Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Per your suggestion, I did check out CR ratings again.  This machine which actually has two versions (models 94Y2 and 73HS -- $259 and $279 respectively at the Bissell site) but is not yet listed or rated at CR. 

Though a canister, the Big Green Machine -- I think -- is not the ticket for serious rug duty due to no powered brushing action for wet cleaning carpeting.  A lot of elbow grease may be required, especially in pet situations, as it has no powered brushes.  Sears Kenmore took a stab at marketing the all-in-one idea a couple of times over the last twenty years or more.  One model (two or three versions) plus a later machine called "The Pig" (bought one, then tossed it) actually had special electrified PNs for wet carpet cleaning but did not appear to go over well. 

For anyone interested in Bissell product I also noted offerings of $20 discounts and free shipping for some product if you buy direct online. 

Happy New Year to you vacmanuk and also to all our other members.

Venson

The tubing for delivering the cleaning solution was attached to the hose externally but the same suction hose was used for both wet and dry work.  As I said, the noise it created was unbearable and I had to get rid of it not long after I bought it.  More's the mercy, it was also short-lived on the Sears roster.

We're going back thirty years so I had to have acquired it some time during the early part of the 1980s.  I've no idea where it was made but was definitely not akin to the machines Sears had been offering as all-in-ones -- basically round shop vacs that fitted on top of a wheeled holding tank that contained cleaning solution.  Those too were fitted out with attachments for dry vacuuming plus tools and options for wet cleaning. (See pic)  I'll see if I can dig up some pictures of the machine I had.

By the way -- Happy New Year.

In 1978 Vax entered the UK market with their canister 3 in 1 machine. It spawned quite a few models, but seems to be more popular now in its new country of production, Australia:

We had one and it sounds quite similar to yours, Venson - one bucket at the bottom collects the water, with a bladder recovery bucket in between where water and cleaning solution goes in plus 4 litres of water. Suction and static bar type floor head. Good principle until the machine gets too heavy to lift and can be a back aching experience having to continually drag the floor head across a carpet until it is "squeaky" clean. In dry mode, the Vax design had a tendency to burst the dust bags until they fitted a suction control dial to stop it from happening. The Vax canister really took off in the 1980's to the 1990's with various versions appearing including a squatter/smaller model:

We had one and it sounds quite similar to yours, Venson - one bucket at the bottom collects the water, with a bladder recovery bucket in between where water and cleaning solution goes in plus 4 litres of water. Suction and static bar type floor head. Good principle until the machine gets too heavy to lift and can be a back aching experience having to continually drag the floor head across a carpet until it is "squeaky" clean. In dry mode, the Vax design had a tendency to burst the dust bags until they fitted a suction control dial to stop it from happening. The Vax canister really took off in the 1980's to the 1990's with various versions appearing including a squatter/smaller model: