Kenmore Featherlite Lift-Up Bagless Upright Vacuum

Amazon buyers might like an actual performance comparison as they consider whether to purchase this unit. So I put the Kenmore DU3017 "brush to brush" against our current Panasonic MC-V5217; a vintage cleaner 25 years old. We've always considered the Panasonic to be a "more than adequate" cleaner, despite the small things we need to do to keep it repaired. It has been a nice machine to use. A week ago, our home air ducts were cleaned; never done since the house was built fifty years ago. (really). Even as the technicians blocked off (special tape) all vents to control debris, a bunch of it escaped anyway. Again and again, we swept floors and vacuumed to control debris from spreading into the house. We vacuumed three times during the service and then twice afterwards. The last time was a week ago. Two people with no pets residing in a clean house. The experiment was designed around a full vacuuming with edging afterward. Repeated the same proceedure with the Kenmore DU3017. After each room I would dump the contents of the canister into a bucket. I was "bigly" surprised. A lot of debris: Some carpet fiber, deteriorated jute backing, considerable dust and dirt and very interestingly some faint traces of sand. The different materials indicate to me how the Kenmore outperformed the Panasonic. Additional carpet fiber indicates more aggressive beater rotation. Dust and dirt .. better suction. The bits of sand indicate to me "superior" suction as it is heavier than routine dust. Overall, very impressive at this price point. During the "project", I noted a very slight performance "drop-off". Others have reported "not working as well as new" in their comments. My response: This unit picked up a lot of dirt and it didn't take long for the dust inside the collection chamber to begin building up. My recommendation: Don't be afraid to routinely disassemble and clean the collection and filtering mechanisms to maintain top performance. The "Primary" HEPA filter will get dirty somewhat quickly. Although it is washable, it should not be allowed to become compacted with debris before washing. A tip: after washing the fine dust out, let it dry in the sun to ensure the cloth portion of the Primary Filter does not start mold. I would make a special note: Do NOT allow the canister to become jam-packed full of debris (failure to dump). The inside of the vacuum will require a full breakdown cleaning to return it to a premium performance level. To repeat an earlier comment: Keep your HEPA filters clean for top performance. As I'm always on the look-out for "single points of failure" I would identify three: 1). The canister (flap) hinge (dumping) is ridiculously fragile. Do not open & let the flap drop or it will eventually break the plastic hinge. That would be a very bad thing. 2). The connection point where the body connects to the rotator brush housing. It reminds me of an automotive "U-joint" on a (rear-wheel) drive shaft. It allows the user to twist and turn while vacuuming. I judge this plastic assembly as somewhat fragile. Over-twisting (too much torque) or jerking when releasing from the upright position will (in time) likely cause micro-fractures in the U-joint assembly. 3). The soft hose at the base between the rotator brush housing and the canister (take-up) aperature is very soft. A lot of twisting over time will rip this hose. Try to keep all cleaning strokes straight without "steering" the unit. This will help prevent the hose from tearing. Likes: 1). Exceptional cleaning at this price point. 2). Slightly better reliability when compared to other brands at the sub $200 level. 3). Pet Cleaning tool cleaned the stairs well. Wife especially liked this. 4). Sound level about 20% lower than the Panasonic. Neutral: 1). At 17 pounds, this cleaner isn't lightweight. But the extra weight is one of the reasons it cleans so well. 2). Cord is 25 feet long. Could have used another 5 feet but not a dealbreaker. 3). Crevasing tool barely sufficient to its intent. Not a dealbreaker. Dislikes: 1). "Single Points of Failure" mentioned above. 2). HEPA filters trap about 95% of all dust from cleaning. Up to 5% still escapes. Not a dealbreaker. 3). HEPA filter replacements a bit expensive at $27 for both, as a kit, from Amazon. The Primary filter will last longer than the 'Exhaust' filter. Last thoughts: I "liken" this vacuum cleaner to a high-performance machine. To get the most out of it, you will need to "baby" it a tad and not treat it roughly or abuse it through neglect. Periodic maintenance and care while using, will ensure you recieve the greatest value and service for your money. Overall, it is a buy. It doesn't hurt it was well-rated by the "Consumer .." guys either.

Really good vacuum. Excellent price. I have 4 vacums including a steam mop. One stopped suctioning and this kenmore replaced it. Variable suction and suction is great. Rotor on or off using switch. Lightweight. Swivel is soooo easy. Small enough to get in tight places. Accessories r good. The Accessories attach to the handle which is ok but unusual. Only negatives are: i wish it had side sweepers to catch the dirt and i wish the dirt catcher were shaped so the vacuum could get under the bed, chairs etc. Otherwise i am xtremely pleased with this purchase.

I'm married. She has long hair, we have 3 cats, 1 of which isn't a record holder but has some long fur. We have carpeted floors, tile in the bathroom and kitchen and neither of us vacuums tile, so if you have hardwood or tile, this might not be for you to read. I have terrible allergies, dander and fur are among them to my misfortune. I looked around, thought of going for Ryobi cordless since I already have a ton of their batteries, looked more into it. Wife didn't mind a corded vac, and didn't care for a cordless unless it could be as good as a corded one. A few dozen videos later and a great helping hand from Project Farm on Youtube. It's not a Shark or Dyson but I'll be damned if I say if you're looking for something new on a budget and that can really compare and fight well against those kingpins. Pros: -Price under $200.00 USD (03/24/2025) [God only knows...] -I haven't had to down Benadryl while vacuuming or even while dumping out the dust bin (Life changed.) -Glides across the floor wonderfully -Has a light on the front of it which is just perfect for spotting the pieces of cardboard, fur, litter and other junk. -Attachments aren't something to be impressed with, but getting them and the suction this thing has, I haven't seen my cat posts so free of fur since I built them. -Cord has a great length to it, so much less swapping plugs. -Detachable wand and dust bin so if I need to get somewhere in a nook or cranny I can and with a lot less to lug around. -Filter longevity, washable, fairly cheap, HEPA. Cons: -This thing is heavy. -I do not understand the suction power adjuster.. I assume this would be used for tile or wood floors. I don't have enough tile floor space to justify using a vacuum. -"Hair Eliminator" there's some kind of comb piece in the roller that I assume is supposed to comb or cut out the hair on the roller, you're gonna need a knife or scissors still, though not as badly. -It's not as loud as others I've had. The cats have learned how to not fear it, this concerns me. I fear they may rise up against us. -Didn't come with a first time replacement for filters, would've got it 5 stars. - EDITED IN - -- The hook you wrap the cord around, I was always one of "Tight fits right" and in doing so you'll actually start to cut into the power cord of the vacuum by doing that. The bottom....hook? where you wrap it around near the bottom has a crack in it where you'd place something like the corner attachment or whatever, that piece is what snags the cord and starts to cut into it. Unfortunately this also applies at the top of the vacuum too... I'm not sure how or when, hell even why but there's a lil.. pressure point? kinda thing where the wire clips into at on the top hook and it broke and I just never noticed until I felt the wire fraying more and yeah... It was cutting the cord too. Fantastic vacuum, expect however to replace the power cord

My wife and I bought this vacuum in July 2023 (it is currently Feb 2025) after giving up on whatever budget brand (probably bissel 🤮) and deciding we needed a REAL vacuum. First off, BEST PURCHASE I have made in a very long time. For a little background, my wife and I take care and adopt sick cats. We currently have TEN CATS in our small three floor typical 1,200 sq ft mostly carpeted city house, so you know pet hair, dander, and litter is a major issue for us. This vacuum is quite small but very powerful. When we first got it, I vacuumed our whole house with the cheap piece of junk we had. I then went over it with the Kenmore, and WHAT A DIFFERENCE! The bin was full within one room and it just continued throughout the whole house. We vacuum about every 2-3 days and have a vacuum on each floor, and this Kenmore is the one I use once a week to go through the entire house to make sure everything is vacuumed properly. Why I love it: Lightweight - I am able to carry it up and down stairs with ease and can even use the entire unit to vacuum the stairs, though I admit it takes some effort Small - For some people, this may be a con, but for us, it is a pro. I like having a small little lightweight vacuum that is a dust and hair monster. I'm able to fit it into narrow areas and it stores nicely. If you have a room that is 30'x40', sure, it will take a while to do with this vacuum, but it will get it done well. Honestly, the size is perfect for anyone who has a normal sized house Two Motors - Seriously, never buy a vacuum that does not have a motor for the suction and a separate motor for the brush. If it has a single motor, it is worthless. You are missing out on power for both the suction and the brush, but you are also straining that one motor to do everything, making it more likely to fail. Cleanability - there are three filters on this unit. A cone filter in the canister that separatea heavy items that may have accidentally been sucked up. It can be removed (kind of a pain, but I also wouldn't want it coming out easy) and easily cleaned with a toothbrush. Under the canister is a foam filter which does an amazing job. We used to use the baking soda carpet "refresher" and this vacuum would get all of it up out of the carpet and trap it forever. I pop out the foam, take it out back and smack it on the deck and fence a bunch, and pop it back in, no need to replace. Under the foam filter is a HEPA filter. Same deal, take it out back, smack the dust out of it, done. All of the parts are washable, just make sure they are DRYYYYY before they go back in to eliminate the possibility of mold growth Ergonomics - Very simple and well set up. Power switch is an actual switch, not a pedal, and you can chose to have just suction for hard floors, or to run the brush and suction for carpet. Releasing the wand is my favourite! Single, satisfying click of a button next to the power switch on top of the canister and it pops right out and has another satisfying click when you replace it. No inconveniently placed push-fit hose that you don't know if it is on correctly. Super easy to use; very well designed. Also, NO PEDALS on the vacuum! Finally! Someone decided that putting a normal power switch on a unit AND it lets you release the main brush by pushing down with your foot anywhere on it. I lothe pedals on a vacuum. This one is very intuitive to use and I love that. Features - Headlights are a must on a vacuum at this point. Our old one did not have any, and I didn't know any different, but seriously, I find dirt and hair a ton of places that I normally would have just ignored. It also lets me see how well the vacuum is operating and if a clean-out is in my future. Speaking of which, on top of the main brush head is a large green/red light indicator. This turns read any time something majorly tanglea up in the brush (which is not often) or if there is a suction issue (again, a rare occasion). But I just love that it has something to say "Hey dude, something is wrong" so I can turn it off and not burn out the motors or belts. Also, when you stand the unit upright, the brush automatically stops, and when you push the brush down with your foot, the brush automatically starts. Such a simple way to save use hours on a motor and uneeded wear and tear on the brush. There is also swivel steering, which is just as good as any other unit claiming to be innovative with their "new steering technology" with tilting or a big ball at the back. This thing steers great and tilts any way you want it to. And the last thing it has, which I admit that I don't use often because the whole unit is pretty light, is the "lift-off" capability. Basically, you push a button and leave the brush head behind and carry the unit while using the wand. Pretty cool feature and some people may use it a lot. The reason I love it is because I know that if the brush motor has a major issue, I can just buy a whole new bush head instead of replacing the entire unit. Honestly, about once every six months I go through the unit, clean it out, cut off any long strands that get caught up in the brush, and go back to business. We used this vacuum HARD, and it has been a warrior 🪖. For the $120 we paid for it, we have been so happy, to the point where I am looking at upgrading our main unit to a Kenmore canister vacuum and using this on our upper floors. A few weeks ago when our Hoover shampooer died, we ended up with... You guessed it, a KENMORE. And once again, that has a bunch of little features and bunch of design differences that make it a new favourite of mine, but that's for another review. Don't waste your money on bull crap low end box store brands like Bissel, Dirt Devil, Eureka, etc. and there is no reason to pay HUNDREDS of dollars for the Sharks and Dysons of the world. Just be smart and keep it Kenmore.

UPDATE: I purchased this in March 2024, today Dec 2024 the beater bar seized up. This is normally just a easy issue of taking the vac apart and cleaning around ball bearing area of the bar (I have yet to find a vacuum that doesn't have an issue with that). But with this one it has a plastic housing that goes around the bar to the motor. I was able to get one end off and clean it but when it came to the end with the plastic housing, it was impossible to clean it without breaking it. I'm ordering a Bissell now, will see how that goes. Too bad I really liked this Kenmore. UPDATE #2 It is 3.25.25 I have contacted the company again, and I am STILL waiting for the replacement part. They said it would be here in 3 wks, they keep telling me as they have told others that its on backorder (I can see why, as easily as it breaks). I know I will never get the part, if I do it will probably be a year down the road, its already been 4 months. FINAL UPDATE 6.5.2025 - I never did get the part. Thankfully I had Asurion insurance on this piece of junk and they stepped in and gave me a refund since the original manufacturer HAS YET to send me the part. This used to be a good brand years ago, not so anymore. Won't buy anything from them again. SHORT REVIEW: Pros good suction, does well on all surface types cord is of good length lift off feature is great for stairs and high ceilings onboard tools work as they should light is a nice feature many vacs lack these days excellent maneuverability quiet dirt cup has a decent capacity (unlike stick vacs that have to be emptied more often) seems to have excellent filtration, helped us with our allergies Cons: if you have a wide open floor plan keep in mind this vac has a narrow cleaning path then some of the bigger bulkier kinds not self cleaning brush, you must clean the roller brush of hair every so often (I haven't had to do it yet but I will after a few uses to keep it in good shape) as with any upright, does not get under furniture, the head will go under sofas etc but if your trying to get under a coffee table you won't be able to get the whole vac under, will have to use wand, but this is common with any upright. LONG REVIEW: I have very old house which has every flooring imaginable, wood, throw rugs of every kind (thin, braided, etc) carpet, linoleum....little bit of everything. We also have very long, narrow steep steps with a stair lift on them (thus, even more narrow and trying to work around it). We live directly on a 4 lane road with heavy traffic, and thus we get ALOT of dirt and grime that enters the house from the road no matter how often we clean. And....a relative has asthma so keeping home as clean and dust free is a priority for me. I had a Shark Rocket stick vac awhile back, but it didn't last as long as I hoped, and I have a medical condition that causes muscle weakness so while the Shark was fairly light, due to its design it would become heavy for me over time. When it "died" I decided I didn't want to fork over the $ right away to get a new vac, so I used a shop vac with carpet floor attachment. But I soon noted it was not getting the floor cleans so I bought this vac. I had just vacuumed a few days prior to getting this one, and had a 9x12 area rug I wanted to try it out on. I FILLED THE CUP 2/3 full with dirt and hair that previous vacuuming had not gotten. I have also noted the asthma issue is better for a family member, and my own allergies have gotten much better. Pros: throw rugs - Does well on all throw rugs of any size and thickness (trust me I have them all lol, 21 rugs in total) Some people mentioned it had to much suction for thin ones I am wondering if they used the lever on the handle to reduce suction. I myself didn't have an issue and it adjusted to any height. carpet - does great on carpet, we have a huge area area (one mentioned above) that is older and has very dense weave to it, apparently other vacs did not get the dirt out, when I vacuumed with this one there was alot of dirt and hair that came out of the rug as if I had never vacuumed it before. It also did well on typical pile carpet. linoleum - does not shoot dirt and stuff back at you like some vacuums do (mainly because it turns off the roller brush for hard surfaces) and it had no problem picking up things like dropped cheerios etc in kitchen. hard wood floors - does fine on those as well stairs - wow, this thing spoiled me. A big reason I decided to go with this vac is the "lift off" feature for stairs and high areas (our ceilings are 10') with the typical upright vac it tips over if you try to use the hose, and canister vacs aren't long enough to reach all the steps, and the stick vac I found didn't have alot of flexibility to get into corners on the steps since stick vacs don't have a hose. filters - I think it does very well with this, as said our allergies are much much better since using it. cord length - just fine, not too long, not to short....most rooms in this old house are 12x15 and I was usually able to do 1-2 rooms before having to move plug to another outlet light - I grew up at time when all vacs had a light on them, when they started making them without it I just got used to it, its been years since I had one with a light and wow, it helps so much if you do have alot of furniture, there was alot of stuff I probably would have missed otherwise. maneuverability - we not only have a million throw rugs, in this old house we got alot of old furniture, with typical uprights with a fixed head its a nightmare trying to get around stuff. The swivel head makes it very easy. Some people complained about the head "shifting" has they vacuum but all swivel head vacs do that, when I first got the shark had the same issue. Its like riding a bike, you have to learn how to hold it, once you do you don't have a problem, it just has a different feel than when vacuuming with regular uprights. onboard tools - they all work fine, and did great on the sofa. One review on here said the vacuum doesn't have an extension wand. It does, its the "neck" of the vacuum which I find very convenient if I spot something infront of the vac I need to get to, instead of trying to wrangle around it, I just use the extension tool, reach over the vac, clean the area and be done with it. noise - its the quietest vac I've had. I'm sure there are probably other vacs that are quieter but to me, this was very quiet. weight - its slightly heavier than I anticipated, BUT, its still not "heavy". As mentioned I have a muscle weakness condition, and I found the vac easy to use, even on stairs. Cons: I personally didn't have any but you may want to consider these factors if they are an issue for you getting under furniture - as with any upright, this is just not going to happen. We have some end tables that about 12-14" tall at the base (bottom of the table) and it could not easily get under there (which is not a problem for me, I just use extension wand, but for people used to stick vacs, it may be annoying). large areas - our house has alot of throw rugs, lots of furniture...lots of cubby hole type stuff so a vac with a smaller cleaning path is 100% ideal for us, it makes it easy to get the vac into areas where a larger vac wouldn't be able to. But, if you have a wide open large area with little furniture, keep in mind this vac has a narrow cleaning path and it may take you a bit longer than with some of the bigger vacs out there, but again its a trade off as those bigger vacs are also usually heavier and bulkier. TIP: My old shark (well, not old, I purchased it a few years back) it basically melted down where the roller brush is. While looking for a new vacuum, I noted this is an issue with many brands, and I think i remember seeing people complain about that with this vac. Keep in mind, some vacs have "self cleaning" brushes, but not all vacs do and this one does not (neither did my shark). If you don't periodically clean the brush head of hair, you will eventually run into an issue. I did clean the shark but later realized after it died and I took it apart I didn't remove the hair by the outer edges. So, keep that in mind when using this and other vacs. EDIT: I noted some people mention motor issues where it stops suddenly. This vac has a safety feature to protect the motor, if it gets clogged or tangled, it will shut down to protect the motor, and you have to clear the clog or tangle before it will start again, it has a red light that comes on in this case, my shark had a similar feature. (I've never had this one clog on me).

I purchased a Kenmore vacuum cleaner 3 years ago and I highly recommend it! I was about to buy my third Shark, frustrated that it was not picking up dirt, but rather spitting it back or leaving a little pile to irritate me . I checked the hoses, nothing was clogged etc. I spent time on youtube trouble-shooting and finally, I landed on a vacuum repair site. That video was quite an education! Even repair shops have a difficult time repairing Sharks. Kenmore was one of the brands that got good reviews so I decided to try it. I wanted a lightweight, turn on a dime, and easy to empty canister. Not taking up a lot of storage space was a factor. It does well on hardwood or carpet and the suction is good. Cool color too. Great quality for a good price. A.D.

Best vacuum I’ve ever purchased. Very lite weight. Great suction power. It’s great to be able to take the canister out with the hose and get all the nooks and crannies with such ease. If you have back problems or can’t lift much weight this is the vacuum for you. Minimal storage required. Would be great for a camper vacuum. Everything about this vacuum is a win , win performance! I would highly recommend this vacuum to anyone who is looking for a lite weight and ease of use vacuum!!

I’ve been using a Shark for years now, mostly for our hardwood floors. It was light and flexible – easy to get beneath the baby grand – but it developed some problems. Time for a new vacuum. I spent a good eight hours looking at alternatives, but I think I missed it with this Kenmore. I’ve used it maybe six times so far, mostly on hardwood. We have no pets. First, how it works : there are two modes of operation, what I call Hardwood Mode (HM) and Carpet Mode (CM). They are turned on and changed by a small red switch on the main body. In the first, HM, the roller bar in the head does not rotate, and suction is “low”. When you move the switch back one more place, it goes into high suction and the roller bar rotates. Here, I call the roller-bar-vacuuming-thing the “head”. That’s mostly it. First, the good: • Very good suction. Pulls up all sorts of stuff. I was amazed at what it got from our upstairs wall-to-wall carpets and downstairs area carpets. (The Shark let me down there!) It also works pretty well on hardwood. Very little debris kickback if you are sweeping “backwards”. The photo is from a small area rug. • Easy debris disposal. Just lift off the container, take it to the garbage bag, and push a button to drop the bottom flap. Little to no mess. • The inside steel mesh filter stays clean. I had to clean the Shark’s regularly. This is designed such that the debris swirls around and apparently does not clog the steel mesh. The photo was taken after a few hours of use. Cleaning it appears to be simple. • The head swivels easily enough. The middle-of-the-road: • It is heavier and more cumbersome than the Shark. I get a pretty good upper-body workout. • The cord is a good length, but you lose 27” because of its design. Photo. • The handle is comfortable enough. I have large hands, and other sweepers were sometimes too small. • It only goes so far under furniture. The head is ~3” high, and you can go ~8” underneath something. • The Mode Switch can be difficult to toggle. I guess you’d get used to it. • A wee bit loud, but not painful. • The edge cleaning is iffy, both front and side. • Cleaning the roller bar looks to be tedious. (My wife has long hair.) Use scissors? • The pipe with the flexible tubing merely pushes onto the head assembly. It does not lock in place. At one point it came loose and I didn’t even realize there was no head suction. Photo. • The 3 fabric filters may be cleaned with water, at least a few times. Replacements are $30 for a set of all 3, or $30 for 3 HEPAs. The no-so-good: • When in CM (on carpet), the rotation of the cleaning bar will actually pull your arm forward. It takes quite some effort to pull it back, even on low-pile carpet. You cannot use CM on a throw rug : it will lift the whole thing. Even an area rug will lift at the edges. That is, you have to come at it from the correct angle. It takes some getting used to. And I wonder how long those roller bar brushes will last, or even if they chew up the carpet fibers. (There is a warning in the manual.) • There is a light on the head that shines in front, but it does not operate HM, only CM. Weird. • It is difficult to impossible to sweep carpeted stairs. This is complicated to explain, so please bear with me. When in CM, if the sweeper handle is upright – it’s not back and down, as it would when being used – the roller bar does not rotate (and the light is off), but the suctions stays on. So to sweep stairs you either have to use high-suction-but-no-roller -- with the handle upright and locked in place, so as to be able to manage the head with your hands – or somehow keep the handle back and manage everything – head and handle – as it all flops around (which it certainly does). I have not yet figured it out. There is no way to lock the head in place, or engage the roller with the handle up. Final comments: • I have not yet changed the HEPA (and honestly don’t care much about it), or even cleaned any filters. • I have not used any accessories. • The “roller stuck” light is helpful, and the manual says it stops rotating when jammed. Not tested. • The manual is written clearly (English section). It is available online. • I’d look at alternatives next time. I paid $145, with tax. 3 stars for my use. More later if warranted.

Excellent hoover for all surfaces but buyer beware, this is a 110V model (US) so incompatible with EU/UK electrics, you'd need a step down convertor for it to work and they aren't cheap.

Funciona de maravilla

I’ve been very impressed with the Kenmore DU4080 so far. The suction power is strong and it does an excellent job picking up pet hair from both carpets and furniture. I have dogs that shed a lot, and this vacuum noticeably cuts down on hair and dust around the house. It’s also lightweight and easy to maneuver, which makes cleaning stairs and tight spaces much easier. For the price, this vacuum performs extremely well and feels comparable to more expensive models. Overall, I’m very happy with this purchase and would definitely recommend it to other pet owners.

Looked good but took for granted that it would be EU compatible as it was sold Amazon sweden.

Mist! Ohne elektrischen Strom, kein Saugen. Der ist mit dem Stecker unerreichbar. Eine scharfe Rüge für den Vertrieb des Geräts in der EU. So spart man keine Transportkosten.