Whirling dervish.

• Position: What's New? - Brief Article

Remember the Old Miller Lite commercials that had opposing camps proclaiming "Tastes great" and "Less filling" as to their reasons for choosing the brand? Those who use vacuum cleaners are as vociferous in their opinions, though in their case it's over which is better--a canister model or an upright?

We've always tended to lean towards a canister, but the WhirlWind LiteSpeed 5843 from the Eureka Company, Bloomington, Ill., is going a long way towards converting us. Lightweight, bagless, and with a powerful 12-amp motor, this blue beauty cleans an extra-wide 15" path, cutting the time it takes to vacuum. Everything sucked in winds up in the 3.5-quart dust cup, the largest capacity on the market, so emptying has to be done less frequently. The cup snaps in and out easily and remains completely covered until emptying time, assuring neatness. Combined with the HEPA sealed-filtration unit, this helps keep dust out of the air and, in turn, out of your lungs.

This sturdy machine is designed so that it can't be tipped over unless you consciously try to do so. Meanwhile, the wide-diameter hose avoids clogging, stretches to get into...