The Oreck XL Classic U2200HHS Upright vacuum cleaner is simple to look at and even easier to use. There are no bells and whistles here, as you'll find with the very best upright vacuum cleaners (opens in new tab), or the best vacuum cleaners for home (opens in new tab), but there is a certain charm to is back to basics approach.
In short, if you want a floor cleaner that just vacuums and nothing else, you may well enjoy using the Oreck XL Classic U2200HHS. In our review, we look at the product's design and performance, all to help you decide if it's the right choice for you. If, however, you decide that you want a device to handle the vacuuming for you, also take a look at our guide to the best robot vacuums (opens in new tab).
Oreck XL Classic U2200HHS Upright review: Design
The Oreck XL Classic U2200HHS is a straightforward vacuum cleaner design. It has strong suction power and vacuums most types of flooring really well. However, it isn't designed to clean furniture, curtains, crevices, or links between carpeting and harder floors. It comes with no cleaning tools – it simply vacuums floors. Still, it does that pretty well (see below).
For a smaller handheld vacuum (opens in new tab) capable of getting into smaller nooks and crannies, check out our Dirt Devil QuickFlip BD30025B review (opens in new tab).
Assembling the Oreck XL Classic was a breeze and took us just 2.5 minutes to put this cleaner together. You need a screwdriver (either a Phillips head or a flat head will do) for two screws that attach the handle to the base, and that's it.
Unlike a bagless upright vacuum, the Oreck XL Classic U2200HHS has an enclosed bag contained in a zipped area. Because the bag is enclosed, you aren’t exposed to dust or potential allergens. For alternative anti-allergen upright vacuum cleaners, read our Shark Navigator Lift Away NV352 review (opens in new tab), and the Miele M (opens in new tab)averick U1 Twist.
The other design feature we liked is the large on/off button on the base of the vacuum cleaner. This means, if you have mobility issues, you don’t have to bend down to turn the vacuum on or off - just use your foot to operate it.
While the Oreck XL Classic U2200HHS has a thick and durable electrical cord, it's on the short side at 25 inches, so keep this in mind if you have large rooms to clean but only have access to a few mains power points.
Oreck XL Classic U2200HHS review: Performance
When we tested the Oreck XL Classic U2200HHS on carpet, it sucked up spilled cereal and pet hair fairly quickly, and didn’t kick anything back or blow it around. The Oreck also did a good job cleaning flour spilled on both carpet and hardwood.
This upright vacuum cleaned our floors well, but there were some issues with maneuverability. Overall we found it to be quite stiff and awkward when we switched from vacuuming in a back-and-forth manner and tried to maneuver turns. In other words, the Oreck XL Classic U2200HHS does not turn easily. However, it is lightweight, so it isn't as though you're trying to drag a tank around your living room.
Another thing we liked during testing is how, thanks to the vacuum cleaner's sleeker head, you can make it lie quite close to ground to clean underneath furniture - as long as your furniture isn't especially low to the floor, of course.
When it comes to cleaning under furniture, we'd also recommend looking at our Dyson V11 Torque Drive review (opens in new tab), or the iRobot Roomba i7+ (opens in new tab) and Dyson (opens in new tab) 360 Eye for robot vacuums that use built-in navigation to clean under furniture without bumping into it.
Should I buy the Oreck XL Classic U2200HHS?
The Oreck XL Classic U2200HHS Upright does a fine job of cleaning both hard and carpeted floors in a traditional back-and-forth motion. However, it runs into difficulty during turns and lacks the cleaning tools that could make it more versatile.
