Bosch BX3 Pets Review

Overall Rating

None

Impossible to clean and very difficult to use. Lack of support or interest in our concerns shown by Bosch when this was brought to their attention. Full refund obtained from retailer by threatening action under the Sale of Goods Act ... very disappointed!

"It has always been an unbearable thought to me that someone could inspect one of my products and find it inferior in some way. For that reason I have consistently tried to produce products which can withstand the closest scrutiny - products which prove themselves to be superior in every respect."
Robert Bosch 1861-1942 (as quoted on the Bosch website)

Dear Bosch,

We own a range of your products - including a fridge/freezer, a washing machine, a dryer, and a dishwasher.

Recently, we purchased a vacuum cleaner from Argos, specifically a Bosch BX3 Pets Bagless Cylinder Cleaner.

Unlike our experience with your other products, we were very disappointed with the vacuum cleaner. We eventually got a full cash refund from Argos after threatening to take them to small claims court (they were suggesting that a refund in Argos vouchers would suffice).

We also contacted your office in Milton Keynes, where we were told we could write to Germany "and see if they respond." The clear implication being that the German Office and Bosch more generally could not care less what we thought.

We were offered a repair and our concerns were noted on a computer. However, we could not help forming the view that Bosch had absolutely no intention of taking our concerns about the vacuum cleaner seriously.

This is a shame because frankly the Bosch BX3 Pets Bagless Cylinder Cleaner barely deserves the description "Cleaner." In our experience it is more likely to make things dirty than clean.

Our specific concerns include:

- the cleaner clogs in two places i.e. where the hose connects to the base unit and at the first micro filter. These two places (which are difficult to get to) need to be cleaned about every 2-3 minutes of the machines active use. After cleaning, the operator than needs to wash their hands.

- the main compartment for dust also fills very quickly and is prone to clogging. It is nearly impossible to open and when it does open usually the bottom opens simultaneously. This results in the dirt and dust being emptied into the compartment of the vacuum cleaner. This in turn is difficult to clean. If you do not clean it then when the machine is switched on again, dust is blown all over the carpet where you have just been vacuuming.

- the net result of the two points above is that when someone is cleaning with the Bosch BX3 Pets Bagless Cylinder Cleaner, they are continually cleaning themselves, the vacuum cleaner, and the area where they have just clean.

- the bottom lid which is supposed to keep the main dust and dirt compartment closed, does not close properly (i.e. even when closed it leaks dust and dirt) or at all (for most of the time we have had our Bosch BX3 Pets Bagless Cylinder Cleaner, we have not been able to close the compartment at all. This means the vacuum cleaner is never operating with a full capacity or suction.

- the retractable cord does not retract properly and to have even a chance of it retracting you have to pull it out fully and then hope that it will retract all the way BUT if it does not then you have to start again.

In short, the Bosch BX3 Pets Bagless Cylinder Cleaner is not what we expected of a Bosch product and really not fit for purpose as a vacuum cleaner, period.

We are also very disappointed with the response that we had from your customer service department. It was pretty clear that the views of the end user where not important and that there was inadequate or no means for reflecting our views back to those who are responsible for putting your products on the market.

We will think long and hard before putting our trust in Bosch again.

Yours sincerely,

Members' Comments ontalk2george's Review

• bluecatluma on 17th May 2007

  I purchased vacuum in January 2007 - within 3 weeks the handle broke off.
  Found exactly same problems with clogging up - need to clean out dust container and filters after every use which creates an extra chore. This wears out clips on flimsy plastic casing. The whole lot came undone while I walked down the stairs and I hurt myself trying to catch it. I also found I got extremely hot to the point of almost burning myself.
  
  Cord does not wind back easily.
  Contacted Bosch again and they sent an engineer out who made comments on PC and took the cleaner away.
  Although we are very contented with Bosch fridge/freezer and dishwasher - this vacuum cleaner is full of design faults.
  The 1st time I called Bosch to inform them about broken handle, the lady at customer service. was making VERY clear that in case no fault was found, I had to pay for call-out, not listening to what I was trying to tell that even though it could be repaired it would go faulty again.
  
  Still awaiting reply from Bosch after the cleaner has been taken away (6 days later)
  
  Overall, stay well clear from this product. It is not more than a glorified big dustbuster which needs a lot of maintenance to keep it working.