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Kenmore 600 Series Pet PowerMate Review

This model's ineffective maneuverability and scanty cleaning performance are a poor combination for taking care of your home
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Kenmore 600 Series Pet PowerMate Review (A higher-than-average priced canister vacuum with lower-than-average results.)
A higher-than-average priced canister vacuum with lower-than-average results.
Credit: Kenmore
Price:  $350 List
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Manufacturer:   Kenmore
By Ruth Bruckbauer and Jessica Riconscente  ⋅  Jul 26, 2022
53
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#7 of 7
  • Carpet Cleaning - 35% 4.4
  • Ease of Use - 25% 6.6
  • Handling - 20% 4.2
  • Hard Surface - 10% 5.1
  • Pet Hair - 10% 8.0

Our Verdict

The Kenmore 600 Pet Series PowerMate canister vacuum sounds much better than it performs. This bulky model posted one of the lowest performances of all our vacuums. Given its large price tag, we expected much more. While it is decent at cleaning up pet hair, it is terrible at carpet cleaning — which is the most important factor of any vacuum. It does have one of the longest reaches of all the products we tested, and the PowerMate's head has lots of adjustments. Unfortunately, it's also bulky and doesn't maneuver very well. It did better at cleaning up messes on hard surfaces but has a middling performance overall. We recommend taking a look at the best canister vacuums in our review.
REASONS TO BUY
Long reach
Many adjustments
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive
Poor with rice and flour
Bulky head
Difficult turns

Compare to Similar Products

(change comparison)
 
Awards  Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall
   
Price $350 List
$319.99 at Amazon		$80 List
$64.99 at Amazon		$83 List
$72.99 at Amazon		$400 List
$349.99 at Amazon		$80 List
$79.99 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
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66
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Star Rating
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Bottom Line Difficult maneuverability and poor cleaning are a bad combination for keeping your home neat and tidyThe perfect solution for those who want a good vacuum for very little moneyWe think this canister vacuum is one of the best options if you are shopping on a slim budgetThough it has great handling and multiple adjustable features, this expensive vacuum doesn't work as well as we'd hopedThis inexpensive and lightweight vacuum can handle small messes but easily gets overwhelmed
Rating Categories Kenmore 600 Series... Eureka WhirlWind Eureka Mighty Mite Kenmore Elite Pet F... Bissell Zing Bagles...
Carpet Cleaning (35%)
4.4
6.7
6.8
4.7
5.1
Ease of Use (25%)
6.6
6.3
5.8
6.7
6.3
Handling (20%)
4.2
7.5
7.0
6.8
5.9
Hard Surface (10%)
5.1
7.3
7.3
3.5
5.5
Pet Hair (10%)
8.0
4.0
4.0
9.0
4.0
Specs Kenmore 600 Series... Eureka WhirlWind Eureka Mighty Mite Kenmore Elite Pet F... Bissell Zing Bagles...
Measured Weight 22.8 lbs 11.0 lbs 9.3 lbs 24.5 lbs 9.2 lbs
Measured Maximum Reach 40' 6" 26' 10" 31' 10" 37' 4" 26' 6"
Manufacturer Capacity 2.1 L 3.0 L 2.8 L 2.1 L 2.0 L
Measured Noise Level 73 dBA 68 dBA 72 dBA 72 dBA 72 dBA
Measured Head Width 14.25'' 10.5'' 10.5'' 14.75'' 10.0"
Measured Hose Suction Power 74'' 60'' 90'' 74'' 64''
Measured Power Cord Length 28' 16' 6" 19' 6" 26' 16' 6"
Model Number 81614 NEN110B 3670G 81714 2156A
Dirt Collection Bag Bagless Bag Bag Bagless
HEPA Filter Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Measured Brush Width 13'' N/A N/A 14'' N/A
Variable Suction Control Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Brush On/Off Switch Yes N/A N/A Yes N/A
Automatic Cord Rewind Yes Yes No Yes Yes

Our Analysis and Test Results

What sets the Kenmore 600 Series Pet PowerMate apart from other canister vacuums is its incredibly long reach. Its 28-foot cord should also be enough to get you up or down the stairs without having to unplug. This model comes with an adjustable head with which you could change the suction, brush speed, and head height simply by using a slide on the handle. We also enjoyed how this vacuum managed to inhale pet hair, but we had difficulty finding other things to like about this product.

Performance Comparison


kenmore 600 series pet powermate
Credit: Chris McNamara

Carpet Cleaning


The Kenmore 600 Series Pet PowerMate was, unfortunately, a disappointment when we put it to the test. We rated the 600 Series on how it swept up dry rice, flour, oatmeal, and Cheerios on low and medium-pile carpeting.

When we vacuumed the rice and Cheerios, the debris flung to the sides. No matter what type of carpeting we tested, this vacuum chucked more debris than it picked up. Oatmeal was better, meaning that the Kenmore 600 actually picked up more than half of what we had placed. Of course, it took a few passes to get all the bits and pieces, but it eventually got most of it. This vacuum also left behind lots of flour.

kenmore 600 series pet powermate - our testing process includes rice, oatmeal, flour, and cereal for...
Our testing process includes rice, oatmeal, flour, and cereal for the vacuums to pick up.
Credit: Austin Palmer

Ease of Use


For this metric, we tested edging, reach, and surface transition. When we attempted to vacuum debris against the edges of the room, the Kenmore 600 Series Pet PowerMate continued to fling debris against the wall. To say that this vacuum failed the edging tests would be an understatement.

kenmore 600 series pet powermate - surface transitions were very easy with the kenmore.
Surface transitions were very easy with the Kenmore.
Credit: Chris McNamara

The Kenmore 600 Series Pet PowerMate did, however, perform its best in two tests: reach and surface transition. This vacuum stretches out to just over 40 feet. It also has adjustments for height, suction, and an on/off switch for the brush roller, allowing it to easily transition to hard surface cleaning.

Handling


There are three tests in this category: maneuverability, pushing and pulling effort, and stairs. Overall, the maneuverability of the Kenmore 600 Series Pet PowerMate was poor. The swivel head doesn't turn easily — you have to move your whole body around in a circular fashion to make the adjustments, which defeats the purpose of having a swivel head.

kenmore 600 series pet powermate - we put all models through a maneuverability course and carried each...
We put all models through a maneuverability course and carried each one up and down stairs to see how easily they handled.
Credit: Chris McNamara

Stairs were also difficult. While it's true that this machine has a great ability to reach, the overall weight of 22.8 pounds means that hauling this canister up and down gives you a total body workout.

Hard Surface


Just like our carpet tests, we vacuumed up pounds of rice, cereal, oatmeal, and flour — this time on wooden floorboards. The Kenmore 600 Series Pet PowerMate had an OK performance overall in this metric. This machine did a good job getting all the rice and oatmeal on the hard floors. But, it suffered a bit at picking up Cheerios and flour, as did most other canisters.

kenmore 600 series pet powermate - this vacuum did a decent job at picking up oatmeal from the hard...
This vacuum did a decent job at picking up oatmeal from the hard floors.
Credit: Austin Palmer

If you want a canister vacuum for hard floors, this isn't the worst one out there, but it certainly isn't the best.

Pet Hair


For our pet hair tests, we weighed 50 grams of Fluffy's hair and spread it around on the carpet and flooring. We then made four passes and weighed the amount left over to find the percentage picked up.

kenmore 600 series pet powermate - we were impressed by the kenmore's ability to pick up pet hair.
We were impressed by the Kenmore's ability to pick up pet hair.
Credit: Austin Palmer

The Kenmore 600 Series Pet PowerMate lives up to its name as one of the best canister vacuums for picking up pet hair. It gathered a spectacular 90.60% of pet hair. Since this canister vacuum's head has its own brush roller, it makes picking up pet hair much easier.

kenmore 600 series pet powermate - we recommend making an investment in a better-performing model.
We recommend making an investment in a better-performing model.
Credit: Chris McNamara

Should you buy the Kenmore 600 Series Pet PowerMate?


The Kenmore 600 Series Pet PowerMate has subpar carpet cleaning and lousy handling. If it doesn't clean your carpets well and is clunky to move around, that decreases its worth significantly. But, it does redeem itself somewhat with its stellar pet hair performance. We are stunned by the price of this model compared to its disappointing overall performance. We don't feel that this vacuum has enough redeeming qualities for us to recommend it.

What Other Canister Vacuum Should You Consider?


The Kenmore 600 Series Pet PowerMate excels in picking up pet hair and is relatively easy to use. It has some good qualities, but not many. There are other top canister vacuums in our lineup worth checking out that perform better at a more reasonable price point, such as the Eureka Whirlwind. But, if pet hair is your main concern, the Dyson Big Ball Multi Floor is your vacuum.

— Ruth Bruckbauer and Jessica Riconscente
 
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