MIELE FJM CAT & DOG REPLACEMENT VACUUM CLEANER PAPER DUST BAGS – PACK OF 20

6 Responses to MIELE FJM CAT & DOG REPLACEMENT VACUUM CLEANER PAPER DUST BAGS – PACK OF 20

1. P. T. LTD

   September 7, 2010 at 8:10 am

   Review from P. T. LTD for the MIELE FJM CAT & DOG REPLACEMENT VACUUM CLEANER PAPER DUST BAGS – PACK OF 20
   The Rating is:
   Not as strong as the original material non – replaceable bags that cost an absolute fortune……but….what a bargain. Just remember to empty when about 3/4 full and all will be well.
2. Mrs. Mary Crowshaw

   September 7, 2010 at 8:32 am

   Review from Mrs. Mary Crowshaw for the MIELE FJM CAT & DOG REPLACEMENT VACUUM CLEANER PAPER DUST BAGS – PACK OF 20
   The Rating is:
   These bags seem to do the job very well and are considerably cheaper and environmentally more friendly than the fabric ones.
3. Budgie

   September 7, 2010 at 8:51 am

   Review from Budgie for the MIELE FJM CAT & DOG REPLACEMENT VACUUM CLEANER PAPER DUST BAGS – PACK OF 20
   The Rating is:
   Only one problem and possibly my own fault but from the picture on the website I thought I was buying genuine Miele dust bags and didn’t notice any information that I was buying non-branded bags. That stated, the service was excellent and goods seem fine and good value. Will certainly use the company again.
4. James H. Harris

   September 7, 2010 at 9:18 am

   Review from James H. Harris for the MIELE FJM CAT & DOG REPLACEMENT VACUUM CLEANER PAPER DUST BAGS – PACK OF 20
   The Rating is:
   The paper dust bags are excellent – disposable – efficient and easy to use – I am a Miele fan
5. Martha

   September 7, 2010 at 9:51 am

   Review from Martha for the Panasonic Bagged Upright Vacuum Cleaner Black 2000w
   The Rating is:
   Really pleased with this vacuum cleaner. I had a dyson cylinder before this one (albeit bout 9 years old)but what a difference! I have a baby and the cylinder was awful and just stank all the time from bits of food. so I am really happy with this bagged one. It has good suction and it is very easy to operate and glides around well.
   
   Only problem as others have said is that the lead is not very long.
   
   It arrived promptly and well packaged.
6. NR2

   September 7, 2010 at 10:01 am

   Review from NR2 for the Panasonic Bagged Upright Vacuum Cleaner Black 2000w
   The Rating is:
   When it comes to a brand name like Panasonic, I automatically think about new technology, simple design yet state of the art and above all, good quality. I’ve owned Panasonic microwave ovens for 15 years without a hitch, bought audio equipment that gives superb sound quality and a bread maker that has lasted 23 years so far and has never needed serviced. Above all, “ideas for life,” products from Panasonic generally have a lot going for it. Where some of their vacuum cleaners are concerned however – forget it! Whilst the U.S has new and technological vacuums that have been thought out, (Panasonic’s U.S line up has auto cord rewinds, variable power and has better built components) the UK market is still getting old upright vacuums that Panasonic keep tarting up in different colours and motor power year after year. I know because I’ve used many of the bagged uprights in the cleaning jobs I’ve done for cleaning companies and they come in different colours as per the power rating. Since May 2010 our old MCE 3000 uprights were replaced by the 2000 watt black upright as shown here on Amazon under the Panasonic MC-UG304 model name and title.

   Well it looks classy but looks are one thing. The plastic that this model is made out of is fairly flexible making the Panasonic quite lightweight, more noticeable when steering across carpet. However for complete peace of mind, the Panasonic MC-UG304 uses a paper dust bag to keep the dust in, and a large one topping 5 litres (4.6 ltr according to Panasonic). I wasn’t surprised to find that for a model this old Panasonic still insist on screwing two screws into the top handle (which is ribbed by the way for extra comfort) and the whole vacuum weighs just nigh of 6kg, easily lighter to carry by the carry handle on the back and supported by a streamlined design helped by its black colouring and smooth, rounded edges. A 7-metre power cord is handy to get around and Panasonic have retained the old swing cord hooks that allow easy access to the cord when needed. I rather like this vacuum not just by its masculine approaches to the colour but from the way it handles across carpets thanks to its auto-adjusting head without the need to bend down and change dials.

   In use the first time I switched the Panasonic on, I was literally blown away by the noise of this vacuum cleaner. It isn’t as whiney as the Hoover Purepower which carries a similar price, but the Panasonic is noisy all the same if you’re not used to high noise tones and a hot billowing fan at the front that tends to push papers off tables. From the off though, what a revelation this Panasonic model is to push and pull! Because of its floating floor head, there are no height adjustable cheap dials or sliders to break off for the floor head on surfaces, not having to put it into the “upright position,” like Hoover and adjusting to most carpet surfaces without further personal hardship when the Panasonic does it automatically. What a pity however that Panasonic have stopped fitting the all important stop brush bar function – a slider switch on most of the early 1990 upright models that could allow owners to vacuum hard floors. All the while, the Panasonic picks up dirt and hair effortlessly and edge cleaning on both sides really does work up to the edge on carpeting. On hard floors, the Panasonic does struggle a bit; some dust is picked up but whenever the vacuum is switched on, regardless of the handle angle, the brush bar moves permanently and that means possible damage to hard floors when the beater bar is constantly spinning. The handle, although rectangular and flat at one end is quite comfortable in use and makes the grade for easy grabbing.

   Sadly there are a few downsides. Panasonic claim that the MC-UG304 has a stair cleaning hose; even going as far to stating that it has as much as 2.5 metres in length. Sadly the hose doesn’t stretch that much and as much as I tried to stretch the hose, the location of the hose around the back to the rear of the vacuum means that if the hose is pulled roughly, the Panasonic goes crashing down to the back of the floor. Over the Hoover Purepower, at least I got to a few more steps than the Purepower but like the Hoover, the key to safety is putting the vacuum against something stable that won’t prevent the machine from falling over. The holder that keeps the hose in is also permanently attached to the back of the vacuum by two screws and the hard plastic that holds the hose in isn’t particularly well made, each time getting a good scrape or knock when the vacuum falls over. This is important because if the Panasonic ever clogs up, the hose can be removed but only by removing the holder with the two screws. This is why SEBO’s X series (although largely $100 more over the list price) is easier to use where the hose to the vacuum simply comes off via a lock or clip.

   Of the cleaning tools supplied with the Panasonic, you get a long extension pipe, a long crevice pipe that fits into the extension pipe for storage and Panasonic’s default crevice brush that is narrow and easy to use up to a point. Because of its fixed position, the brush tool is next to useless unless you attack surfaces horizontally. All of the tools have a thin plastic consistency to them as well; I felt with initial use that the long straight extension pipe could snap at any moment and the long crevice pipe in particular will pull the Panasonic over if the pipe gets stuck on something despite having an open hole at the top to let out suction air. Even for the price of [...], Panasonic don’t fit a turbo brush air driven tool, which is a great pity because suction through the hose is so strong, it took down my curtains off the rail when in use! I hazard a guess that if a mini turbo brush was available, the Panasonic would be terrific for pet owners where pet hair pick up is required. Dust bags are cheap though, about $5-99 to $8-99 for a pack of five bags and a spare filter to slide in under the dust bag. The bags have several layers of filtration, are easy to install but they don’t have seals to catch the dust when taking out. The bags do last a long time though in terms of capacity as they are deep fill and can hold up to two to three months of dirt; so much cleaner than the bagless cyclonic route and the long lasting ability will need to be reliable to depend upon as bags for the Panasonic uprights are notoriously difficult to find unless you happen to visit a high street big shop name like Currys, Comet, Argos or John Lewis.

   When it comes to filtration, there is a HEPA / High Efficiency Particulate Air filter on board but it’s the basic paper pleated cartridge type. This means at best the cartridge is washable but again like other brands Panasonic don’t give you another HEPA filter to use whilst the existing one dries. Whilst it filters out the nasties and leaves rooms smelling neutral, another filter underneath the dust bag (which is easy to take out as well as install) has to be cleaned periodically. Just like Panasonic’s HEPA filter, this is a white pad so it is easy to see when it needs cleaning when it turns dark in colour. A replacement HEPA cartridge from Panasonic costs on average $15 to $23, which is too expensive in my opinion.

   The Panasonic MC-UG304 is a good attempt at covering almost all bases for quick and efficient dust pick up but its biggest foibles come down to a claimed stair cleaning hose that isn’t very long and brings the machine crashing to the floor when pulled roughly. Then there’s the noise factor, which whilst not off putting, doesn’t inspire me to use late at night. Then there’s the poor cleaning tools, which don’t offer much versatility even when the extension pipe and crevice are fixed on, it doesn’t adjust the stretch design of the hose. The biggest flaw of Panasonic’s upright bagged vacuum isn’t on its performance however; it still retains two drive belts, a larger brush roll from the motor belt and a small ring belt that drives the motor pulley to the main motor fly wheel. When the drive belt snaps, the smaller ring has to be taken off before the larger drive belt can be put on, and with seven screws to undo on the base, when it all goes wrong the Panasonic can be a right bugge* to maintain! Luckily there is a very helpful user manual included with Panasonic’s upright vacuum and what a pity for a company who used to offer variable suction control that there’s no let up from the strong 2000-watt motor.

   A new colour and a higher motor doesn’t hide the original weaknesses – Panasonic’s basic design here is still more than 20 years old – but at least it is more powerful and lighter to use than most other uprights on the market and getting under low furniture with long travel thanks to a greater amount of power cord. However for all that it is lightweight, with poor cleaning tools, poor plastic durability and those drive belts that have to be changed just to replace one main belt, it does seem like an awful lot to put up with despite the technological name. Not one for buyers looking for simplicity despite the better hygiene of having a dust bag on board! Thanks for reading! ©NR2 2010