Bissell Zing Bagless Canister Vacuum Sucks—In a Good Way

We purchased the Bissell Zing Bagless Canister Vacuum so our writer could put it to the test. Keep reading for our full product review.

I live in a 2,500-square-foot two-story home with laminate faux wood flooring throughout our entire house (including in the hallways and on the stairs), except for three carpeted rooms. Our floors are easy to maintain. What makes it seem effortless is having a lightweight, user-friendly vacuum on hand. I'm partial to cordless stick vacuums for their convenience; however, I needed something with a bit more suction power that doesn't need recharging after 20 minutes.

I began to look at canister vacuums. I already knew I wanted to try a lightweight, versatile, bagless design, and the Bissell Zing Canister Vacuum fit the bill.

Taking it out of the box, I was happy to see there wasn't much setting up to do. It has a 56-inch hose and a two-part extension wand for accessing hard-to-reach areas and for upright vacuuming. The Zing also comes with a dusting brush, a crevice tool, and a multi-surface head for cleaning floors.

This vacuum has 9 amps of power, a built-in airflow regulator, and variable suction for hard floors and carpets. It uses cyclonic suction, meaning it spins air super fast to create a mini-tornado to collect dirt, dust, hair, pollen, and other particles from the air. Considering how powerful it is, I appreciate that it's not insanely loud. The head is just over 10 inches wide.

Though bagged vacuums are still relatively common among canister models, it appears they're slowly phasing out. I don't think I've changed a vacuum bag in over a decade and prefer not to have one more thing to do (or one more thing to buy). The Bissell Zing has a 2-liter dirt cup, which is large enough to collect debris from my entire house—when I vacuum regularly once or twice a week.

With the flip of a switch, you can go from hard floor mode to carpet mode. I thought I'd test it out on my laminate floors first—they get the dirtiest. I attached both extension wands, plus the multi-surface head, and plugged it in. It sucked up all visible debris with fast and impressively strong suction power. The floor head doesn't swivel as much as I'd like it to, but thanks to the compact design, it still works its way around corners and under crevices pretty well.

Weighing about 10 pounds with large wheels on the canister and a convenient carrying handle, this vacuum is surprisingly lightweight and easy to move around. It's not the easiest to use on stairs since you have to lug the canister up and down, but this is the norm with all canister vacs.

Next, I flipped the switch to carpet mode. Even on the appropriate setting, it was a little harder to push around carpeted floors. It does a thorough job of cleaning and leaves telltale freshly vacuumed stripes.

I decided to use it on our upholstered couches, detached the floor head, and replaced it with the crevice tool. I ran it under, in between, and all around the cushions, using back-and-forth motions across the seats, armrests, and backrests. This utility stood out to me. With the intense suction power concentrated into the small crevice tool, I quickly and effortlessly got rid of crumbs, dirt, and other mystery particles. When I ran it across the cushions' surface, it sucked up a notable amount of dust. It was surprising (and a little alarming) to see all the dirt, dust, and debris in the collection cup; I'm glad to have a vacuum that can get the job done.

The dirt cup detaches easily from the base. It opens up with the click of a button, making it easy to empty over a trash can without making a mess. Also, I tend to shed a decent amount of hair, so I was glad to see how well it sucked up longer strands without tangling up in the filter. My vacuumed hair emptied from the cup with a couple of shakes along with all the other debris.

I also really like that the power cord winds into the base. You can pull out the entire 15 feet or just as much slack as you need, then press the button to retract it automatically, like a tape measure.

Overall, I was satisfied with this vacuum. I wish the floor head swiveled better and that it was a little easier to use on carpets, but it's an excellent product, especially considering the affordable price.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to set up?

Setup is quick and easy. It's already assembled out of the box, so all you need to do is attach the wands, head, or accessory you need.

What attachments are included?

This canister vacuum comes with a two-part extension wand, a multi-surface floor head, a crevice tool, and a dusting brush.

Is it easy to use?

The Bissell Zing is a user-friendly product. The lightweight design makes it easy to move and carry around, and the attachments are straightforward.

Does it work as described?

This vacuum does what it says it does, offering continuous suction across various surfaces. With 9 amps of cyclonic suction power, it makes cleaning floors a breeze. However, the floor head doesn't swivel as well as other vacuums.

Can you use this vacuum on different types of floors?

You can use the Zing to clean all types of hard floors, including wood, bamboo, laminate, vinyl, linoleum, and tile. Additionally, you can flip the floor head to carpet mode to clean low-pile carpet.

How do you empty the dirt cup?

The dirt cup is easy to empty. It detaches effortlessly from the base. The lid clicks open with the press of a button, and the cup empties with a couple of shakes.

Is it easy to store?

You don't have to manually wind up the power cord after vacuuming since it has an auto-rewind feature. The canister is relatively compact and easy to stash away in a laundry room, closet, or large cabinet. Unfortunately, the components and accessories don't hook onto the canister like some other vacuums, so you have to find a place to store them separately.

Does it come with a warranty?

Bissell offers a limited one-year manufacturer warranty for the Zing Canister Vacuum. It covers defective or malfunctioning parts but not user damage.

Is it worth the money?

The Bissell Zing is worth buying. Considering its multi-functional capabilities, incredible suction power, bagless design, and budget-friendly price point, this vacuum offers excellent value.

Bissell Zing Bagless Canister Vacuum vs. Ovente Electric Bagless Lightweight Canister Vacuum Cleaner

For about $20 more, the Ovente Electric Bagless Lightweight Canister Vacuum Cleaner is 1,200 watts or about 10 amps, offering more potent suction than Bissell Zing, and it has HEPA filtration. With HEPA capability, the Ovente is a better bet for people with pet or dust sensitivities. It has a few more snap-on tools; the downside is it weighs a couple more pounds than the Bissell. It also offers the automatic retractable cord and a limited, 1-year warranty like Bissell. Although Ovente isn't as recognizable, its suction power trumps a brand name.