The Bissell Healthy Home vacuum cleaner is Bissell’s answer to Dyson. Using similar cyclone technology, powerful suction, a powered brush attachment, a wide cleaning head, and an extra long cleaning wand and hose, they have mass marketed a cheaper Dyson alternative. The question is: how does the Healthy Home really compare.

Multi-Cyclone technology.
Bissell designed this vacuum cleaner with their own version of cyclone technology which separates dirt, dust, and debris from the air. Being that this is a new model, there is not much data available and it’s hard to say if Bissell’s version works as well as, or better than Dyson’s. What I can say is that the new owners are impressed so far.

Antimicrobial protection.
The 5770 Health Home uses Microban® Antimicrobial Protection. Mold, bacteria, and mildew are the major causes of odors in the home. Now this doesn’t mean this vacuum cleaner removes odors from your home. It just keeps the vacuum itself from stinking up the place. If you have small children, you’ve probably vacuumed up some small pieces of food or hit some wet spots. This can cause the vacuum cleaner to create some very offensive odors.

Easy dump dirt container.
In keeping in-line with Dyson’s easy-to-use and less messy dirt container, Bissell has designed a larger container which is simply pulled out and the dirt is dumped from the bottom; which creates less of a mess.

The Bissell 5770 extension hose.
The Bissell Healthy Home comes with an extra-long, anti-clog extension hose and telescoping cleaning tube. According to some owners, it will easily reach areas 25 feet away from the vacuum cleaner. You can set the vacuum at the bottom of stairs and use the powered brush attachment to get a fast and thorough cleaning. This feature is also great for cleaning cobwebs from ceilings and removing dust from ceiling fans.

Price comparisons.
Prices range from $237.00 to $299.00 at the major retailers.

HEPA filtration.
As I’ve stated on other vacuum reviews, HEPA filters are designed to be used in high velocity applications such as vacuum cleaners. For this reason, most vacuums allow a portion of the air to bypass the filter. However, Bissell claims that this model uses a sealed, or Airetight® filtration system; meaning that all the air is actually forced through the filter. They claim this system “Traps and seals-in 100% of dust mites, pollen, ragweed, mold spores and 99.9% of pet dander”. I haven’t found any additional information on this but the large size is consistent with what would be required to make the use of HEPA filter on a vacuum cleaner possible.

Wide cleaning head.
A 15 in. dual cleaning head makes vacuuming faster and more thorough.

User reviews - what the actual owners are saying.
Pros:

• Quite operation: This is a vacuum cleaner we’re talking about, but as vacuums go this one seems to produce a very reasonable noise level.
• The Bissell Healthy Home has powerful suction; very comparable to the Dyson vacuum cleaners.
• The 5770 comes with Acarosan® dust mite spray and powder.

Dust mites are a major contributor of home allergens. I would highly recommend using these treatments regardless of which vacuum cleaner you use. The extra long cleaning wand is very helpful and works the way it should. As with the Dysons, owners are surprised and sometimes disgusted by what comes out of their carpet with the Healthy Home when used right after their old vacuum cleaner.

Price: If you believe this vacuum is comparable in quality to the Dyson, then the price of $249.99 makes it a great bargain.

Cons:
Weight is an issue. At around 35 lbs. this upright vacuum out-weighs the heavier of the Dyson models. Some owners complain of back pain after using it. This one isn’t recommended for many seniors or anyone that may have a problem lugging it up and down the stairs. On the other hand, there are many fans that dismiss this problem and believe it helps with cleaning ability. This is not a lifetime, or self-cleaning HEPA filter. Not only will you have to clean this filter very
frequently, but you’ll have to replace it periodically. At $24.95 this alone may out way the cheaper price.

Remember, Dyson does not use HEPA filters.