Bissell is one of those brands that is well known in the vacuum cleaner industry, particularly the residential segment. They have a wide lineup of affordable vacuums that are effective at cleaning but not necessarily on the cutting edge of technology. That just hasn’t been their niche per se but they are starting to invest more in developing new cordless models that can compete with the likes of Dyson, Tineco, and Shark. Their ICONPet is a big step forward in terms of cord-free technology as it comes with powerful batteries that can clean your entire household. But does it compare favorably to the other top cordless brands sold today?
For starters, the ICONPet as you might have guessed from the name is geared towards homes with one or more pets. Animals in your home present a variety of challenges when it comes to cleaning the floors and surfaces, especially carpets. They shed hair and dander which are known allergens, triggering a reaction in those with allergies or asthma if not thoroughly removed on a regular basis. You need a vacuum with enough power to pull embedded dust from carpet fibers as well as one with the right tools for other surfaces. Bissell designed this cleaner with those things in mind.
Let’s start with a quick rundown of the main features, then dive deeper into some of them to help you decide if it’s the best choice for cleaning your home.
Main Feature Rundown
- All New Digital Motor spins up to 420 miles per hour to really pull the air through and keep suction at a high (and constant) rate
- Advanced Pet Attachments including their tangle free brush roll that virtually eliminates the hassle of removing hair strands from the brushes
- Smart Seal™ Allergen System is fully sealed to keep all the trapped dust particles inside the vacuum cleaner
- Mess Free Empty is designed to help the dirt slide out of the canister into the garbage so no dirt will touch your skin
- Bright LED Lights do a great job at lighting up the path in front of the ICONPet so you can make sure you clean all surfaces like a pro
- 22 Or 25 Volt Lithium Ion Battery provides strong suction power and lasts for a long enough time to vacuum a typical sized home
- Hand Vac Conversion is quick and lets you use a variety of cleaning tools for low and high reach applications
- 3 Power Modes let you dial in the suction power for any floor including carpet, tile, hardwood, and more
Here is a quick video to demonstrate the main features and really show how versatile this Bissell cordless stick really is:
Power and Filtration – A Closer Look
The Bissell ICONPet comes with a fairly powerful digital motor that can deep clean low to medium pile carpets. They claim that it can spin internally at upwards of 420 miles per hour which is quite powerful for a cordless vacuum. This helps it direct the air through the pathways with a lot of force which ultimately separates the dust particles out. The combination of this and the internal filters helps trap the majority of dirt and dust particles before the air passes back out.
The way to have an effective filtration system is to make sure it is fully sealed. This means that whatever gets trapped inside will stay inside as there is no way for any particles to escape. The Bissell ICONPet has what they call their Smart Seal™ Allergen System which is designed to do just that. When vacuuming you will notice that no dust collects on the exterior, which is something that cheaper bagless vacuums suffer from. A sealed system protects against this and is highly recommended when buying a vacuum that doesn’t use collection bags.
Advanced Pet Technology?
What does their Advanced Pet Technology mean? Since this vacuum was designed for homes with one or more pets, it has a couple of features that really help pick-up hair and dander that is left behind. The first notable feature is their tangle free brush roll that comes with specially designed bristles. These not only do a great job picking up debris from all surfaces but they also work with the strong suction to let the hair roll right off and into the collection bin. Cutting and pulling tangled hair from the spinning brushes is one of the most time consuming maintenance tasks of owning a vacuum cleaner, so this is a great feature to have.
One of the best tools that comes with the ICONPet is the motorized TurboBrush™. This attachment works great on upholstery and stairs for picking up all kinds of fine pet hair. You also get a lighted LED crevice tool that lights up dark corners and other tight spaces. The Pro model comes with a uniquely designed flexible crevice tool that can reach many areas that standard vacuums simply cannot. When you combine this with the fact that you can operate it in full sized or handheld mode, you can see just how versatile the Bissell stick vac is.
The Bare Floor Soft Brush is another attachment designed specifically for homes with animals. It has a soft brush roll that attracts fine dust particles as the machine passes over them. What sometimes happens when you use a vacuum on bare floors is the extreme suction will create a channel of air that blows smaller pieces around. Having a brush roll like this is an innovative counter to that so very little is left behind when you are finished. Shark is one brand that has mastered this and it’s nice to see Bissell following suit with their higher end vacuums.
Pro Vs Standard Pet Model
As mentioned above there are 2 different ICONPet models: the Pro and Standard. While they have a lot of the same features between them there are a couple of differences that justify the higher price found on the Pro. For starters the Pro comes with a slightly larger battery at 25 volts, vs 22 volts found on the standard. This gives it slightly more suction power and a longer runtime which is important for those medium to large sized homes.
You also get the flexible crevice tool which is a really innovative design on a common attachment. It solves the problem of not being able to reach down and between tight spaces where dirt and pet hair love to hide. For those family members with asthma or indoor allergies, eliminating allergens is really important and a tool like this really helps the job.
Other Nice Features
The Swivel Neck where the floor head attaches to the body lets you move the 10.5 inch brush roll around furniture and other items in your home. Many modern vacuum cleaners have this design but it isn’t something Bissell has incorporated into their lineup until lately. When you clean with a swivel head machine you will see how much easier it is to steer. It requires much less effort, is less tiring, and simply does a better job of covering everything.
The Wall Mount Charger lets you hang the ICONPet out of the way when not in use. You can hang it somewhere near an outlet so it’s ready to go when you need it. Charging will take a couple hours if it’s low on power so it is recommended to trickle charge it between cleaning sessions.
Bissell will also donate to their Pet Foundation for each person that purchases this cordless vacuum. This helps cover the cost of an adoption fee with their goal of helping as many homeless pets find their new homes. This is just a nice bonus of you buying a really good vacuum for your home.
Final Thoughts/Recommendation
As far as features, cleaning ability, and price goes the Bissell ICONPet compares favorably to the other top brands like Dyson and Tineco. It comes with an advanced motor that puts out a good amount of power, a lithium ion battery, all the necessary cleaning attachments, and of course the ability to operate in upright or handheld mode. The only thing it won’t do well (but it still can) is deep clean thicker carpets. If you have those primarily in your home you would be better suited to something like the Dyson V11 or Tineco Pure One but those are much more expensive than the ICONPet. If your home contains a variety of floor types including bare floors and you have one or more pets then this offering from Bissell is a great choice. To read more about it including current pricing and consumer reviews, click here to visit our recommended supplier.