Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I have a multi-cat household, including two long-haired cats, and I needed something that would pick up cat hair and cat litter on all of my floor surfaces so that I didn't need to bring out my vacuum cleaner daily. I have a vacuum that uses disposable bags rather than being bagless and I didn't want to be filling up a bag with cat hair and having to change the bag frequently or get cat litter dust throughout my high-end vacuum cleaner. The reviews for the different brands of carpet sweepers and the different models of Fuller Brush sweepers were confusing but I bought the Fuller Brush 17052 Electrostatic Carpet Sweeper based on my experience with Fuller Brush products and hoped it would meet my needs. I have a Prime membership and the sweeper was delivered today (Sunday) two days after I ordered it. NOTE: Although the picture of the item on amazon.com is pink, mine is a bright red. Putting sweeper together: It is important to make sure you are starting to thread the ends of sections and the bottom section of the handle to the sweeper correctly (i.e. start out straight/even; not crooked) so that they completely close together. It was easier for me to screw one section of the handle at a time starting at the bottom section being screwed into the base and then adding another section until the entire handle is screwed together rather than trying to screw the long handle already assembled onto the sweeper body. The plastic comb or rake just clips onto the bottom of the handle and wire bracket of the sweeper which is very handy to keep from misplacing it since you will need it to brush or rake the roller brush to remove cat hair that gets caught in the bristles of the roller. This model only comes with a natural bristle roller brush therefore I was not able to test the second type of roller brush that some Fuller Brush models come with. I tested the sweeper on all my floor surfaces that were covered with cat litter and cat hair: high pile wall-to-wall carpet, medium-pile area rug and porcelain tile. The sweeper picked up cat litter and cat hair off high pile carpeting, area rugs and hard tile floors. The reviewers who complained that you had to go over the same area several times to remove all of the cat hair and litter were correct, but I don't see that as a genuine problem---if I was sweeping my tile floors with a broom, I would have to go over the same path several times and my vacuum cleaner usually has to go over the same path to pick up cat hair or cat litter from high pile carpeting and med. pile throw rugs. The sections of the handle are screwed together and I did notice that I must inadvertently turn the handle as I am using the sweeper since I need to tighten two sections if they are no longer tightly screwed together---this may cease to be a problem once I am used to the sweeper. It is very light and easy to use on all of the floor surfaces going forward or back and the main path that the head covers is 7" with the bristles on the four corners bringing the length of the sweeper head to 8 1/2". The other reviewers are correct----it doesn't do away with the need for a vacuum cleaner but is an adjunct to your vacuum--very important if you are like me and have cat hair and litter on your floors daily. To empty sweeper: Over a waste paper basket or trash container, turn the sweeper upside down and press "PUSH" to empty each dust container. I filled one dust container twice; emptied it twice and the other dust container remained empty. Use the rake or comb to get the cat hair out of the bristles of the roller and I found that if you use the comb to bring the cat hair up you can then pull it off the roller with your fingers. You will be amazed at the amount of cat hair that will be on the roller and in the dust container and the amount of litter and litter dust that the sweeper has gotten off your floors. The bottom of the sweeper was very dusty from the cat litter and needed to be wiped off with a paper towel or cloth when I finished. NOTE: You can't use harsh abrasive cleaners or put the sweeper or roller in your automatic dishwasher. The instruction sheet that comes with the sweeper is easy to understand and must have been written by someone whose first language was English---which I greatly appreciate! This carpet sweeper appears to be well made and durable; and is a bargain at the price. I have no idea why other Fuller Brush carpet sweeper products vary in price----perhaps newer models, two types vs just one type of roller brush, etc. Based on the results of my test and the two Fuller Brush nylon hair brushes that my mother and then I have used constantly since 1950 (which still look brand new other than one has slightly yellowed), I think I will be using this sweeper for years to come and probably daily around cat litter boxes. I highly recommend this carpet sweeper. I hope this information will be useful to you in selecting a carpet sweeper if you have cats.