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For the most part, especially as a career product tester, I do believe you get what you pay for. Among the few exceptions is the BISSELL Featherweight Stick Vacuum, the under-$35 answer to keeping a clean home without shelling out hundreds — if not thousands — for the tools to do so. When I purchased the Featherweight vacuum, I was working on a move to NYC with little to no spare cash … or space for that matter. Not only am I amazed at the heavy-duty jobs it’s handled over the years, but the fact that it’s still going strong is beyond me. Let’s just say, it continues to earn its spot in my cleaning arsenal for a reason.
Weighing less than three pounds, this BISSELL gives me no excuse to not tidy every corner and surface of my apartment, from sofa to ceiling fan. I’ve been known to lift the entire thing to vacuum up ceiling dust bunnies, but it does break down into a handheld vacuum with an extended crevice tool if you’re not as rebellious (or lazy… depending on how you look at it). Regardless, its parts break down, making it easy for storing in apartments and homes with limited space. That said, even when it’s fully assembled, the vacuum is slim enough to fit in my tiny coat closet without taking up any more room than my broom.
Because it’s corded, the BISSELL Featherweight doesn’t die mid-session, nor do I need to wait for it to recharge fully before using it again. This definitely gives it a leg up on even the most expensive cordless models out there, in my opinion. Reliability is everything when it comes to household essentials, and this vacuum delivers reliability on all fronts, from immediate use to longevity and durability. Something that could matter just as much, though, is color variety, and the Featherweight comes in four different hues that make buying one for every floor in your home mighty tempting. If my Featherweight vacuum wasn’t still doing its best work, I’d buy it (or a few) again in a second.
