You’ve seen it everywhere. It’s that neon-colored, impossibly thin plastic stick sitting in the middle of the vacuum aisle at Walmart or hovering at the top of Amazon’s best-seller list for about thirty bucks. The Bissell Featherweight Lightweight Stick Vacuum is one of those products that feels like it shouldn't work. It’s so light it feels like a toy. It costs less than a decent dinner out. Yet, somehow, it has hundreds of thousands of reviews and a cult following among college students and pet owners alike.
Honestly? It’s a weird little machine.
Most people buy it because they’re tired of dragging a fifteen-pound upright out of the closet just to clean up some spilled cereal or cat litter. They want something quick. But there’s a massive gap between what people expect from a "vacuum" and what a $35 stick machine actually delivers. If you’re expecting it to deep-clean a plush Persian rug, you’re going to be miserable. If you want it to suck up dust bunnies on a laminate floor without breaking your back, it might be the best money you’ve ever spent.
What You’re Actually Getting (The 3-in-1 Reality)
Bissell markets this as a 3-in-1 machine. That sounds fancy. In reality, it just means the floor nozzle pops off and the handle slides out. You’ve got the full stick mode, the hand vac mode, and the "stair vac" mode where you put the floor nozzle directly onto the hand unit.
It’s basic. Really basic.
There is no brush roll in the floor nozzle. Let that sink in for a second. Most vacuums use a spinning brush to agitate carpet fibers and lift dirt. The Bissell Featherweight Lightweight Stick Vacuum relies entirely on straight suction. This is its greatest strength and its biggest flaw. Because there’s no brush, you’ll never have to cut tangled hair out of a roller with a pair of scissors. That’s a huge win for anyone with long hair or shedding golden retrievers. But it also means it won't "scrub" your carpets. It’s basically a squeegee with a vacuum motor attached.
The motor is a 2-amp powerhead. For context, high-end corded uprights often run at 10 or 12 amps. But because the air path in the Featherweight is so short—literally just a few inches from the floor to the bagless canister—the suction feels surprisingly snappy. It’s snappy enough to pull grit out of the crevices of a hardwood floor, which is where most cheap vacuums fail.
The Cord Situation
It’s corded. Some people hate that. They want the freedom of a Dyson. But here’s the thing: cheap cordless vacuums have batteries that die after 18 months. They lose suction as the charge drops. The Featherweight gives you the same "oomph" from the first second to the last. The cord is 15 feet long. It’s short. You’ll be swapping outlets if you’re doing a whole living room, but for a kitchen or a small studio apartment, it’s fine. You’re trading the convenience of a battery for the reliability of a plug.
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Why It Dominates Hard Floors but Struggles Elsewhere
If your home is 90% hardwood, tile, or vinyl, you’re the target audience.
I’ve seen people try to use this on thick shag carpeting. Don't do that. It’s a recipe for frustration. Without a brush roll, the nozzle just glides over the top of the carpet fibers, leaving the deep-down dust exactly where it was. It’s like trying to sweep a rug with a flat piece of plastic. It doesn't work.
However, on a low-pile rug—the kind you find in an office or a cheap dorm room—it’s actually decent. It picks up surface debris like a champ.
The Pet Hair Paradox
Pet owners love this thing for two reasons. First, the price. You can keep one in the mudroom specifically for the "dog zone" and not care if it gets beat up. Second, the lack of a brush roll means it picks up kibble and fur without spitting it back out at your ankles. A lot of high-end vacuums have a "scatter" problem on hard floors where the spinning brush just flings debris across the room. The Featherweight doesn't do that. It just inhales.
Maintenance is Minimal but Messy
The filter is a simple pleated fabric cup. You can wash it. Bissell says you should replace it every few months, but if you’re cheap, you can just tap it against the inside of a trash can and rinse it under a tap. Just make sure it’s 100% dry before putting it back, or it’ll start to smell like a wet dog.
The bin is small. Very small. If you have a shedder, you’ll be emptying it every five minutes. It’s a "task" vacuum, not a "whole house" vacuum.
Addressing the Plastic Elephant in the Room
Let’s be real: it feels cheap. It’s made of thin polycarbonate and the wheels are basic plastic. If you drop it down a flight of stairs, something will probably crack.
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But at under $40, it’s almost disposable. That’s not great for the environment, obviously, but for a student on a budget or someone living in a tiny apartment, the value proposition is hard to beat. You aren't paying for HEPA filtration or laser-guided dirt detection. You’re paying for a motorized broom.
The Competition
How does it stack up against the Dirt Devil Vibe or the Eureka Blaze? Honestly, they’re all very similar. The Eureka has a swivel head, which the Bissell lacks. The Bissell is slightly lighter—literally weighing about 3 pounds. If you have arthritis or struggle with heavy lifting, that 3-pound weight is a game changer. You can lift it with your pinky finger.
Surprising Uses for the Hand Vac Mode
When you pop the long handle off, the Bissell Featherweight Lightweight Stick Vacuum becomes a handheld that actually has a cord. Most handhelds are cordless and weak. Having a corded hand vac means you can spend twenty minutes detailing your couch cushions without the battery dying.
It comes with a crevice tool. Use it. The suction is concentrated into that tiny tip, making it surprisingly effective at sucking gunk out of window tracks or car seats (if you have an extension cord long enough to reach the driveway).
Who Should Buy This?
- Dorm Dwellers: It fits in a tiny closet and handles the dust from a semester of neglect.
- The "One Room" Solution: If you have a craft room with glitter or a kitchen with constant crumbs.
- Senior Citizens: It’s the lightest vacuum on the market that actually has decent suction.
- The Second Vacuum Owner: You have a big vacuum for Sundays, but you need this for Tuesday morning messes.
Who Should Skip It?
- Whole-House Carpet Owners: Just don't. You’ll be disappointed.
- Allergy Sufferers: There is no HEPA seal. Fine dust will eventually blow back into the room.
- People Who Hate Cords: The 15-foot reach will annoy you within minutes.
Technical Specs (The Boring but Important Stuff)
For those who want the raw data, here is what the 2033 series (the most common model) looks like:
Power Rating: 2 Amps
Weight: 3.1 lbs
Cord Length: 15 Feet
Tank Capacity: 0.67 Liters
Filtration: Washable Foam
Cleaning Path Width: 9.5 Inches
It’s worth noting that Bissell often releases different "versions" of this—like the 20334 or 2033M. They are usually identical in power, just different colors or sold at different retailers. Don't overpay for a "special edition" color. The blue one works exactly like the lime green one.
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Actionable Tips for Better Performance
If you already own one or are about to click "buy," there are a few ways to make this cheap tool punch above its weight class.
First, clean the filter often. Because the motor is small, any clog in the filter drops the suction power significantly. Don't wait until the bin is full. Empty it every time you use it.
Second, mind the angle. Since the head doesn't swivel, you have to be more deliberate with your movements. It’s a straight-line vacuum. If you try to twist it like a Dyson, the head will just lift off the floor and you’ll lose suction. Keep the nozzle flat against the ground.
Third, check the nozzle intake. Because the opening is small, a stray penny or a large clump of hair can get stuck right at the entrance. If it stops picking things up, don't assume the motor is dead. Just flip it over and poke a pen into the intake hole.
Lastly, buy a spare filter immediately. Having one to swap in while the other is drying after a wash means you’re never without a vacuum. It’s a $5 investment that makes the machine much more tolerable long-term.
Final Thoughts on Value
The Bissell Featherweight Lightweight Stick Vacuum isn't a masterpiece of engineering. It’s a bucket with a motor. But in a world where vacuum cleaners can cost $700, there is something incredibly refreshing about a tool that does exactly what it says on the box for the price of a couple of pizzas. It’s light, it’s loud, and it’s surprisingly effective on hard floors.
Manage your expectations. This is a "sweep substitute." Use it to keep your floors grit-free between deep cleans, and you’ll find it’s one of the most useful utility players in your cleaning closet.
Next Steps for Maintenance and Longevity:
- Check your floor types: Only use this on hard surfaces and very low-pile rugs.
- Order a backup filter: Look for the Bissell Part #1611508.
- Establish a routine: Empty the dust bin after every single use to prevent motor strain.
- Inspect the intake: Once a month, ensure no debris is lodged in the 3-in-1 connection points.