Electrolux Oxygen EL6988D Canister Vacuum Review

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Electrolux Vacuums have had a rough couple of years because they have sold off their quality vacuums and are now selling re-branded Eureka vacuum cleaners.

Is the Oxygen going to breathe any life back into the Electrolux company or is their reputation for having excellent quality vacuums already dead?

Electrolux EL 6988D Oxygen Vacuum Specifications:

• Type of Cleaner: Canister
• Dirt Collection: 2 quart bag
• Motor: 1400 Watts
• Cleaning Path: 14 inch
• Filter: True HEPA H12 filtration
• Included Attachments: Extension wand, crevice tool, upholstery brush and dusting brush
• Warranty: Two years

One thing that is great about most canister vacuums is that they are lighter and more compact than uprights. You can usually store it in the smallest closets and it will be out of the way until you use it again a week later.

The Oxygen is lightweight (it weighs a mere 13 pounds, as opposed to most other cleaners, which weigh at least 20 pounds) and very quiet.

It doesn’t matter how much a vacuum weighs if it doesn’t do a good job of cleaning. The Electrolux Oxygen is going to clean dirt, dust and even pet hair.

It is amazing to see my carpets so free of cat hair.

So the EL 6988D does its job, is lightweight and quiet, but is it going to last? Because it costs over $300, you are not going to expect that it is a throw away vacuum cleaner that lasts one or two years before breaking down.

One of the problems with the machine is that it is made mostly out of plastic. Here is one Amazon.com reviewer’s story of getting their vacuum fixed and the quality of their customer service.

I took it in for service, waited 3 weeks for a different colored part to arrive, and was told by Electrolux to live with it. So now I have a brand new patch worked vacuum cleaner.

Another reviewer hasn’t had any luck with his Oxygen.

I have owned this vacuum for over two years. Since I have bought it I have had to replace the drive belt 5 times (finally got a heavy duty version that did the trick) and replaced 5 wand sections because the electrical connections burned out, and replaced the hose section once because the electrical connections melted, nearly causing a fire.

There is story after story like the following detailing how the vacuum is going to break very easily or just not be as sturdy as hoped for.

The canister was fairly well made, but the brush head was cheap plastic all around and made a sharp plastic on plastic noise when I put it on the medium height setting.

The hose is bulky and not very flexible, the handle is big and very uncomfortable in my hand, the handle only turns or pivots in one direction when using the carpet tool, and the tool for hardwood floors is too wide, making it difficult and often impossible to access areas narrower than the 14″ head.

Is The Oxygen Just A Bunch Of Hot Air?

The Electrolux Oxygen Vacuum is an expensive vacuum, you would expect that it is going to last. Sure, a vacuum is great if it has enough suction, but if bits of plastic are falling off of it, it isn’t that great of a value anymore.

If you are going to be spending this much money on a vacuum, you might want to try out a Miele canister vacuum cleaner.

They are a bit more pricey, but most of them come with longer warranties (some even come with 7 year warranties).

Related posts on VacuumCritic.com:

1. Electrolux Oxygen Canister Vacuums Review
2. Electrolux Oxygen EL6989A Canister Vacuum Review
3. Electrolux EL5035A Oxygen 3 Upright Vacuum Review
4. Electrolux 3670G Boss Canister Vacuum Review
5. Electrolux EL6985B Harmony Canister Vacuum Review

Tagged as: bagged vacuum cleaner, canister vacuum cleaner, electrolux, electrolux el6988d, electrolux Oxygen, electrolux oxygen vacuum