Review of the Panasonic Lightweight Upright Vacuum Cleaner

The Lightweight upright vacuum by Panasonic, model number MC-UG383, is a vacuum that uses disposable paper bags.

The MC-UG383 features a wide 14 inch nozzle path, a powerful 12 amp motor, and a 25 foot long cord.

The Lightweight Upright is backed by a one year parts and labor warranty, and is available from on-line retailers for about $100.

Panasonic Lightweight Features:

• Headlight
• Onboard tools
• Automatic Carpet Adjustment
• Motor Protection System

Headlight:

The MC-UG383 is equipped with a headlight to illuminate those hard to see areas. The headlight comes on automatically when the vacuum is turned on.

Onboard Tools:

Panasonic has built this model with a few additional onboard tools to help you with your cleaning. The tools are stored on the body of the vacuum. Included are 2 extension wands, a dusting brush, and a crevice tool.

Automatic Carpet Adjustment:

The 14 inch power nozzle has a floating design, which means it can automatically adjust to most carpet heights.

There are no knobs or dials to turn, which means you’ll be able to move from room to room without having to break your rhythm to adjust a dial or lever.

The nozzle also features edge cleaning on one side.

Motor Protection System:

The MC-UG383 is designed with a motor protection system. Usually vacuum motors fail because of exposure to dirt or dust. The Panasonic motor protection system channels dirt and dust into the vacuum bag, thus protecting the motor.

Panasonic Lightweight Recommendations:

Mrs. Clean does not recommend this model vacuum. It is going to be too heavy for some users. Vacuuming is a chore for most people, and the additional weight that this vacuum possesses, just adds to the chore.

The standard wheels this vacuum comes with also don’t add to the vacuum’s maneuverability. The wheels don’t turn well. If it is difficult to push around, you probably aren’t going to want to use it.

This vacuum also uses electrostatic filtration, which is definitely inferior to a vacuum that is manufactured with HEPA filtration. This model is probably not safe for use on wood floors as the beater bar cannot be turned off.

Pros:

This vacuum is economically priced, and is simple in design. There aren’t a lot of features that could break. The MC-UG383 is simple to use and has on-board tools which is a nice feature. You cleaning tools are within easy reach when you need them.

Cons:

At 17 pounds, in my opinion, this isn’t exactly a lightweight upright vacuum. There are true lightweight upright vacuums available for purchase from other manufacturers that weigh less than 10 pounds. A smaller child or an elderly person may have trouble carrying this vacuum up a flight of stairs.

The standard wheels on this vacuum don’t seem to turn very well. Because of this poor design feature, you may find the vacuum requires substantial effort to push or pull across carpet.