Side by Side Comparison of: Kenmore vs Oreck Commercial

This is an excellent portable vacuum cleaner and is even better than I expected. The suction power is excellent and I find this vacuum to be very useful. It is built very well and feels solid. I really like the heavy duty long cord because it allows me to get a lot of vacuuming done without switching outlets. The floor attachment cleaned my rugs amazingly well. If you wanted to you could use this as a "main" vacuum because it certainly is capable but I would not recommend that because you have to use this unit while you are carrying it and that will get cumbersome really fast. I actually use it in addition to my Oreck XL to get to the smaller areas where the larger vacuum cannot reach. I'm actually very impressed with the suction power of this vacuum.We recently got a brand new red rug for the living room and it looked nice by itself but after one pass with this unit, it picked up so many "stray" fibers that the rug actually looks a deeper shade of red and so much nicer. I was really surprised what this vacuum picked up. When I was going over the rug, I could feel the suction as opposed to just gliding over the rug.BE CAREFUL WITH THE STRAP!!! Another reviewer pointed out that the strap came loose and the same thing happened to me. It just dropped and fell on the floor. Luckily it fell behind me or else it could have fallen on my foot! The simple fix for that is to attach two rivets to the strap and it won't slip through the opening on the vacuum. I can't understand why Oreck wouldn't pick that up at the factory because it is a serious (and dangerous) flaw. I am attaching a picture of my simple DIY fix which will basically take away any danger from using the strap. Go to your local auto parts store or eBay and buy a pair of seat belt button stops. They are very low-profile and you can install them with just a pair of pliers. The sharp pin end goes through the strap and you match it to the female end and then you use the pliers to "crush" the plastic creating a solid connection. Very easy, very effective, and very safe.Others have pointed out that they don't like the "Slinky" hose but I like it a lot. I feel that it is very good quality and it just adds to the compactness overall. The quality of the plastics is excellent and the unit does not feel cheap at all. The wands and the floor attachment feel very solid and robust. Another important thing is that the noise is very tolerable. I used to hate bringing out my old canister vac because it was so loud and I wanted to finish up vacuuming fast and put it away. This little Oreck is very powerful but it's not as loud as you would think. To be more specific, the noise is very refined; it's not obnoxious like some other vacuums.The only gripe I would give this unit is that carrying the unit on your shoulder is a bit cumbersome if you are doing a lot of vacuuming and it would be nicer if there was a way to mount this unit like a backpack. The hose is not long enough for you to vacuum with this sitting on the floor. Regardless, I am using this smaller unit more often than I use our larger Oreck XL...which is also equally good.Other than that issue, the vacuum itself is excellent and I am very happy with it. I should have bought it years ago.EDIT July 2017: Just thought I'd update this review after using the vacuum for a little over six months now. I still like it and it essentially picks up where the my larger Oreck XL leaves off. I'm still impressed with the quality and performance. The only thing I want to reiterate again is that this vacuum is a little cumbersome to use for an extended cleaning job. You can't lay this on the floor and vacuum due to the length and location of the hose as well as the overall shape of the vacuum. You have to use this either with the shoulder strap or by carrying it with the handle. In my opinion, I think this vacuum is more of a "touch up" vacuum for areas where a larger vac can't go. It's not something I would want to use and vacuum my whole house with even though I technically could. I find myself using it for less than a few minutes at a time. So if you are looking at this "mini" Oreck, make sure you have a solid vacuum that you are using to get 90% of your vacuuming done. This smaller model will easily take care of the rest and then some. It's also a great vacuum to use when cleaning your car. I still highly recommend it and it makes my life easier.

bought a different brand & it was ok .... had one like this for almost 14 years with no problems and it was awesome ..... had to come back to my ole faithful ..... works like a charm!!!

bought this to mainly vacuum the car. Now I find it is nice for everyday pickups instead of getting out the larger unit

So far I am very pleased with this vacuum. It is everything I expected from the description. The weight is manageable and attachments are great to have. The suction seems to be very good. The one problem is that the strap is way too long. I admit that I am short, but in spite of that a person can't adjust the strap to it's shortest position because the shoulder pad doesn't allow this. I would like the shoulder pad at my shoulder but as it is I have had to move it to where it attaches to the vacuum. This is the shortest I can make the strap. One day I will take the time to cut the strap and restitch it after moving the shoulder pad to a more usable position.

I bought this vacuum to replace my original unit that was purchased in 1994. This one is more sturdy, more quiet and has an area to keep the cord wrapped which my original unit lacked. Also the telescoping wand is a blessing and makes storage easy and there is less effort(fumbling) in carrying and assembly. The floor attachment is adjustable for solid surfaces and carpet. We have all solid surface flooring in our home so this works better on the floors vs. the upright, plus it is light enough to use with the shoulder strap when using a ladder to reach high areas over cabinets and window treatments. The bags are easy to replace and can also be ordered on Amazon making the process painless. This is my 4th Oreck product and all have functioned well and even after 20+ years are still functioning. My original Oreck canister will be going to my daughter once she moves into her own, smaller space which again does not have carpeting.

I hate to vacuum, but this Oreck helps you slither through cleaning the house like a snake ... cleaning everything in site! I love the 30' cord. I live in a 1600 sq ft townhouse which is 800 sq ft up and 800 sq ft down.. All floors are hardwood. I don't have to worry about changing the plug at all! For most people, this would be a secondary vacuum, but I use it as a primary vacuum because it'll go anywhere, plus it's convenient. Oh yeah ... I have a Pekingese dog, too. She sheds endlessly, which requires vacuuming and other cleaning no less than once a week. I have an endless supply of bags, and I change the bag once every 6-weeks. I wear the vacuum over the right shoulder and clean with the left hand and vice versa. This helps to steady the vacuum so I'm not so awkward or clumsy.

I love walking around with this thing draped off my shoulder- I feel like a ghost buster! The way that the flexible tube connects with the extending handle is not that tight and requires that I hold it below where they link up. I would like a more secure connection - but for this little machine, that is not much of an issue. This is more of a utility vacuum, than a main household machine. But the price and the convenience of getting into corners, edges,and under things easily makes it a perfect trouble shooter, small room machine.

I do love this vacuum in comparison to the HOOVER C2401 model because it is lighter, smaller and more functional for residential cleaning. The attachments come apart almost too easily and it is a little inconvenient for it to come apart multiple times while cleaning. I accidentally sucked up a sock while cleaning and it was hell getting it out of the long black attachment. I had to straighten out a wire hanger and push it through. It is not bag less so you will have additional costs if you are using it frequently it may be better to look into bag less.

I have only had this for a few months and have only tried it a few times. However, so far I love it! it reaches all the tight places that my large Kirby won't easily reach. It is a heck of a lot easier to use this than to add the attachment to my Kirby every time I want to vacuum my stairs or under furniture. It is really lightweight and it has great suction. It is a great supplement to your regular vacuum. It has a handy shoulder strap and a very long cord to make things easier.The one problem I have had with it is the two extensions put together often come apart during vacuuming. Perhaps I am doing something wrong. Other than that, it's perfect.

I have used this a couple times so far. It seems to work as well as my original that came free with my first Oreck. That one lasted many, many years, so I am hoping for the same with this one. I kept my other attachments, and I do prefer the old floor tool over the one that came with this. And the hose seems like a lesser quality material, and a little short. But for a hand held vac, this is a good product. I have hardwood floors with area rugs and this meets my needs. Also easy to take out and vacuum the camper.

I have had 3 of the old Buster B vacuums , similar to this model, and always liked the quality and lightness of them. Now that I am older, I refuse to carry my vacuum, even light as it is, from floor to floor. So when I lent one to my son and his bride, somehow I knew it wasn't coming back. After 6 months I gave up on getting it back and I decided to get another one to replace it. I looked at Amazon and saw this one.... perfect the commercial one sounded great, I had no desire to go to another model or brand. I just received it and it has a powerful suck, much more than my old ones. and is the familiar canister I am used to carrying or putting on the shoulder strap. I got it for only $102 and it certainly is worth it.The only think I don't like is the hose, yep its really short. Strangely, my other one right now has a 5 foot hose, the original cracked and my son found a replacement. So maybe i can find a 3 foot hose to fit. That is the only reason i gave it 4 stars...Otherwise its perfect.

My original Oreck compact was on its last legs.....too many dogs, too much fur. I decided to try the newer version as the original had given me nearly 10 years of faithful service. What's not to like? Power is the same or better; the longer cord is great for stairs and doing one floor at a time; the attachments fit far better than the original, don't tend to slip off; and it does exactly what its advertised to do.

vacuum is good - Ive had a similar one for years and like it but this new one has a poorly designed strap which detached and caused the vacuum to fall off my shoulder in the first 5 minutes of use. I could get no help about this problem from the customer service at Oreck ( the telephone number in the box) because I bought the product from Amazon. Amazon's best solution was to return it to them but since it is a design flaw a new vacuum would not solve the problem! Very disappointed. Should be an easy fix.

Vacuum works fine. The problem is with the D ring strap, it goes through a slot at both the rear and front top of the vacuum. Which is then connected to the shoulder strap. When I place the should strap over my should and let go of the vacuum handle the front ring strap came through the slot making the shoulder strap useless. I called Oreck and their only response is to return the item where purchased. Also the crevice tool is half the size as shown in the picture.

It does the job but is a bit cumbersome to use. The extension hose is not quite long enough. The carry strap broke the first day of use. If it came with a longer hose and the ability to use it from the floor instead of having to hold it the whole time I would have been happier.

It sucks pretty well, but the strap broke immediately and it will not sit upright during use. The hose really doesn't extend well at all and wants to stay short. It's awkward. Directions were not good and we got the holder on upside down then it won't come off. I wouldn't order this again.

I purchased this to replace an older Oreck vac. The plastic wand broke/cracked at the top where it connects to the flexible hose. I ended up just getting a different stronger type of wand from another Amazon seller.

The extension part of the equipment broke very easily. It's not like the normal Oreck quality products. I'm disappointed in the parts...the main vaccum is excellent.

I've been using this vacuum for a few months now and definitely wished I had purchased a different vacuum. I like the compact nature and definitely the sturdy electrical cord, however, the wand and attachments frequently fall off while vacuuming. It is very frustrating to have this happen several times while vacuuming. Also, the vacuum bag capacity is super small and requires frequent replacing. This vacuum replaced another the Eureka platinum vacuum. I didn't purchase that vacuum again because the other was only available as part of a bundle. I mistakenly thought the Oreck would be of superior quality due to the brand name but the frustrations outweigh the usefulness.

Pretty lame suction. What else can I say? I've used dust busters with more suction. I had high hopes for this but I had to send it back. Maybe add an extra pound in order to get some suction.

I find it clumsy an difficult. I wish I used it sooner so I could have returned it. It kept coming apart while I was cleaning in corners and under things. Seems like the cord does not need to be so "heavy" duty for such a small unit. I wish I could design a vacuum, I really thought this one was going to do for me. The hose should be at least a little longer too. I wish I knew what the designers think about when they design these!

After light use, the handle that goes into the wand, cracked the wand, it now has duct tape holding it together. The handle should have a positive lock when going into the wand, but it is just a pressure fit and it kept coming loose and the wand would fall out, after re-attaching the handle into the wand, the wand split. It is cheaply made; I would not recommend this product to anyone.

Don't plan on the strap holding the vacuum. You need to create your own strap.Very poor setup. Wouldn't be hard for Oreck to correct this problem. We didn't evenhook the strap onto the vacuum and the attachment came out of the device. Verydisappointed.

Edited: 4-4-2015 ***I am updating my review to 2 stars. Unfortunately, I can't recommend it. The pieces just flop around and fall off more often now than ever, and I've had to duct-tape the wand to at least get some cleaning done. I really wanted this one to work out.***I chose to order the Oreck over a similar Hoover model due to the standard, easily discarded filter bag. Having vacuumed my entire home just once since its arrival, I am pretty happy with its performance. Generally, this is a good compact vacuum with plenty of airflow. However, the seam allowances (e.g., gaps) near the mating points for the attachments allows for pieces to fall off quite regularly.Considering it is a new item, I don't want to have to add tape, glue, or other sealants to try and fix an obvious flaw. That being said, the vacuum otherwise performs as advertised (pretty rare in my opinion). Moreover, the filter bag is easily removed to the trash without spillage. Additionally, the long power cord makes using the vacuum really comfortable.I'll update if I encounter any other problems. In the interim I'll think about wrapping a small piece of electrical tape on the outer diameter of the main tube to help grip the interior surface of the many attachments.

Busted after 6 months. No info on how to return for a new one.

the worst vac I have ever usedbarely picks anything up, and the bags are TINY

Lacked the suction I expected from an Oreck. It was also very clumsy to handle. i returned it.

It's a shame that the accessories are made of such cheap plastic because this would otherwise be a good vacuum. The main wand broke in only 4 months. Next time I'll spend more money on a better brand.

We purchased this to replace a much loved Oreck XL which lasted almost 20 years. This vacuum is nothing like the older model! The suction is much reduced and the handle on the wand broke shortly after we began using it the first time. Admittedly the power cord is significantly sturdier than the older model, however everything else feels much less sturdy and lasting. This is about as far from "commercial" quality as you can get! Avoid this vacuum at all costs!

Is not what they made it seem to be. there is no way that this could hold a bowling ball. and the air that blows out the back just blows all the dust around the room. So no worth it