Sanitaire Vacuums Reviews for 2020

sanitaire vacuums review

Sanitaire is owned by BISSELL Homecare, Inc and Electrolux makes their vacuums. Having such big names associated with the brand makes them one of the top vacuum brands on the market today.

Their commercial vacuums have been available since the 1950s after huge customer demands for a commercial vacuum. In the 1950s, cleaning crews were responsible for commercial cleaning, it was a small but growing market place and Sanitaire was one of the first brands to adhere to the growing demand for electrical cleaning tools.

To date, Sanitaire has sold over 5 million commercial vacuums. They pride themselves on the longevity of their vacuums and on their outstanding customer service. Clients all over the world sing Sanitaire’s praise and some even boast about how their vacuum is over 15 years old and still working, which is great advertising for the brand.

Comparison Table

PRODUCTFEATURESLATEST PRICE
1. Sanitaire Traditional Upright Vacuum
  • Well made
  • Parts are replaceable
  • Commercial-grade
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2. Sanitaire SL3681A Canister Vacuum
  • Easy to assemble
  • Powerful suction
  • Compact
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3. Sanitaire Quiet Clean Canister Vacuum SC3700A
  • Great suction on a hard floor
  • Quiet
  • Moderate dirt capacity
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4. Sanitaire Multi-Surface Quiet Clean Upright Vacuum
  • Durable
  • Built to last
  • Picks up animal hair
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5. Sanitaire SC889A Two Speed Upright Vacuum
  • Easy to use
  • Great for carpet and hard floor
  • Powerful motor
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6. Sanitaire SL4110A Upright Vacuum With Onboard Tools
  • Powerful
  • Great for carpets
  • Lightweight
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7. Sanitaire SL4410A Bagless Vacuum
  • Easy to assemble
  • Aesthetically pleasing
  • Easy to empty
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8. Sanitaire EUK5745B Hepa Upright Vacuum
  • Bagless
  • Wide
  • Hight can be extended
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It wasn’t until 2003 that Sanitaire spread its wings and started to offer clients a wider range of products. Air movers, floor polishers, and more are now available to purchase on their site making the brand more diverse.

Now, back to vacuum cleaners. Sanitaire is professional when it comes to vacuum cleaners. They sell every accessory you could possibly dream of for your vacuum cleaner. Their best selling vacuum cleaners are the canister vacuums and traditional upright vacuums, although they have a range of backpack vacuums too.

Let’s take a look at what you would use each vacuum style for:

Canister Vacuums

Cleaning small spaces such as offices, small living areas, and awkwardly shaped or cluttered rooms is almost impossible unless you have a powerful vacuum that can fit into awkward nooks and crannies.

Canister vacuums are designed in such a way that their hose is long and flexible so weaving and winding them around and under furniture is less challenging. They are also much lighter, roughly 9 or 10 pounds in comparison to large upright vacuums that weigh about 25 pounds.

It is worth mentioning that canister vacuums are generally rather quiet. This feature makes them a great choice for offices and hospitals.

Upright Vacuums
Upright vacuums have the greatest dust and debris capacity. They can be cordless or corded, bagged, or bagless. We would recommend purchasing an upright vacuum if you have deep pile carpets as upright vacuums are better at cleaning out the dust that is buried deep in the carper.

Households and commercial buildings that have a mixture of surfaced floors in the building would find using an upright vacuum easier than canister vacuums as you won’t have to bend over to adjust to the surface change.

Although they have a very wide cleaning path, they can take up a lot of room. Upright vacuums are easy to use on large floor areas but bulky and awkward in smaller rooms.

Backpack Vacuums
Backpack vacuums are designed to be worn as a backpack with the vacuum hose hanging out of it. The operator holds the hose and moves it around freely in the area they wish to clean.

Uneven floors and staircases are examples of areas where backpack vacuums come in handy. A disadvantage of using a backpack vacuum is that they can really weigh you down and tire you out.

Cordless Vacuums
Cordless vacuums are the easiest type of vacuums to use. You won’t keep getting yourself tangled up in the cord as you clean and they make moving around a furnished or cluttered room much easier.

The downside of using a cordless vacuum is that they need to be recharged very regularly. Some vacuums only have about an hour or less of battery life when fully charged, so you can imagine how frustrating having to recharge the vacuum is when you haven’t finished cleaning the house.

Our Best Product Reviews and Comparisons

1. Sanitaire Traditional Upright Vacuum

Product Highlights

Traditional design upright vacuum with large capacity shake-out bags.

Features

  • 18-quart capacity shake-out bags
  • 2000 hours of commercial cleaning
  • Comfortable looped handle
  • Chrome hood
  • Tool-free maintenance
  • Large capacity shakeout bags
  • 7,800 sq feet potential cleaning area
  • 78 dBA sound level
  • 50 ft power cord reach

 

 

What We Like About Sanitaire Traditional Upright Vacuum

It picks up cat and dog hair brilliantly and doesn’t get the hairs tangled or stuck in any of the components. The cord is long enough to allow the vacuum to clean a good amount of space without needing to be plugged into another socket.

All of the parts are replaceable, which means that if something breaks, it can be fixed effortlessly. Lots of vacuum manufacturers do not make spare parts readily available so this is an important feature that needs recognition.

What We Don’t Like About Sanitaire Traditional Upright Vacuum

The vacuum is made out of plastic under the belt and in other areas of the machine. Plastic is not very durable and will crack easily if the vacuum is knocked against furniture or in corners accidentally.

PROS

  • Easy to put together
  • Well made
  • Parts are replaceable
  • Commercial-grade vacuum

CONS

  • Heavy
  • Plastic parts

2. Sanitaire SL3681A Canister Vacuum

Product Highlights

Professional and compact canister vacuum from the Sanitaire professional line.

Features

  • Light-duty
  • Easy to use
  • Bag holds 2.5 quarts of dirt and debris
  • Weighs 10 lbs
  • Multi-surface cleaning capabilities
  • Includes 4 useful tools
  • Dual-action carpet vacuum

 

 

What We Like About Sanitaire SL3681A Canister Vacuum

The vacuum comes with two wands, a hose, a brush, and a floor tool. The cord is a whopping 50 inches long which is super convenient and won’t leave you searching for an appropriate plug socket.

It is really easy to move around, it has 2 large wheels at the rear of the vacuum that stops it from getting stuck in high pile carpets. The bags are replaceable and the vacuum comes with an extra bag too.

Assembling the vacuum doesn’t take up much time and in just a few minutes the vacuum is set up and ready to use. If you need to vacuum your car, this canister vacuum does the job well too.

What We Don’t Like About Sanitaire SL3681A Canister Vacuum

If you wish to attach a HEPA filter, you will have to purchase it separately. The bags are not available in HEPA form either. The suction adjustment collar is designed very poorly and is fiddly to adjust.

PROS

  • Easy to assemble
  • Powerful suction
  • Great for vacuuming furniture and car interiors
  • Compact

CONS

  • Requires assembling before every use
  • Fine dust makes its way out of the canister

3. Sanitaire Quiet Clean Canister Vacuum SC3700A

Product Highlights

A canister vacuum with an 11-inch cleaning path and 9 AMP suction power

Features

  • 9 AMP
  • 11-inch cleaning path
  • 120 volts
  • Appropriate for bare floor and carpet cleaning
  • 16 inches height
  • Quiet – 68 decibels
  • Day or night cleaning
  • Large capacity high-hat
  • 3.8-quart dirt and debris capacity

 

 

What We Like About Sanitaire Quiet Clean Canister Vacuum SC3700A

The hose attachment is clearly made out of high-quality metal, along with the rest of the vacuum components. It picks up dirt and dust from the hard floor brilliantly without struggling or leaving behind large bits of dirt.

This vacuum is much quieter than the majority of vacuum cleaners on the market. Use it day or night at home without disturbing sleeping children and family members.

What We Don’t Like About Sanitaire Quiet Clean Canister Vacuum SC3700A

It feels quite cheaply made, this could be due to it being so lightweight, however, it doesn’t feel high-quality as other Sanitaire vacuum cleaners. Replacement parts are hard to come across if something malfunctions, rendering the vacuum useless if something breaks.

PROS

  • Great suction on a hard floor
  • Quiet
  • Moderate dirt capacity

CONS

  • Doesn’t perform well on a carpeted floor
  • Feels cheaply made

4. Sanitaire Multi-Surface Quiet Clean Upright Vacuum

Product Highlights

Sanitaire multi-surface upright vacuum cleaner is a corded electric vacuum that can be used on carpet and hard floors.

Features

  • Corded
  • Carpet and Rug Institute certified
  • Commercial-grade
  • Brushroll ON/OF feature
  • Under 70 dBA
  • 50-foot detachable power cord
  • 7,800 sq ft potential cleaning area

 

 

What We Like About Sanitaire Multi-Surface Quiet Clean Upright Vacuum

This vacuum is heavy enough to pull up dirt and debris from a high pile carpet. It can take a few bumps and scratches without showing any signs of damage at all. It can pick the hair up off hard floors, it even does a great job vacuuming hardwood and cement floors.

What We Don’t Like About Sanitaire Multi-Surface Quiet Clean Upright Vacuum

It has a rather high price tag, making it a little overpriced for most people. It feels a bit like it’s lacking in features and power too.

PROS

  • Vacuums well on the cement floor
  • Durable
  • Built to last
  • Picks up animal hair

CONS

  • Average suction power
  • The wheel design isn’t great

5. Sanitaire SC889A Two Speed Upright Vacuum

Product Highlights

This vacuum has a 7 AMP motor and a 17-inch cleaning path. What is even better is that the vacuuming speed can be adjusted to suit you.

Features

  • Uses disposable shake-out bags
  • 50-foot power cord
  • 7 AMPS of power
  • 6.1-quart dirt capacity
  • Comes with instructions
  • Requires assembling

 

 

What We Like About Sanitaire SC889A Two Speed Upright Vacuum

Fortunately, this isn’t a heavy vacuum. It can be pushed and moved around with ease, making it feel like less than a chore to vacuum. Its weight is manageable enough to use it to vacuum the staircase.

It is really easy to store away and is far less bulky than most upright vacuums. It is convenient and once it is assembled out of the box, it is ready to use as-and-when needed.

What We Don’t Like About Sanitaire SC889A Two Speed Upright Vacuum

The motor has a tendency to stop working if the vacuum is overused. It isn’t quiet and can’t be used during office hours or at home while the children are asleep or family and friends are having a conversation.

PROS

  • Easy to use
  • Comes with instructions
  • Great for carpet and hard floor
  • Powerful motor

CONS

  • FLoud
  • Hard to move

6. Sanitaire SL4110A Upright Vacuum With Onboard Tools

Product Highlights

The SL4110A upright vacuum has been designed to give you the ‘just right’ clean for your home and business. It comes with onboard tools that make completing chores hassle-free.

Features

  • 30 ft commercial-grade power cord
  • Multi-surface cleaning abilities
  • Large capacity disposal bags
  • 13-inch cleaning path
  • 5 height adjustment settings
  • Light-duty machine
  • 4,680 sq ft cleaning potential

 

 

What We Like About Sanitaire SL4110A Upright Vacuum With Onboard Tools

Assembling the vacuum is relatively easy and can be done using just a Phillips screwdriver. The vacuum is compatible with the BISSELL 7 type vacuum bag which is a great alternative to the BU style bags.

It is lightweight, so the fact that it is not self-propelled isn’t an issue when it comes down to using it on carpet floors. The handle is very comfortable to hold and has a wonderful grip.

It has great suction power and even leaves crisp vacuum lines on carpets that are oh so satisfying to see. Overall, a good quality, powerful vacuum.

What We Don’t Like About Sanitaire SL4110A Upright Vacuum With Onboard Tools

Unfortunately, this vacuum isn’t suitable for commercial properties that require cleaning on a daily basis. Replacement parts are few and far between and if something malfunctions, it can be a nightmare to fix.

PROS

  • Powerful
  • Great for carpets
  • Lightweight
  • Easy to assemble

CONS

  • Struggles to pick up fine dust

7. Sanitaire SL4410A Bagless Vacuum

Product Highlights

A bagless vacuum cleaner that comes with tools. It looks modern and stylish, so having it visible in the office isn’t a problem.

Features

  • Commercial-rated
  • Light-duty
  • Built for your budget
  • Can be used on and above the floor
  • Multi-surface vacuuming abilities
  • 13-inch cleaning path
  • 30-foot power cord

 

 

What We Like About Sanitaire SL4410A Bagless Vacuum

Let us start off by saying how modern and aesthetically appealing the vacuum is. It doesn’t look like a budget vacuum at all, yet it has a budget price tag.

It takes less than 10 minutes to assemble out of the box and doesn’t need any tools apart from a simple screwdriver.

Emptying the canister is mess-free and easy to do, it can be done in the middle of cleaning without making a mess. More importantly, it is easy to carry, so if you need to use it on staircases, you can do so with ease.

What We Don’t Like About Sanitaire SL4410A Bagless Vacuum

Its dirt and debris capacity is only 3 quarts, smaller capacity than most upright vacuum cleaners. The height adjustment settings are awkward to use and you may find yourself cleaning uncomfortably for the majority of the time.

Moving the vacuum around is quite a hurdle. It is awkward, bulky, and hasn’t got a self-propelling feature. Using the vacuum for longer than 20 minutes feels like quite the workout!

PROS

  • Easy to assemble
  • Aesthetically pleasing
  • Easy to empty

CONS

  • Hard to adjust
  • Awkward to move around

8. Sanitaire EUK5745B Hepa Upright Vacuum

Product Highlights

This Sanitaire vacuum is perfect for all surfaces in your home. No more purchasing multiple cleaning tools for different surfaces. Clean your carpets, and your tiled floors with the same vacuum.

Features

  • CRI certified
  • Removable dirt cup
  • Multi-surface cleaner
  • Sound level is below 71 dBA
  • 15-inch cleaning path
  • Increased commercial cleaning productivity
  • Dusting brush
  • Crevice tool
  • 33 inches high, extends to 40 inches
  • 19 inches wide
  • bagless

What We Like About Sanitaire EUK5745B Hepa Upright Vacuum

This is an amazing piece of commercial-grade equipment. Its wide cleaning path makes vacuuming large rooms a lot easier and takes less time.

You can clean on and above the floor with this vacuum, so removing pesky cobwebs from high ceilings won’t be such an effort. It has a modern design and moves around the room well.

What We Don’t Like About Sanitaire EUK5745B Hepa Upright Vacuum

It is incredibly bulky. Storing the vacuum can be challenging, especially in small living spaces. The vacuum is also rather heavy and lifting it off the ground can be challenging.

PROS

  • Bagless
  • Wide
  • Hight can be extended
  • Glides around the room well

CONS

  • Very heavy
  • Hard to store away

Final Verdict

Which Sanitaire vacuum cleaner did you like the most? We have to say that all of them are brilliant and show a lot of versatility and durability. The vacuum cleaner that particularly caught our eye is the Sanitaire SL4410A Bagless Vacuum. It is lightweight yet powerful and the dust is easy to empty without making a mess.

The SL4410A vacuum is an all-rounder and can be used in both your office space and home. It’s perfect for everyday use and makes vacuuming feel like less of a chore.
Remember, it is a bit awkward to use, and vacuuming in large spaces may become tiring, so if your home or workspace is large, check out one of the other vacuums featured in our review.

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