Top critical review
2.0 out of 5 starsPhenomenal vacuum, but get the (blue) 31140 version instead!
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2023
**Initially a 4 star vacuum; a year later and it is sadly now a 2 star vacuum in my book. Reasons in the EDIT below!
Initial review:
Phenomenal vacuum for anyone with carpeting and pets! I’ve owned a Dyson, Bissel, and several Hoover uprights in the past; while they were all fantastic vacuums, the Kenmore Elite is easily the best vacuum I’ve ever owned. I have 2 cats that shed all year long, so I vacuum our bedrooms (carpeted) on average 3-4 times a week. The amount of stuff this vacuum manages to pick up is just incredibe; my carpets look, and more importantly, actually *feel* clean once I’m finished vacuuming. Unlike some of my other uprights in the past, this vacuum picks up just about everything on the first pass. Its suction is so strong that it even picks things up from a distance (without actually needing to roll over the area), which is great for vacuuming in corners or close to the wall. Works great on hardwood floors as well, even with the rollers on. For picking up gritty substances on hardwood (crumbs, cat litter, other “sand like” things), it works best with the rollers off; these things do tend to “bounce” if the rollers are on! Rollers automatically shut off when the vacuum is in its upright position.
Yes, it’s heavy, and yes, it’s loud, but so are majority of other upright vacuums on the market. The weight doesn’t really affect its maneuverability while vacuuming, but can be an issue if you need to carry it up a flight of stairs regularly. Make sure you check the weight if this is something you’re concerned about. In terms of noise, it’s certainly loud enough that it’s difficult to carry on a conversation with someone while using it (without yelling), but it’s not so loud that it leaves your ears ringing once you turn it off lol. I’d say size, weight, ’maneuverability, and sound are about the same as every Hoover Wind Tunnel I’ve owned.
One major flaw design—the hose. Where it connects to the vacuum is placed such that when you stretch the hose more than a few inches without physically holding onto the vacuum, it loses its balance and falls over. This is a huge flaw for anyone that likes to dust/clean with the attachments. It’s nearly impossible to use the hose without holding the vacuum, which basically negates having a long hose to begin with (initially a pro in my mind when choosing this vacuum). This design flaw makes this vacuum a poor (and potentially dangerous) choice for anyone that plans to use it on carpeted stairs. The hose diameter is also slightly smaller than most other uprights, making it so that practically all “universal” attachments aren’t compatible with the hose (without an adapter). Highly recommend purchasing a 32mm to 35mm adapter if you’d like to use additional dusting attachments (separate from those included with the vacuum); I found this adapter to work with majority of “universal” attachments available on Amazon!
TL;DR If you’re looking for a quiet or lightweight vacuum, keep looking! This thing is heavy and loud (not much more than most other uprights, though!). It’s size and weight allow for its suction power; it’s an incredible vacuum for anyone with pets or allergies. Works extremely well on carpet and rugs, but does a great job on hardwood floors as well. Rollers automatically shut off when the vacuum is in its upright position. One major flaw (and the reason for the missing star)—stretching the hose more than a few inches without holding the vacuum will cause the vacuum to fall over. Not a deal breaker for me, but it does prevent this vacuum from getting a 5 star rating! Hose diameter will NOT fit most generic dusting attachments; purchase a 32mm to 35 mm adapter if you’re planning to order additional attachments!
Edit:
It pains me to change my initial 4 star rating to a 2 star rating, because this vacuum is truly a power house. The reason for the drastically lower rating? The direct drive roller brush/beater bar.
This version uses a self-propelled roller brush that is directly powered by the vacuum without the use of a traditional belt. This is fantastic until you need to replace the brush. Traditional brush rollers powered by a belt typically aren’t that expensive or difficult to replace, however I’ve never personally needed to replace the brush rollers on my upright vacuums in the past––with regular untangling / upkeep, the bristles are usually still in great condition by the time the vacuum motor gives out.
After only a year of use, I noticed that the vacuum was no longer making carpet lines as I vacuumed. Not inherently an issue, but moreso just something I noticed and shrugged off. It still seemed to suck up all of the visible hair and debris off my carpet, but I noticed after a few weeks that my carpeting looked (and felt) less fluffy than normal. I decided to check and see if the roller needed to be cleaned, and to my surprise, I found that basically ALL of the bristles were gone. Literally like 95% of the bristles were missing from the brush roller lol. They had all deteriorated at the root of the bristle, leaving behind just a tiny prickly patch where they attached to the beater bar. Since I didn’t use this vacuum any differently than I did my previous uprights, I was a little confused how they wore out so quickly. Not a big deal though, since I figured it couldn’t cost more than $20-30 to replace. Well, that is the case for vacuums that utilize a belt, but not the case for beltless vacuums that require a special kind of brush roller. ***A brush roller replacement for the 31150 model is currently $320*** LOL…THIS IS MORE THAN THE COST OF THE VACUUM!
I decided to look through the reviews and saw a few others who complained about the same issue. I removed 2 additional stars from my initial review––1 for the poor longevity of the bristles on the brush roller, and 1 for the cost of the replacement. I could probably deal with one of these issues alone (can you tell I otherwise LOVED this vacuum?), but having both of these issues combined is an absolute dealbreaker for repurchasing the 31150. No one should have to purchase a $300 vacuum each year, and a quality vacuum certainly shouldn’t require $300 in maintenance fees each year either.
After some research, I have since purchased the 31140 (blue) version of this vacuum, and it is every bit as powerful as the 31150, but with a belt powered brush roller. The 31140 version also does not include the light up dirt sensor. The suction, weight, and sound of the vacuum are all equal to that of the 31150, and the flaw in the hose location is still an issue with the 31140. Luckily though, replacement parts are much cheaper for the 31140––the belt is ~$5-8 and the brush roller can be found for just under $30.
TL;DR Unless the bristle quality issue is addressed in the future, DO NOT purchase the 31150. The brush roller does not last more than a year, and costs $300 to replace. Purchase the 31140 version instead, which uses a belt powered roller. Every bit as powerful but with an affordable brush roller replacement available for ~$30!
