The Kenmore Elite 31230 is a bagless upright vacuum cleaner that has been designed to work on all floor types and is more affordable than models from Dyson.
Created with pet owners in mind, this upright vacuum cleaner has a strong suction power and a Pet Handi Mate.
To read about an alternative powerful vacuum, check out our Miele Compact C1 Pure Suction SCAE0 review (opens in new tab), or for a full round up, head to our guide on the best vacuum cleaners for home (opens in new tab).
Kenmore Elite 31230 CrossOver vacuum: What is it?
The Kenmore Elite 31230 is an upright vacuum cleaner that is bagless and instead features an easy to empty canister. This vacuum can be configured for six different cleaning functions and it also comes complete with three cleaning tools.
Pet owners will benefit from the Pet Handi Mate feature which is a handheld tool that features spin rollers that rotate at high speed to capture pet hair, debris, dust from staircases, and can even clean your car.
As the Kenmore Elite 31230 is bagless you won’t need to buy replacement bags, but emptying the canister can be a bit dusty. This vacuum does feature a triple HEPA filter system which is better for trapping dirt, smaller debris and, picking up potential allergens.
Kenmore Elite 31230 CrossOver vacuum: Features
For cleaning jobs where the standard vacuum head just won’t work, the Kenmore Elite 31230 CrossOver vacuum has three tools; the Peti Handi Mate we mentioned above, a dust brush combination tool, and a bare floor tool.
What this vacuum does lack is the ability to change the suction power depending on the flooring type. If adjustable suction power is important to you, read our Dyson V11 Torque Drive review (opens in new tab).
It also has fewer tools than other models but what tools it does have can be stored on the vacuum itself, which is handy.
What we did like about the Kenmore Elite is its extra long cord - reaching 35 feet. The average is around 25 feet, so this makes the Kenmore ideal for vacuuming larger areas without the need to unplug so often.
Another handy feature that this model has is an LED light and dirt sensor, as well as an indicator when the canister needs to be emptied or if any issues occur, such as the hose clogging up.
For reaching difficult areas or for when you don’t want to lug about the weight of the full vacuum, the Kenmore Elite has a crossover feature which means you can detach the wand and dirt canister and move around more to reach tricky areas.
Kenmore Elite 31230 CrossOver vacuum: User reviews
The Kenmore Elite 31230 CrossOver vacuum has an average score of 3.4 out of five stars on Amazon. The more positive reviews say that this vacuum works well on plush carpet and is ‘great for getting up all the dirt and hair’.
The worst reviews for the Kenmore Elite 31230 CrossOver vacuum include ones stating this vacuum ‘didn’t pick up anything’ and that it’s heavy to use.
Should you buy the Kenmore Elite 31230 CrossOver vacuum?
The Kenmore Elite is a decent vacuum and its pet hair removing tool is a useful feature. If you’re looking for adjustable suction or a more lightweight vacuum, consider the Shark Navigator Lift Away NV352 review (opens in new tab).
