Kenmore 600 Series Pet PowerMate Review

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

Carpet Performance

Like many canister vacuums in our lineup, the Kenmore 600 did well with low-pile carpet, but dropped off with high pile. We made a mess of Cheerios, rice, and sand on our test carpets. Then vacuumed the floor for 24 seconds, weighing the amount picked up. On low-pile we were able to clean an impressive 93.37% of the mess. However, on high-pile carpet, we only picked up 57.7%. The vacuum struggled to pull our smaller pieces from the high pile, but with extra time we were able to clean up substantially more.

Hardwood Performance

Just like our carpet tests, we vacuumed up a cup and a half of Cheerios, rice, and sand — this time on wooden floorboards. The Kenmore 600 Series Pet PowerMate had an impressive performance picking up the debris. We were able to collect 98.1% of the mess we created on the hard floor.

We also placed 21 grams of sand within a slated bamboo pad. We were only able to capture 65.71% of this with the Kenmore. The machine includes a specific crevice tool, but we wanted to use the standard brush head, as that is what most people will use when cleaning. Finally, we placed two tablespoons of coffee grounds along the edge of a wall. The Kenmore 600 struggled to collect it all. It pushed the coffee grounds forward as it moved along the wall, leaving some behind as it went.

Ease of Use

We would have liked to see the 600 Series transition smoothly from surface to surface. However, we had to give the vacuum a bit of a shove to make it onto the bamboo slats. 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. This machine is on the heavier side at 23 pounds, so we wouldn't recommend this model if you frequently make your way up and down stairs.

The Kenmore 600 is one of the easiest to care for and clean. The HEPA filter is very easy to pop out and replace, and the same can be said about the disposable bags. When the bag is ready to be replaced, an indicator light lets you know. The Kenmore is equipped with a nice selection of attachments. We were impressed with the upholstery attachment, which easily cleaned our throw pillow with coffee grounds were spilled on it.

Pet Hair

For our pet hair tests, we weighed five grams of our pets' 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. The Kenmore 600 Series Pet PowerMate did not live up to its name. Much of the hair ended up wrapped around the brush roll.

Filtration and Suction

Finally, we tested filtration and suction for every vacuum. To assess filtration, we used a Dylos particle counter to see how much debris found its way out of the machine. The Kenmore 600 did a great job here, not letting much small or large particles escape. The machine has a triple HEPA filtration system, that proved to be effective during our tests. To evaluate suction, we ran the vacuum over our test surface that has a small hole connected to a manometer. As it passed over, the unsealed suction was recorded. Unfortunately, the 600 had below average suction results, with just 747 Pa.

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?

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 Mighty Mite. But, if high pile carpet is your main concern, the Kenmore Elite Pet Friendly is your vacuum.