Airider Review

What the reviewers like:
Like the iRobot Roomba, the Airider has genuine entertainment value, reviewers say, and it does a good job of vacuuming carpeting and hard floors. Because it floats on a 1/8th-inch-thick bed of air, this vacuum is also easy to push.

What the reviewers don't like:
People who have tried out the Airider complain about its short cord, its lack of tools and the fact that it snags when moving from bare floors to carpets, as well as the dust hatch and the ability of the head attachment to pick up long hair. When the power is off, this vacuum can be awkward to move.

Airider review highlights

Reviews are mixed about the Airider vacuum cleaner, which hovers 1/8th of an inch over carpeting and hard floors. After trying it out for a week, a writer for The Wall Street Journal is captivated by the Airider's charms, though she says it has a short electrical cord and could use more attachments. Other sources like how easy this vacuum is to move, though they note that it can be a pain to pick up when the power is off. Reviews are mixed on whether it can really replace a regular vacuum.

Compared to the equally high-tech iRobot Roomba, the Airider has appeared in relatively few reviews. Consumer Reports takes a brief look at this futuristic, hovering vacuum cleaner, and it's tested in depth by The Wall Street Journal and the website Shiny Shiny: A Girl's Guide to Gadgets. Unfortunately, not enough folks own the Airider yet for it to accumulate a significant number of reviews at Amazon.com or Epinions.

Also see full report: Vacuum Cleaners

*In order of credibility (see our Ratings Criteria).

1. Consumer Reports
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Vacuums: Don't Get Sucked In
Editors of Consumer Reports
Oct. 2006

In a brief blurb, the testers at Consumer Reports convey their impressions of the Airider, but they don't compare its performance to other vacuum cleaners.

2. The Wall Street Journal
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Clean Sweep: New Vacuums Purr and Hover
Kara Swisher
Mar. 31, 2005

Kara Swisher reports on new products displayed at the 2005 Home and Housewares convention in Chicago. At first she calls the Airider a "gimmick," but after a week of use she's impressed by its performance.

3. Shiny Shiny: A Girl's Guide to Gadgets
Shiny Review: Airider Hovering Vacuum Cleaner
"Shinykatie"
Aug. 5. 2005

In this hands-on review, the Airider is praised for its nifty gimmick -- "it glides about the place at the slightest tug, making it far less of a hassle to move from one corner of the room to the next.” It’s also noted for its cleaning ability, though the writer does complain about its dust hatch and the ability of the head attachment to pick up long hair.

Also see full report: Vacuum Cleaners