Product Review: Sweepeze Automatic Vacuum and Dustpan

I came across a Sweepeze a few years ago when I was looking for an automatic vacuum cleaner. I wanted a whole-house vacuum system, but realized it would be difficult with my old house and its plaster walls. I had seen some heaters and small AC-type units that were self contained and fit below the floor, so that it looked like a vent. I wondered if there was a vacuum that functioned like this. Instead, I found a separate, self-contained unit that was part vacuum and part dustpan. Here are my thoughts on the unique gadget known as the Sweepeze.

The Sweepeze is a small box with a hole near the bottom and a knob on the side. It look deceptively simple. The unit actually contains an electric eye system. If dust or crumbs break the beam of light between the eyes, it turns the powerful vacuum on for a few seconds. The knob on the side also allows you to set it to go off occasionally on its own. I personally do not care for this setting, because I’d rather have the dirt gone immediately and my cats were very frightened when the Sweepeze went off.

The best way I’ve found to use the Sweepeze is to leave it in one place and sweep around it. When the entire kitchen is swept, I sweep the dirt into the machine, and it vacuums it all up. Then I turn the knob to turn it off. It would sound to someone who hasn’t used the machine that this is a silly way to spend about $50, if all it does it replace a dustpan. But to me, the cost is worth it. I am able to do more housework, because I do not have to find the dustpan, which is invariably not with the broom. Also, for those with a Swiffer, it’s especially useful. Swiffers are great for picking up dust, but don’t do as well when kids have dropped actual pieces of food. With the Sweepeze, I can simply run through the kitchen with a Swiffer after each meal, sweep it into the Sweepeze, and empty it once a day. Also, for those with back or joint problems, it is extremely helpful. Instead of bending and holding a dustpan, they can sweep the crumbs into the Sweepeze and empty it even less often. Several of my older relatives think it’s a great gadget to help them keep up with their housekeeping, without causing them pain or wearing them out. Also, it uses a HEPA filter, so when the dust goes in, you can be confident that it’s actually in. Finally, who hasn’t struggled with being the only person in the house and needing to sweep something into a dustpan? It’s very difficult for one person to maneuver, and you end up needing a third tool, a small hand broom, to sweep things into the dustpan, which you then carry to the trash. The Sweepeze canister holds a lot, and you can go quite long without emptying it. It’s great for automating your cleaning routing.

One downside is the fact that it only works on hard floors, so it is not the whole-house vacuum I was hoping to find. It is a good alternative though. And as I mentioned, pets are very frightened of it, especially when it comes on without warning. Also it is necessary to have a place flat enough to have the entire base flat against the tile. The reason for this is simple. If the dust goes under the electric eye, it will not turn the machine on, and it is also much more likely to get trapped under the machine and not sucked up. This is fine for hardwood floors and floors with large tiles, but those with small tiles would have problems.

Despite the drawbacks, it’s a great gadget. It lets my kids sweep, without having to master how to hold a dustpan. And unlike dustpans, which leave behind a little line of dust that is always impossible to sweep up, the Sweepeze always gets every crumb and speck of dust. I love this, and I don’t know how I swept my floors without it.