This toilet cleans itself so you can throw away your toilet brush

I don’t normally think of bathroom fixtures as gadgets, but this American Standard VorMax Plus toilet does seem a bit gadget-worthy.  This 2-piece, elongated-bowl, single-flush toilet uses 1.28 gallons per flush.  The “uniquely powerful VorMax flush hydraulics” alone cleans 2X better than conventional toilet flushes, but American Standard then added in a Lysol FreshInfuser cartridge to assist the cleaning power of each flush, resulting in a cleaner bowl with no extra work.

The toilet’s design aids in the ease of cleaning, too:

  • CleanCurve rim design eliminates hidden, hard-to-reach surfaces where dirt and buildup hide
  • EverClean surface is super smooth and easier to keep clean, even after years of use; plus, the permanent EverClean antimicrobial surface inhibits the growth of stain and odor causing bacteria on the surface
  • Maximizes the power of water with each flush with 1.75 in. dual-injection flush valves and 2-1/16 in. Trapway

The VorMax Plus toilet meets ADA standards for height, and it fits into a 12″ rough-in space.  It comes with a slow-close, quick-release seat and 2 of the Lysol FreshInfuser cartridges.  The American Standard VorMax Plus 2-piece 1.28GPF single-flush toilet is $299.00 at Home Depot.

Electrolux ProSwivel Vacuum review

Think about all the regular housekeeping chores that you have to do on a regular basis. Now think about the ones that appear close to the bottom of that list. Maybe it’s taking out the garbage or cleaning the toilet. But if you would have asked me what I least enjoy, it would probably vacuuming.

Just the thought of dragging out that heavy, cumbersome machine and lug it around the living room for 10-15 minutes is enough to make me think “ehh… the carpet’s not thaaat dirty” and push that idea right out of my head for another day or two. But I learned sometimes, you just need the right tool to make the job enjoyable, and Electrolux’s ProSwivel vacuum really hit that sweet spot for me.

Specs and Build

The ProSwivel has a lot of features for such a small, unassuming vacuum. Hidden in the body is a long, 2-foot aluminum cleaning wand that is attached to the hose, giving you 12 feet of reach, making those ceiling fans and door frames a breeze to suction-dust.

I was pleasantly surprised by the cleaning attachment. Initially, I was looking around for 2-3 individual brushes and funnels to pop into the body but realized that they were all the same piece. Depending on which end you place on the hose, it can serve as a dust brush, crevice tool or furniture nozzle. Pretty clever space-saving trick.

The ProSwivel features…

  • Onboard (and quite innovative) 3-in-1 tool
  • 10-foot hose and 12-foot attachment reach
  • Easy floor height adjustment
  • Floor-height front LED lights
  • Easy-empty 1.2 quart cyclonic dust container
  • 13 inch cleaning width
  • Washable filter
  • 11 amp motor, 30 foot cord
  • 16 pound total weight

The vacuum is solidly built. I didn’t hear any rattling or strange noises while it was running. And as you can see in the photos, it has a clean, modern design. After several weeks of normal use, it still looks brand new. Of course, this is a product that you would use for years, hopefully, so it’s hard to ascertain how rugged the ProSwivel is.

The hidden handle extension pulls out of the body, allowing extra reach for brush attachments.

I did find one area that could be a cause for concern, over time. Where the hose is attached to the handle hangs at a sharp angle, and with the weight of the rest of the hose pulling on it, it seems like a stress point that could stretch or maybe even tear over time.

Here’s the hose stress point I mentioned, which could pose a problem after months and years of stretching.

In Action

I think the initial joy from using this vacuum was in just how lightweight and maneuverable it was. My other cleaner was an old basic Eureka upright… fairly no frills, and an absolute beast. I have fairly thick carpet and the ProSwivel glides over it while still effectively brushing and suctioning up plenty of dirt and dust.

That 360º swivel point allows the ProSwivel to turn on a dime.

I also like the very visible cyclone dust canister. It gives a good idea of when it’s getting a little too full and needs emptied. It also demonstrates just how much dust, crumbs, and hair are being picked up, which, you know, can be both impressive that the vacuum is working so well and embarrassing that the carpet (mine, anyway) was that filthy.

All that dirt and dust surprises me every time.

Going back to the swivel feature, the head is easy to snake around corners and furniture legs. It takes some getting used to, sort of like driving with a trailer attached, but once you get the hang of it, something as pedestrian as vacuuming becomes, well, sort of fun. The width of the suction head is only a little over a foot wide, which gives it the advantage of being able to fit in a lot of narrow areas. Of course, that means more passes on large open areas of carpet. And since rounding corners and skirting against walls and furniture is so darn fun, it makes the wide expanses of carpet with that tiny head seem tedious by comparison, like painting the side of a barn with a paint roller.

That’s a fair trade.

The brush attachment and hose stay out of the way until you need them.

The actual suction seems very good. I tested it on several surfaces with the brush roller on and off (there’s a handy brush switch near the power button) and it handled the floor height difference very well. I have a dark carpet and can plainly see crumbs and all the normal bits that land on the floor, so it’s very easy to tell when something doesn’t get picked up on the first pass. The only thing it missed was bits of food that had dried and stuck to the carpet fibers…. I have a five-year-old, so that’s a common sight. One good lap around the living room picked up all the visible mess and then some.

This clever brush attachment is actually three in one, depending on which end you place within the handle.

Conclusion

One of the largest hurdles in getting around to vacuuming the floors, at least for me, is the thought of getting up and lugging out a heavy, loud, clunky machine and pushing it around the room. The ProSwivel goes a long way toward removing that barrier with its light weight and fun design. I love anything that is designed to make me more productive.

Hunt down those dust bunnies with 4 bright LED headlights.

That transition from “Ugh, vacuuming” to “Ooh, vacuuming!” could be an accurate wrap-up of my experiences with the ProSwivel.

The Electrolux ProSwivel vacuum is currently available on Amazon for $219.99.

Source: The sample for this review as provided by North St Bags. Please visit their site for more information or Amazon to order.

 

Product Information

Price: $219.99
Manufacturer: Elextrolux
Retailer: Amazon
Pros:
  • – Lightweight and easy to maneuver
  • – Long, built in cleaning wand has good reach
  • – Very easy to empty and store
Cons:
  • – Not very wide, so it can be tedious for large areas
  • – Narrow base also makes upright unstable when using wand, falls over

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Electrolux ProSwivel Vacuum review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 28, 2017 at 12:45 pm.

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Hate squishing bugs? Suck them up!

Let’s face it. Even if you aren’t actually afraid of bugs and spiders, you may still have a problem smearing them all over your walls. I personally don’t like to kill the poor little buggers, but they don’t belong in my house or smooshed all over the place. Having the Redo Rechargeable Bug Vacuum at your fingertips may be a fun way for kids (or squeamish adults) to stop running and screaming for help at the sight of a little intruder, and run for the bug vacuum! It is fully charged in 2 hours via USB cable so it should always be ready to go, and the LED flashlight equipped device will allow you to suck them up day or night.  You can pick one up on Amazon for $23.99 and banish the bugs with no mess, and no chemicals!

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Hate squishing bugs? Suck them up! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 19, 2017 at 9:00 am.

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