Bissell Spotlifter - A Carpet's Friend
Written: Mar 27 '04 (Updated Jul 15 '07)
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Pros: Inexpensive. Convenient. Effective. Handsome
Cons: Has a few annoying quirks, but these are minor.
The Bottom Line: The Bissell Spotlifter 1716 works better than any spot cleaner in a can. Over time, it's probably cheaper too. Buy one.
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| nagels's Full Review: Bissell SpotLifter 1716 Bagless Handheld Vacuum |
I’m relaxing on the deck with my two dogs and their guest, reading the newspaper and occasionally tending to the chops on the grill.
Unceremoniously Mrs. Spudman interrupts me from my bliss to tell me one of the dogs has thrown up on the carpet. While she attempts to determine which dog is sick, I attend to the carpet. Do I lug out my Hoover Steamvac for this tennis ball size spot, or do I grab one of the assorted spot cleaners on hand? Not this time. This is a job for the Bissell Spotlifter 1716.
I locate the Bissell Spotlifter in the basement and gently press the tank tabs to remove the clean solution tank. It’s a small container, holding 8 ounces of water – Bissell cleaning formula mix. I twist and remove the small cap to add cleaning formula. If the user fills the tank with cleaning product to the fill line indicator and adds water, he or she will have 8 ounces in the tank in a ratio of 3 to 5. I prefer less soap in my mix, so I only pour in one or two ounces of cleaner. After adding ultra hot water to the tank, I reinsert the cap and slide the tank over the larger dirty collection tank, pushing until the tank clicks securely.
Anxious to rejoin my glider and newspaper, I quickly head to the soiled carpet spot. The spot is fresh and still clearly visible. Before turning on the Bissell Spotlifter 1716, I press the manual spray trigger repeatedly until the spot is saturated with solution. After waiting a minute or two, I push the power button forward with my thumb and apply the spinning brushes to the dirty spot. As I move the machine over the area I continue to spray solution on the carpet as the appliance’s brushes do their job. I can immediately see the results of my handiwork. For suction I press the front of the Bissell Spotlifter 1716against the wet carpet while simultaneously raising its back end about 20 degrees.
As I pull the Spotlifter 1716 towards me slowly I can see the dirty water being drawn into its nozzle and flowing into the lower tank.
In just a couple minutes the carpet, though still wet, is becoming dryer and the little Bissell is no longer inhaling water. I turn off the Spotlifter 1716 and remove both tanks. Only about half of the water sprayed onto the carpet is recovered. As I empty the recovery tank, I enjoy seeing the filthy water going down the drain.
I rinse out both tanks with hot water and lay them on my workbench to dry. In considerably less than ten minutes I’ve cleaned the spot and am back on the glider, lounging with the three dogs.
WHAT’S TO LIKE –
I picked up this appliance at Sears on a whim and on sale for about 35 dollars and have never regretted the purchase. Both our dogs are sensitive little girls with occasional throw up incidents. What used to be an ordeal and possibly major catastrophe, now is only a minor annoyance. Piper our young shih tzu is ALMOST housebroken, but sporadically does have little, or not so little, “accidents.” It’s reassuring to know I have the Bissell Spotlifter 1716 at my disposal for these unpleasant occasions.
The Spotlifter is an inexpensive, effective, easy to use and maintain appliance. Its removable brush cartridge with dual powerbrushes and its extra long power cord are just icing on the cake or dabs of butter on the baked spud.
WHAT’S NOT TO LIKE
Very little actually. It’s sometimes tricky to remove the clean solution tank from the base unit. The cap on the recovery tank has to be in a specific position. If one’s not careful, it’s not difficult to spill water from the clean water tank. The unit’s suction is modest; pressing the nozzle into the carpet with some force enhances the water recovery greatly. I’d’ve liked a larger solution capacity, but this is a spot cleaner after all.
CONCLUSION
I have four vacuums and the Hoover Steamvac, but this little Bissell has become my favorite floor-cleaning toy. If you have pets or small children, BUY ONE FOR YOURSELF. You won’t be sorry.
UPDATE 6/16/06 I got some paint spots on the carpet this week and discovered them several days later. After soaking them with a water/detergent system I used the Spotlifter to get them up. Over the years this thing has come to the rescue many more times than I can remember.
If you have a dog or small child,or careless painter in your home, you need one of these.
Update 7/15/07
The spinning brush stopped spinning on my little friend so I upgraded to a SpotBot also made by Bissell. We love it!
I've written a review on the SpotBot also.
THANKS FOR READING THIS VACUUM REVIEW.
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Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 35
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