Consumer Reports have voted it as being the best in its class (corded vs. battery powered), but does the Eureka 41A RapidClean improve on its older highly rated model the 71B EasyClean?
Both share strikingly similar designs, with the main noticeable difference being the front head and color. The RapidClean 41A is the newer and slightly more powerful model. Like the 71B, the 41A is being marketed as a step vacuum for staircases, with the ability to also clean hard floors.
Released only earlier this year of 2013, it has already become another favorite for consumers of corded handheld vacuums, and one that is highly rated on Amazon.
Highlight Benefits
Deep Clean Carpets & Stairs: Incorporates a motorized brushroll powered by 6 amps, which proves to be very effective on carpets and area rugs.
Switch Between Soft & Hard Surfaces: The on/off brushroll switch allows you to effortlessly switch between deep cleaning carpets and stairs, to cleaning hard surfaces.
Easily Clean Hard Floors & Non-Carpeted Stairs: The bare floor brush can be flipped down to effectively clean a variety of hard surfaces.
Will Not Damage Hard Surfaces: Its easy roll wheels are soft, therefore they will not scratch or nick hard floors.Very Long Reach: A 25 foot long cord with an attached 3 foot hose gives a combined 28 foot total reach, the longest for handheld vacuums.Neat Storage: The hose and cord neatly wraps around the base, while the crevice tool is stored at the back.User Experiences
The people that know best about the product are those who have actually purchased and tested it out over a period of time. We have researched over 50 positive and negative user reviews from early 2013 on Amazon to provide you with a general consensus of their experiences with the Eureka RapidClean 41A.
Design & Attachments
The RapidClean 41A sports a black design with an on/off brushroll and barefloor brush, in comparison with the EasyClean 71B’s revolving brush. Both are effective at what they do, but some users have pointed out a minor flaw in the 41A (read below).When you compare both the 71B and 41A side-by-side, the most obvious differences are the color and the front head. The body, dirt container and stretch hose with the crevice tool holder remain the same.
Less visibly noticeable differences are the two rolling wheels incorporated beneath the 41A to make it easier to drive the device around. The cord is longer at 25 feet (instead of 20 feet), enabling you to clean an entire staircase or your car interior in the driveway, without unplugging. There’s also a specific area at the back for the cord to wrap around (providing just enough space).
Weighing in at 6lbs, it’s around 1.2lbs heavier than the 71B, and the added weight seems to be the biggest complaint, as some users find it the device to strain their arms after a while of cleaning. Most users find this to be a minor issue because the weight is justified by its sturdiness and extra power.
The Front Head
The 41A RapidClean incorporates a bare floor brush which is designed for cleaning hard floors, and users have found it to be extremely effective, especially on hardwood floors since the bristles uproot ground-in dirt and the powerful suction sucks it up. It will pick up hair which can get stuck between the bristles (not uncommon for vacuums) so it should be cleaned regularly.
However, several users have pointed out a minor flaw when using the brushroll. When it’s being using on horizontal surfaces, the bristles on the beater brush stick out about one inch to the front. This means that when you get to the wall of each stair step, or a chair, there’s a small amount of area that cannot be cleaned if you were to roll forward. You would have to turn the vacuum sideways in order to cover that particular area. This wasn’t pointed out as a major issue, but rather a small inconvenience for some users.When it’s time to clean soft surfaces, the bare floor brush can be flipped up and locked into place to reveal the motorized brush roll which can be turned on or off. Once again, users have had great success cleaning the stairs, couches and chairs. It also does a great job of removing pet hair off carpets and upholstery.
Suction Power
Nearly all users expressed their amazement at how powerful the 41A RapidClean is. Though it’s noisier, with a number of users finding it far too loud, it packs more suction power than the 71B, which can be attributed to the extra 0.5 amps of power added on.
One user was able to suck out dust from his car vents, and also dust from computer components within the base unit. And the double filtration system prevents any smell of dust from escaping during vacuuming.
Ease Of Cleaning
With not much space within the dirt container, it has to be emptied regularly. Fortunately, the clear cover shows how much dirt and dust has been gathered. Most users have not experienced any problems with the taking out and emptying the dirt container.
However, there have been some confusion with whether the filter is washable or not. Amazon’s website states that it is, but the response from Eureka Customer Services is that they do not recommend allowing the filter to get wet. This is a bit inconvenient as the filters for most other handheld vacuums can be rinsed under water.
It shares a very similar filter to the previous model 71B, and uses the same fitting (so essentially they both can use same replacement filter). That filter can be washed so it’s a bit strange that the 41A’s filter cannot. Nevertheless, one user has insisted that you can and should wash the filter as long as it’s dried out properly. She had been doing it for years with no problems.
