Pros and Cons of the Swivel Sweeper
I was brought up by a mother who did things mostly by hand. It’s a fond and clear memory of her squatting down moving around the floor with dustpan and dust broom in hand. Many of you may not know what I’m talking about. But the point is that she was close to the floor, squatting and cleaning the floor with a small broom and pan in hand. And she did a great job.
I still have my set and sometimes I’ll take it out, squat and sweep small areas in the kitchen and entry. I don’t do it often because it’s not convenient. Sometimes I get the outdoor broom and sweep the kitchen floor and entry. I do it when I can’t stand to walk on the floor with my bare feet or see the debris on the floors. In a word, I was not paying much attention to this aspect of housekeeping.
Then the Swivel Sweeper came into my world through the Internet. I marveled as I watched the videos of it cleaning floors in a snap. Cleaning looked easy, quick and even fun. It’s certainly seemed preferably to the alternatives I’ve mentioned and especially pulling out the big vacuum.
However before I describe the pros and cons of a cordless sweeper, let me express my appreciation for the vacuum cleaner, the standard cleaner for most people. Its technology of a motor creating a vacuum into which dirt and debris are sucked was a vast improvement over a broom. A great innovation, yes, yet many models of vacuum cleaners are awkward, heavy, noisy and of course, require electricity. But there’s no arguing its clear advantage, its potential to clean deeply.
In contrast,, the advantages of a cordless sweeper are its quiet operation, lightness, simplicity and not needing electricity. This means you don’t need to find an outlet; it can be quickly anywhere indoors. In short, the regular vacuum is necessary for complete and deep cleaning and the other is handy for a quick clean up. It’s important to see that neither is a replacement for the other.
When I began to research cordless sweepers, I soon learned how unique among cordless sweepers the Swivel Sweeper was. The standard, duplicated by most of the brand names, was a heavier, large sweeper that swept debris up moving back and forth. Chairs and other obstacles had to be moved because they required a wide path, and you had to bend over to get under furniture.
This is one of the positive features of the Swivel Sweeper G2. It is very light (2 pounds) and has the capacity to maneuver into tight corners, narrow passages and around furniture legs. However, some people prefer the heavier sturdier standard sweepers because for them rigidity and weight are associated with durability. It’s clear that each type of cordless sweeper has certain customers in mind. In fact, the focus on having something very light is probably why the swivel sweeper’s handle is made of either plastic or a light metal. People have complained about its flimsiness or “fragility.”
The Swivel Sweeper is powered by a battery. In reading customer reviews, experiences with the battery are one of the chief complaints. Remembering my challenges with early versions of batteries for answering machines and cell phones, this issue got my attention. The instructions are very clear about how long to charge the battery the first time and afterwards. I don’t know whether the customers who complained followed these instructions or they did what I often do: disregard manual and instructions. So when my unit arrived, I read the details on the battery. So far, no problems.
A cordless sweeper or a swivel sweeper is clearly not for anyone. Hopefully you’ve been informed about the pros and cons of these alternatives to make a choice just right for you.
Anne Uemura, Ph.D.
www.swivelsweeperg2reviews.com
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