If I was building a new house from scratch there is no question that I would install a central vacuum system. No matter what kind of traditional vacuum cleaner I’ve ever used (and that includes canisters, uprights, handheld, broom sticks, etc.) they all have their drawbacks. A few years ago I got the idea of getting a one of those gadgets that looks like a paper shredder, where you sweep the debris toward it and it turns on automatically and a powerful motor swoops everything into it. It is one of the best home gadgets I’ve ever bought, in my house I have to use it several times a day to clean up after the pets. I love the idea but I’m not fond of it sitting out in the open, it’s not very decorative. When I saw that there was a variety of the same thing with all of the benefits but it hides in the cove under the kitchen counters I immediately wanted one and have been shopping for one for a few months. This brand was not on my list but when I saw it and had the opportunity to try it I ordered it.
INITIAL OBSERVATIONS
While this looks like stainless steel the product is actually all plastic with a metal looking front panel. Considering that you will be pushing a broom toward it and likely be kicking it a lot I don’t have a lot of confidence that the front panel won’t start looking scratched and untidy after a while. I was expecting a higher quality of overall construction based on the description.
IMPORTANT INSTALLATION CAUTIONS
Installation can be simple but there are a few things they don’t tell you right up front. The most important is that you have to have some place to plug it in. That may sound simple but not really, for example if you want to put it in a bathroom you will probably have to call in an electrician to wire an under sink power outlet in to conform to code. Kitchens can be easier because the majority of them in recent years already have an outlet under the sink for the disposal and often for the dishwasher. Try to locate the vacuum so you can plug it in directly without using an extension cord, you don’t want work with electrical wiring where there’s water nearby. Note that they have a pretty nice how-to-install video available. I say pretty nice because it completely glosses over the fact that you need to plug it in until the very end of the video where they basically say, oh yeah, now plug it in. It’s also good to know upfront that the video shows that they use a DC powered motor with a wall plug transformer. The actual unit however has a heavy-duty standard grounded AC power plug.
There are a couple of other things you should know, one being that they lead you to believe that the kickboard just pops off and you can cut it somewhere else. That’s not the case for most kitchen cabinets, mine was very difficult to remove without ruining the cabinets and cutting it in place is a daunting task. In fact the whole process of cutting the right sized opening to mount this device is best left to very skilled woodworkers, it is probably well beyond the capabilities of most people.
You should also be aware that this is a very deep unit. From the face of the kick panel to the back of the motor on the vacuum only left me with a couple of inches to spare. If your counters are slightly less deep than “standard” (like in an apartment or mobile home) you might not be able to make it fit. And also there is no standard height of kick panels. The ones in my old home were only 3”, which is too narrow to use this product. The ones in my new home are much higher than I’ve ever seen before. Don’t guess that this will fit in all under counter spaces.
And one final thought on installation – once again, don’t guess anything. My cabinets are built with a solid bottom base which means the vacuum can’t be installed at room floor level but rather about a half-inch off the floor. That means when you sweep debris toward the nozzle the suction has to lift it up rather than straight into the hole. The motor isn’t quite powerful enough to handle things like cat litter or pet food kibble. If you can’t mount the nozzle at floor level in your installation this may not be your best choice of vacuum device.
OPERATION
In operation you simply use an ordinary broom or mop to sweep everything in the direction of the vac. When you get close to the vacuum just tape the front-mounted switch with your toe or the edge of the broom. You should know that some other brands (including that free-standing one that I own) use a motion sensor to turn the motor on as soon as you get close. I do not like that style at all. Why? The first time one of your pets comes close to your vacuum in the middle of the night and the motor turns on causing the pet to howl in surprise you will know the answer to that question. By the way, having pets myself, I’ve only used the motion sensor option once before learning never to use it.
I don’t want to gloss over the motor noise, it’s important to know that this is a very loud vacuum, much louder than I expected. I thought being under the cabinet would muffle the sound but it actually seems to magnify it. Fortunately the motor is only on for about 10 seconds at a time.
CLEANING
One of the top selling points on this page says “reusable bags-never buy bags again”. That’s not entirely accurate proven by the fact that they include 4 replaceable bags in the box (they used to say they included six, I guess they cut back on that) and sell replacement bags at forty bucks for 5 bags. Eight dollars a bag is much too much. Plus I always have concern when I buy something from unknown startup companies that require consumable part how long that company will be around and if I will ever be able to buy supplies for their product again. Further evidence of this product undergoing design changes right as they bring it to market is that they do include a pre-installed permanent reusable bag. I would say it might be reusable for a while although the bag is not exactly easy to clean. I would have far preferred a reusable plastic container like most new vacuum cleaners are using these days. Both the reusable and disposable bags hold a surprising amount. Of course your house and my house aren’t the same but I average about a week between emptying the bag, which simply pulls out and dumps into the trash.
WHICH ONE
There are two models, apparently one is more powerful than the other and that one is even taller than this one so it probably would not fit under the majority of cabinets. For some reason their own page only shows one of them. Go for the slimmer (and maybe more powerful) one.
This is a convenient under counter vacuum and I conditionally like it. You should know that for most people the installation will probably be far more difficult than they lead you to believe. And this will by no means replace the need for a central vacuum system or a good room vacuum, the intake nozzle is too small and the motor is too weak to consider it for major cleaning day tasks. But on the positive side it a work saver. I have a big concern about the cost and availability of replacement disposable bags, when or if I find a generic debris bag that fits this model I’ll let you know.
I have installed many of these units and they all have worked great! I am a contractor that remodels kitchens, I always include these vacuums as a surprise extra at the end of the project. Clients always smile and show everyone. Works perfectly for me.
We have been using the Sweepovac for several month with no problems. We did not want to mount it out in the open so we built a vented frame and mounted it in our pantry. Could not be happier.
I'm editing my previous review from three to five stars. I was under the assumption that this unit would only work for ten seconds, but if you hold the on/off button for three seconds, it actually stays on for five minutes. Given this new discovery, which I learned from reading the manual (crazy idea), this vacuum is amazing. The attachment hose for this version, which is sold separately, allows me to quickly vacuum up cat litter from several feet away and to quickly clean around my kitchen cabinets.
This little guy is awesome! If you don't have a central vac system, this is a perfect alternative to provide a vacuum feature in your kitchen.
I looked at installing it in two different locations: A flush mount on the side of my kitchen island, or underneath the garbage cabinet (which was recessed about 3-4"). I chose the island as I had easier access to the back of the power outlet and I didn't want to have to dry and push dirt that extra 3 to 4" underneath the recessed cabinet.
Installation was fairly easy - took about 2 hours, but most of that was getting through two layers of wood on the side of my cabinet. I used a trim router (like a Ridgid JobMax with the straight cut saw blade) and it worked great, just took my time to be careful with the lines. I outlined all of the lines with several layers of painting tape to help if the saw blade jumped on me, and I also taped a piece of thick cardboard to my wood floor to protect it from the same. After I cut through the first board, I had to use a chisel and hammer to break it up as it was heavily glued to the interior board. Once it was removed, I repeated cutting with the straight cut trim saw and the 2nd board popped right out.
I ran the electrical line directly to the back of the outlet already installed in my kitchen island. Fairly straightforward if you can do some basic electrical work (safely). Of course I turned the breaker off first and tested the line before working on the outlet.
The kids love it and it's so much easier than scooping down with a little hand brush and dust pan.
Feature Product
- Reduces your household work with no bending or dustpan
- No loss of space and easy to use
- Includes sweepovac vacuum, 6-18 foot expandable hose plus 2 hose attachments
- No central vac required, self contained
- Simple DIY installation and maintenance free
Description
Sweepovac is a revolutionary kitchen vacuum that eliminates that pesky dirt-line often left behind by using a dustpan! It is easily placed in any kitchen by installing it in the bottom of the cabinets and does not require a central vac system. It's strong suction, removes dirt in seconds and it's sleek design allows for no loss of space.
Love Sweepovac!! Works like a charm. Sleek looking, also comes with white face if desired. Couldn't be simpler to operate and change the bag. Sweepovac has a lot of suction and really pulls the dirt in for such a small unit. Sweepovac is quite easy to install if you have even the most basic home handyman skills. Doesn't take special wiring. Plugs into a standard household outlet with a computer style power cable. As a bonus, it comes with a pack of 5 extra bags in the box, enough for a year or more I would think. 2 year warranty too.
Powerful and east to install. Caution - when used in kitchen, ants may fins their way into the bag with bits of food from your floor.
It's awesome. My wife and I love this new addition. Easy to install and enough power to suck up everything which we put in front of it so far. The 10sec timer for auto shut off is great. Will get another one soon for my kitchen in the basement.
The sweeopvac is a great addition to our kitchen. Installation was straight forward with no significant issues. The biggest hurdle is to get electrical power to the unit. Kitchen cabinets don't have receptacles inside them, easily accesible and out of sight. Installation took about 1.5 hours. I had to chase the power cord through a couple of cabinets and drill several 1.5" holes inside them until I reached the duplex receptacle that feeds the dishwasher. Getting access to the receptacle required the removal and re-install of the diswasher. It was very helpful that the power cord is extra long and that it is removable. I also changed the faceplate to white from the pre-installed silver.
The wife is very happy and it will be a time saver. Hopefully it will be reliable.
Nifty, pretty noise but easy to install and looks good. FYI it came with an optional white trim kit which I didn't use but it was a nice option
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