--> (1/9/12: Check the bottom of this review for a couple of updates)A quick summary: This unit cleans great! No problems with pet hair, edge suction is very good (much better than anything I've used previously), and the cleaning wand & hose setup is ingenious (though largely copied from Dyson's DC33). Dumping the dust bin is a snap, with a few less parts than Dyson, and is a relatively clean process. The pivoting handle may be a little bit gimmicky, but it does indeed cause the vacuum's head to turn towards the direction it's tilted.
I'll preface this review by noting I have the green Nimble, model 8605 sold at Lowe's, but the review I wrote for that item a couple of days ago seems to have disappeared into cyberspace. Oh well -these are identical vacs, with the exception of the color and the extra attachment included with the green one. Apologies for the duplicate reviews.
A possible point of confusion on that difference between models, from the product website itself: Electrolux lists this gray model (8602) with a roller brush on/off switch (hardwood floor mode), while showing the green (8605) instead with the bonus hose attachment, as if the on/off brush control isn't included. Rest assured, the green vac has the brush on/off switch as well.
I came from a Sharp EC12TW, which was the Consumer magazine Reports' top pick some 14 years ago, largely due to its solid performance and "library quiet" operation. I can confirm the Nimble easily matches that low volume level -not at all high pitched or noisy, especially compared to an Oreck XL Pro I brought home for a few days and quickly returned. A good gauge for me is the dog doesn't freak out, and anybody in a neighboring room isn't disturbed, but it doesn't mean you'll maintain a conversation at normal levels while you're pushing this around the house.
My search narrowed to the Dyson DC25 and DC33, as well as a Hoover model that featured a retractable cord. The Nimble easily matches the features of the DC33 in a number of respects: the Nimble has a reasonably low head height, making it possible to duck under couches and low tables just enough for day-to-day cleaning. Compare this to the DC33, which has a very tall head that grows even taller when the handle is lowered to the operating position. The Dyson won't get under anything but the highest furniture.
The Nimble has a very similar pull-out, self retracting "elastic" hose design, but without Dyson's annoying "sleeve sucker" port at the top of the handle. As soon as the cleaning wand at the free end of the hose is clicked out of the back of the unit (simple button press ejects the wand), the brush stops turning and suction swithces to the hose/wand. It works quite well, though with one annoyance: the handle-grip itself can be used as a very effective short, hairdryer sized "cleaning pistol" versus using the full length wand shown in the picture of the woman on the stairs in the Amazon stock photos. However, if just the "pistol" is pulled out, but the wand is left docked to the vac, the suction never changes over to the hose. The long wand needs to be clicked out, even if it's not going to be used. Once clicked out, the wand *can* be left sitting loosely in its dock; it doesn't need to be completely removed and set aside.
The rotating brush on/off buttons are located right under the soft-touch power button high up at the top of the vac's body. not down at the base of the unit. Very convenient. There are also two warning lights there, one for the filter and one for the brush. My brush warning light illuminated immediately, true to some of the reviews I stumbled across on a vacuum cleaner web forum. But later when I went back to investigate the cause of the light, I found everything to be operating properly, and the light was off. Important to note that if the cleaning wand is not securely fastened (clicked in) to the body, the roller won't operate, but this in and of itself shouldn't have caused the warning light to illuminate.
My green Lowe's model came with three attachments. The soft brush and 'Y' nozzle are standard, but the green Nimble comes with an extra nozzle with a suction-powered mini roller brush. In practice, this device works quite well, though the roller RPMs quickly bog down and will stop if held directly against a plush carpet. In reality, I believe a small, stiff bristle floor brush would be just as effective and very welcome. The 'Y' nozzle works OK as a crevice tool when closed, but isn't so useful when fully spread open and used on flat surfaces, due to the lint brush-like material that covers the bottom, rather than conventional brush bristles. It's better on hard surfaces, not so useful on carpet.
The LED headlights on this thing are awesomely bright, but I continue to question the usefulness other than as a "cool factor." I don't vacuum in the dark. I would much more appreciate LED headlights on the end of my hose attachments for visibility under the couch and chair when I'm down on my knees looking for hidden hairballs and Cheerios.
Assembly was a screw-free breeze. There were a few plastic parts to snap in to the body, including the two attachment brush holders and the handle (which doubles as the cleaning wand). The brush holders double as the cord wrap for the 30' long (and much appreciated) power cord. One of these cord wraps has a pivoting hook to allow super quick unwinding of the cord.
A bit of a gripe with the attachment holders: they don't grip very well. The two brush attachments continually get knocked onto the floor with the slightest bump. And there's not attachment point for the extra floor brush that came with my green colored Nimble.
The tilting handle featured in the Electrolux stock photos does indeed mimic Dyson's ball, but I find that I continue to use traditional back-and-forth vacuuming technique. We'll see if that habit modifies itself over time, or if I go into shock the next time I use a more conventional vacuum.
The canister holds a good amount of dirt. I can knock out the two bedrooms, living room and entry and it's around half full. The thick dust swirls around visibly inside the clear canister while the vac is in use, and deposits evenly on the bottom when the power it cut. Emptying the canister is a two step simple process. Although the dust is fairly dense and sticky, I suggest this dump occur outside into an outgoing trash bag. A small *poof* of fine particulate clouds up into the air even though most makes it into the trash.
On weight: I believe this vac tips the scales at 17 pounds, nearly twice the weight of the Oreck and a little lighter than my old Sharp. Interestingly, the feather light Oreck took more or as much effort to push on the carpet, so the machine's dead weight doesn't tell the whole story. The Nimble takes some effort to maneuver on the carpet, but not an extraordinary amount.
All in all, I'm very pleased with the operation of the Electrolux Nimble. My only concern, longevity and reliability, probably won't be addressed for some time to come, but I'll update this review if I run into any problems, or if my roller brush trouble light returns.
*Update 7/3/11* This vac has been operating flawlessly, but I've experienced a decrease in suction that made me realize I hadn't performed my monthly filter maintenance, which is a simple task of rinsing out a foam biscut that's outlined on the dust canister (hard to ignore). I'm not a fan of this only because the foam filter needs to dry overnight, meaning I have to leave the vac with the canister out overnight, awaiting reinstallation of the filter. In other words, it's an easy task, yet one that causes me to say, "I'll take care of that next time."
(1/9/12: ordered EL-69979 Nimble Starter Kit which includes this filter, leaving me with no excuse for failing to wash this on an as-needed basis. Later I found just the filter available for 1/3 the price by searching "Electrolux Nimble Dust Cup Filter" at the non-Amazon source I mention below.)
*Update 1/9/12* Broke a 99¢ part; Electrolux has redesigned it (I've attached photos on the main product page): The lower hose attachment + cord wrap snapped a tab. This is a piece critical for maintaining suction, and I see from the reviews that some other owners have experienced the same. I ordered up the new part (Electrolux no. 82962-355N, 99¢ plus a few bucks for shipping, from a non-Amazon source called eVacuumStore) and was pleased to find that the part has been redesigned using a less pliable, more rigid sort of plastic, and with beefed-up tabs.
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