With its reasonable price, the Dirt Devil Featherlite Bagless Vacuum M085845 seems like a steal -- especially in the often higher-priced bagless category. This lightweight vacuum is a suitable match for people who don't want to lug a heavy machine from one level of their home to another, or who don't need to do any heavy-duty vacuuming.

The Dirt Devil Featherlite Bagless automatically adjusts to the carpet height. Like most bagless models, the Dirt Devil Featherlite has a view-through collection canister that takes the place of a bag. One of our main complaints about the Dirt Devil Featherlite Bagless centers on its collection canister. The canister is difficult to empty and this in itself can cause a mess. The Dirt Devil Featherlite does come equipped with a HEPA-type filter, but the filter is not reusable and will need to be replaced every few months (depending on how often the vacuum is used and how much debris it suctions from carpets). The replacement of the HEPA filter is an added, ongoing expense. In addition, the vacuum seems to work better if the filter is cleaned after very use. We also suspected the Dirt Devil Featherlite lost suction as the collection canister filled. This could be because the filter in the collection canister became clogged before the canister was full. Whatever the reason, this is clearly a mark in this vacuum's "con" column.

With three onboard attachments, we expected to use the Dirt Devil Featherlite to clean a variety of surfaces: upholstery, baseboard crevices and more. Unfortunately, the attachment hose is shorter than average, and it is awkwardly placed near the power cord. When using the hose, we found the vacuum often tipped. The vacuum's noise level seemed to increase as we used the attachments and the bristles on the main vacuum continued to rotate, even when using attachments. Because these bristles cannot be turned off, we worry that the stationary, rotating bristles will cause too much friction on carpet when the attachments are used. Overall, the Dirt Devil Featherlite is not as powerful as a heavy-duty vacuum, but may be adequate for the price -- especially for light vacuuming in homes without pet hair or children.


Pros: Lightweight, price
Cons: Short attachment hose; canister difficult to clean

Warranty
2 years, parts and motor