Inside Consumer Reports Test Labs: The Garry upright vacuum is a lightweight . . . in more ways than one

The $199 Garry Ultra Light vacuum is a "professional quality" vacuum that "loosens stubborn, even hidden ground-in dirt from your carpets" and other surfaces "the first time you pass over the dirt," touts the company's Web site.

But our recent testing found that the Garry doesn't live up to some of its performance claims or the hype you'll see in the infomercial for this upright vacuum. (Check out the discussion on our forums for reader reviews of the Garry Ultra Light.)

The Garry earned only a fair for deep-cleaning carpets, the lowest score among the uprights in our continuously updated vacuum ratings (available to subscribers). Even most rated canisters, which as a category tend to do less well on carpet cleaning than uprights, were better carpet cleaners than the Garry.

The Garry did excel at pet-hair pickup, was very low in emissions, and is most suitable for cleaning bare floors. But we also found that airflow was weak through the vacuum's included attachments, important for cleaning dust from curtains, upholstery, and the like.

The Garry's stated 9-pound weight would put it among the lightest uprights we've tested. But, unlike other 9-pound models we've tested, that weight doesn't include the hose, attachments, or power cord. Add in those elements, and the Garry weighs 12 pounds.

One appealing item you'll see on the Garry Web site is the promise of "free bags for life." But you have to pay $9.95 for the shipment of eight bags, and unless you cancel, the bags will keep coming every four months. Still, that $1.25-per-bag price is less than most replacement bags we see, and some microfiber bags cost up to $5.50 each.

Garry also offers a 30-day refund on the vacuum and, through its "Zero Maintenance No Hassle Warranty," no-cost replacement of a faulty vacuum—even if you caused the problem—for as long as you own the product. As with the bags, free isn't exactly no cost. You'll pay to ship the vacuum back to the manufacturer and $40 for shipment of the new model. All that on top of the $40 you spent on shipping in the first place.
 
The Garry might be appealing, but a better bet would be to consider a higher-performing vacuum from a brand with established reliability, such as the Dirt Devil Featherlite Bagless M085845, $60, or the Eureka Altima 2961, $80.

A final thing to keep in mind: When you buy a Garry vacuum, you automatically agree to resolve any dispute with the product's seller related to the Garry vacuum through arbitration. (Check out the site's terms and conditions for more details.) Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of this blog and Consumer Reports magazine, doesn't believe you should have to sign away your legal options in order to buy a product even before a dispute arises. Consumers Union also supports advocacy efforts to eliminate mandatory predispute arbitration clauses.—Ed Perratore | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Our free vacuum-buying guide and October 2009 report offer lots of helpful shopping and usage tips.

Comments

[Kathy Sisk]

I bought anew Garry Vac and after 3x use, the motor burned out. To try and replace it was a living nightmare. I spent 2.5 hours trying to talk to their offshore call center in India, hung up on me twice, and wait times were more than 20 minutes. They tried to charge me tax on the replacement (my Garry Ac was only 3 weeks old) I disputed that charge, then they ended up charging me $17.99 on my credit card for shipping but said they will reimburse me when I send the old vac back. I thought that was strange for them to do that without my permission.I went ahead and agreed because i was already a week without a vac and have expensive carpets and did not want to prolong the shipping. I just got my replacement, they said if I don't return the vac in 30 days they will charge my credit card $200. I returned it the next day I received it. Now waiting if they will honor reimbursing my $17.99 back. If the new vac breaks again I will demand full reimbursement of everything and make sure everyone in the world knows this is a cheap vac don't buy!!

[Tom Roon]

I have read these posts and many on other review forums. While there are some comments with regard to not being able to really know who you are dealing with and the inability to adequately contact Garry, there are not unlike what happened when Dyson first came on the scene. A quick check on Ebay, one could/can thousands of "refurbs", which indicates that Dyson has a lot of service returns, etc., yet they have evolved and have become a respected brand. This too, may happen with Garry. It's a little too early to know. If they listen and tweak their product to continue to try to make a better vac, they may have something of value. I have loved my Oreck for almost 20 years, originally thinking that it too, was too good to be true, so, the foreseeable future, I probably won't buy anything. One interesting complaint with the Garry comments has been the cost of bags and availability at Walmart. I can't go to Wally World to get my Oreck bags either and frankly, this should not be the determining factor for the purchase of a vac.

[Chuck Elkins]

My vac froze up and motor would not run. I called and they
charged me $50. for shipping new Vac out to my address, plus
I was obligated to send old one back within 30 days.
My question is why does it take so long and why does it
cost so much to ship? Also why is there no service center
near by that could fix these minor problems without the
hassle. Seems like the shipping is where you are making the
money.

[Karen A. Kelley]

My Garry Vac was purchased 4 months ago. Yesterday, during regular vacuuming, the motor burned up. The first customer rep I spoke to was rude and hung-up on me. The second, not much better. They insisted on charging me $50 for ship & hand to return it and get a new one. I questioned this because I have already paid for s&h when I originally bought it. It does not cost $50 to send it to CA. They are making a huge profit on this s&h fee. They sure do not stand by their product. If you are thinking about purchasing one...think no more. Get another brand. It's not worth the hassle.
PS. Free Bags, bologna! The s&h fee is $10 for this.

[Margaret Willett]

I was looking for a light weight, yet powerful vac. I bought the vacuum in the spring of 2009, before there were any personal experiences noted online....should have waited. While the vac is still operational, I would rate its effectiveness on carpet as fair, at best. It works best on tile and wood floors. Swifter does just as well as this $200 waste. Pushing on carpeted floors is a chore, again working best on non-carpeted areas. The lack of on-board tools is annoying and cumbersome. The only (marginally) redeeming feature is the bags at a buck twenty-five (S&H cost is $10 for 8 bags) is a pretty good deal.I'll keep this turkey until it breaks then go back to the brand I like best--Hoover--can't beat the bagged Windtunnel, IMHO.