Eureka PowerSpeed Review

The Eureka PowerSpeed upright vacuum series is available in several slightly different color options and model variations, all of which feature the same 960-watt motor. We tested the blue NEU182A version. The most notable tweaks will be variations in attachments, as well as clear or opaque polycarbonate styling panels. However, based on the very similar specifications across the available variations, we expect on-floor performance to be nearly identical among these models.

Carpet Performance

This entry-level vacuum, which collected 84% of our test debris, is not particularly poor compared to competitively priced models we've tested over time.

You'll need to adjust the height of the vacuum head to find the sweet spot for your carpet. Once you do that, you still might find it plows some larger material, but it picks up enough to be a helpful cleaning tool, especially if you don't require extra deep cleaning or have a big mess to tackle.

The PowerSpeed collected an above-average 54% on high-pile, likely due to its relatively aggressive bristles on the brush roller, which seemed to provide good carpet agitation.

Before Testing After Testing

Even premium vacuums struggle in our high-pile stress test, so an above-average score is very good for a budget vacuum. We believe some of this machine's issues may be related to its cleaner head and relatively low suction. First, the cleaner head tends to plow material, pushing it away from the roller and suction tube so it can't be collected. Second, it appears that the brush roller is releasing debris before the suction can catch it.

To achieve better performance with this model, you'll need to be patient and approach messes from different angles, or make a few extra passes to collect all the debris. This is the experience we saw when working around our own house, and the main compromises compared to more expensive products.

Hardwood Performance

Unfortunately, the PowerSpeed wasn't designed with hardwood cleaning in mind. Although it collected 78% of our test debris, it sprayed the remaining amount, making a mess that was more extensive than we had expected from a cleaning tool.

This vacuum seems to ignore all three types of debris equally. Occasionally, it rolled over a pile of debris and sucked up most of it, giving us hope, but then a slight variation in the debris pattern would result in sprayed sand, rice, and Cheerios that we then had to try to track down.

Even when we tried to hit debris from different angles or leave room for forward or reverse over plowed piles, we just couldn't get this vacuum to suck it all up effectively. For simple tasks in the kitchen, you can eventually get the material sucked up, but seriously, a broom and a dustpan will be more effective and a whole lot more satisfying.

Before Testing After Testing

This machine will be suitable for picking up crumbs that fall under the area of kitchen cabinets with head-on passes, but you may encounter issues when cleaning down a long hallway, as it tends to spray like it did during our open testing.

Pet Hair

The PowerSpeed sucked up an average amount of pet hair on both low-pile and high-pile carpets, which is a surprisingly competitive result for a low-priced vacuum. If you have patience, you can likely suck up most of your pet hair, but you'll struggle if you have long-haired humans adding lengthier hair to the mix.

Before Testing After Testing

The bristle roller seemed to catch and trap every long hair extension it touched, forcing us to cut out the hair to remove it. This machine will require extra checks to ensure that long hair doesn't accumulate on the roller to the point where it starts to diminish the cleaning performance.

Filtration

Some budget options fall short in this area due to either poor seals, subpar filters, or both. However, it's reassuring to see that this model delivers strong filtration performance with only 26 small particles logged during testing.

This is impressive compared to some poor performers that register more than 1,000 particles at their peak.

Ease of Use

Weighing just 10.5 pounds, this vacuum is lightweight to lift, but we had difficulty turning because it doesn't have a multi-directional swivel head. This means that to turn, we had to lever it in a new direction at the beginning and ends of forward and reverse strokes or forcibly make it skid around corners. This isn't a big deal for large open areas, but it wasn't easy when we wanted to navigate furniture. Sometimes, it felt like we would topple over the whole machine, just trying to wrangle it around corners.

While it could manage some transitions between floor types, such as gliding up onto a bamboo mat, we had to bend down to adjust the cleaner head height for different surfaces manually. It was more of an annoyance than a real challenge, but it felt outdated. Most modern vacuums use adjustable suction to adapt to various flooring types, with controls placed on the handle or top of the canister, so there's no need to crouch down.

Cleaning the brush roller was the most troublesome part of maintaining this vacuum. It is not removable, requiring manual removal of pet hair and wrapped human hair. We had to cut the hair, spin the brush, and pull on the severed sections to clean them.

At 2.6 liters, the removable dustbin is larger than average, so we didn't have to empty it as often as smaller dustbins. We could remove it and latch it back into place easily, without fuss.

When it comes to cleaning upholstery and other areas around the house, it handles most of the messes. However, it was not as thorough as a mini motorized brush. You have to do the agitation yourself by rubbing the bristles of the fixed brush to dislodge debris, which takes more effort.

Should You Buy the Eureka PowerSpeed?

If you're looking for an entry-level vacuum for a small space with relatively simple debris challenges, the Eureka PowerSpeed outperforms most other vacuums for less than $100. We appreciate its low carry weight and large dustbin, and think it's best suited for those on a tight budget who are willing to approach every mess with patience and a willingness for extra passes.

What Other Upright Vacuums Should You Consider?