Oreck Halo Review & Giveaway

We have been needing a new vacuum for a while now. In fact, it has been about two years since we had a decently working vacuum. I mean our old vacuum worked but not without some duct tape and serious maneuvering around of parts before using it.

Oreck recently sent us their new Oreck Halo to try out. We were so excited.

Oreck Halo Basic Specs
•Upright
•Price: $599.95
•Weight 17 lbs.
•HEPA 13 filter bag
•UV-C germicidal light
•Warranty: Vacuum, 3 years; UV-C light bulb, 5 years

New to the Oreck Halo
•Optimized UV-C Patented Light Chamber
•More powerful, yet quieter motor
•Quick and easy service at any of the 450 Oreck Clean Home Centers
•Extended warranty, including three free tune-ups
•Improved self-sealing bag dock that reduces dust when changing the bag

I had to go with the only avid cleaner in my house. From my husband Jason:

The Halo arrived in a big brown shipping box.  It took about 30 seconds for the kids to unpack the thing. They were happy because they got to play with a shipping box, I was happy because I had a new toy to play with.

The Oreck Halo was pretty much ready to go out of the box; simply slip on the handle and tighten a screw and you are ready to go.  Colored blue and black, the vacuum feels solid, looks good, and seems very well built.  So far, so good; but sleek looks only get you so far…how does it perform?

To answer that question I plugged it in and attacked the living room.  Now keep in mind, this room had just hosted an overnight party with my three kids and their three cousins, so there was a pretty good mess on the floor.  The Halo ripped right through that mess.  The thing has a ridiculous amount of suction.

The other thing that really struck me was the lack of dust that was coming out of the vacuum…there simply was none.  The hepa filter bags seem like they catch everything.  Having used a bagless vacuum for the past year or so, I was really struck by just how much less dirt and dust there was in the air…pretty cool.  And to top things off, this vacuum also comes equipped with a uv light on the bottom, so as you vacuum, the light kills all of the living stuff that can be found in a carpet (mold, bacteria, etc).

All in all, this vacuum outperformed my every expectation.

About the only negative thing that I can say has to do with the hepa filter bags.  You have to buy a very specific bag for this machine, and the things are a couple of bucks a pop.  To be fair, they do hold a pretty good amount of dirt, and you are changing out the hepa filter every time you change the bag (they are built in), but it is an additional cost that is required to use this vacuum.

But in the end I would simply have to say that the Oreck Halo rocks! It has been several weeks and we really love this vacuum.

How It Works

The Oreck Halo uses proprietary UV-C technology – the same technology that safely and effectively disinfects drinking water and sterilizes operating rooms – to eliminate many of the harmful things you can’t see.

A high-powered UV-C bulb is housed in a patented light chamber with a durable quartz glass exterior, and independent tests prove this UV-C light kills more than 99 percent of many common germs it comes in contact with.

What You Can’t See Can Hurt You

“Every time we enter our homes, we track in germs, bacteria and viruses from outside,” said David Oreck, Founder of the Oreck Corporation. “Think about when you come home from work, or when the kids come in all dirty after playing outside. What about the dog digging in the neighbor’s trash?

According to independent tests by Dr. Charles Gerba, a microbiology professor at the University of Arizona, carpets, tile and hardwood floors can have up to 4,000 times more germs and bacteria per square inch – even after vacuuming – than the toilet seat.

“The Oreck Halo represents the future of home hygiene. It gives you peace of mind knowing that you’re doing all you can to provide a clean and healthier environment for your entire family,” Oreck added.

Survey Reveals Little Awareness of Home Hygiene

A January 2009 Kelton Research survey of 1,000 American adults revealed that 6 in 10 have submitted to the “three-second rule” and eaten food that has fallen on the floor.

In the same survey, only 16 percent correctly identified carpet as the dirtiest home surface.

When told the number of germs and bacteria on carpets and floors, nearly 80 percent indicated strong interest in a product that could minimize this health concern.

Genesis of the Oreck Halo

The technology for the Oreck Halo was born from one family’s quest to protect its premature triplets. Ken and Carrie Garcia were told their best option was to rip up all their carpet to minimize exposure to potentially fatal germs and allergens.

Ken, who worked in a water-treatment plant, believed there was a better solution. After considerable research and engineering, he was able to incorporate the same UV-C technology he used everyday to safeguard the drinking supply into the bottom of a vacuum.

“We wanted to share our invention with families everywhere, so we took it to David Oreck because of his longstanding commitment to quality products,” Ken Garcia said.

Oreck, boasting a storied history of innovation, views UV-C as the most significant emerging technology in homecare and home hygiene. It acquired this technology from the Garcias and made more than 100 design and performance enhancements to deliver the Oreck Halo with a vastly improved user experience.

The Oreck Halo has two high-powered motors. One drives the “brushroll” that fluffs the carpet’s nap while the other delivers maximum suction and pickup, which means the dirt and germs it kills are quickly trapped inside the HEPA 13 filter bag for safe removal. The bag is so tightly woven that dead germs stay inside, and Oreck’s patented Sani-Seal tab prevents them from escaping when emptied.

An ordinary vacuum may pick up some germs, but they may still be alive inside the bag or canister. When emptied, it’s possible those germs are transported from one part of the house to another.

The Oreck Halo’s patented UV-C light comes with a five-year warranty and the vacuum has a three-year warranty and includes three free tune-ups at any Oreck Clean Home Center.

The Oreck Halo is available for $599.95 on Oreck’s Web site (www.oreck.com), in 450 Oreck Clean Home Centers nationwide or by calling Oreck directly at 888.600.HALO (888.600.4256).

WIN IT HERE!

The fabulous folks at Oreck have graciously given me an Oreck Halo to give away to one lucky reader. Leave me a comment below and tell me about your biggest cleaning challenge.

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9. Tweet the sentence out below. Can do this once each day for extra entries but you MUST have more than 100 followers.

“The Divine Miss Mommy is giving away an Oreck Halo vacuum. Enter here: http://bit.ly/26kXc0 Ends 12/18”

Giveaway ends December 18, 2009 at 11:59 pm EST

**Please leave a separate comment for each entry**

One (1) winner will be chosen randomly from all valid entries for each prize. The winner will then be emailed once and must claim their prize within 48hrs by providing all necessary information or a new winner will be chosen.