They say imitation is the highest form of flattery and we have another Dyson imitator here with the Bissell 1683A Trilogy.
Like the Shark Rocket TruePet, the 1683A looks eerily similar to the Dyson V6 series not just in terms of looks but also in functionality.
But unlike the Dyson which is cordless, the Trilogy has a 30 foot power cord. And it also has added a hard floor tool that has a washable microfiber towel similar.
In fact if you put the Bissell and the Shark side by side, you could say they are twins.
Have a look…
Both weigh between 8 to 9 pounds but the Bissell has slightly more power at around 540 watts or 4.5 amps (v.s. 500 watts for the Shark). If you’re curious on how I got the watt figures, I used this handy tool from rapidtables.
Shark though has a longer warranty and a slightly longer power cord (32 feet v.s. 30 feet). But the Bissell is cheaper by almost $100.
Both are versatile in a sense that both will be able to clean carpet and hard floor surfaces as well as stairs and upholstery.
If you don’t mind the cord and want some sort of Dyson functionality but at the same time cannot afford it, this is a worthy alternative.
A quick look at the features
- A versatile upright that comes with handheld functionality
- Weighs only 9 pounds
- 5 amp motor roughly translates to around 540 watts of power at the motor
- 30 foot power cord
- 8 cup dry dirt capacity
- Capable of cleaning low pile carpet, hard floor, stairs and upholstery
- Also comes with a hard floor tool (with a microfiber attachment) and a crevice tool
Pros
- A more affordable version of the Shark Rocket
- Weighs just 8 pounds
- Decent 2 year warranty
- Versatile enough to clean floors, stairs, upholstery and other above the floor areas
- Tools are built in the machine
Cons
- Because it is top heavy it can be straining on your hands and wrist when cleaning high areas like vents or blinds.
- Cannot deep clean medium or thick pile carpet
- Microfiber towel can stain if the floors you’re cleaning is very dirty but this tool is a good tool to have if you plan to deep clean your floors using a dedicated hard floor cleaner that does not have any vacuum functionality
- Very inconvenient to empty the dirt cup
What to expect from the Bissell Trilogy?
I’ve mentioned to you earlier that this vacuum looks almost like a Shark Rocket clone and let’s dig into those features one by one.
First, the design of the vacuum itself is futuristic. In a design sense it gets inspiration from Dyson – from the handle to the long extension wand where you can attach different tools.
Versatile machine
This design is great because it adds a lot to the versatility of the machine.
You can use it to clean floors, stairs and upholstery.
The downside is the limited dirt capacity and in terms of ergonomics it suffers because it is top-heavy. The good news is you don’t need to squeeze a trigger because it has an on/off switch which lessens that strain you’ll feel.
I wouldn’t recommend this people that have trouble lifting more than 10 pounds. This machine is a little top heavy so lifting this over your head would cause some issues for weak folks.
One feature I like is how the brush and upholstery tool is designed in a way that you don’t have to look for a place to store it.
You simply clip it its designated slot like so…
There is less chance of misplacing these tools.
However there isn’t any room to store the bare floor cleaning tool. So you’ll have to find a place to store that outside the vacuum.
In addition to the brush roll equipped floor tool for carpets, it also comes with a hard floor tool equipped with a microfiber towel that looks like a Swiffer cleaning head.
This same tool is also found in the Shark which makes me think if both of these companies have the same manufacturer.
Bare Floor Performance
This machine has the tools to clean various types of debris on bare floor. The hard surface glider to be more specific is designed to mop and vacuum at the same time.
The design is very similar to a Swiffer and a Dyson hard. But since this is an add-on attachment it won’t cost you as much. It also has the washable microfiber cloth saves you money because you don’t need to buy refills.
This tool will excel in cleaning dust and other smallish debris and very, let me repeat, very small spills.
If you’re thinking that this will replace your traditional mop, think again. But if you’re planning to deep clean your floors using a tool like the Hoover Floormate, this is a great tag team partner so to speak to hard floor cleaners that do not have any suction whatsoever.
For large debris, you can just remove the hard floor tool and use the crevice or brush tool to pick those debris up.
Carpet Performance
This machine also comes with an attachment with a motorized brush but Bissell says it can only clean low pile carpeting so we have to take their word for it.
The neat thing about the product design is you can remove the wand and attach that motorize brush tool head directly on the handheld portion and use it to clean stairs or upholstery.
Take note that the motorized brush has two speed settings – a low and high speed setting just in case you need that extra agitation.
Upholstery Performance
While the floor tool is mainly used on floors, you can actually use this on upholstery if it has a large enough area. It also comes with an upholstery brush to agitate and remove hard to remove debris like pet hair that cling on upholstery.
Pet Hair Removal
The presence of a brush roll and upholstery tool makes this capable of cleaning up pet hair on low pile carpet and upholstery.
But if you have a lot of pet hair at home, I suggest that you buy a larger upright that would be capable of deep cleaning and storing more dirt without having to empty as often. Some good options would be the Shark Navigator NV752 or the Dyson Ball Multi Floor.
Attachments and Accessories
This vacuum comes with a total of 4 – the main floor tool with the motorized brush, the hard floor tool with the washable microfiber cloth, the upholstery tool and brush tool.
Cord Length
Power cord is around 30 feet long but there is no cord rewind so you’ll have to manually wrap the cord around two hooks located on the extension wand.
Filter Clean up
First order of business is to empty the dirt cup and this is how you do it…
After emptying the filter you’ll need to disassemble the filter assembly by doing the following shown in the illustration below…
All the parts there are washable and make sure these are dry before putting it back together.
Warranty
Bissell backs this up with a 2-year warranty.
Product Specifications
| Features | |
| Attachments | Upholstery tool Brush tool Hard surface glider 2 Speed Motorized Brush Roll |
| Height adjustment settings | N/A |
| Cord Length | 30 feet |
| Auto Cord Rewind |  |
| Motorized brush |  |
| Brush on/off switch | |
| Swivel | |
| Headlight | |
| Filter clogged indicator | |
| Full bin indicator | |
| Bagless | |
| Multi-surface | |
| Self propelled | |
| Net weight | 9 pounds |
| Shipping weight | 14.4 pounds |
| Hose length | 14.4 |
| Cleaning Path | Approx 12" |
| Overall reach | Approx. 35 to 38 feet |
| Dirt capacity | N/A |
| Filter type | Washable |
| Power | 4.5 amps |
| Voltage | 120 volts |
| Manufactured in | China |
| Warranty | 2 years |
Customer Reviews
This product has gotten good reviews – people like it because it was lightweight, can accomplish the task of two products in one, has pretty good suction and a decently long power cord.
While it only weighs 9 pounds, consumers noticed that it was top heavy. And could put a strain on your hands and wrist.
Some even advised against buying this if you have a rather large home because pushing this top-heavy cleaner can wear your hands and wrists out.
Another downside to this design is it does not stand on its own, that’s why Bissell provided a wall mounted storage hook. Also it does not have any storage for the hard floor glider so you can easily misplace it.
Some potential issues
There are also complaints about how tough it is to empty the dirt cup because you have to unwind the cord and remove the extension wand.
But common sense tells us to empty the dirt cup after every use. So you don’t have to go through that process. Still these are things that you’ll have to put up because it is how the product is designed.
Great for low pile carpet and bare floor
Overall this is a good versatile product that is capable of cleaning low pile and bare floor surfaces with efficiency. The top-heavy design however makes it difficult to use this over a larger home with more surface area to clean.
If you need a floor cleaner for a small or medium sized home, this would be a good option. But for larger homes do yourself a favor and get an upright vacuum.
Where can I buy this?
You can buy this vacuum from Amazon for less than $200. But since it’s sold by third party sellers so it won’t be eligible for the 2-day shipping from Prime. A similar product that might be a better option would be the Shark Rocket ION. It’s has pretty much the same feature set (perhaps more) than the Bissell and much better performance.
To wrap up
This vacuum is great for folks who want a versatile vacuum that can clean every part of their home. But cannot afford a Dyson V6 or Shark Rocket. This is a great compromise budget is tight and it will provide most of the functionality at the fraction of the price.
It comes with the tools you need to clean low pile carpet, bare floor, upholstery and other nooks and crannies in your small to medium sized home.
It won’t be able to deep clean carpet or clean up a lot of dirt because it has a small dirt cup but in terms of versatility, this is a great option if you don’t mind that it has a cord.
If you have a lot of pets, avoid this, if you have medium or deep pile carpet avoid this. But if you’re looking for something for your home with low pile carpet, hardwood or linoleum this is a great option.
