Eureka 4870GZ Boss Smart-Vac Upright Vacuum
by Eureka
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Product Details
Manufacturer: EurekaBrand: Eureka
Edition: Kitchen
Model: 4870GZ
Color: Red Fleck
Publisher: Eureka
Studio: Eureka
Music Label: Eureka
Product features:
- Upright vacuum cleaner with 12-amp motor for carpets and hard floors; upgrade of 4870DT
- HEPA filtration system captures 99.97 percent of dust, pollen, and allergens
- Onboard tools include dusting brush, upholstery nozzle, and crevice tool
- Stretch hose for above-floor cleaning; 3-stage dust-trap system; 30-foot cord
- Measures 15 by 11 by 45 inches; 1-year warranty
Tools and Hardware Reviews of Eureka 4870GZ Boss Smart-Vac Upright Vacuum
Customer Review: Good Value for the Price
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought the 4870GZ because it was highly rated by Consumer Reports and compared well in testing with much higher priced vacuums. So far, it has performed extremely well on both carpet and hard floors.
Out of the box, all that needed to be done was to attach the handle with three screws. This was pretty much straightforward and only required a Philips head screw driver. Alignment of the head was a little tricky but not impossible. Tools and the hose were then stowed appropriately.
I purchased this vacuum as a replacement for a Eureka Optima, so most comparisons will be made with this model.
EXCELLENT ON CARPETS:
At first blush, the vacuum appears and feels solid. The controls (foot pedal, adjustments) are stiff but operable. The vacuum did an excellent job on carpet cleaning up just about anything in its wake. The ultimate test here was provided by our Angora rabbit. Now in shedding mode, his downy, long hair is often a challenge for any vacuum. The 4870GZ showed that rabbit who was boss, and easily whisked it away.
USING THE HOSE:
Moving from the brush roll to the hose was easily done by turning the yellow dial on the side of the vacuum. When the vacuum is upright, in locked position, the brush roll turns off. This means that the vacuum will not cause friction damage to the carpet while you are using the hose. On cheaper models have had to place the vacuum on its side or use the hose with one hand and tilt the vacuum with the other if I needed to use the hose.
The shortcoming here, is that the hose is too short. The on board wand detaches into two pieces to extend the reach, but it is still a little short for cleaning high up. The hose is no longer than the hose on the smaller and cheaper Optima.
Of note, the brush roll is only deactivated when the vacuum is locked in the upright position. Simply diverting the air to the hose with the dial alone will not turn off the brush roll. Suction was excellent. Although there is not a variable control for power, you can adjust suction in the hose by turning the dial and diverting some of the suction to the brush roll. (Conversely, the same thing can be done to control suction when you are using the vacuum as an upright. This is helpful if you are vacuuming a small area rug. Sometimes the suction is too great and you end up sucking up the corner of the rug with your dirt.)
The `powerpaw' is an extra accessory that is used to clean upholstery. It works well but there is no place to stow it on the unit itself.
EASY TO UNCLOG
Courtesy of my children, and my carelessness, I clogged the vacuum twice with toys. Given the clear tubing, it was easy to identify where the blockage occurred. The tubes are easily disassembled without tools and I was back in business within minutes.
BAGS VS. BAGLESS:
When I last purchased a vacuum, I wanted a bagless model, thinking that I could save time and money in a bagless world. However, my Optima's DC-10 filter would clog with pet hair every two to four weeks. Yes, it can be cleaned but this was not easy or clean task. Moreover, the filters were not easy to find in the brick and mortar stores near me and cost $21.00 for a single filter (a knockoff, not Eureka brand). The lowest price per filter was $9.99+ shipping per filter on the web. Cleaning the filter was the only way to do things economically. Bags are a pain because you have to keep a supply always on hand but they are far cheaper than filters and are less messy to dispose of than bagless canisters.
It is interesting to note that HEPA filters are almost ubiquitous on vacuums. But when you empty the bagless variety, you always end up with a puff of smoke and a lot of those allergens are put right back into the air. Bag size could be better. It is about half the size you'd expect when you look at the unit. Nevertheless, the vacuum does not appear to appreciably lose suction as the bag fills. Changing the bags is very simple and doesn't kick up dust. I'm never going back to bagless...
MODERATE NOISE LEVEL:
This vacuum is not what you would call quiet. However, it gives off only moderate noise pollution when compared to other models. Despite its larger size, greater power of the motor and better suction, it is far quieter than the little Optima was with a fresh filter. (As its filter clogged, the Optima was deafening and would sound like a jet taking off of the tarmac).
GOOD ON HARD FLOORS
For working on hard floors, the brush roll may be deactivated using a switch. This didn't work when the vacuum first arrived. Frustrated, I opened the plate on the bottom of the brush roll which is usually removed to change the belt. Pushing up on the mechanism from below, I was able to activate it. After doing this a couple of times, the mechanism loosened enough for me to do this with the vacuum closed. On my vacuum, the switch can only be tripped in the upright/locked position and this still takes considerable force, but it works.
Once the switch is flipped, the brush roll is deactivated and you can lean the handle back and vacuum as needed. With the brush roll off, the unit worked easily and well on hardwood, tile and linoleum floors.
The major challenge here, was the basement. The vacuum easily sucked up basement dust and stray pieces of the rabbit's timothy hay--even long pieces as an upright. Not an easy feat. It was successful as well using the hose. There was no dust cloud in front of the vacuum or even dust that appeared to blow away from the unit. Unlike some of the negative reviews, I didn't experience overly loud noise when using the unit on hard floors.
ERGONOMICS:
Ergonomically, the machine is only so-so. The handle height is fixed. Not being all that tall at 5'4", the handle still felt as though it was too low. An adjustable height would be welcome.
As above, Eureka could have been more generous in the amount of hose tubing used. The tubing was about the same length as on the smaller Optima and really too short to get most high places.
As with all Eureka's I have owned, the tool storage is a bit lacking. All the `major' tools easily fit into compartments on the vacuum where they are easily accessible. They also easily fall out of these compartments which is frustrating. Moreover, the tubing never seems to stay in place on the unit either, occasionally flopping off as you are using the vacuum as an upright.
The tools are also of poorer quality than the overall vacuum, but are certainly serviceable. One notable problem is that the crevice tool is really too short. It is 1/3 shorter than the crevice tool for the Optima and really impairs getting into small places (like cleaning the coils of an old radiator). I'm not sure why Eureka skimped on this one.
Unless you are a body builder, take care when you use this unit to vacuum your stairs. The thing weighs a ton. It's not bad to push back and forth, but it is not light weight or easy to carry. If you have back problems or are very slight it might make sense to buy a lighter model.
The head of the upright vacuum is very thick and the handle does not bend low to the ground. This makes cleaning under beds or some furniture difficult. Cleaning in corners is also somewhat limited because of this and requires use of the hose.
As stated in other reviews and above, the controls are clunky and require a lot of force. I don't think it takes huge amounts of force, but stepping down on the pedal to lean the handle back is an acquired skill: it does take moderate pressure and you have to find the sweet spot.
I think some of the brush roll and control failure problems in negative reviews could be related to clunky hardware. After viewing the brush roll mechanism, it seems clear that some of the non-working brush roll problems stated in negative reviews may be due to the brush roll release being stuck in the off position. Some failures in the brush roll release that were reported may be due to its inherent clunkiness which requires heavy pressure to work and the fact that (at least on my model) it can only be activated in the upright/locked position (this is not specified in the directions, but appears to be true). Whether you like this vacuum or not, the negative reviewers point out quite correctly that this is a design flaw and I'm surprised that Eureka has not addressed this as the 4870GZ is not the first iteration of this model.
Moreover, the device comes with an extra belt--this tells me that the belt life is probably short and replacement in the short term is going to be inevitable.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES:
I cannot comment on the longevity of the vacuum, because I haven't owned it for more than a week. I must say, that some negative reviews on Amazon have pointed out the lack of reliability of this product, so I do have concerns. Given its overall construction, it is probably the case that this is not the 'lifetime' vacuum that you get when you buy, say, a Rainbow or Kirby. Those vacuums are constructed like tanks and can probably be repaired when they are 20 or 30 years old. I am okay with the vacuum lasting, say, 4 or 5 years, but if it breaks within 3 to 12 months I will be sorely disappointed. Perhaps I will do a follow up after some time passes.
The jury is still out regarding the HEPA filtration system. This needs to be changed about once to twice per year and filters can be costly. One can buy a reusable/washable filter that can be used and cleaned a number of times.
CONCLUSIONS:
On the whole, it performs quite well especially given the price. Although it has its flaws, it is far cheaper than other vacuums in its class and I think that translates well in terms of overall value. It is a significant improvement over the Optima in terms of raw cleaning power, versatility, and noise pollution. I WOULD, however, take the negative reviews quite seriously as they point to some negative aspects of owning this vacuum that cannot be overlooked. All this is not helped given that the users manual, although multilingual, is quite sparse and not all that helpful.
Nevertheless, it is an excellent carpet and floor cleaner and in my experience so far is a great value for the money.
PROS:
Excellent suction
Bagged system
Works well on hard floors or carpet
Brush roll deactivates when unit is upright
Cleans up pet hair well
Moderate noise
Clear tubing which is easily removed to clear blockages
Long cord
Excellent
CONS:
No variable controls for power (you can compensate with the hose/floor dial, however)
Item is HEAVY
Short hose length
Tools/hose don't store reliably in unit
Handle not adjustable
Crevice tool is too short
VERY Clunky/Stiff controls
Small bag size
Vacuum head is thick and may be hard to get into corners/under furniture
Handle does not bend back far to the floor making it hard to get under furniture
Poorly documented manual
Description of Eureka 4870GZ Boss Smart-Vac Upright Vacuum
Get the cleanest air possible in your home with True HEPA filtration and the Clean Air System on this Eureka upright. Additions like a wide cleaning path, deluxe stretch hose, large brushroll, and air selector and bare floor switches allow you to clean both carpet and bare floors with ease. The exclusive dust trap system captures debris and dust in three stages.Let's face it. Most vacuums just don't cut it when it comes to really cleaning a home or office. Pesky pet hair embeds deeper in carpet than traditional vacuums go; bits and pieces of tracked-in dirt and debris hunker down under floor trim just out of reach of the latest brush innovations, rendering us to the silliness of handpicking behind that expensive vacuum, filling our pockets with lint, and wondering-who's really the boss? Troubles like these made the folks at Eureka get down and dirty and, ultimately, design the Boss Smart-Vac Upright Vacuum.
Offering powerful performance for everyday household cleaning, the Eureka Boss is the solution for people who insist on having a truly clean home. The Boss's Direct Air Control System features an air selector switch that lets you direct all suction either deep into the carpet or to the hose for easy above-the-floor cleaning. The Power Paw brush makes it easy to clean stairs and upholstery, and even claws up embedded pet hair, so Fido can spend more time inside. The motorized brush lets you go from carpet- to bare floor-cleaning with the flick of a switch. The Boss Smart-Vac is powered by a beefy, 12-amp motor that provides plenty of suction power for deep cleaning carpets, and leaves nothing behind on hard floors.
Pretty smart; right? Well, here's the really smart part. The Boss Smart-Vac isn't just the best household carpet- and floor-cleaning vacuum on the market; it's also equipped with a unique, sealed HEPA filtration system that captures 99.97 percent of dust, pollen, allergens, and bacteria. So, vacuuming the house doesn't mean you have to dust afterward, or sneeze while you're doing it. Cleaner carpets and cleaner indoor air at the same time!
Plus, the Boss is loaded with user-friendly features to take the frustration out of vacuuming. A wide cleaning path covers a lot of ground quickly before company comes. And, unlike inferior models, the Boss is designed with a brush-view window that shows you how hard it's working, letting you actually see the powerful brush roller remove dirt from carpets and floors. The exclusive dust trap system captures debris and dust in three stages. A handy stretch hose extends to five times its original length for reaching around furniture and sucking the cobwebs off the ceiling. And, a 30-foot cord won't leave you coming up short. The bare floor brush is designed to smoothly glide across wood and tile floors while picking up more dust and debris in corners and along baseboards than any other model. --Brian Olson
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