The Kenmore Progressive 21614 canister vacuum cleaner includes a upholstery tool, floor brush, dusting brush, and crevice tool. It weighs 23 pounds and provides usability features such as a retractable cord, brush on and off switch, suction control, manual carpet-height adjustment, and a telescopic wand.
About This Brand
Once exclusive to Sears, Kenmore uprights are now available in Kmart stores as a result of a merger of the retailers. Kenmore uprights typically range in price from about $80 to $300. Kenmore is the best-selling canister brand, with a wide array of models ranging from as little as $50 to $600 or so. It also offers canister hard-surface cleaners and a carpet shampooer.
Bag Denotes whether the model has a disposable bag. A growing number of vacuums, particularly upright models, use a container that can be emptied, eliminating the bag. To capture fine-dirt particles, however, these models must use a filter (such as a HEPA filter) that can need routine cleaning or replacement. Replacement filters tend to be significantly more expensive than bags. While vacuums with bags may also use filters, the bag acts as a prefilter that helps to keep the fine-dirt filter cleaner, thus extending its performance until cleaning or replacement. Another caveat: Emptying the dustbin and cleaning a filter can be messy, and handling it may expose you to dust and other allergens.
Bag
Yes
Brush on/off An on/off switch for the rotating brush lets you stop the brush from rotating when using tools or cleaning bare floors. This helps eliminate scattered dirt on bare floors and reduces the risk of injury if the vacuum tips over during use. It also reduces the risk of damaging a carpet or the finish of a bare floor if the vacuum sits in place at the low-height setting.
Brush on/off
Yes
Easy on/off A switch that's located on the handle or where your foot can activate it is more convenient than one on the body of the vacuum.
Easy on/off
Yes
Manual-pile adjust Lets you adjust the height of the machine to a carpet's pile height to allow for easy movement and thorough cleaning. Adjustments are automatic on some models, but we prefer the manual control afforded by some models.
Manual-pile adjust
Yes
Weight (lbs.) Weight of the vacuum cleaner, to the nearest pound.
I use a vacuum weekly. My previous'Progressive' stopped working after 9 years of great service. I am returning the new one. The hose connection to the cannister is loose. It has to be removed and inserted everytime I turn the vacuum off or there is no power. While the Pet Powermate is great it has required a redesign of the handle. The handle is now very bulky. Flexibility with attachments like dusting brush is gone. Ability to get into small spaces is gone. This also applies to the base of the wand, too bulky. Dust brush and floor brush have been redesigned. I used my previous vacuum for all my furniture and floor dusting. Now I need to use a swifter for under furniture and cloth duster. I am weighing whether or not to get another 'Progressive'... If auto manufacturers have figured out how to make better American cars, why haven't appliance manufacturers challenged themselves to do the same?<br />I am a senior citizen. Bulky handles and push button releases are not easy on arthritic hands.
How long have you owned it:
A month or less
Bottom Line
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
By Regretful buyer
from Michigan
(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)
2.0
Also regretting purchase
3/16/2013
Pros
Cons
Poor Design
Best Uses
Carpet
Comment:
I bought this based on Consumer Reports (I'm a subscriber and researched this vacuum extensively). <br /><br />So excited at first b/c it's beautiful and works great on carpet...until you realize it doesn't get the edges well. So then you start trying the attachments and realize this has a totally flawed design.<br />--If you use the narrow crevice tool (to get under baseboards), it attaches in such a way that it only uses about half of the suction and lets the rest blow out the sides. <br />--If you switch to the round brush, you discover that it is HUGE and does not fit under any of your cabinets, dressers, etc. <br />--So you go back to the narrow tool and find that although a normal wand would pick up small pieces of paper, beads, etc, the crevice tool is so narrow at the end (about 1/2 cm) that everything you try to vacuum up gets stuck at the end of the crevice and you end up having to pick up all the little things up off your floor by hand.<br />--so then you switch to the flat floor brush, but because the end of the wand is so thick, you can only get partway under your dressers and cabinets.<br /><br />I will agree this thing has power. But I'm not sure I've ever been so regretful of a purchase. This is not about reading the manual as someone referenced. It is about bad design which results it in taking nearly twice as long to vacuum thoroughly as before (older Kenmore canister with a normal wand design). <br /> <br />Buy at your own risk. I regret it every time I have to use this machine.
How long have you owned it:
More than six months
Bottom Line
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
By Buyers remorse in Alaska.
from Anchorage, AK.
(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)
2.0
Not what I was hoping for.
3/8/2013
Pros
Easy To Empty
Efficient
Long Power Cord
Powerful/Good Suction
Cons
Heavy
Poor Design
Best Uses
Carpet
Pet Hair
Comment:
Bought this based on the Consumer Reports rating and reviews, and wish I hadn't. It is powerful, but by far my biggest complaint is the design of the attachments. The telescoping wand is very bulky and awkward. The head is so thick that it won't fit under the counch or entertainment center, so you must switch to the hard floor attachment, but even that is too thick to fit under anything, so impossible to clean under dressers, etc. I do like the power switch being on the handle. Overall, just a very clunky design.