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At a glance
Editors pick in this category! A very functional and sturdy handheld vacuum for small cleanups. Versatile and lightweight design with easy-to-use features and great attachments to deal with pet-related messes. Click here to read real user reviews on Amazon.
- Sleek and functional design
- Powerful 22V Lithium-Ion battery
- Cordless with 15 minutes of runtime
- Specialized tools for cleaning after your pets
- Motorized brush roll
- Ergonomic and lightweight design with Comfort Soft Grips
- Removable dirt bin with Easy Empty lid
- LED headlights for visibility
- Extension hose for more reach
- 3.9 pounds
- 5.4 x 10 x 14.6 inches
- 2- year limited warranty
Pros
+ Functional design to make vacuuming easy
+ Powerful motor and strong suction
+ Runtime up to 15 minutes
+ Motorized brush roll for cleaning upholstery
+ Removable battery and additional batteries available
+ Extension hose and wand for more reach
+ Easy-to-empty dirt cup
+ LED headlights offer visibility in tight spots
Cons
- Crevice tool is very narrow
- Might clog with huge wads of pet hair
- Detaching system of attachments is a bit awkward
Summed up
The Bissell Multi handheld vacuum has been engineered for small cleanups on all above-floor surfaces of your home. It has many practical features that enable you to reach all those hard-to-reach areas where pet hair tends to pile up.
This vacuum is very reasonably priced, and with the attachments and features it comes with, it is a smart investment.
Our rating
Bissell Multi 1985/19851 Cordless Handheld Vacuum Full review
The Bissell Multi is a moderately priced all-around hand vacuum with several nifty features and practical engineering. There are two models: 1985 (older, green model) and the 1985 (newer, red model). These are same machines aside from the color.
It has powerful suction, attachments that offer adaptability on many surfaces and an easy-to-use design that makes vacuuming a no sweat task. Well worth purchasing if you're looking for a handheld vacuum that is compact, functional and capable of dealing with that annoying pet hair.
Bissell is one of the most popular brands in the household-cleaning category. They manufacture products that use innovative technology to solve all kinds of cleaning related problems. This manufacturer is something pet owners should have a closer look at because Bissell has many products directly aimed at people with pets and the need to take care of all the possible messes pets can cause.
The Bissell Multi 1985 is the editors pick in this category due to its many smart features, excellent power and ability to handle pet-related messes. It is a great choice for anyone looking to clean up small messes anywhere is their home or car, but especially pet owners will appreciate how easy it is to handle and how well it performs on many different kinds of dirt on many different surfaces.
Sleek cordless design with a powerful lithium-ion battery, Easy-Empty dirt cup, handy attachments, and an extension hose are just some of the features why I have chosen this vacuum as the top pick in handheld vacuums for pet hair.
Continue reading this review to find out more about this ingenious product.
Key Features
The Bissell Multi Handheld vacuum has a powerful 22V lithium-ion battery to offer strong suction and a runtime of 15 minutes, which is pretty good for a vacuum at this price point.
It takes 4 hours for the vacuum to charge completely, but if you find yourself suddenly in need of a small and quick cleanup while charging, it is ok to charge the battery for one hour and then use it for a short burst of cleaning.
If you want, you can double the runtime by getting a second battery. The removable and rechargeable battery allows you to keep two batteries charged, although users did feel the 15 minutes was enough for all cleanups they had run into themselves. If you think you might get more use of your vacuum by doubling the runtime, buying a second battery if quite affordable and you can find them online at the Bissell website.
The 0.4L dust bin is adequate for a handheld vacuum cleaner, and allows you to vacuum up quite a bit of dirt or pet hair before having to empty it. This is a must-have feature for pet owners with pets that shed a lot.
When the dirt bin is full, you just detach it from the vacuum and release the bottom over a trash can. All dirt and debris easily fall out, though you might have to tap it a few times if there is a lot of pet hair packed tight in the container. The cup is washable, but you should let it dry out thoroughly before placing it back in the vacuum.
The vacuum has a clever little extension hose, which you can pull out when needed. This feature is beneficial when cleaning that pet hair off furniture. You can easily reach all crevices between the cushions by holding the vacuum in one hand and guiding the brush attachment at the end of the hose with the other.
This feature is also practical when dusting surfaces high up. Although the vacuum is lightweight, you don’t have to strain your arm by lifting the machine itself, when you can just reach up with the tool attached at the end of the hose. This detail can be very convenient if you need to vacuum cat hair off drapes or curtains, or you need to dust blinds, shelves, etc.
I always recommend vacuums that come with a brush roll attachment for upholstery and carpets. This type of tool is the most effective way to remove even the most persistent pet hair from all kinds of carpeting and upholstery fabrics or bedding.
Many reasonably priced compact vacuums do not have this a brush roll tool, and therefore I’m excited to review this high power vacuum cleaner that has all the features a handheld vacuum needs to deal with pet hair.
A motorized brush roll will quickly and efficiently remove pet hair from upholstered furniture, climbing trees for cats, dog beds, and carpeted stairs. The rolling brush has firm bristles that are able to dig deep into all kinds of fabric to lift up the hair and dust. The ability to thoroughly engage the surface combined with a strong suction makes sure no hair is left behind.
The vacuum is quite lightweight at 3.9 pounds, and the design is sleek and compact for easy reach to all areas of your home; high and low.
Users describe the product as easily managed and easy on the arm. The weight distribution is excellent with smaller tools, but some users find that attaching the motorized brush roll makes the balance tip away from your arm, making the vacuum seem heavier. This is just a small observation, and it doesn’t affect using the vacuum.
Bissell has added a Comfort Soft Grip on the Multi 1985 for even more comfort when vacuuming. Although handheld vacuums are used only for small cleanups, it is important for a to have an ergonomic and comfortable design. Fifteen minutes may not seem like a long time, but when grasping the handle to point the vacuum up high, into tight crevices or under furniture, you want it to feel effortless and not strenuous at all.
Filtration
There is a washable foam filter inside the dirt cup. Though the filter is not HEPA grade and there is only one filter, users report that the exhaust air feels clean. The thick foam filter is located in the dirt cup and can be detached when emptying the dirt container.
Often you can just tap the filter to remove collected dirt, but every once in a while you should rinse it under water. Make sure you don’t use any detergents and that you allow for the filter to dry up completely before placing it back in.
Although the filter is reusable and washable, you might need to replace it at some point. You can find spare parts for this vacuum on the Bissell website or Amazon.
Performance
Pet Hair Removal
When it comes to removing pet hair, this vacuums excels because of the smart attachments and strong suction. The motorized brush roll attachment will efficiently clean pet hair off all kinds of fabrics, including those that are hard to clean such as suede. It is something you can use to vacuum pet hair from your car, bed, furniture, and carpets.
For pet hair on delicate surfaces you can use the brush tool, and for wads of pet hair under furniture and in all the corners you have the crevice tool. If you are looking for a handheld vacuum that will take care of pet hair on above floor areas and to spot-clean small messes made by your pet, this is an ideal vacuum to choose.
Carpet
Handheld vacuums are not designed to clean large area rugs or carpeting as such, but you can use it for spot-cleaning small messes in those areas or vacuuming your carpeted stairs. For these surfaces, you have the Motorized Brush Roll, which is quite wide compared to some other tools of this type on the market. A broader cleaning head allows you to vacuum a larger area with one pass making the task quicker and easier.
Also in the Bissell Brush Roll Tool, the bristles are long and stiff enough to be able to force dust, dirt, and hair up to the surface of the carpet for the suction to then pick up. Though a sturdy and powerful tool, it is gentle on fabrics. If you have very delicate fabrics to vacuum, I suggest you use the dusting brush, which will do a good job of cleaning softer fabrics.
Bare Floors
As a handheld vacuum, The Bissell Multi vacuum isn’t of course designed to vacuum floors, but you can use the crevice tool for picking up debris, cleaning baseboards and vacuuming up the dirt that accumulates into corners and crevices. And with the Crevice Tool attached to the Extension Wand, you don’t even have to bend down when doing so.
The Crevice Tool is fairly narrow, which might be a problem if you're trying to vacuum up larger pieces of pet food, but for anything like cat litter, sand, grass on small pellets of food it will work fine. And there is, of course, the Dusting Brush Tool which has a larger opening and which is, therefore, something you can use for larger debris.
Upholstery
The Bissell Multi handheld vacuum is a good choice if you’re looking for a vacuum that can handle pet hair, dust and all that small dirt and debris that accumulates on your couch and recliners and can be found between the cushions. It is also something you can easily use to clean your car or bed after you pet has managed to get pet hair all over.
There are two features that make this vacuum an outstanding vacuum for cleaning these kinds of areas: the Motorized Brush Roll Tool and the Extension Hose.
With the Brush Roll Tool, you can remove all the pet hair from upholstered surfaces with just one pass. While other types of tools often need at least a few passes to remove persistent pet hair, this tool can loosen stubborn hair with one pass making vacuuming easier. The powerful brush roll will grasp dirt and pull it up to the suction path for the vacuum to pick up. It gets the job done in no time.
The other useful feature is the Extension Hose that can be pulled out when needed. With this attachment, you can easily get between cushions or reach the tight spots in your car. Another great bonus for pet owners!
Attachments
The Bissell Multi comes with a diverse set of attachments. Some of the tools can be stored onboard the vacuum cleaner itself, which makes them available at all times and changing the accessories simple.
The attachments include a soft Dusting Brush for dust and debris and a Crevice Tool for tight spots. You also get an Extension Wand With Duster, which enables picking up debris on the floors without having to bend down and reaching those cobwebs high in the corners of the ceiling.
For more reach, you have the Flexible Built-in Extension Hose, which you can pull out when you need to get between cushions of your couch or those tight spots in your car. This is a new and innovative feature, which many users have found useful when cleaning their home.
Regarding the attachments, there is one negative remark some users had: the motorized brush roll can be difficult to detach. To remove the tool, you need to pull on a green ring to unlock the attachment. At first, it may feel awkward, but after a while, you should get used to it.
Otherwise, users have been very happy with the versatile attachments of this vacuum. Pet owners love the motorized brush tool for pet hair, and the other attachments for picking up other pet-related messes such as food pellets, cat litter or sand.
Pros & Cons
Pros
+ Compact and practical design
+ Powerful suction
+ Up to 15 minutes of runtime
+ Motorized brush roll tool for pet hair
+ Second battery available
+ Convenient extension hose and wand
+ Dirt cup with Easy-Empty bottom release
+ LED headlights for visibility
Cons
- Narrow crevice tool may not pick up food pellets
- Large wads of hair may block the vacuum
- Detaching the brush roll attachment may feel cumbersome