Power & Performance - a vacuum cleaner with attitude!

I was delighted when my Vax Air Force 2 Reach vaccuum cleaner arrived. Only shortly before our old cleaner had succumbed to our relentless demands of it dealing with the fur, dust and dirt that 18 dogs can create in our house each day. The instructions that came with the machine were clear, well illustrated and easy to follow. Within a couple of minutes I had my Vax ready and working - couldn't have been easier.First thing I found most useful is the adjustable handle.I'm nearly 5'10 tall and most handles are just too short for me - which can cause backache when I'm in a cleaning frenzy.
This machine is advertised as being the most powerful domestic vaccuum cleaner available - and it certainly lives up that title. On longer pile carpets it's powerful suction can cause it to handle a bit on the heavy side - and perhaps a pile height adjustment on the brush bar would overcome the drag to allow for easier glide over some carpeted areas. I do like the button that allows for turning off the brush bar on tiles or wood floor surfaces, this is very successful on my vinyl floor covering. A major plus with this cleaner is the 4.5m longer reaching hose. I can have the machine at the bottom of the stairs and still comfortably reach the top step without having to stop half way through the chore to lug the machine up the stairs. It also comes with a 10 m length of power cable, so having to keep switching to another power point as you go from room to room or using an extension cable isn't necessary. For cleaning the car out, these two features make life so much easier and in almost no time the task is done, again no extension lead needed and no battling the hose to allow you to get to those tricky places at the back of the car. Valeting the car has just got a whole lot easier.
The crevice tool design is very clever as the three heads used for cleaning are incorporated into the tool. No more leaving the dusting head or upholstery head in another room just when you want it. I did think that another inch or so on the crevice tool itself wouldn't go amiss but it does the job, even getting the dog hair out of the deepest recesses of the sofa sides.
Once the cleaning is done it's simple to empty the dirt container and then replace the bin on the machine. For a more thorough cleaning/ maintenance of the dirt collection parts the whole bin assembly can come apart for washing and, again, it is easy to reassemble. The cyclone technology ensures that the dust and dirt end up in the dirt container while the HEPA filters make sure that allergens don't end up being thrown back up into the air. Bye-bye Mr. Dust Mite! In keeping with the practical design, most of the filters are washable or are easily cleanable.
Overall, I'm most impressed with this machine and wouldn't want to swap it for any other make. It's cleaning performace is unrivalled, the design is neat and prectical and it's a sturdy and durable piece of cleaning equipment. A six year warrenty period is standard with this machine - at no extra cost - and shows the confidence that Vax has in the quality of it's manufacture. I can honestly say this is the best vaccuum cleaner I've ever had my hands on.