MC-CG885 OptiFlow – A star among Panasonic vacuum cleaners

The Panasonic MC-CG885 OptiFlow is a handy little canister vacuum that sucks up dirt into a removable bag and uses a HEPA filter to filter out dirt. It’s perfectly easy to assemble right out of the box. Simply connect the hose, wand and you’re good to go. Once you connect power to the vacuum head, the headlamp and beater come to life and you’re ready to go. As with other Panasonic vacuums, this model comes with an especially long power cord, handy for cleaning the entire house without having to constantly unplug and replug elsewhere. It comes with a full complement of attachments; but it stores them in the space provided at the top of the container. You will always have access to them and you will probably never lose them this way.

Most canister vacuums typically have the power switch located on the canister. Every time you need to turn it on, you have to bend down to reach it. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they put it right on the handle? That’s what Panasonic must have thought of when designing this model: the switch is right on the handle. The suction nozzle is actually over a foot wide. When you sweep with it, you cover a pretty wide swath. That said, the suction power of this little machine is pretty impressive. Most people worry about the volume of their vacuum cleaner. After working with it for a few minutes and turning it off, you can almost hear the ringing in your ears. Not so with Panasonic vacuum cleaners, and especially not so with this particular model. And once you’re done with the cleanup, do you have to wrap the entire 24-foot power cord around something again? Not likely. All you do is press a button and the cable retracts itself.

One of the main complaints you probably have with this unit is how small the bag is and how expensive it can be to buy replacement parts. How expensive is the bag, you ask? It’s three dollars each. Other than that one issue, like other Panasonic vacuums, the MC-CG885 OptiFlow is a beauty. It’s well built, seems durable in every way, and cleans up really well. It comes with four adjustable height settings. For carpets, you get a motorized beater brush. And the best thing about this is that it will not be impossible to clean the hair. Quite simply, this is a vacuum that has no real drawbacks, unless you find a $250 price tag a bit unreasonable. Buy one and you could be happily cleaning for years to come.

Here’s a little thought: when you say a vacuum sucks, does that mean it doesn’t do a great job of sucking up dust, or does it mean it blows (or rather bites)?