As Seen On TV Swivel Sweeper for Floors Vacuum Review

Overall 3.82 of 5 view all 67 reviews

DreamOfSpring
Charleston, SC

A Little Disappointed

looking for convenience, practical

Pros

Battery recharges quickly, folds flat, Goes just about anywhere., Rechargeable battery pack, excellent price, light weight

Cons

does not work well on carpet, doesn't pick up much between cleanings, sliders may cause dirt to scratch floor, handle flimsy, shallow dirt cup must be emptied often, shallow dirt cup spills easily, will not stand up alone, awkward to remove dirt cup, doesn't always pick up on first sweep, awkward to replace dirt cup, awkward to work with due to flimsy hndle, Doesn't work well on all flooring

JAN

2009

As Seen On TV Swivel Sweeper for Floors Vacuum —

I found the Swivel Sweeper a bit disappointing. For years, I had been using a similar product which I liked very much. When the battery on the other one died, I decided to try this one. By comparison I find this one seriously lacking.

Price: With a current retail price around $35, the price is excellent. In full disclosure, the product I liked much better was quite a bit higher, but I would still recommend the other one.

Effectiveness: Marginal. This product simply does not pick up everything in one or even multiple passes. I've tried it on both sealed hardwood and ceramic tile. In both cases it picked up most but not all of the dirt and debris, leaving little bits behind here and there. I'm not talking about large or heavy or unusual items here. I mean it picked up some dirt and skipped right over other bits of dirt. It seemed no matter how many times I ran it back and forth in all kinds of directions, I never got a totally clean floor. While it is picking up some debris, it seems to push or blow other debris out of its path making it next to impossible to get everything. By comparison the more expensive product has edge cleaning brushes which reach out and grab debris in front of and beside the unit. This one does not have that feature.

Ergonomics and Design: Serious design problems.

The dirt cup is very shallow and quite small. It does not hold very much. You will need to dump this frequently to keep the unit working, especially if you are picking up things like pet hair, dust bunnies, the occasional autumn leaf tracked in, etc.
The design makes it difficult to remove and dump the dirt cup without spilling it. Picture this. You've got this 6ft or so handle that will readily 'fall' down if you hold the sweeper base w/o supporting the handle. To release the dirt cup you need to use your thumb and forefinger of one hand to pinch the release mechanism on the sweeper base while simultaneously supporting the dirt cup with the other hand; otherwise, the dirt cup will drop to the floor. Because you cannot possibly support the handle while doing so, it will 'fall' clumsily downward. Now you are still holding the sweeper base by the release mechanism between thumb and forefinger on one hand while the handle dangles awkwardly behind you. In the other hand you have the dirt cup which needs to be emptied. If it is at all full, with dust bunnies and such, a bit of dirt and debris will likely spill over the sides while you are trying to get it to the trash can to dump it. Then you have to start over.
It is equally difficult to put the dirt cup back after dumping it. The dirt cup fits under the bottom. It has to be lined up properly to snap into place, but you cannot see what you are doing under there unless you turn the cleaner and dirt cup upside down - which will likely result in more dust and debris on the floor. You can put the dirt cup back while holding the unit upright and without seeing what you are doing, but it is a bit awkward until you get the hand of it. The cup will only fit in one direction. While holding things upright you cannot see which way it needs to go or how things are lining up. In my opinion, not the best design. My other unit had a cup that slid in from the side, a much better design.
The handle will not stand upright without support. This makes the unit very awkward to work with. You can't just leave the unit standing while you walk away for something, and if you try to lean it agains the wall it will likely slide/fall down. If you buy this, expect to spend a lot of time bending down to pick the handle up off the floor. You will get a great workout.
I did not find the sliders to be an asset. My other unit had traditional wheels and worked great. Not only did the sliders not enhance the efficiency of the product, but I was inclined to worry that they might contribute to scratching the hardwood floors by pushing sand, dirt, debris across the floor.
Does not work at all well on carpet, not even low pile, indoor/outdoor types. In all fairness the item is not advertised for use on carpet; however, my other unit worked very well on carpet. This one 'sticks' or hangs up on the carpet, and with the easily bendable handle it can be impossible to push across the carpet. Since I have a mix of hardwood, tile, ceramic tile, carpet, and wool rugs, I find it cumbersome to have to use another method for the carpet and rugs.

Summary: I would not buy this product again, nor would I recommend it to anyone unless they just couldn't afford anything else.

Pros: Excellent price. You can afford to try it. Even if you don't like it you haven't lost a lot of money.
Cons: Poor pickup, must be emptied often, awkward to work with, doesn't work on carpet, sliders add little value and are primarily hype.