The Hoover Constellation S3345 Bagged Canister Vacuum cleans carpets and bare floors. It comes with a rotating brush nozzle, hard floor nozzle, upholstery brush, crevice tool and dusting brush. The Constellation has a 16-foot stretch hose and a telescopic handle that makes hard-to-reach surfaces easier to clean.

There's no mistaking it: The Constellation canister vacuum is a good-looking machine. The orb-shaped canister, with its brushed stainless steel exterior, tempts us to leave the Constellation in view rather than out of sight in a closet. The real question, however, has yet to be answered: How well does the Constellation S3345 work?

During testing, it was immediately evident that the Constellation S3345 Bagged Canister Vacuum operates quietly. We could run the vacuum and easily participate in a conversation. Even though it weighs about 22 pounds, the Constellation feels lightweight. We credit the vacuum's lack of wheels with its lightweight feel. Instead, the vacuum uses forced air to invoke a "floating" movement, which allows the user to maneuver the vacuum without much effort.

When used on bare floors, the Constellation sucks up dirt, dust and larger particles such as sand. It managed to clean hardwood and tile floors without blowing dust around, as is the case with some upright vacuums. We were impressed with the Constellation's suction power and we were anxious to see if the Constellation performed equally well on carpets. We were mildly disappointed.

The Hoover Constellation does work on carpets, but not as well as we expected. It seemed to take longer to vacuum carpets with this canister vacuum than with an upright vacuum equipped with a wider nozzle. The Constellation did pull dirt, particles and pet hair from carpets -- but not completely. It was necessary to re-vacuum some areas at least twice before they looked clean. On a more positive note, the Constellation is convenient to use on carpeted stairs, as well as area rugs.

We like the canister vacuum's HEPA filtration system, which helps keep dust and allergens contained. The cord wraps around the middle of the vacuum; if the vacuum were a globe, the cord would follow the equator. This cord storage system works well enough, but lacks an automatic rewind feature.

After testing, we determined the Hoover Constellation S3345 Bagged Canister Vacuum is a solid choice for homes with hard surfaces and little carpet to clean. Those who attempt to vacuum large carpeted rooms with the Constellation are likely to become frustrated by its time- and energy-consuming performance.


Pros: Cleans bare floors, lots of attachments
Cons: Doesn't work as well on wall-to-wall carpet

Warranty
2 years