Eureka WhirlWind Review

The Eureka WhirlWind proved to be subpar across our tests, leaving much to be desired. It struggled to clean carpet, but did better with pet hair and hardwood flooring. It is very lightweight at just 11.2 pounds, making it a reasonable budget-option if you frequently make your way and down stairs.

Performance Comparison

Carpet Performance

For our carpet cleaning tests, we spread out Cheerios, sand, and rice over low and high pile carpet. We then vacuumed up as much as we could get in 24 seconds and weighed the captured debris. On low-pile carpet, we were only able to grab 75.9% of the spilled mess. While on high-pile, we only captured 56.7%. All this to say, it left a significant amount of our mess behind. It did better picking up the larger debris but left behind a significant amount of sand and rice. We struggled mostly with the rice, as it got trapped within the advanced filtration system, and only comes out when the machine is taken apart.

Hardwood Performance

In this metric we spread a cup and a half of Cheerios, sand, and rice on hardwood flooring. We then vacuumed the surface over 24 seconds, weighing the final amount picked up and comparing it to the beginning weight. Then, we placed 21 grams of bright red sand in a crevice of a bamboo mat, weighing how much the vacuum picked up. Finally, we tested the vacuums capability to handle edges along a wall. We sprinkled two tablespoons of coffee grounds and vacuumed head on and perpendicular to the wall.

The WhirlWind was able to clean up 90.3% of the mixed mess we made. However, if clogged with Cheerios where the hose connected to the dust cup. While air was still flowing, nothing was able to get into the dust cup. While testing its performance at cleaning crevices, it only picked up 72.4% of the sand. The suction didn't feel strong and as such, left a lot behind. It is no surprise that it has average performance cleaning edges too. When vacuuming coffee grounds head-on, it mostly just pushed them around. However, when we suctioned the grounds moving parallel to the wall, we were able to get much more.

Ease of Use

We love a vacuum that makes vacuuming feel less like a chore, which is why we gave this metric a 20% weighting of each model's total score. For this, we looked at the weight of each unit, how easy it was to care for, how well it maneuvered under furniture, and how smooth and easy it was to transition from carpeting to hard floors. As we mentioned, the Eureka WhirlWind is light and easy to put together. We carried this model up and down the stairs with ease. We were also pleasantly surprised by how easily it managed to maneuver around the room.

The WhirlWind then faltered when it came to reach. At 26'10", it has a relatively short reach compared to others in our lineup, and at 16'6", it has a shorter cord than we would like. But, if you're willing to move the cord from one outlet to another, this is only a minor inconvenience. The WhirlWind also has a middling surface transition performance as it has both height and suction adjustments. It also doesn't come with a brush roller, so there is no need for brush roller adjustments.

Pet Hair

We put each canister vacuum through simple yet effective pet hair tests. In these tests, we measured out exactly 5 grams of pet hair and spread it out over low and high-pile carpeted surfaces. We then used a laminate floor roller to press the hair deep into the carpet, making the tests much more strenuous. Then, vacuumed the area, weighing how much we picked up.

Before Testing After Testing

The Eureka WhirlWind picked up 82% of pet hair from low-pile carpet and 66% from high pile. The pet hair wraps around the filter inside the debris cup, needing to be disassembled to fix. If you have a pet, then this probably isn't the best canister vacuum for you, but despite the poor pet hair performance of the WhirlWind, we still think it's a viable option for its impeccable price.

Filtration and Suction

Our final tests focused on how well the vacuum-filtered debris. We used a Dylos particle counter to see how many particles escaped the vacuum. The Eureka had an average amount of particles escape. We counted 159 small particles and 21 large particles. The vacuum does not have a HEPA filter but its own system with a foam disk and paper.

Then, we tested the vacuum's unsealed suction. We did this by creating a test surface with a small hole in the middle, which was connected to a pressure gauge. As we pushed the vacuum over the surface, we measured 896 Pa, which isn't great. It certainly isn't the worst, but it wasn't very strong either. This was evident in our tests where we failed to pick up as much as we would've liked.

Should you buy the Eureka WhirlWind?

We try to look at value as the options and quality you get versus what you pay. The Eureka WhirlWind is an average vacuum all around. It isn't perfect — particularly if you have pets — but it makes up for this through its decent maneuverability and hardwood cleaning performance. Most of all, it comes at a fraction of the cost of most other high-performing vacuums.

What Other Canister Vacuum Should You Consider?

If you have pets, you won't have to make a huge investment to get your home clean. The Eureka Mighty Mite cleaned various surfaces, including those covered in pet hair with ease. It is also a budget-friendly option but scores among the top models. The Kenmore Elite Pet Friendly is our favorite vacuum for carpet cleaning, which even tackled high-pile carpet.