In our home, pet hair isn’t just a nuisance; it’s a form of currency. It weaves itself into carpets, forms tumbleweeds on hardwood floors, and stubbornly embeds itself in every piece of upholstered furniture. With a Golden Retriever who sheds with the seasons and two cats who believe every surface is their personal lounge, the fight against fur is a daily, often demoralizing, battle. For years, we cycled through vacuums that promised the world but delivered little, either clogging instantly, spitting debris back out, or simply pushing the hair around. The frustration is real: you invest time and energy, only to look down and see the same persistent pet hair clinging to the carpet fibers, mocking your efforts. It’s a challenge that any pet owner knows all too well, and finding a true solution feels less like shopping and more like a quest.
- Buy Bissell, save pets Bissell donates up to 10 dollars to the Bissell pet foundation for every pet product purchase, upon activation
- Triple action brush roll plus scatter free technology maximize pet hair pickup – even if it’s embedded
What to Consider Before Buying an Upright Vacuum Cleaner for a Pet-Filled Home
An upright vacuum cleaner is more than just an item; it’s a key solution for maintaining a clean and healthy living space, especially when pets are part of the family. Its main purpose is to provide powerful, deep-cleaning suction that can pull embedded dirt, dander, and stubborn pet hair from various floor types, from high-pile carpets to smooth hardwood. The benefits are immediately noticeable: visibly cleaner floors, improved air quality by trapping allergens, and the satisfaction of a home that feels truly refreshed. For households grappling with constant shedding, an effective upright vacuum isn’t a luxury—it’s an essential tool in the fight for domestic harmony and hygiene.
The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing the relentless challenge of pet hair, dirt tracked in from outdoors, and the general mess of a busy household. If you have a mix of carpeting and hard floors and need a single, powerful machine to tackle it all without breaking the bank, an upright like the Bissell CleanView Swivel Rewind Pet Vacuum is designed for you. However, it might not be the best fit for those living in small apartments with limited storage space, or for individuals who require an extremely lightweight, cordless option for quick spot-cleaning. In those cases, a compact canister vacuum or a lightweight stick vacuum might be more suitable alternatives.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Dimensions & Space: Consider the vacuum’s footprint, both in use and in storage. The Bissell 2254 measures 14″L x 13″W x 46″H. While its upright design is relatively compact for a closet, its weight of 13.65 pounds and overall size are important factors for maneuverability in cluttered spaces or carrying up and down stairs.
- Capacity/Performance: Suction power and dirt tank capacity are paramount. This model boasts a potent 1800-watt motor, a key indicator of its cleaning muscle. Its 1.06-quart dirt tank is a generous size for a bagless model, allowing you to clean multiple rooms before needing to empty it—a critical feature when you’re pulling up shocking amounts of pet fur.
- Materials & Durability: The trade-off for affordability is often in the materials. This vacuum is constructed primarily of plastic. While this keeps it relatively lightweight, it has raised concerns about long-term durability among some users. Pay close attention to pivot points, wheels, and the housing for the brush roll, as these are common stress points.
- Ease of Use & Maintenance: Look for features that simplify the cleaning process. The automatic cord rewind, swivel steering, and bagless design are major convenience factors. Also, consider the maintenance routine: are the filters washable? Is the dirt tank easy to remove and empty? How accessible is the brush roll for clearing hair tangles?
Finding the right vacuum requires balancing raw power with thoughtful design. The Bissell CleanView Swivel Rewind Pet Vacuum aims to strike that balance, offering high-end performance in an accessible package.
While the Bissell CleanView Swivel Rewind Pet Vacuum is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:
- Easily clean around furniture and other obstacles with Swivel Steering
- Upgraded Cyclone System: The Eureka PowerSpeed is now upgraded with new cyclone technology to handle larger debris, smaller dirt, and even microscopic dust.Specific uses:hard floor,carpet,dual action
- Light as It Is Capable: At just 7.7 lb, this canister-style upright glides across hard floors and low-pile carpets without strain, ideal for multi-level homes or small-space living.
First Impressions: Unboxing the Teal Cleaning Machine
Pulling the Bissell CleanView Swivel Rewind Pet Vacuum from its box, the first thing we noticed was its vibrant teal color—a cheerful departure from the monotonous grays and blacks of many appliances. Assembly was refreshingly straightforward and took less than five minutes. As a few other users noted, it requires a Phillips head screwdriver to secure the handle with two included screws, a simple task that ensures a sturdy connection. Once assembled, it feels solid but not overly cumbersome. At 13.65 pounds, it has enough heft to feel substantial without being a chore to push around.
The key features are immediately apparent and intuitively designed. The swivel head promises easy navigation, the clear dirt tank lets you see the magic happen, and the foot-pedal for the automatic cord rewind is a welcome sight for anyone tired of manually wrapping 27 feet of cable. The specialized pet tools—the Pet TurboEraser Tool and the Pet Hair Corner Tool—snap securely onto the unit for onboard storage. Our initial assessment was of a thoughtfully designed machine that prioritizes user convenience and, most importantly, promises to be an absolute beast on pet hair. We were eager to see if its performance lived up to its promising first impression and the many positive reviews we’d seen.
Advantages
- Stunningly powerful suction that removes deeply embedded pet hair
- Triple Action Brush Roll is effective on both carpets and hard floors
- Convenient features like swivel steering and automatic cord rewind
- Excellent value, outperforming much more expensive competitors
Drawbacks
- Plastic construction raises long-term durability concerns
- Hose is somewhat stiff and can be awkward for attachment use
Performance Deep Dive: Putting the Bissell to the Ultimate Pet Hair Test
A vacuum can look great and have all the features in the world, but the only thing that truly matters is its performance when the rubber meets the rug. We put the Bissell CleanView Swivel Rewind Pet Vacuum through a series of rigorous tests in a real-world, multi-pet home with a challenging mix of area rugs, low-pile carpet, and hardwood floors. The results were, in a word, shocking.
Unbelievable Suction Power: A Pet Hair Nightmare’s Worst Enemy
Let’s be blunt: the suction on this vacuum is astonishing. To test a claim we’d seen from other users, we first vacuumed our main living room area rug with our old, well-regarded (and much more expensive) vacuum. It looked clean. Then, we immediately went over the exact same area with the Bissell. The result was genuinely embarrassing. Within seconds, the 1.06-quart dirt tank was a swirling vortex of golden retriever fur, cat hair, and fine dust we had no idea was there. We filled the canister completely from a single 9×13 foot rug that we thought was already clean. This experience directly mirrors that of countless users, one of whom perfectly captured the sentiment: “I’m actually embarrassed to even post these photos… The dust cup was completely full of pet hair and like an inch of dust after one swipe over. I can’t even believe my area rug was this dirty!! The suction blew me away!”
The magic lies in the combination of the 1800-watt motor and the Triple Action Brush Roll. This brush is designed with two types of bristles to first loosen, then lift, and finally remove embedded hair and dirt. On carpets, it digs deep to pull up years of trapped dander. On hard floors, the Scatter-Free Technology is surprisingly effective, preventing the common issue where a vacuum’s brush simply flings debris like cat litter around instead of sucking it up. The manual height adjustment dial is crucial, allowing us to lower the brush for a deep clean on carpets and raise it for a gentle but effective pass on our laminate floors. For sheer, unadulterated cleaning power that produces visibly transformative results, this machine punches far, far above its weight class.
Maneuverability and Design: Navigating the Real World
Power is useless if you can’t get the vacuum where it needs to go. Here, the Bissell CleanView Swivel Rewind Pet Vacuum performs admirably, with a few caveats. The Swivel Steering is the star of the show. It makes navigating around chair legs, coffee tables, and pet beds remarkably fluid and intuitive. We were able to execute tight turns and get into awkward spaces with a simple twist of the wrist, a feature that significantly speeds up the cleaning process. Combined with the Edge-to-Edge cleaning bristles on the sides of the floor head, we found it did a much better job of pulling dust and hair away from baseboards than many other vacuums we’ve tested.
However, the design isn’t flawless. We confirmed a peculiar design choice mentioned by other users: the inside of the dirt canister has a large lip that can cause clumps of pet hair to get stuck, sometimes requiring you to reach in to pull them out. Furthermore, the 8-foot hose for the attachments is quite stiff. When stretching it to reach higher surfaces, it has a tendency to pull and want to tip the main unit over. It’s a minor annoyance but one that requires you to keep a hand on the vacuum body when using the wand. These are the kinds of small, real-world quirks that separate a good vacuum from a perfect one, but given its incredible cleaning ability, we found them to be acceptable trade-offs.
The Convenience Factor: Tools, Cord Rewind, and Maintenance
Bissell packed this model with features designed to eliminate common vacuuming frustrations. The most celebrated is, without a doubt, the Automatic Cord Rewind. After wrestling with and manually wrapping cords for years, simply stepping on a pedal and watching the 27-foot cord retract smoothly into the machine feels like a small piece of luxury. It’s a feature you don’t know you need until you have it, and then you can’t live without it.
The included specialized pet tools are a mixed bag. The Pet TurboEraser Tool, an air-powered mini brush roll, was fantastic for pulling stubborn hair from carpeted stairs and the dog’s favorite armchair. It’s a must-have for any pet owner. The Pet Hair Corner Tool is a crevice tool with a unique design to get into corners, though we found a standard crevice tool often works just as well. We did note one user’s complaint that the bristles on their stair tool broke off quickly, which speaks to the broader concerns about material quality. Maintenance is otherwise simple. The bagless dirt tank clicks off easily and empties from the bottom with the press of a button. The main disk filter is washable, which helps maintain suction over time and saves money on replacements. These conveniences make the Bissell CleanView Swivel Rewind Pet Vacuum not just powerful, but also genuinely easy to live with day-to-day.
The Elephant in the Room: Durability and Longevity Concerns
No honest review of this vacuum would be complete without addressing the significant concerns about its long-term durability. While our testing period was flawless, the volume of user feedback detailing mechanical failures cannot be ignored. We found multiple credible reports of the vacuum’s plastic components breaking, with one user stating it “snapped in half while I was in the middle of vacuuming after only owning it for 5 months.” Others have experienced issues with the brush roll motor burning out or the belt breaking prematurely, sometimes accompanied by a smell of burning plastic. One user noted, “not even 6 months in the elastic band attacked to the roller broke…we keep trying to repair it every time is used.”
This is the clear trade-off for the machine’s budget-friendly price point and incredible performance. The power and features rival vacuums costing three or four times as much, but that cost savings is achieved through the use of less robust materials. Our expert take is this: you are buying a high-performance engine in a budget-friendly chassis. It may provide you with a year or two of absolutely spectacular, best-in-class cleaning before a critical component fails. For many, the low initial investment makes this a worthwhile gamble, especially when it outperforms premium brands during its lifespan. Prospective buyers should simply be aware of this risk when they decide to purchase this cleaning powerhouse.
What Other Users Are Saying
Across the board, the sentiment from real-world users is one of shock and awe at the Bissell CleanView Swivel Rewind Pet Vacuum‘s cleaning power, often tempered by concerns over its longevity. The positive feedback is frequently framed in comparison to far more expensive brands.
Many users who switched from premium brands were floored by the results. One owner summed it up perfectly: “Got the Dyson ball vac. It’s Dyson, right? What could be better? Well, this Bissell is better!” They went on to describe how the Bissell easily glided over a shag rug that their Dyson struggled with, pulling up a shocking amount of hidden dirt. Another common theme is the “embarrassment factor,” with one user posting a photo of a completely full canister, saying, “This thing is AMAZING!!!! I JUST vacuumed with my old vacuum on Sunday… Today, Wednesday, I go in with my new one and OH MY GOD!!!! The picture speaks for itself.”
However, the praise is balanced by pointed criticism of its build quality. The most concerning reviews involve catastrophic failures. As one heartbroken user wrote, “I absolutely LOVED this vacuum so much….until it snapped in half while I was in the middle of vacuuming after only owning it for 5 months.” This isn’t an isolated incident; others report similar issues, like one who stated, “…it lasted 1 year and 5 months. Today it broke…1 of the 4 screw housings at the ‘sucker’ part of the vacuum broke and made noise and electrical burn odors.” This feedback paints a clear picture: you are getting world-class suction for a limited time.
How Does the Bissell CleanView Swivel Rewind Pet Vacuum Compare to the Alternatives?
While the Bissell offers incredible value, it exists in a competitive market. Understanding its position relative to other popular options is key to making the right choice for your specific needs.
1. Shark Rotator NV752 Powered Lift-Away TruePet Upright Vacuum
- 2-IN-1 POWERED LIFT-AWAY TECHNOLOGY: Allows you to lift the pod away to deep-clean hard-to-reach areas, like under furniture, while the powered brushroll keeps spinning.
- ADVANCED SWIVEL STEERING: Easily maneuver your vacuum to get in and out of tight spaces, in corners, around furniture, and more.
The Shark Rotator NV752 represents a step up in both price and features. Its hallmark is the “Lift-Away” technology, which allows you to detach the canister from the floor head to easily clean stairs, ceilings, and other above-floor areas—addressing the Bissell’s weakness of a stiff, short hose. It also includes a HEPA filter for superior allergen trapping and LED headlights to illuminate hidden dust. If you’re willing to invest more for greater versatility, better filtration, and a generally more robust build quality, the Shark is a compelling alternative that offers a more premium and feature-rich cleaning experience.
2. Bissell Revolution HydroSteam Pet Carpet Cleaner
- HYDROSTEAM TECHNOLOGY. The ONLY carpet cleaner with the power of HydroSteam Technology.
- 2X BETTER CLEANING1. Wash & remove embedded dirt, stains and allergens in SteamWash Max Clean Mode.
It’s crucial to understand that this is not a direct competitor, but a different type of tool entirely. The Bissell Revolution HydroSteam is a dedicated carpet *cleaner* (or shampooer), not a dry vacuum. It uses water, cleaning solution, and steam to wash and sanitize carpets, removing deep-set stains and odors that a vacuum can’t. You would use a product like the CleanView Swivel Pet for your regular weekly vacuuming, and then bring out the Revolution HydroSteam a few times a year for a deep clean. This is the perfect choice for homeowners who need to tackle serious stains and refresh their carpets, not for everyday debris pickup.
3. EyeVac Home Touchless Vacuum
- FAST & POWERFUL: 1000 watt vacuum removes 100% of dust, hair and debris instantly.
- CONVENIENT: always on and always ready infrared sensors activate Eye Vac automatically.
The EyeVac Home is another complementary, rather than competing, product. It’s a stationary, touchless vacuum. You place it in a high-traffic area like a kitchen, workshop, or entryway, and instead of using a dustpan, you simply sweep hair, crumbs, and debris to the front of the unit, where infrared sensors activate the vacuum to suck it all up. It’s an incredibly convenient tool for quick cleanups on hard floors but it cannot clean carpets or replace a traditional upright vacuum for whole-home cleaning. It’s an excellent addition for anyone who wants to eliminate the dustpan from their cleaning routine.
Final Verdict: An Unbeatable Performer with a Catch
After extensive testing and analysis, our verdict on the Bissell CleanView Swivel Rewind Pet Vacuum is clear: it is a performance marvel that delivers a shockingly deep clean, especially for pet owners. Its ability to extract embedded fur and dust from carpets that appear clean is nothing short of remarkable, putting it on par with—and in some cases, ahead of—vacuums that cost a small fortune. Features like the swivel steering and automatic cord rewind add a layer of convenience that makes the chore of vacuuming significantly less tedious.
However, this phenomenal power comes with a significant caveat: questionable longevity. The plastic construction, while keeping the unit light and affordable, is a clear point of failure for many users. The Bissell 2254 is best viewed as a high-performance workhorse with a potentially limited lifespan. If your primary goal is to achieve the deepest clean possible on a budget and you’re willing to accept the risk that you may need to replace it in a year or two, then we can recommend it without hesitation. For the price, you simply will not find better suction power. If you’re ready to see what’s truly hiding in your carpets, we highly recommend you check out the Bissell CleanView Swivel Rewind Pet Vacuum today.
Last update on 2025-11-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API