to get to a piece which is supposedly user-serviceable. I basically had to detach the whole foot to get the bottom front cover off to get at that black exhaust hole you see in the lower-right on the pics. More bad news is the foam probably doesn't do anything. Good news is it really doesn't need to. Just leave it alone. Read on.If you've read my reviews on my former Panasonic vacs or bags, I comment on this "vacuum cleaner smell" in the exhaust I just couldn't shake, and it wasn't only Panasonics. An output HEPA filteron my final Panasonic did absolutely nothing. Well, I can say that the CP model I have doesn't make a vacuum cleaner exhaust smell, or at least not as bad. I wasn't even expecting this. But it was so important to me, that I forgave our rocky start with the near-botched dissembly procedure.I've concluded that the absence of 'vac bag smell' is mostly not due to the bag, but the bypass motor. Most vacs send air straight thru the motor. That's not good for the motor, sure. But, although I've never read this, apparently going thru the motor heats up the air, including the dust, and then of course heats the entire contents of the dust bag. I know it's not the bag, because I am currently using a genuine Panasonic U-6 in this vac, the same I used in the 2 previous Panasonic models, and still no vac smell. So while I can't prove it, it's logical. Because of that, and I hope to never need to get another vac, but knowing that's improbable, if I ever do, I will make sure that any future future vacuum has the bypass feature. If you could take away one thing from my review, it might be that.The motor itself is supposedly more reliable than other brands, but the fact that it has a bypass mech should make that even better. I did take a look at the motor (I did dissemble it that much), and it looked like a motor to me. A lot of mfr's out there offer the bypass feature (including Panasonic) but usually only in their higher models--which can be IMO inexplicably high in cost (BTW, the CPU models have gone up a lot in price here since I bought mine). In my limited experience, the CPU-2/1 series is the lowest or among the lowest cost vacs with a bypass feature (updated, may not be true anymore). Feel free to comment with tips.Speaking of bags, this model takes a wide variety of bags, which you can learn about from other reviews. What I will add is that the "Smart Choice" brand bags which are apparently the ones intended for this vacuum, are just as cheap online if not cheaper, than genuine Panasonic U-6 bags, and are quite obviously made in the same factory, and are of almost the same design, but not quite. I have squinted hard, and I believe the Smart Choice bags actually have a (very) slightly thicker material than the genuine U-6's. But it's really close. Anyway, get Smart Choice bags unless you find something really fancy you want to try, or have old bags you'd like to use. I'm beginning to think that a lot of bags will work in a lot of vacs, and that the primary importance is not the shape of the bag, but rather the thickness of the material, and that is only important as it pertains to the amount of air the vac can suck.Edge cleaning: well, it has it on one side (right side, the proper side), but definitely not on the other. It's nice to have edge cleaning, but I don't remember a vacuum which had its brush so far away from the wall on the other side. Seems to be a good 2-3 inches--kinda surprising, I'm almost embarrassed to say. This seems to be unnecessary to me, again a design inefficiency. Not everyone can get the right side of their vacuum up against every edge in their house.As far as picking up the pile, this vac is simple, so there's no carpet thickness adjustment. Oddly, the angle of the handle somewhat affects the angle at which the brush bites into the carpet. Luckily, at my height (six feet) and the angle I hold, it seems to be the most 'biting' angle. Kind of weird. In addition, on areas with high foot traffic, covered with a rug, which get very matted down, I've found that the brushes don't pick up the pile satisfactorily (not sure any vac would, though). By accident (I stepped on the front while vacuuming through a doorway), I discovered that some extra weight on the foot digs the brush into the pile, and picks matted stuff up better. I even experimented with duct taping a can of beans to the front of the vac, to see if that worked better. It really made no difference on areas which weren't overly matted, and the extra weight made the vac more difficult to maneuver. However, on highly matted areas, it made a big difference. Yet, the can of beans rolled off the vac :) . I never did attach any kind of removable weight to it; in the long run, it seemed satisfactory.As for the cord length on the CPU-2, that is really where it resembles a commercial vac. I've seen longer cords on 'true' commercial vacs, but I wouldn't want anything longer than this. I can pretty much vacuum my whole 1500 square foot house without replugging it, but my kitchen and utility room are uncarpeted. I seriously think most people don't need the cord length of the -2 model and would be happier having a light, and the lighter weight of the shorter and 2-conductor cord. I do like the 3-prong cord, though. I would always pull 2-prongers out of the wall, and one electrode would get bent.The cable management follows the theme of simplicity here (doesn't Tacony make a brand called Simplicity?). You wrap the cord around 2 plastic posts. No fancy foot-operated "cord reel" here, like my first Panasonic had (a fancy feature I liked, but not enough to deal with an unreliable vac brand again).The power cord on the CPU-2 is definitely thicker, being a 3-conductor. So not just longer, but an extra copper cable running inside--which makes for a chunky, industrial-looking, heavy-duty cord. I think the actual wire gauge may be thicker, too--AND the insulator seems thicker. So all in all, a heavier, heavier-duty cord. So the weight of the CPU-2's cord is about double that of the -1's, and it's going to be heavier to carry around, if you have stairs. There is a handle both in the front and back, though (the front handle doubles to pull off the dust bag cover). That is nice. You can't curl your fingers underneath a grip on the back (it's more of a cutout), but at least it's there.In terms of noise and weight, It's neigher the lightest nor heaviest vacuum I've used, and the same goes with noise. I'm more sensitive to noise than weight. The CPU-2/1 is not 'heavy' in my opinion, but if I HAD to choose if it was heavy OR light, I'd choose on the heavier side, and some women used to very light vacuums may find it a little heavy. I accept it, b/c metal and quality sometimes weighs a little more. The CPU-1, which I've since used, is lighter, but only because of the cord. The -1's cord is also easier to manage/wrap on the vac.I definitely don't feel like I need to wear ear muffs with this one, and I have (actually worn hearing protection) in the past with some noisier brands/models. If I move slowly, the dog doesn't get too freaked out, but definitely pays close attention, and does kind of follow the vacuum around. I still wouldn't call it 'quiet', but it's good enough, and noise is important to me.I do not have the whining sound one reviewer spoke of when he turns his on and off (nor on the CPU-1 I tried in-house). Mine comes on and off confidently. The optional suction-powered spinning-bristle brush attachment does whistle like a banshee, though.The handle on these models is on the top of the vac body, above the bag. On the expensive equivalent models like Fuller Brush, one of those 'fancy features' is having the switch near your thumb. I'm sure this adds little manufacturing cost, but serves to separate the kind of clientele, to protect sales of upscale product, while preserving low-end model sales.What I recommend doing when buying, is to narrow down some vendors, and actually call them. If the CP vac has free shipping, try to see if you can get free shipping on some bags and a spare belt or two. Hopefully you'll get a decent price on bags and can stock up, because you won't find the Smart Choice bags at a "Mart", although you can find genuine Panasonic U-6's there in a pinch which will work okay. Online, the smart choice bags are about a buck apiece. Belts are cheap, the shipping costs more than the belt, so it's a good idea to do this all at once. While you're at it, check the cost of the tools kit. From reading reviews, it seems there may have been an older model tool set, which was very expensive, and very low quality. I was offered a tool kit at a low price, so I did, and it was on backorder for 4 weeks, so I know mine were of new manufacture and fresh from China. My attachments seem to be quality, and connect positively. But, that is somewhat supposition too, b/c I really don't use attachments much. But they seem nice. The connector is simply a round hole in the back of the vac, the way it should be, not some crazy proprietary connector the way everyone else does it. The most interesting attachment in the tool kit is, as I mentioned above, a piece which has a roller brush/housing on it, and uses air suction to spin the roller brush. I suppose it may be an edge cleaner, but I tried it on my car (not too impressed, though I'm not very into attachments). It's loud, and seems rather complex; it actually seized up on me when it choked on something, stopping the spinning, and I had to unhinge the lid to clear the blockage.All in all, I recommend the CPU-2/1, knowing nothing is perfect, hence 4 not 5 or even 3 stars for that matter. I think I looked at every bagged upright Amazon sold, and read hundreds, possibly into the 4-digits, of reviews. I don't regret my choice, CPU-1 vs -2 is truly a personal decision. The true test will be down the road, seeing how long it lasts. I'm jaded on the gimmics--even on basics like filtration, suction power, and light weight... nevermind where the switch is, whether there's a cord reel, dirt sensor, assisted movement, rear steering, and on and on--all of which are nice to have. But none of which mean more to me than sheer reliability and value.I wish I knew more about Carpet Pro's lower models, the CPU-75 and now CPU-85. I think the -85 might be a similar CPU-2/1 concept with a longer cord and therefore a "commercial" slant. They too use a 10-amp motor (same motor?), but if I were to guess, I'd say they don't have the air/motor bypass feature. They are slightly narrower, but probably have the same motor, so therefore more suction? Or is the actual roller the same length (wouldn't be surprised, see my notes on edge cleaning). I would also guess fewer metal parts. By the way, replacement parts are more readily available for this brand/model, and appear to be of at least semi-resaonable price, which you don't know how important that is until something breaks. I would usually rather repair than replace, but not if the cost of one part is almost the same as a total replacement.As a parting thought I want to say how easy it is to get hair out of this metal roller. I haven't quite figured out why it's so easy, nor why it was so difficult to get it out of my other 3 vacs which died. One Panasonic even had a groove in the (plastic) roller, for scissors, so you could (supposedly) get under long hair to cut it off. I haven't even needed to think about taking scissors to the CP's roller, thank goodness. And in terms of getting up the dirt, it definitely does. But even a Roomba will get up dirt, according to a friend who has one, and those are battery-powered! I can say that the CP picks up super-fine sand particles which my dog apparently tracks in from the gravel driveway, so fine they don't look like sand, but dust, but it is sand. Most of the weight of my dust is this, I think, and although I think any vac would do the job (that jaded thing again), I'm glad this one does too, and was impressed by that.As for the bagged vs bagless wars, I can't speak for bagless, b/c dumping that stuff next to yourself makes no sense to me, and swapping bags for filters seems like a bad economical tradeoff.I posted an update in this review's Comments.

P. A. O'Keefe "PonyPam" Say: Bestsellers Carpet Pro CPU-1 Heavy Duty on Sales
Everyone's right!, 2008-07-02
This review is for: Bestsellers Carpet Pro CPU-1 Heavy Duty on Sales
I have to agree with everyone else -- it really is a great vacuum cleaner! We've had ours for about five years now. Keep in mind, my kids use it as much as I do, and they are NOT gentle with it at ALL. My two-year-old was just dragging it around, which reminded me I need to get some more bags for it. I've never had a problem finding bags -- not only do the Riccar and Panasonic bags work for it, so do the Simplicity 6000/5000 bags.I'm glad to hear the attachments have improved -- the hose falling out IS a problem. I may have to get a new hose just to make this vacuum cleaner perfect.

Coach's Wife Say: Bestsellers Carpet Pro CPU-1 Heavy Duty on Sales
Great suction, sturdy vacuum, 2009-01-27
This review is for: Bestsellers Carpet Pro CPU-1 Heavy Duty on Sales
I bought this vacuum after much internet research, tired of my vacuums breaking after less than a year of daily use. I've now had this one for a couple of months and have been very happy with it. A couple of high points: it is very lightweight and easy to maneuver, it has outstanding suction - my carpets look clean and fluffed, the metal roller and other parts seem a lot sturdier, and the bag/filter are easy to get to. A couple of low points: it didn't come with any on-board tools (I didn't think this would be a problem, since I have a million random vacuum parts laying around my house -- but none fit this one), it sounds a little whiny when it starts up and shuts down, and one of the little clips that you wind the cord around recently broke off. Not a big deal, but I would have expected other parts of the vacuum to last a bit longer.The best part? My son thinks it looks like "Wall-E", so we taped a pair of paper robot eyes to it and my kids love to vacuum with "him":)

Pinkhat Say: Bestsellers Carpet Pro CPU-1 Heavy Duty on Sales
A bit on the heavy side, no attachments, doesn't lay flat., 2008-12-08
This review is for: Bestsellers Carpet Pro CPU-1 Heavy Duty on Sales
I'm used to canisters so, for me, this one seems a bit heavy. The other upright I tried was a Hoover, which comes with attachments, was very awkward and would keep tipping over every time I'd use the hose.So from my "new-to-upright-vacuum" experience, I'm giving the Carpet Pro 3 stars because it fails to clean the edges of the room (that inch or so of carpet along the baseboard). A hose attachment would take care of this problem but it isn't included; many other uprights do come with attachments.Also, I am having to move many pieces of furniture because this thing doesn't lay flat and won't go under the coffee table, etc.Not very happy with this vacuum.

E. Gratis Say: Bestsellers Carpet Pro CPU-1 Heavy Duty on Sales
Good Vacuum Cleaner, 2010-09-26
This review is for: Bestsellers Carpet Pro CPU-1 Heavy Duty on Sales
I like that certain parts of it (such as handle, base-plate & beater bar) are metal instead of plastic. The metal handle with the foam grip just feels good to use. The rest of it is ABS plastic, and seems durable enough. The bumper around the base works well to protect my furniture.I have only used it in my apartment, but it really is powerful. It has a light on the front, and you can add a HEPA bag to it to really get the air clean. I have been using Riccar 2000, 4000 Simplicity 5000, 6000 Type A and Fuller Upright Vacuum Bags 6 pk. by EnviroCare, which is not technically HEPA, and there is a HEPA bag Riccar HEPA Filtration Bags fits all Vibrance, R-Series, 2000,4000 Series Vacuums. Riccar Part # RAH-6. 6 Pack. that I use now. It seems like any Riccar 2000/4000 bags fit it.The place where the bag attaches is really tight, so nothing escapes around the bag.One minor con (or... perhaps a plus?): there is no onboard storage of tools, and they aren't included. On the plus side, it keeps things simple in the design, the vacuum is sleek without a bunch of plastic pieces hanging off. Also, you handpick which attachments you want. On the downside, you will need to buy the separate attachments to use with this vacuum. Standard 1.5" hose and attachments are what you need. I use Metro Vacuum Parts - Flexible Hose Replacement and it fits perfectly. I also use MetroVac Extension Wands - Made In USA! and that gives you the sturdy grip you need to reach tough to reach spots. All the other metro-vac attachments work too, so look for the crevice tool and the dusting brush as well.All in all, this complete set cost me about [...], so it was more expensive than, say, the Hoover, or maybe even a low-end Dysan (maybe..? :) just kidding). Overall I am glad I got this one. It just made it past its first year without breaking a sweat, and my apartment is a lot cleaner thanks to this vacuum cleaner.

E. Kostachek "birdwatcher" Say: Bestsellers Carpet Pro CPU-1 Heavy Duty on Sales
good, low-cost vacuum, 2010-08-03
This review is for: Bestsellers Carpet Pro CPU-1 Heavy Duty on Sales
I ordered this product based on other reviews and am not disappointed. I had used a Riccar for many years at work so this machine is quite familiar for me. It is not too heavy, maneuvers around the house well, is not loud and has great suction.I can't comment on its longevity as I have only had it about a month. I like that you can use replaceable parts from other manufacturers since they don't sell Carpet Pro in these parts. It is much cheaper than the Riccar and for all practical purposes it appears to be about the same except for the color. I am using a Riccar bag in it right now and have Panasonic belts for the beater bar. I recommend this machine.