Kenmore 81214 200 Series Pet Friendly Lightweight Bagged Canister Vacuum with HEPA, 2 Motor System, and 3 Cleaning Tools, Orange

10 reviews for Kenmore 81214 200 Series Pet Friendly Lightweight Bagged Canister Vacuum with HEPA, 2 Motor System, and 3 Cleaning Tools, Orange

1. 

   5 out of 5

   L – March 19, 2020

   I LOVE this vacuum! For the price, it does the best job picking up dirt and pet hair. I have a rabbit and a very fluffy dog, which translates into a lot of fur around the house. This vacuum does a great job picking up all that pet hair. There’s a reason it’s always a recommended vacuum by Consumer Reports.This is my second Kenmore canister vacuum–I previously had a much older model, which was a hand-me-down and lasted approximately 15 years until the power head had an electrical issue. I used a hand-me-down Dirt Devil for 2 months, but my house just got dirtier and dirtier. Finally splurged on this new Kenmore and am SO happy I did. The new vacuum is definitely a little less solid than the older one, but it’s still a great vacuum. I followed others’ advice and kept my old attachments. To me, the most marked difference between the old and new attachments is the upholstery brush attachment. I use that to get pet hair off the couch, and I quickly had to revert back to the old brush, which was wider and does a better job picking up hair. I think maybe if I were buying this vacuum for the first time (i.e., didn’t have old attachments to keep), I would have to get the 600-series instead of the 400-series for this reason.Still, I am so happy with my purchase. I strongly believe that this is the best vacuum for carpets and hard floors within this price range. I read on Consumer Reports that it even outperforms the “high-end vacuums,” which is no surprise.

2. 

   5 out of 5

   Colorado Trish – March 24, 2020

   Wonderful features. This is the 7h Kenmore canister vacuum I’ve purchased in 25 years. (I gifted 2 of those). Back in the late 90’s the equipment was heavy but packed with convenient features and it was love at first purchase. Over the years the plastic got lighter and lighter and on a few occasions parts broke, so I did look for more hefty alternatives, but always ended up with a Kenmore canister. This generation is more substantial feeling and appointed with all the features I can’t live without anymore. This model comes with extra long retractable cord, on board tools, self propelled lighted power head that fits under furniture and beds, telescoping wand with lighted end, separate powered pet hair attachment for upholstery, hepa filter …and last but not least …designed for disposable bags. Unlike the bagless type, NO more choking on dust and spreading dirt back into the room when you empty. I used to have a cleaning business and would bring my vacuum and because there were 2 of us we often also used the one in place in the house. I found the Kenmore canister superior to Shark, Bissell, Hoover and even Dyson. It has superior features to the outrageously priced Meile, which feels like a 20 year investment, and although 5 years is about average life expectancy for the Kenmore

3. 

   5 out of 5

   Amy – March 25, 2020

   I’ve had this vacuum for almost a year now, and I’ve been very satisfied with its performance. I did a lot of research to choose one, and I’m glad this is the one I ended up with. The suction is nice and powerful, and the attachments are very handy. I have not used the pet powermate attachment yet, so I can’t attest to that. My home is mostly carpeted, with some laminate flooring, and it performs well on both surfaces.One feature I wish this vacuum had that I’ve seen on other models is lights (like headlights) on the main attachment.There are a couple of quirks in this vacuum’s design that are a little annoying but aren’t dealbreakers for me. One odd thing is the wand rarely stands up by itself on the main attachment – it almost always tips over. I either need to lay it on the floor or lean it against something. The pop-n-go floor brush feature is a little finicky and you need to get the motion just right to get it to attach/release, but it is useful once you can take advantage of it. And, sometimes when I pick up the canister to carry it to another room, my leg will bump the pop-n-go button and the little door will fly open. But as I said, these are minor gripes – this is a very good vacuum, and I would recommend it.

4. 

   5 out of 5

   Musicka – April 17, 2020

   Wish I’d bought this on Amazon instead of in the store. It would have a been a little cheaper. That being said, I’m very happy with this vacuum so far. Kenmore has made this vacuum in various versions for decades and this is my second one. The first one lasted about 14 years before it finally gave up the ghost. I can’t speak to the longevity of this version yet, but it appears to be the same high quality, just with a few updated features that I appreciate having. The only other vacuum I’ve owned was a very high end ultra light weight Riccar upright that I used for years in my housekeeping business. That being said, I had housekeeping customers who wanted me to use my machine and customers who wanted me to use theirs, so I’ve probably used a lot more vacuums than the average consumer over the years.In my experience, this is the best vacuum cleaner you’re going to get outside of a dedicated vacuum cleaner shop. Shark and Dyson are extremely clumsy and gimmicky, and no matter what the marketing says they lose suction worse than bagged model vacuum machines. They are also very messy to dump the dust cup from compared to changing a vacuum cleaner bag. In my experience, if you change the bags and filters on time on a high quality vacuum and give it a good cleaning every once in a while, it won’t loose suction.The design on this Kenmore is very well thought out. Honestly, I can’t understand why power team canisters aren’t a lot more popular. When I would use a customer’s upright with attachments I was always annoyed with short hoses, machines toppling over when reaching for something using the attachments, and dealing with getting the hose in and out of the machine was usually a pain. On top of all those annoyances, you can’t even vacuum your hard floors with an upright w/ attachments. With this canister machine, it’s really simple. You just push a button with your foot and the wand pops right out. Go ahead and suck up that pile of paper clips your kids left on the floor, the hose is huge so they won’t get stuck. Go ahead and reach for those cobwebs on the ceiling. The wand telescopes so it won’t take you any time to assemble a wand, AND you’re machine won’t fall over while you do it. Go ahead and vacuum under the couch. The power head has a low profile and the wand lays flat against the floor, so you can get under all but the tightest places. Unlike my last Kenmore canister, the power had seems to work just as well on hard floors as carpets, so I don’t even have to change the head when going from room to room or rug to bare floor! I love it.When I got this I assumed it wouldn’t vacuum my carpets as well as my Riccar. (I wouldn’t have even replaced the Riccar, but I shorted the circuit board with moisture and the machine was so beat up from years of cleaning houses with it, it wasn’t worth the repair cost anymore.) I was alright with the idea that it might take a few more minutes to vacuum the carpet because I figured I was getting the convenience of being able to spot vacuum corners and couch cushions as I did entire rooms in trade for being able to sweep up ground in dog hair in one pass. I was wrong. I hadn’t had a working vacuum for two weeks in June in a house with two big shedding dogs when I finally decided to go back to the Kenmore canister. The Kenmore sucked it right up in one pass. I was very happy! As a bonus, it’s a lot easier to push across my relatively thick, plush, carpet than my wonderful Riccar ever was.There are a couple of things about this Kenmore canister that concern me in terms of longevity. The big back wheels seem kind of flimsy. I worry that one of them might snap off eventually. It seems like a really odd design choice because everything else about the machine appears to be well thought out both in terms of usability and durability. My other concern is that the pieces inside the metal extension wand that hold the attachments on are plastic and not metal. They do, however, seem to be pretty sturdy plastic and they hold firmly. I can’t remember if my last Kenmore canister had plastic or metal clips, but I do remember they never broke over the years that the machine cleaned up after lots of pets in a big, dirty, farm house.All in all, I really don’t think you can get a better designed, more powerful, or durable vacuum machine at this price. The only other machine I know of that comes close in terms of usability is the Meile canister power team and it costs three times as much. Plus, the variable suction control for the Kenmore is on the handle instead of the canister, unlike the Meile, and the bags are cheaper. The Meile is probably more likely to last a lifetime though, so if you’ve got the cash it’s probably a worthy investment. I didn’t have a grand to drop on a vacuum cleaner, so I got this Kenmore and I couldn’t be happier with it.

5. 

   5 out of 5

   mesa azmesa az – April 17, 2020

   Sears progressive vacuum cleaner arrived today. I’ve had a Sears canister vacuum or have used one for more than 40 years.The new one seems to have much suction, the hose is longer, and the “wand” is longer. The suction control on the new vacuum is a speed control on the motor not just opening a hole in the vacuum wand, like the old model. I thought the wand was plastic but Sears website says it is aluminum I guess that would explain why it’s so light weight compared to the chrome steel ones that I had before. There is still a lot of plastic which is what gave out on my old sears canister vac. The wand is extendable which I see as a possible point of failure, I don’t really see the point of having to extended when a solid fixed length would be great for me. The handle with the power switch is plastic. The model that is about 8 years has a metal wand and a metal tube coming out of the handle with the switch. One feature on the old model that I really like is the 45° bend in the hose where it attaches to the canister power unit. Previous sears canister vacuums I’ve had did not have the 45° bend where it attaches to the canister and it would easily roll over when you pull the hose. Also the bend takes the force off of the hose when you pull the vacuum. When you pull the vacuum by the hose now you’re pulling against hose where comes out of the vacuum. With the 45° angle elbow from the vacuum you were pulling on the elbow not bending the hose.It is a little bit louder than the older sears vacuum. The older progressive vacuum has the date written on the bottom of March 2010, so it is about 8 years old. It has survived a long-haired dog and a shorthaired dog.The new vacuum is very similar in design as the one I have that is 8 years old. One point of failure on the old powerhead was the small piece of cord that comes from the wand into the powerhead. I cut this out and replaced it with a piece of lamp cord to continue using the vacuum cleaner. I thought I would be able to use it this way until I realized many pieces on the old vacuum wand and head have cracked. The hose had started to collapse in a couple places, many plastic couplings for the hose attachment and power cord were cracked and broken.The new vacuum will not go underneath the couch all the way like the old one would. The old wand when attached to the powerhead would turn completely flat and go underneath the couch as far as you could reach. Pictures comparing the old and new. Reaching under the couch, the hose ends, the powerheads, and the canister vac itself really pretty obvious which one is old and which one is new.

6. 

   5 out of 5

   The Monkey’s Pog – April 23, 2020

   This vaccum is an updated version of the vaccum my mom had in the 1970’s, but much easier to use and store.This machine is serious about removing pet hair, and keeping it from tangling in the beater brush… I don’t even know how it does it but the machine stays very clean, nothing seems to be wrapping around the brush and changing the bag is a very neat and easy process… so much better than a bagless!The canister should probably have 4 wheels instead of 3… it tends to roll over if you change direction and aren’t paying attention.But it cleans like a dream, lights the way really well, and the vaccum itself stays very clean even inside the chamber where the bag sits, the bag doesn’t spit out dirt like the old paper bags used to either.Because my house looks and feels cleaner, I am vacuuming more often and because I am vacuuming more often my carpets look great, then I have to do the rest of the house.This product is so good at what it does, that it has encouraged me to keep everything cleaner… I would buy this product again in a heartbeat!It has cleaver styling, and is actually pretty. It’s not a high end European appliance, and is probably not up for rough and tumble handling, I wouldn’t yank it around a whole lot, there is flimsy plastic covering the tools and the hose seems like it could be attached more securely. But handled with a light touch, it seems high enough quality for most applications.

7. 

   5 out of 5

   moosemtnjudy – April 23, 2020

   OK, I will be right up front. I worked for Sears Roebuck for many years. I was in commission sales. I worked in the vacuum cleaner dept where other appliances were sold, and I made a great living selling Kenmore vacuum cleaners for many years. I loved my job, I loved working for Sears and the company paid us well encouraging us to have fun at our jobs with customers and give the best customer service. I was one happy gal to work in vacuum cleaner sales. I continually had customers who would stop by my department and tell me how much they loved their Kenmore vacuum. Last year, however, I decided I needed to sell my own Kenmore canister and go to a stick type of vacuum. While they are handy for quick cleanups, I found myself annoyed and mad at myself for giving up my Kenmore canister. With the stick vac, there is no bag so all the dirt, hair, and whatever you pick up off the floors have to be cleaned from the container which holds it using your hands to clean it. and the dirt goes everywhere and then I would have to occasionally wipe out the inside of the container as well as wash the sponge filters which are a mess. Yes, you can buy the sponge filters but in between buying new sponge filters I could wash them and replace them when it became too displeasing to do the job! With my Kenmore canister, the bags are easy to put in the machine and take out making it a nice clean job to dispose of. The stick vacuum does not have a crevice tool to get into corners, inside cracks, and under upholstery or the ease and versatility of taking it out to my car and vacuuming it well. and quite simply does not have near the power that my Kenmore canister has. My decision to buy a Kenmore canister was easy to make what with my experience with a stick vacuum! So I got on Amazon and found a great buy on a Kenmore vacuum which has put a smile on my face at a great buy!

8. 

   5 out of 5

   A.C.E. – June 26, 2020

   For many of the posted reviews, the model number is not evident, which makes it difficult to discern what ratings are for which models. I installed new carpet. It cost a fortune because it is ultra plush with all of the stain resistant bells and whistles. I have several upright vacuums, all of which were rated in the top 8 by Consumer Reports. Nonetheless, none of them were easy to operate when vacuuming my new carpet, as they were difficult to push and pull. It made vacuuming more of a chore than it already is.Enter the Kenmore Elite Pet Friendly Ultra Plush Canister. I did some research on vacuums that were well rated for Ultra Plush carpets. Ultra Plush carpets are thick and dense and an inferior vacuum can actually damage it. I wanted something that pushed easily and had a large footprint, because the fewer passes that need to be made, the better.The 21814 (the Crossover) is rated as the #1 canister by Consumer Reports, but when I came to Amazon to check out the features of that model, it specifically indicates that it is not ultra plush carpet capable. However, the 81714 indicated it was. So, I made it my mission to find out what the differences were between the two models.21814 – integrated bare floor nozzle with dust sensor and fan cleaning tool81714 – carpet nozzle made for plush carpetBoth have the same exact motor.The 81714 vacuums up after my four dogs and my plush carpet with ease. I saw some complaints about suction, but there is both height adjustment and suction adjustment to meet your needs. With the right settings, I have not had to vacuum the same spot with more than a single pass. There attachments meet all of my needs, with a hard floor, pet, brush, and crevice tool. The vacuum is easy to maneuver along the floor and remains upright. There is also a “ledge” underneath the canister that holds the vacuum in place on stairs. The bags are cloth and pretty big, so replacements should be spaced over many uses. Genuine Kenmore replacement bags run about $2.25 each. But, the purpose of the high quality bags is to trap dust particles, which this unit does well.

9. 

   5 out of 5

   Prime Member – July 2, 2020

   My wife and I share house chores. We have had the previous model for over 15 years. Last week the old one had blue smoke coming out and after disassembly the motor was shot. I can fix anything short of nuclear fusion. Bottom line? A new motor was nearly half the price of a new one.I checked reviews and this model is rated near the top. We have two Cats and Dust bunnies breed quickly. No sweat with variable suction available on the wand. Accessories are neatly sowed under the cover. There is also a powered upholstery wand with beater. There is also a brush wand that rotates to do ceiling fans, top and bottom. The cord retract is firm with a wide pedal. The hard floor brush is contained within the rug beater and pulls out with a handy foot pedal. The wand with brush attached will lay almost flat to get under the headboard and dresser. This vacuum is very powerful, as in suck the varnish off the floor! (just kidding)This VAC compares to those over $1000. I had no idea vacuums could cost that much. Although not inexpensive this vacuum is a good buy. I’ve gone out on a limb based on our previous Kenmore model to give it 5 stars on durability. About repair concerns, parts are available. Even if Sears goes away there will be parts available from many after market places.

10. 

    5 out of 5

    Susan Lawhon – September 18, 2020

    First, I’m a fan of canister vacs. Second, I have owned this model for 4 years. I had the opportunity to give it to someone who really needed a vac. I searched for a replacement but came back to this model because of my positive experience.Pros: reliable, dependable, sturdy, usefulness of onboard tools especially the pet hair attachment (I have 3 Siberian Huskies), the “crossover” feature which quickly detaches the hose from the beater brush, adjusts to a variety of rug/carpet piles, easily portableCons: wish it had a larger vacuum bag capacity