You don’t need to buy a Dyson canister just to get the benefit of cyclonic filtration.
Eureka adds this feature to the AirExcel and based on the reviews it has gotten in Amazon it will give Dyson a run for its money at least in cleaning bare floor surfaces. Also it won’t cost you hundreds like the Dyson, it will cost less than $85.
Eureka claims that the cyclonic technology found in this machine will never lose suction.
And since it is bagless you don’t have to pay extra $$$ for bags.
It comes with a post motor HEPA filter and a main foam filter that you can wash.
So compared to other canister vacuums that don’t have HEPA filtration, this machine will trap more allergens in it which is good if you have a condition like allergic rhinitis.
Thanks to its long 6 foot hose and extension wand, this has very good reach for above the floor cleaning. But the floor tool does not come with a motorized brush.
So this would be best suited for bare floor and low pile carpet cleaning.
A quick look at the features
- Comes with a pretty strong 9 amp motor
- 16 foot power cord has a rewind feature for easier storage
- Cyclonic filtration ensures no loss of suction
- Weighs just 8 pounds
- Telescopic wand easily adjusts for easy cleaning on floors or on stairs
- 11″ cleaning path
Pros
- Great for bare floor surfaces like hardwood or laminate flooring
- Lightweight – just 8 pounds
- Long hose and telescopic wand reaches all the way to the ceiling
- Cyclonic filtration allows this to clean without the risk of losing any suction even when the dust bin is filled up
- You can easily remove the dust bin for easier waste disposal
Cons
- Short power cord
- Short warranty
- Will not deep clean carpet or rugs
- No pet hair attachment that will clean pet hair off upholstery
- Quality issues with the plastic
What to expect from the Eureka AirExcel Compact 990A?
This machine is designed not just for cleaning floors, when you look at the length of the hose and telescopic wand you can use this to clean basically your whole home with just a single machine.
Long hose
When you combine the width of the hose and wand, it is easily more than 10 feet.
This hose is long enough in most cases to reach the ceiling, great for cleaning cobwebs or dusting areas like ceiling vents or fans.
The adjustable wand will allow this to be useful on stairs – one of the toughest areas to clean in any home.
Tools
It comes with two tools that you can attach at the end of the wand, the crevice and dusting brush which in most cases should be enough for cleaning floors and upholstery.
That is if you don’t have any pets. It does not come with any tool that has a motorized brush. So do not expect this to clean anything more than low pile carpet.
Eureka will allow you to remove the dirt bin from the body which will make emptying it a whole lot easier. And if you’ve emptied any bag-less vacuum in the past.
This task can be messy and you will be exposed to the allergens that might come out.
If that is an issue for you then you should opt for a canister vacuum with a bag like the Mighty Mite also made by Eureka.
Bare Floor Performance
This machine is best suited to clean bare floor surfaces thanks to its 9 amp motor and the floor tool that does not have any motorized brush.
Great for picking up dust bunnies, cob webs and other fine dirt that make bare floor tough to maintain, especially on dusty locations.
It gives you the option of something more lightweight and compact that you can move around with ease. The telescopic wand also will allow you to clean up stairs fairly easy.
Carpet Performance
The absence of a motorized brush limits the effectiveness of the AirExcel on medium to plush carpet.
This will only be effective on thin pile carpet to clean up surface dirt or larger debris like crushed chips and cheerios.
Upholstery Performance
The dusting brush and crevice tool make this useful on various types of upholstery. But it will not be efficient in terms of cleaning pet hair off fabric upholstery because it does not have any tool specifically designed for pet hair.
Pet Hair Removal
Aside from cleaning pet hair on bare floors and non-fabric upholstery, this machine won’t be able to effectively pick up pet hair from fabric upholstery and carpet because again the main floor tool lacks a motorized brush plus it does not have any attachment for pet hair.
Attachments and Accessories
It comes with a total of two – the brush tool and crevice tool. It also comes with a long 6 foot hose and extension wand where you can attach both of these tools.
Cord Length
Power cord is around 16 feet long and it has cord rewind so storing it won’t be a hassle.
Filter Clean up
This filter comes with two filters – a HEPA filter located at the exhaust of the motor and a foam filter. The foam filter can be washed but the HEPA filter has to be replaced (maybe around 2 times a year depending on how often you use the machine or how dirty the environment is).
Here’s a diagram on how to access both filters.
Warranty
Eureka backs this up with a 1 year warranty.
Product Specifications
| Features | |
| Attachments | Dusting brush Crevice tool |
| Cord Length | 16 feet |
| Auto Cord Rewind |  |
| Motorized brush |  |
| Brush on/off switch | |
| Swivel | |
| Headlight | |
| Full bin indicator | |
| HEPA Filtration | |
| Bagless | |
| Multi-surface | |
| Self propelled | |
| Net weight | 8 pounds |
| Shipping weight | 15 pounds |
| Hose length | 6 feet |
| Cleaning Path | 11" |
| Overall length | 10" |
| Dirt capacity | N/A |
| Filter type | HEPA |
| Power | 9 amps |
| Voltage | 110v |
| Manufactured in | China |
| Warranty | 1 year |
Customer Reviews
If there’s one common feature that consumers liked about this vacuum it’s the suction power.
A lot of people who purchased this said that suction power is excellent. It has such good suction that it is hard for them to push this on carpet or on rugs.
Even though there is no beater bar present, it is still capable of cleaning carpet, at least low and medium pile. But there seems to be a design flaw that one consumer uncovered.
The design of the hose that connects the flexible hose and canister
If you clean will use this to clean a lot of carpet and pet hair, it may clog up the hose which bends at a 90 degree angle.
Other complaints are related to the quality control issues – wheels falling off, cracked plastics, etc. which you’d expect from vacuums that are made from plastic.
But aside from those complaints, it’s been mostly positive for this compact vacuum that based on reviews will work best cleaning stuff like dust bunnies, pet litter, bread crumbs, etc. on bare floor.
The cord retract also is a popular feature because there is no need to wrap the cord on hooks, just push a button and the cord will retract automatically by itself.
Overall, this is a good cheap alternative to a Dyson canister that uses the same cyclonic technology but minus the beater bar, great on bare floor but will also work on low pile carpet and rugs just but it may have trouble dealing with a lot of pet hair.
Where can I buy this?
You can buy this lightweight upright for less than $85 from Amazon. And it’ll be eligible for their 2-day free shipping if you join Prime.
To wrap up
This vacuum would be great for small to medium sized homes that doesn’t have too much carpeting or pets inside.
The brushless floor head is perfect for cleaning bare floor because there is little risk of scratching. And the 9 amp motor will provide ample suction to pick up small to large debris as long as it fits in the inlet.
The 6 foot hose and adjustable extension wand will allow consumers to use this on the floor and above it (yes even the ceiling).
When you combine the crevice and dusting brush, you can virtually use this machine to clean not just floors but also upholstery, vents and even your car.
Plus it comes with cyclonic filtration so you don’t have to worry about power loss when you’re using this and you don’t need to pay a premium just to use this technology.
If you cannot afford a Dyson and only have bare floor (and maybe some low pile carpeting) inside your home, this is a good buy.
