This $30 Dirt Devil Knows How To Work It — Put It Down, Flip It, And Reverse It

Is it worth it? Let me work it...and find out how hard I gotta work it — which isn't very because it has a16 ft. cord, is bagless, and can go from handheld to stand-alone in just one click.

In the world of vacuums, there are many. You can get wild and invest hundreds of dollars on state of the art technology you'll show off to your friends when they come to dinner parties you throw in its honor — and then there are the ones you treat like a middle child: spend no money on, hide in a closet, and don't have high expectations for.

Paramount

Well, what if I told you there's a vacuum out there sucking up all our frustrations, cleaning up all our annoyances, and surviving all your chaos for under $30? Because there is, and it's a Dirt Devil.

Comedy Central / Via giphy.com

The Dirt Devil Simpli-Stik Vacuum Cleaner is a 3-in-1 little miracle worker that can actually pick up some serious messes despite its petite and demure appearance.

amazon.com

"Weighing in at 3.74 lbs, the Simpli-Stik is a third of the weight of most cordless vacs in its range, and more powerful than four of the cordless ~$100 stick-vacs I've tried. To me, the light weight somewhat mitigates the slight inconvenience of plugging and unplugging the cord. If you want a cheap, reliable, and powerful stick vacuum that lasts years, I haven't found anything better in this price range." —Amazon Customer

"I have a larger vacuum cleaner, but sometimes the work I need to get done does not need the heavy bulky one. I was weary about purchasing this one, but we all know Dirt Devil they have a good reputation. I got it and whoa what an amazing lightweight machine with a powerful motor to get the small jobs done!!! It does the job and sucks up the dust and small enough to reach some areas, I love that I can change the headpiece and it's easy to clean. With this little guy, they kept it simple in price but the quality remains. I love this little machine, it made cleaning much easier and less heavy." —Lucian A. Sperta

It works as a stick vac, a hand vac, or an extended hand vac thanks to all the included attachments — which means it can get every hard to reach crevice your home might have and suck up messes on carpeted, tiled, or hardwood floors.

Elena Garcia

"This sucks, but in all the right ways! This is the best buy for your buck in my humble opinion. If you live in a small space, especially one without an installed carpet, this might be just what you've been looking for. I have two area rugs, hardwood, and tile in my place and this thing works great on all three. I doubt it would work for a full-on carpeted place, but if you need something small and powerful, for an apartment or dorm room, and don't want to break the bank or have to store something bulky, this is it. It's essentially a hand vac with a detachable handle and detachable traditional vacuum head attachment. When it's in this configuration it works well picking up most stuff from carpets, hardwood, and tile. However, if you have hard to reach spots like under a bookshelf or around the corners of the room, the base detaches from the hand-vac and has a longer tube like attachment. It makes cleaning the base molding a breeze and I've also used it to clean out the car. It's small enough to store in that unused corner in your pantry or closet. For under $30, this thing is a STEAL!" —David Lamb

"This is exactly what I was hoping for — a simple little vac that picks up basic messes. It doesn't have the suction of a Shop-Vac, nor did I expect it to. Nor did I pay for the suction of a shop vac! It does have the suction to pick up most things if you give it a few swipes. The fact that it is so lightweight, easy to move around, and small enough to store just about anywhere seals the deal for me. The dust-buster function is great. It's super easy to change it from a stick vac to a dust buster and really intuitive to do so (no directions required, even for machine-challenged individuals). The stick just slides in a hole in the top of the vacuum, and the bottom part (what slides over your floor) comes off and on with an easy slide/turn. Again, I didn't read instructions — it just was so simple where the pieces attached, it was intuitive and easy to figure out. There is a little holder for the attachment, and that has a tight fit. The cord wrapper portion is solid as well. Filters are easy to find, too. I got mine here at Amazon for a reasonable price. All in all, this vacuum met all my expectations." —waw

It also comes with a reusable (cleanable) filter that can hold up to 0.35 liters of all the gunk it sucks up — the filter is actually rinse-able, just make sure to let it dry for at least 24 hours before its next use.

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And if for any reason you need a new filter, they cost just about $6!

"It really does suck up a lot of dirt, dust, and hair. (I have a large dog and I also have very long hair, so tumbleweeds are a part of life around here.) It really does a great job and it goes for a while before you have to change the little filter. And man, that filter grabs a lot of hair. I also like that the cord is nice and long, and it's quite lightweight and not jet engine noisy. I have lots of hardwood floors and wanted to use this to keep the dust and hair under control, and it does just that! Far better than trying to sweep the dust and hair and just have it float around. I also ordered an extra filter, so that while the first filter is drying after cleaning, I have a backup one." —Lisa

"Great suction, lightweight, and slim for storage. The filter is washable and sturdy, I wash it often. Make sure to properly maintain it by keeping it emptied and washing the filter and it will last a long time. Again, I love it!" —Lynn Nagle

With nearly 8,000 5-star reviews (7,999 at the time this article was published, to be exact) it must be pretty good! Reviewers point out that this little guy is well worth the quick buy — lasting for years and perfect for cleaning up those everyday messes.

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"Feels like super cheap plastic and was smaller than I expected. Really just a DustBuster on a stick...also there are wheels. But it works! I crushed up a graham cracker on the ground and it sucked it all up. Doesn't FEEL that powerful but it seems to be doing its job. For the price, this thing seems worth it." —Amazon Customer A#1 (Duke of NY)

"I clean homes for a living. I spend all day in other people's homes using their vacuums. I believe the most expensive one I've used is the Rainbow and it can run about $3,000. (These people actually have two, one for each floor! Kill me!) Don't get me wrong, that is great, but let me get practical. Four kids, a dog, and a husband — I have to sweep or vacuum every day (usually more than once) but between this $30ish dollar vacuum and my wet Swifter, I have zero issues keeping my house spotless — and my back thanks me. I do own a heavy-duty vacuum and pull it out once a month or so, but this is really all you need. Clean it out after every single-use, sometimes more than once. This vacuum is 100% amazing. I even vacuum my dog with it! :D By no means am I comparing this to a real vacuum but if you use it correctly it could totally replace one :)" —michelle barnett

"This is very lightweight and small but it's great. I can't believe how much dirt and dust this little thing picks up. UPDATE: I've had this little vacuum cleaner for a year now and it still works great!! I have two cats, a kid, and hubby who are messy and I use it often!!" —mz helena

Some reviewers also point out how great it is at cleaning up the everyday tumbleweeds caused by your hairy friend's fur.

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"I bought this to clean the apartment from my cat's hair. It works wonderfully for what I want. I recommend it, just clean it every time you use it." —Carolina

"I don't move anywhere without this vacuum. I've used it for 3+ years and can definitely say it works as well or better than bigger, more powerful household vacuums — as long as you regularly empty the dirt cup and give the filter inside a good rinsing. I live with two massive Siberian Huskies who were blowing their coats — meaning piles, and piles, and piles of fur littered EVERYWHERE. This allowed me to clean up their daily shedding in a pinch, and even vacuum it from the dogs directly. The narrow attachment is great for cleaning up dirt and dust along the baseboards of a room, on windowsills, and corners." —Jane Z

Oh, did I mention that kids love playing with it? 'Cause they do and may end up cleaning up your whole house while they "play."

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"This was probably the most awesome Christmas gift I could have ever given my 4-year-old. She wanted a vacuum like mommy's. I looked at all of the toy vacuums and somehow came across this beauty. The toy vacuums cost more and did less than this little Dirt Devil. It is the perfect height and weight for her. Instead of pretending to vacuum, she actually is vacuuming. WIN! WIN!" —SneauxDayz

"This is an excellent little vacuum! It's perfect for my kids. They love to help clean and this was way less than toy ones, is super lightweight, easy to handle, and has great suction! It was a first birthday present for my one-year-old and he was soooo excited! My older kids — 4, 6, 8, and 10 — all use it too." —Acts16:30-31

And yes, this handy Dirt Devil does have a cord, which I know in this day and age can be a little annoying, BUT it's 16 FEET LONG! 16 FEET! In my tiny apartment, 16 feet basically covers the span of the whole place. Plus, the vacuum is set up to neatly hold the cord, all wrapped up.

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"The cost-benefit is awesome. It is very cheap but still works perfectly well in my one-bedroom apartment. You can use it either on the floor or as a portable vacuum on tables and other furniture (not heavy at all). You don't need to buy batteries or recharge it. My older vacuum cleaner had to be recharged almost every week. It ran out of battery a couple of times during the cleaning session. This (long)corded version does not have this problem. Also, there is no need to buy replacement bags. From time to time you simply have to open it and empty all the dust stuck inside. Greener and cheaper." —Joao V.

"I use it all over the house, including in hardwood floors, and it works flawlessly without leaving any marks on the floor or anything like that. I was surprised by the suction ability it has for being such an inexpensive tool. The cord is long enough that I don't have to keep using a different plug all the time. I can usually cover at least two rooms with one plug as long as I choose wisely where to plug it. Overall a great product and a must-have for bachelors like me. :D" —GFC

Look, this lady in red isn't going to replace your state of the art shop vac but she will get the job done. So go ahead and check out the Dirt Devil Simpli-Stik Vacuum Cleaner on Amazon for $28.82. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Amazon

The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.

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