Say goodbye to flying fur! We tapped our resident cat-loving editor to try out the new Bissell PowerClean DualBrush vacuum during shedding season.
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Calling all pet parents: there’s a new fur fighter in town! The newly released Bissell PowerClean DualBrush vacuum promises an end to the messy parts of pet ownership. Not only does it boast a self-cleaning brush that eliminates pet hair from deep inside carpets, but it also comes with a full fleet of attachments and a set of dirt-seeking headlights that make cleaning a quick and thorough affair.
As a cat mom fighting the spring shedding season, I knew my home was the perfect place to test the new Bissell PowerClean vacuum. I took it on a tour of my house, focusing on everything from my stiff living room carpet to tile floors and hair-covered velvet furniture. Here’s what I thought of all the clever features, along with how it held up to my (admittedly high) demands as a pet parent.
Bissell PowerClean DualBrush Vacuum
With bright fur-finding headlights and a dual brush system, this pet-friendly vacuum picks up even the longest hairs without tangling.
What is the Bissell PowerClean DualBrush?
The Bissell PowerClean vacuum is the latest vacuum release from Bissell. Much like the Bissell FurFinder vacuum, it comes with helpful headlights that highlight hair and debris. What sets the PowerClean apart from other Bissell models is its dual brush head, which simultaneously pulls up deeply embedded fur while also sweeping away surface level dirt.
In addition to working on both carpeted and hard floors thanks to the dual brushes, the PowerClean vacuum head is also built to be self-cleaning. It utilizes grooves that guide hair up into the dust chamber, rather than wrapping around the brush. Overall, it’s a thoughtfully designed vacuum for pet-friendly households, particularly multi-pet homes.
Features
- Bright headlights: Front-facing headlights illuminate dirt, hair and debris for a more thorough clean.
- Dual-brush head: Soft bristles in two different sizes both sweep up dirt from carpet fibers and pick up stubborn pet hair.
- Self-cleaning brush roll: Grooved comb guides move hair through the vacuum without clogging up the brush roll.
- HEPA Sealed AllergenSystem: Multi-level HEPA filtration ensures no allergens make their way back into the air.
- Self-standing design: Doesn’t require a stand or wall mount thanks to a secure locking design.
- Wall mount: Comes with a charging wall mount with installation hardware that holds both the vacuum as well as the Fur Finder and crevice tool attachments.
- AutoAdapt: Automatically switches power settings based on how much dirt it detects.
How We Tested It
Unboxing and Setup
I’m happy to note that unboxing and setting up the Bissell PowerClean is a simple affair. There are no complicated instructions or small parts for assembly. The parts snap together intuitively—I didn’t even need to consult the instructions when putting it together for the first time. The controls comprise of just two buttons: a power button and a “settings” button, which cycles through the three cleaning modes.
One unexpected feature I absolutely love as a pet parent is the packaging, which transforms into a cat cubby. This attention to detail isn’t just sweet—it’s a good reminder that Bissell uses a portion of their earnings to support the Bissell Pet Foundation.
Floor Performance
The vacuum offers three different suction settings: eco (indicated by a white light), medium (indicated by a blue light) and turbo (indicated by a red light). The machine automatically switches between these settings depending on how much dirt it detects, but you can also use the settings button to manually cycle through and select your preferred setting. It’s worth noting that the more intense settings drain the battery life quicker.
I began by trying it out on my tile and wood floors. I first sprinkled some powdered peanut butter on the floor to get a good visual of how well the vacuum picks up powdery debris. It only took one pass with the PowerClean to pick up a majority of the powder, and the headlights helped illuminate every last speck of dust. As I ran the vacuum over the powder, I heard the turbo mode kick in as the vacuum detected an increase in debris. It was fun seeing this feature firsthand.
Trying the vacuum on carpet presented an even more impressive performance. The stiff, longer brush easily dug into the carpet to pull up pet hair. While my carpet is low pile, it’s pretty beat up and there are lots of areas where my previous vacuum would hit a snag and require some detangling. Not so with the PowerClean! It glided easily over my stiff carpet. I was also surprised to note that even though I had vacuumed a few days prior, the dust bin was filled almost to the brim with hair and dander my old vacuum left behind.
Rug Performance
While vacuuming a rug is tricky business, the Bissell PowerClean performed very well on my kitchen rug. While it did pull at the rug a little on the edges, the center of the rug doesn’t jam up into the brush head, which is a big win. It performed even better on my large Cozey rug, which was well overdue for a cleaning. That said, I would advise sticking with eco mode on rugs to minimize any mishaps.
Attachments and Features
Like many stick vacuums, the PowerClean easily transforms into a dedicated handheld vacuum, making it ultra flexible for spring cleaning. I tried both the upholstery tool and crevice tool and was impressed by both. The crevice tool is good for fishing out dirt from ceiling corners and pulling dust off of curtains. Plus, this lightweight vacuum is easy to carry around in its handheld form. No achey arms here!
However, the upholstery tool, featuring a brush head that’s removable for cleaning, is the real star here. The smaller head suctions to couch cushions, creating a tight seal that quickly lifted errant pet fur off of my velvet Kova couch, which is a total hair magnet. The bristles are stiff yet soft, making them phenomenal at pulling up woven-in hairs. It took only one pass to pull up the hair embedded in my cat’s favorite spot, while it usually took my previous vacuum several passes.
Some of my favorite features are the included wall mount with hardware that doubles as attachment storage and the self-standing design, which comes in handy when I have to step away for a minute. Bright headlights highlight incognito dirt and the wide vacuum head is capable of picking up larger debris like bits of cereal. Additionally, while the dual brush system is powerful enough to sweep up dirt, it’s also gentle enough to not scratch the floor.
Emptying the Dust Bin
The dust bin holds a good amount of debris, so it doesn’t need to be emptied constantly. Unfortunately, it’s also a bit messy to open and empty, so you’ll want to do this directly over a garbage can to catch any fallout. All the filters are easily accessible and require a periodic rinse in the sink to clear any dust.
Pros
- Lightweight at under 8 pounds
- Works well on both carpeted and hard floors
- Doesn’t struggle with long hair or fur
- Comes with two useful attachments
- Real HEPA filter
- Self-standing design
- Automatically switches cleaning mode
- Easy, quick setup
Cons
- Requires frequent charging
- Dust cup is a bit messy
Product Comparison: Bissell PowerClean vs. Shark PowerDetect
The most natural comparison for the Bissell PowerClean is the Shark PowerDetect, which I tested as part of our Shark cordless vacuum tests. While I own and love the pricier Clean and Empty system which comes with a storage dock, the basic PowerDetect offers many of the same bells and whistles as the Bissell PowerClean.
Both vacuums offer useful headlights for dirt detection. In addition, both offer similar suction power despite a pretty significant price difference. The Shark vacuum rings up at around $449.99. The much more budget-friendly Bissell retails instead for around $359.99.
The higher price point of the Shark vacuum does come with a few notable upgrades, including a handsome LCD screen and a middle joint that allows the vacuum to slip under low furniture. The Shark vacuum also propels itself across floors, which is handy for high pile carpet. In addition, the Shark version offers backwards suction, so it doesn’t push dirt around behind it when moving in reverse.
On the other hand, the budget Bissell is lighter and its upholstery attachment is better at pulling pet fur off of my velvet couch than the Shark’s upholstery attachment. Overall, those who want a good mid-priced vacuum for pet fur will likely love the Bissell, while folks who want a bit more of a luxe experience can’t go wrong with the Shark.
Where to Buy the Bissell PowerClean DualBrush
Bissell PowerClean DualBrush Vacuum
Thanks to automatic dirt detection, this handy vacuum chooses the best mode for your floor—no need to fuss with the settings!
Folks looking for a budget vacuum that performs just as well as pricier brands can snag their own Bissell PowerClean vacuum on the brand’s website or Amazon. It retails for around $359.99 normally, though the brand offers frequent sales.
Each purchase comes with the wall mount, charger and two accessory heads, offering a full fleet of cleaning essentials. For pet parents seeking a sturdy fur fighting machine, the Bissell PowerClean DualBrush vacuum delivers on its promise to eliminate the dreaded dander.
