Vax Power 7 VX72 Review: A Bagless Powerhouse with Flaws?
Welcome to our detailed Vax Power 7 VX72 review, where we analyze a corded cylinder vacuum that elicits strong and conflicting opinions from its users. The Vax Power 7 VX72 is a bagless cylinder vacuum cleaner designed for powerful, whole-home cleaning, featuring a turbo tool for pet hair and a range of attachments. With a perfectly split average rating of 3.0 out of 5 stars from just four reviews, this machine presents a clear dichotomy. Half the users (5-star and 4-star) praise its “incredible suction” and effective pickup, while the other half (2-star and 1-star) criticize its noisy operation, difficult maintenance, and overheating issues. This Vax Power 7 VX72 review will sift through these polarized experiences, spanning feedback from 2018 to 2025, to determine whether it’s a reliable workhorse or a frustrating appliance with critical design flaws.
Key Features of Vax Power 7 VX72
The Vax Power 7 VX72 is positioned as a powerful, versatile cylinder vacuum for homes with pets and mixed flooring. Its core feature is a high-wattage motor designed to deliver strong, consistent suction across various surfaces. As a bagless model, it utilizes a cyclonic system and a large, transparent dust container that users can empty directly into the bin, eliminating the ongoing cost of replacement bags. A key tool in its arsenal is the motorized turbo brush head, which is specifically engineered to agitate and lift embedded pet hair and dirt from carpets. The vacuum comes with a suite of attachments, including crevice tools, a dusting brush, and an upholstery nozzle, for above-floor cleaning tasks like stairs, curtains, and furniture. It is a corded model, providing unlimited runtime but requiring access to power outlets and cord management. Designed for maneuverability, it typically features a low-profile body to slide under furniture and swivel steering for easy navigation around obstacles.
Vax Power 7 VX72 review: Pros & Cons
Based on the direct customer feedback available, this Vax Power 7 VX72 review outlines its celebrated strengths and its frequently criticized weaknesses.
- Pros:
- Powerful Suction & Cleaning Performance: This is the most praised aspect. Users report “incredible suction” and effectiveness at picking up a wide range of debris, including fine dust, pet hair, threads, and small particles that other vacuums missed.
- Effective Turbo Tool for Pets: The motorized brush head is noted for doing “the job really well” on carpets, making it a good fit for pet owners.
- Bagless Convenience & Easy Emptying (Main Bin): Users appreciate the bagless design for its cost-saving and the ease of emptying the main dust container.
- Comprehensive Attachment Set: Comes with “a range of attachments” for versatile cleaning, from floors to upholstery.
- Proven Longevity (For Some Units): One user replaced an old Vax that provided “years of terrific service,” suggesting potential for durability.
- Cons:
- Very Noisy Operation: A consistent complaint. Described as “very noisy indeed,” which can be a significant downside in apartments or homes with noise-sensitive occupants.
- Difficult and Fragile Maintenance Design: The most detailed critical review highlights a major flaw: “Cleaning the shroud is a nightmare.” The plastic housing is difficult to remove and reattach, feels “fragile,” and risks breaking during routine maintenance.
- Overheating Issues: One user reported the vacuum overheats “after 15 minutes of use,” severely limiting its utility for larger cleaning sessions.
- Questionable Reliability (Inconsistent): While one user had a previous Vax last years, another found this model so unreliable they reverted to a cheap Kmart vacuum.
- Potential for Reduced Suction Over Time: The 1-star reviewer claimed it lacked suction compared to a basic model, though this contradicts other reviews and may be linked to a faulty unit or clogging due to the difficult-to-clean shroud.
Customer Experience Analysis
The customer experience for the Vax Power 7 VX72 is sharply divided, with two Verified Purchases (one positive, one negative) adding weight to both sides of the argument. The split in ratings—1, 2, 4, and 5 stars—paints a picture of a product that can either meet or wildly fail to meet expectations, potentially due to unit variance or user tolerance for its flaws.
The positive experiences focus almost exclusively on core cleaning performance. These users are satisfied because the vacuum’s primary function—sucking up dirt—works exceptionally well for them. They either don’t encounter the maintenance issues or consider them a minor trade-off for the power.
“Incredible suction. Our old Vax pet vacuum died after years of terrific service so bought another Vax. Does the job really well … has turbo head etc… Easy to empty and no need for bags. We are Very pleased.” – 5-Star Review
“I was really happy to observe that it picked up threads, hair, bits of paper, pencil sharps and lead bits other than dust and carpet lint that LGBlue stick failed to pick.” – Verified Purchase, 4-Star Review
The negative experiences are rooted in usability and reliability flaws that undermine the cleaning performance. For these users, the vacuum’s design creates more work and frustration than it saves.
“Cleaning the shroud is a nightmare because it is difficult to remove the top to get at it… The plastic seems fragile and I wouldn’t be surprised if it breaks on me one day… This alone is enough for me to not recommend this vacuum.” – Verified Purchase, 2-Star Review (2025)
“Worst vacuum I have ever owned. I have gone back to my $40.00 kmart vacuum that has suction and doesn’t over heat after 15 minutes of use.” – 1-Star Review
The chronological spread of reviews suggests the negative feedback is not tied to a single bad batch, with complaints arising in 2020, 2023, and as recently as 2025.
Vax Power 7 VX72 Performance Review
In this performance deep-dive of our Vax Power 7 VX72 review, we evaluate its capabilities and shortcomings based on user reports.
Suction & Cleaning Power: When functioning correctly, the suction is a standout feature. It is reported to pick up a diverse array of debris effectively on both hard floors and carpets. The motorized turbo brush enhances this performance on carpeted areas, making it a competent tool for pet hair. This aligns with Vax’s reputation for building powerful, no-frills cleaning engines.
Maneuverability & Usability: As a cylinder vacuum with a low profile and swivel head, it should be relatively easy to push around furniture and into tight spaces. However, the corded design requires plug management. The core usability complaint is not about moving it, but about maintaining it.
Noise Level: This is a significant drawback. Multiple users note it is very loud. This is a common trait of powerful, budget-oriented cylinder vacuums but is a legitimate concern for many households, especially those with young children, light sleepers, or noise-sensitive pets.
Maintenance & Emptying: The experience is mixed. Emptying the main cyclonic dust bin is described as easy. However, accessing and cleaning the pre-motor filter and the machine’s shroud (housing) is described as a “nightmare.” If this area is not cleaned regularly, suction will drop dramatically and the motor can overheat. The difficult design makes proper maintenance a chore, which likely leads to the performance issues (loss of suction, overheating) reported by some.
Durability & Build Quality: Reports are contradictory. One user’s previous Vax lasted “years,” suggesting good longevity. However, a recent purchaser describes the plastic as “fragile” during maintenance, and another user experienced overheating within a short period. This indicates potential inconsistency in build quality or design flaws that stress certain components.
Attachments & Versatility: The included toolset is viewed as comprehensive, though many users admit they rarely use most attachments. The turbo head is the critical one for carpeted areas.
Value for Money Assessment
Assessing the value of the Vax Power 7 VX72 is challenging due to the polarized feedback. Its value is highly dependent on which unit you receive and your personal tolerance for noise and difficult maintenance.
If you receive a unit free from defects (like overheating) and you are not bothered by loud noise or the fiddly shroud design, the vacuum can represent good value. It offers powerful cleaning performance and pet hair capabilities at a price point typically lower than premium brands like Dyson or Miele. For a user who prioritizes raw cleaning power above all else, it could be a worthwhile purchase.
However, if you encounter the maintenance difficulties or a faulty unit, the value proposition evaporates. A vacuum that is difficult to keep clean (leading to performance loss), prone to overheating, or built with fragile plastic components does not represent a good investment, regardless of its initial price. The user who returned to a $40 Kmart vacuum felt the Vax offered inferior value due to its operational failures.
Therefore, the Vax Power 7 VX72 is a high-risk, medium-reward proposition. You are gambling on getting a well-built unit and being willing to overlook its noisy operation and poor maintenance design to access its powerful suction.
Alternatives to Vax Power 7 VX72
Given the mixed and risky feedback in this Vax Power 7 VX72 review, considering alternatives with more consistent reviews is advisable.
- Shkin Cyclone Force 2100W Cylinder Vacuum: For a similarly powerful and budget-friendly bagless cylinder vacuum, the Shark Cyclone Force models often receive better reviews for ease of use and maintenance, featuring easy-empty bases and sealed HEPA filtration.
- Bissell CleanView 2486 Pet Upright Vacuum: If pet hair is a primary concern and you prefer an upright, the Bissell CleanView Pet series offers specialized tools, strong suction, and generally good user feedback at a competitive price.
- Miele Classic C1 Cat & Dog Canister Vacuum: For a premium, long-term investment, a Miele canister vacuum is in a different league. They are famously quiet, durable, have superb filtration, and easy-to-maintain designs, though at a much higher initial cost.
- Vax Blade 4 32V Cordless Stick Vacuum: If you want to stay with the Vax brand but prefer modern cordless convenience, the Vax Blade cordless range might offer a better user experience, though runtime and suction differ from corded models.
Vax Power 7 VX72 review: Final Verdict
Our final verdict on the Vax Power 7 VX72 is one of cautious skepticism. This is a vacuum cleaner with a clear and compelling strength—powerful suction—but it is burdened by significant flaws in noise, maintenance design, and inconsistent reliability.
We cannot offer a broad recommendation. The Vax Power 7 VX72 might be suitable for a very specific user:
- Who prioritizes maximum suction power on a budget above all other factors.
- Who has a high tolerance for loud appliance noise.
- Who is mechanically inclined and patient with frustrating, fragile plastic housing for filter access.
- Who purchases from a retailer with a robust return policy to guard against receiving a unit prone to overheating or other immediate defects.
For most households, especially those seeking a low-hassle, reliable appliance, the cons likely outweigh the pros. The difficult maintenance alone, as detailed in a recent 2025 Verified Purchase review, is a major deterrent that can shorten the vacuum’s effective lifespan and degrade its performance.
In conclusion, this Vax Power 7 VX72 review finds a product of unrefined power. It gets the core job of picking up dirt done very well but falters in nearly every aspect of user experience and long-term ownership. For many, investing in a slightly more expensive vacuum from a brand with better design consistency will lead to greater satisfaction and less frustration over time.
You can check the latest pricing and customer reviews for the Vax Power 7 VX72 on Amazon via this link: Check Vax Power 7 VX72 on Amazon. Pay close attention to recent reviews to see if the maintenance and noise complaints are a consistent theme.