Years ago, dealing with stubborn dust and pet hair was a constant battle. My home never felt truly clean, no matter how often I vacuumed. The air always seemed thick with fine particles, and my allergies were a frequent issue. Finding a vacuum that could genuinely tackle these problems efficiently and improve indoor air quality wasn’t just a matter of convenience; it was necessary for a healthier living environment. Without an effective solution, I faced ongoing discomfort and the frustration of spending time cleaning without achieving the desired results.
Considering Your Next Vacuum Purchase
When you’re looking for a new vacuum cleaner, especially a canister model, you’re likely trying to solve issues that uprights or stick vacuums might not fully address. Canister vacuums are often sought after by those with mixed flooring (carpets and hard floors), homes with stairs, or individuals who need powerful suction delivered through a flexible hose and various attachments. They’re great for reaching under furniture, cleaning upholstery, and handling drapes or tight corners with specialized tools.
The ideal candidate for a canister vacuum is someone who values strong, consistent suction, the versatility of a hose and wand system, and potentially better air filtration than some other types. If you have a large home with multiple levels, diverse surfaces, or significant pet hair challenges, a good bagged canister vacuum could be a strong contender.
However, canister vacuums might not be the best fit for everyone. If you live in a small apartment with mostly hard floors and minimal clutter, a lightweight stick vacuum might be more convenient. People who struggle with pulling a canister unit behind them or lifting it for stairs might find an upright with a lift-away feature or a cordless stick model less physically demanding. Before buying, consider the size of your home, the types of flooring, whether you have stairs, storage space, and any specific needs like pet hair or allergy concerns. Key features to evaluate include suction power, filtration type, included attachments, hose and cord length, weight, and maneuverability.
Introducing the Kenmore 81714 Vacuum
Having lived with various vacuums over the years, discovering the Kenmore 81714 Bundle felt like a significant upgrade in my cleaning routine. This specific model, part of the Kenmore 700 Series, is presented as a powerful bagged canister vacuum designed to tackle deep cleaning, especially focusing on pet hair and allergens. When you get the Kenmore 81714 bundle, you receive the canister unit, hose, telescoping wand, a Pet PowerMate attachment, an Ultra Plush nozzle, a HEPA media filter, and three additional cleaning tools (crevice tool, dusting brush, and upholstery tool). Kenmore has a long history in vacuum cleaners, and this model seems to build on that legacy, aiming to compete in the mid-range market by offering features often found in higher-end vacuums, like motorized pet tools and advanced filtration.
This canister vacuum cleaner is clearly aimed at homeowners with significant carpeted areas, especially plush carpets, and those dealing with pet hair and household allergens. It’s likely less suited for someone seeking extreme portability or a bagless system, as it uses bags and, as we’ll discuss, has some weight and bulk.
Here’s a quick look at the pros and cons based on my experience and common feedback:
Pros:
* Excellent suction power, particularly for deep cleaning and pet hair.
* Effective HEPA filtration significantly improves air quality.
* Motorized Pet PowerMate attachment works very well on embedded hair.
* Long power cord with convenient automatic retraction.
* Variable power setting useful for different surfaces.
Cons:
* The canister unit can be heavy and bulky to maneuver.
* Durability concerns regarding certain plastic parts (like latches and wheels).
* The light near the floor attachment can hinder reaching under low furniture.
* Changing the bag can sometimes be messy.
* Storing all the attachments can be cumbersome.
Real-World Performance and Capabilities
Having relied on the Kenmore 81714 vacuum for quite some time now, I’ve gotten a good sense of its capabilities and limitations in a real home environment with carpets, hard floors, stairs, and yes, shedding pets.
Power and Suction Mastery
Right out of the box, one of the most immediately impressive aspects of this vacuum is its sheer power. The 700 watts of motor power translate into genuinely strong suction. I’ve found that this isn’t just a marketing claim; it pulls dirt, debris, and yes, copious amounts of pet hair, out of carpets and off hard floors effectively. Over time, the suction has remained consistently strong, assuming the bag isn’t completely full and there are no clogs. This consistent power is fundamental to tackling the core problem of a dirty home and is arguably the most important function of any vacuum. Without robust suction, you’re just pushing dirt around. The 81714 delivers here.
The Pet PowerMate Advantage
For anyone living with pets, the Pet PowerMate attachment is a game-changer. This isn’t just a basic brush roll; it’s motorized, which means it actively digs into carpet fibers and upholstery to lift out embedded pet hair. I’ve used other vacuums where the pet tool was air-driven and struggled with stubborn hairs woven into fabric. The PowerMate cuts through them with relative ease. Using it on stairs or upholstered furniture where my dog loves to nap makes a noticeable difference. It pulls up hair I didn’t even know was there, leaving surfaces looking significantly cleaner. This feature alone is a major benefit for pet owners and justifies considering this specific Kenmore model.
Deep Cleaning for Plush Carpets
The inclusion of the Ultra Plush nozzle specifically addresses the challenges of cleaning softer, thicker carpets. Many standard vacuum heads can struggle with the dense pile of ultra-plush carpets, either pushing them down without cleaning effectively or even shutting off due to resistance. This specialized nozzle is designed to maintain optimal airflow and agitation on these surfaces, ensuring a deeper clean than you might get with a general-purpose head. While I don’t have ultra-plush carpeting throughout my home, I have areas with thicker rugs, and the performance on these is noticeably better with this attachment compared to a standard head. It ensures that even in those tricky carpet types, dirt and dust are effectively removed.
Advanced HEPA Filtration
One of the less visible, but equally important, features is the HEPA media filter. A HEPA filter is designed to capture 99.97% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns, including pollen, pet dander, dust mites, and other allergens. For someone with allergies or asthma, this is crucial. It means the vacuum isn’t just collecting dirt from the floor but also trapping microscopic particles that would otherwise be exhausted back into the air you breathe. After using the Kenmore 81714 bundle, I’ve genuinely noticed an improvement in the air quality indoors. The familiar “vacuum smell” is significantly reduced, and my allergy symptoms after vacuuming are much milder. This makes cleaning a much more pleasant and less irritating experience.
Maintaining Peak Performance
The Performance Indicator light is a simple yet effective feature. It illuminates when the vacuum bag is full or when there might be a clog restricting airflow. This takes the guesswork out of maintenance. Knowing when to change the bag ensures that the suction power remains optimal, as a full bag is one of the primary reasons vacuum performance declines. It also prompts you to check for clogs before they become major blockages, helping to maintain consistent cleaning efficiency and potentially extending the life of the machine.
Consistent Airflow Design
The double-wall design of the canister is intended to maintain strong and steady airflow. In practice, this contributes to the consistent suction power I mentioned earlier. Even as the bag starts to fill, the design aims to keep air moving efficiently through the system. This contrasts with older or less well-designed models where suction can drop off dramatically even with only a partially full bag. While suction *does* decrease as the bag fills, the double-wall design seems to help mitigate this compared to simpler systems.
Navigating Your Home
Maneuverability is a key factor for any canister vacuum. The Swivel+ Steering system is incorporated to make the canister easier to pull and guide around furniture and obstacles. The Stair Grip feature allows the canister unit to rest securely on stairs while you clean with the hose and wand. In my experience, the swivel steering works reasonably well on flat surfaces, allowing for turns without completely tipping the unit. The Stair Grip is genuinely helpful for cleaning stairs, providing a stable base for the canister.
However, this is also where some of the product’s drawbacks become apparent. While it has swivel steering, the canister unit itself is quite heavy (around 29.5 pounds), and despite the wheels, it can sometimes feel bulky and resistant to pulling, especially on carpets or when navigating tight corners. It occasionally tips over, requiring you to stop and upright it. So, while the features are designed for better maneuverability, the weight of the unit can sometimes counteract this benefit, making it feel less effortless than some lighter models. This is a point where real-world use shows the design intent versus the practical reality of a robust, but heavy, motor and canister.
Adapting to Different Surfaces
The Variable Power mode is a useful addition, particularly if you have delicate rugs or draperies. It allows you to reduce the suction power, preventing the vacuum from pulling up or damaging sensitive fabrics. This adds versatility, meaning you can use the same vacuum for deep carpet cleaning on high power and then switch to a lower setting for dusting blinds or cleaning lightweight rugs without the risk of them getting sucked up into the nozzle.
Tools for Every Task
The Kenmore 81714 comes with an extended telescoping wand and three additional cleaning tools: a crevice tool, dusting brush, and upholstery tool. The telescoping wand is great for reaching high areas like ceiling corners or deep under furniture without excessive bending. The standard tools are helpful for targeted cleaning. The crevice tool gets into narrow spaces, the dusting brush is good for delicate surfaces, and the upholstery tool, separate from the Pet PowerMate, is useful for general fabric cleaning. Having these tools included makes the vacuum more versatile for cleaning the whole house, beyond just floors.
One minor annoyance, as mentioned in some reviews, is the light on the main floor attachment. While it seems useful for illuminating dust ahead, it adds bulk near the floor, preventing the head from fitting under very low furniture. This means sometimes you have to switch to a different, non-illuminated tool or accept that certain low clearances are inaccessible with the main head.
Convenient Cord Management
Finally, the long power cord offers a wide cleaning radius, reducing the need to constantly switch outlets in larger rooms. The retractable cord feature is incredibly convenient for storage. With the push of a button, the cord neatly winds back into the canister, avoiding tangled messes. While a small detail, this is a quality-of-life feature I genuinely appreciate after years of manually wrapping cords.
What Others Are Saying
Looking around at feedback from other users, many echo my positive experiences with the strong suction and effectiveness of the Pet PowerMate on difficult pet hair. People appreciate the long, retractable cord and the difference the HEPA filter makes. However, several users also share frustrations regarding the weight and maneuverability of the canister, noting it can be cumbersome to pull around or lift. There are also recurring comments about the durability of certain plastic components, such as accessory latches or clips, sometimes failing relatively early in the product’s lifespan, which is a significant concern for a unit in this price range.
Final Considerations
Ultimately, tackling household dirt, dust, and allergens is essential for a clean and healthy home. Ignoring these issues leads to uncomfortable living spaces, potential health flare-ups, and the never-ending frustration of a home that doesn’t feel truly clean. The Kenmore 81714 Bundle offers a powerful solution to these problems.
Its strong suction, particularly when combined with the specialized Pet PowerMate and Ultra Plush nozzles, makes it highly effective on both carpets and hard floors, excelling where pet hair is present. The HEPA filtration provides a significant benefit for air quality, trapping fine particles that other vacuums might miss. While the canister’s weight and potential long-term durability of some plastic parts are drawbacks, its core cleaning performance and allergy-fighting capabilities make it a worthwhile investment for the right home. If you prioritize powerful suction, excellent pet hair removal, and superior air filtration in a corded canister format and can manage the weight, this vacuum is a strong contender. To learn more or make a purchase, click here.