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Handheld Vacuums
- Best cordless handheld vacuum Black & Decker PHV1800 18 Volt Pivot Vac *Est. $70
- Budget cordless vacuum Shark Cordless Hand Vac SV736 *Est. $40
- Corded hand vacuum Bissell 33A1 Pet Hair Eraser *Est. $35
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- Stylish appearance
- Long battery life
- Weak suction
- Narrow nozzle
February 2009. In an informal test of five competing handheld vacs, the Dirt Devil KURV finished last. Owners posting to Amazon.com and Target.com seem to either love the KURV or hate it. Overall scores are mediocre, but individual ratings tend towards both high and low extremes. The KURV offers high style at a low price, but in performance and customer satisfaction, the Shark Cordless Hand Vac SV736 (*est. $40) and Black & Decker PHV1800 18 Volt Pivot Vac (*est. $70) both score better.
Consumer Reports includes the Dirt Devil KURV in its latest round of thorough, comparative testing. Another, more informal but still comparative review of the Dirt Devil KURV cordless handheld vacuum comes from The Wall Street Journal. Testers there rank the KURV along with four other handheld vacuums based on how well they pick up crumbled potato chips, wrapping paper bits and other debris. Amazon.com has the most owner-written reviews of the KURV hand vac, and scores there are echoed by users posting to Target.com. A review on SlipperyBrick,com compares the KURV to Dirt Devil's other sculptural hand vac, the KONE, and a short article from the Calgary Herald has a decent overview of the KURV's strengths and weaknesses.
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Our Sources
1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
In this recent update to Consumer Reports' small vacuum ratings, eleven hand vacuums are tested and ranked. Three are recommended. Consumer Reports looks thoroughly at each model's strengths and weaknesses in its comparative testing.
Review: Small Vacuums, Editors of Consumer Reports, Mar. 2009
Of the five models tested for this article, the Dirt Devil KURV hand vac gets the least favorable score. Because of the KURV's narrow nozzle, the test mixture - potato chip crumbs, wrapping paper bits and other dirt - had to be vacuumed several times before the area was clean.
Review: No Crumbs for Christmas, Charles Passy, Nov. 23, 2007
3. Amazon.com
Amazon.com has just over a dozen short reviews of the Dirt Devil KURV. Despite some very enthusiastic posts about its effectiveness and good looks, the overall rating here is just average. The consensus is that the KURV is adequate and looks nice.
Review: Dirt Devil KURV 0216 Cordless Hand Vacuum Reviews, Contributors to Amazon.com
Dirt Devil's KONE and KURV are compared in this short article, which doesn't include any other handheld vacuums. According to the author, the KURV significantly outperforms the KONE in informal tests around his home.
Review: Review: Kone and Kurv Dirt Devil hand vacs, Conner Flynn, Nov. 20, 2007
This short article doesn't give details about what, if any, testing was performed on the Dirt Devil KURV, but it does provide quite a useful summary of this hand vac's strengths and weaknesses. The final assessment of the KURV is that it's "a curvy success if you're using it on hard surfaces."
Review: Mini Tried & Tested: The Dirt Devil Kurv, Editors of Calgary Herald, Dec. 22, 2007
6. Target.com
The dozen or so reviews of the KURV on Target.com are divided between very positive and very negative. Overall, the score here matches Amazon.com, with shorter and fewer write-ups.
Review: Dirt Devil KURV Hand Vac Reviews, Contributors to Target.com
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