Machine reviews by Josh

Edge cleaning on the supralites depends on which side of the head you use. The non belt side runs better than average, and on that side it beats most other uprights. The belt side runs average to worse, because the belt rides in a large section of the housing that is just a plastic plate, and little to no airflow gets through there. Know which side to put against the baseboard and this machine edges well. Overall, call it meh but ok.

Edge cleaning on the supralites depends on which side of the head you use. The non belt side runs better than average, and on that side it beats most other uprights. The belt side runs average to worse, because the belt rides in a large section of the housing that is just a plastic plate, and little to no airflow gets through there. Know which side to put against the baseboard and this machine edges well. Overall, call it meh but ok.

Sebo consistently performs above all others on organic edge cleaning, due to a design that gives a narrow gap between the outer edge and the suction chamber on every one of their powered heads and floor attachments.

Sebo consistently performs above all others on organic edge cleaning, due to a design that gives a narrow gap between the outer edge and the suction chamber on every one of their powered heads and floor attachments.

Edge cleaning on the R10S depends on which side of the head you use. The non belt side runs better than average, and on that side it beats most other uprights. The belt side runs average to worse, because the belt rides in a large section of the housing that is just a plastic plate, and little to no airflow gets through there. Know which side to put against the baseboard and this machine edges well. Overall, call it meh but ok.

Sebo consistently performs above all others on organic edge cleaning, due to a design that gives a narrow gap between the outer edge and the suction chamber on every one of their powered heads and floor attachments.

Riccar tends to be one of the easiest brands to work on, but the insane power of the tandem air units comes at a cost. These machines run dual airflow motors, multiple PCBs, a series of micro switches and main switches, and a wire loom that looks like it belongs in a vehicle. They are often cited as one of the most complex machines out there, and our YouTube repair video on this model is the longest repair video we have ever made. For a seasoned technician these units are a snap to service, in and out. For a novice tech they are often cited as the hardest unit on the bench. From a consumer standpoint I would rate them very hard to repair at home. Frankly though, the people buying these machines are buying them for raw power, and at this price point, nobody is planning to do it yourself anything.

Edge cleaning on the tandem airs is significantly better than average, in great part because their performance overall is redonkulous. Like any upright it depends on which side of the head you run along the wall. The non belt side is much better than average, and on that side it beats almost every upright I have tested it against except SEBO. The belt side runs above average too, just not as strong. The belt on these is a narrow grooved design, so the belt cover is smaller than on most units, and even the weak side edges better than other machines' good side.

Sebo consistently performs above all others on organic edge cleaning, due to a design that gives a narrow gap between the outer edge and the suction chamber on every one of their powered heads and floor attachments.

Reading 16 Years

SEBOs are designed to stand extended use, and they even plan for abuse, but this unit has the shortest lifespan of any SEBO model we handle. I do not think it is a quality issue. It is how the design takes abuse. The blower motor rides high in the upper body, it does not pivot which I think actually helps protect the motor but regardless it does get knocked back and forth in its housing. That housing is well designed, but so is your skull, and you can still get a concussion without ever hitting your head. The bag also sits directly on top of the motor, so any moisture the machine picks up goes straight in. You should not be vacuuming moisture, but it happens, and this design forgives it less. These are narrow machines, and they just plain get the snot kicked out of them, so housing damage shows up earlier too. The costly repair, a motor or housing, tends to land around year 16, and most owners replace it with the same machine. That last part says plenty.

I have a hard time calling SEBO an easy repair, and this machine puts a sharp point on the issue. These machines do a lot, which means they are not simple, and nothing about how they come apart is obvious. The assembly is clearly built to be maintained and repaired once you know how everything fits, so for a technician who knows the model, repairs are fast and easy. For somebody who wants to pick up a screwdriver and figure it out, chances are better than not that something gets broken that was not broken before. There are plenty of repair videos online, ours especially, but needing 45 minutes of homework before a repair lowers the practical ease all by itself. The flip side is the maintenance work. Clogs, brush rollers, and filters all snap apart, among the easiest we handle. The core jobs, motors and circuit boards, are demanding and belong in a service center anyway.

Sebo consistently performs above all others on organic edge cleaning, due to a design that gives a narrow gap between the outer edge and the suction chamber on every one of their powered heads and floor attachments.

Sebo consistently performs above all others on organic edge cleaning, due to a design that gives a narrow gap between the outer edge and the suction chamber on every one of their powered heads and floor attachments.

Sebo consistently performs above all others on organic edge cleaning, due to a design that gives a narrow gap between the outer edge and the suction chamber on every one of their powered heads and floor attachments.

The brush roller comes out by lifting two tabs and belt change can be done without a single tool. The filtration is done entirely through one single high filtration bag. Belt and bag change is the only maintenance these units need. It it were not for the fact that the higher end models in this series have lifetime belts and don't ever need a belt change I would give it a 5 but the upgraded models have even less maintenance steps.

The small form factor of the head on this unit combined with the "floating" feel of the head from the high RPM brush roller make these one of the most agile machines around.

This machine does not have a lower speed for bare floor nor a squeegee. It picks ups fairly well on hard surfaces however the lack of a squeegee causes debris to kick around.

Edge cleaning on the supralites depends on which side of the head you use. The non belt side runs better than average, and on that side it beats most other uprights. The belt side runs average to worse, because the belt rides in a large section of the housing that is just a plastic plate, and little to no airflow gets through there. Know which side to put against the baseboard and this machine edges well. Overall, call it meh but ok.

While this unit was net sent for testing at the carpet and rug institute it uses the exact same HEPA filter and sealed system that it's big brother the R27 uses which won it a gold rating from CRI so I am applying the same based on this internal information

Edge cleaning on the 25/26/27 series depends on which side of the head you use. The non belt side runs significantly better than average, and on that side it beats many other uprights. The belt side runs above average too, just not as strong. The belt on these is a narrow grooved design, so the belt cover is smaller than on most units, and even the weak side out edges plenty of machines running their good side.

Reading 12 Years

Riccar knows their machines are going to be pushed hard, and they build like it. When somebody needs muscle car level performance out of a vacuum, Riccar is where we go. Performance usually gets paid for out of the machine's lifespan. Push the design harder, watch it die younger. Riccar built for the abuse instead. The engineering assumes the machine will be worked, so the machine is made to take the work. Just as important, these units are intended to be maintained and repaired. A machine intended for maintenance gets serviced on schedule, gets fixed when needed, and keeps running long after a disposable machine would have hit the landfill. Riccar backs the intent with the long tail that makes it all work: supplies and repair components remain available today for many models that ceased production a decade ago or more. When the parts outlive the production run, the lifespan question belongs to you and your maintenance habits, not to a discontinued parts catalog. A muscle car driven hard still lasts when it is built for the beating and the parts keep coming. Same principle here just its a vacuum so not quite as cool.

These machines are remarkably good on hard surfaces. They get low enough to the floor to effectively pick up, the brush roller can be turned off, AND they have a squeegee behind the roller. I would actually put these up against any other upright on hard surface,

Edge cleaning on the 25/26/27 series depends on which side of the head you use. The non belt side runs significantly better than average, and on that side it beats many other uprights. The belt side runs above average too, just not as strong. The belt on these is a narrow grooved design, so the belt cover is smaller than on most units, and even the weak side out edges plenty of machines running their good side.

Reading 14 Years

SEBOs are designed to stand extended use, and they even plan for abuse, but this unit has the shortest lifespan of any SEBO model we handle. I do not think it is a quality issue. It is how the design takes abuse. The blower motor rides high in the upper body, so the pivot and swivel knock it back and forth in its housing. That housing is well designed, but so is your skull, and you can still get a concussion without ever hitting your head. The bag also sits directly on top of the motor, so any moisture the machine picks up goes straight in. You should not be vacuuming moisture, but it happens, and this design forgives it less. These are narrow machines that swivel, and they just plain get the snot kicked out of them, so housing damage shows up earlier too. The costly repair, a motor or housing, tends to land around year 14, and most owners replace it with the same machine. That last part says plenty.

I have a hard time calling SEBO an easy repair, and this machine puts a sharp point on the issue. These machines do a lot, which means they are not simple, and nothing about how they come apart is obvious. The assembly is clearly built to be maintained and repaired once you know how everything fits, so for a technician who knows the model, repairs are fast and easy. For somebody who wants to pick up a screwdriver and figure it out, chances are better than not that something gets broken that was not broken before. There are plenty of repair videos online, ours especially, but needing 45 minutes of homework before a repair lowers the practical ease all by itself. The flip side is the maintenance work. Clogs, brush rollers, and filters all snap apart, among the easiest we handle. The core jobs, motors and circuit boards, are demanding and belong in a service center anyway.

Sebo consistently performs above all others on organic edge cleaning, due to a design that gives a narrow gap between the outer edge and the suction chamber on every one of their powered heads and floor attachments.

Reading 12 Years

Riccar knows their machines are going to be pushed hard, and they build like it. When somebody needs muscle car level performance out of a vacuum, Riccar is where we go. Performance usually gets paid for out of the machine's lifespan. Push the design harder, watch it die younger. Riccar built for the abuse instead. The engineering assumes the machine will be worked, so the machine is made to take the work. Just as important, these units are intended to be maintained and repaired. A machine intended for maintenance gets serviced on schedule, gets fixed when needed, and keeps running long after a disposable machine would have hit the landfill. Riccar backs the intent with the long tail that makes it all work: supplies and repair components remain available today for many models that ceased production a decade ago or more. When the parts outlive the production run, the lifespan question belongs to you and your maintenance habits, not to a discontinued parts catalog. A muscle car driven hard still lasts when it is built for the beating and the parts keep coming. Same principle here just its a vacuum so not quite as cool.

These machines are remarkably good on hard surfaces. They get low enough to the floor to effectively pick up, the brush roller can be turned off, AND they have a squeegee behind the roller. I would actually put these up against any other upright on hard surface,

Edge cleaning on the 25/26/27 series depends on which side of the head you use. The non belt side runs significantly better than average, and on that side it beats many other uprights. The belt side runs above average too, just not as strong. The belt on these is a narrow grooved design, so the belt cover is smaller than on most units, and even the weak side out edges plenty of machines running their good side.

Maintenance as it relates to bag and filter changes is typical of premium vacuums, with one exception. The filters and bags are, by capacity and longevity, the most expensive I am aware of on the market. Many quality aftermarket options exist, but the problem with that is you never know if you are getting good aftermarket or absolute trash that will harm your machine (I mean, unless you buy aftermarket from us, but I digress).

The unit is one of the heaviest pivoting swivel-type designs. From a repair perspective, I do not love the design, as the wires in the neck have a relatively high failure rate, but reviewing it for maneuverability, this heavy machine is remarkably maneuverable. The form factor of the head is narrow and low, so while you might not get all the way under a bed, you do get better reach under furniture than most uprights.

Dusting brush, crevice tool, and upholstery tool are included, along with a decent-sized wand. As with many premium vacuums, the dusting brush has long, soft bristles and rotates to get into different tight spaces. The crevice tool, likewise, is longer than average and gets into all kinds of corners.

Bare floor pickup is excellent for an upright. The brush turns off, airflow directs to the floor well, and there is even a squeegee behind the brush roll compartment, which is often overlooked in uprights.

Sebo consistently performs above all others on organic edge cleaning, due to a design that gives a narrow gap between the outer edge and the suction chamber on every one of their powered heads and floor attachments.

Edge cleaning on the supralites depends on which side of the head you use. The non belt side runs better than average, and on that side it beats most other uprights. The belt side runs average to worse, because the belt rides in a large section of the housing that is just a plastic plate, and little to no airflow gets through there. Know which side to put against the baseboard and this machine edges well. Overall, call it meh but ok.

Maintenance consists of changing the high filtration bag when full, filters every few years and belt every 6-12 months depending on climate and use. Depending on the version belt change is done by either removing a single screw or in some models a simple slider snap. Very straight forward maintenance that frankly doesn't even require the manual for most people.

The Vibrance and R21 Spirit series is middle ground for maneuverability. The units are not particularly light and they don't have a swivel function. They are wide which is nice because you can clean a larger area faster, however not great for getting around things. However, their brush power gives them a self propel feel so even though they are on the heavier side they glide over low to medium pile carpets.

In general the Vibrance and Spirit R21 series performances visibly poorly on bare floor. Many models do not have a brush off switch so kick debris around and in general the head does not seal well to hard surfaces.

Just don't bother edge cleaning with these. Seriously, they are great durable carpet vacuums, but edge cleaning is not their thing. These stop cleaning about 3/4 of an inch from the edge of the machine, so pull out the hose and wand and do your edging that way.

I consider Sharks some of the highest maintenance designs out there, for a few reasons. Their cyclones are mediocre at best in my opinion, which means the pre filter fouls quickly. I strongly recommend cleaning that pre filter after every major use, meaning any time you vacuum the whole home or several rooms, because it clogs rapidly and performance suffers when it does. The final so called hepa filter fouls fast too, because so much dust gets past the cyclone, past the pre filter, and blasts through the motor straight into it. I think that filter should be replaced every six months, and I also know nobody will do that. The last issue is the brush rollers. Almost every Shark has at least one roller that does not come out, at least not without removing a dozen or so specialized screws, on the machine that needs its rollers cleaned most.

The dusting brush should not be allowed to call itself a brush. There is very little bristle, and what is there is stiff and short. The crevice tool runs short too, and the wand will not reach higher ceilings.

I consider Sharks some of the highest maintenance designs out there, for a few reasons. Their cyclones are mediocre at best in my opinion, which means the pre filter fouls quickly. I strongly recommend cleaning that pre filter after every major use, meaning any time you vacuum the whole home or several rooms, because it clogs rapidly and performance suffers when it does. The final so called hepa filter fouls fast too, because so much dust gets past the cyclone, past the pre filter, and blasts through the motor straight into it. I think that filter should be replaced every six months, and I also know nobody will do that. The last issue is the brush rollers. Almost every Shark has at least one roller that does not come out, at least not without removing a dozen or so specialized screws, on the machine that needs its rollers cleaned most.

The dusting brush should not be allowed to call itself a brush. There is very little bristle, and what is there is stiff and short. The crevice tool runs short too, and the wand will not reach higher ceilings.

I would say it's a slightly easier machine to maintain than most bagless machines. The final filter, fortunately, is not sold as a so called "washable" one, so it gets replaced every couple of years. The cyclonic action on this is pretty effective, so cleaning the pre-filter every use or every other use is fine. The belt is not user-accessible, but it was a good design, and rarely did these cogged belts break. The cyclone was more accessible than many for deep cleaning, so yeah, in general, this was a little easier to maintain than some other bagless machines.

The front canister is very large, preventing you from getting far under most furniture, but the head is low profile, so you can get under, say, countertops and edges of beds without a problem. It is a bulky machine, however, and not super easy to push — sort of a "meh" on that.

Tools included a dusting brush and crevice tool. On many, they came with a standard turbo tool. The machine's airflow was good enough to power the turbo tool pretty well, which is unusual for a machine of this class. The dusting brush was weak, with very little bristle, as is common on budget machines, but the wand and crevice tool were long.

This machine was discontinued some years ago, and few are seen in stores anymore, but when I was a technician more than a decade ago, I worked on and tested a lot of these. Deep soil removal was remarkably good for a unit like this, and they were visibly outcleaning the Dysons of that era. There was a lot of brush on the roller, and the roller has a dedicated, powerful motor connected with a cogged brush, so agitation was above average for these.

The unit did very well on pet hair. There was some hair wrap on the roller, and the roller is not easily removed, so cleaning was problematic. However, they were not nearly as susceptible to brush roll melt as many modern machines.

These did have a brush-off switch, so they could in theory do bare floors. The height was manually adjustable, so you could drop it low. I found it sealed poorly to the floor, however, and while it worked, it wasn't great — for a home with lots of bare floor, not my first pick.

Not great on edge cleaning due to wide space between intake area and edge of unit.

Reading 2 Years

Based on units we are seeing in for service brush roller melt down and head damage is the primary cause of end of life on these. Brush rollers can be replaced but often by the time that happens motor is sounding poor as well and repair is often ill advised.

Unit is relatively straight forward to maintain. Belt is is a non stretch belt so in theory does not need to be replaced as part of regular maintenance. This is good because it's a more challenging belt than others to replace. Filters are readily accessed. However, realistically to maintain the performance metrics we are seeing reported the filters need to be washed after 1500 sq ft of cleaning and that is a significant inconvenicence in my opinion.

The machine does have a swivel head and center of weight is good for what it is. However, the large canister just feels like it's always in the way and because the weight of the canister is in front of the spine it feels like fights you to flop left to right during use.

Tools as included work fine. Not a fan of the pet tool that comes with some of these models. I find the placement of the lower hose connection and length of the hose to be disappointing in general. where the hose disconnects from the wand for hand tool use very often gets stuck and is hard or impossible to get out. We see this unit in the shop frequently simply because the connection between hose and wand got cross threaded and we have to force it out hoping it does not break. Not bad, not good, just kind meh.

Brush roller can be turned off to prevent debris from kicking around. However, the unit is advertised specifically for pet hair and on bare floor with the brush off the brush gets loaded up with tons of pet hair. Then when the brush is turned back on to go to carpet mode the hair will start to come off but so much has gathered during bare floor cleaning it can tend to create a clog.