In Depth Look: Oreck Halo Vacuum

By Shane Craver on October 27, 2009

Over the past week, we had a hands-on look at Oreck’s new vacuum cleaner that claims to posses a truly unique ability to kill all types of creepy, microscopic critters.

Running with a tag line of “Say Goodbye to many bacteria, viruses, mold and germs” the Oreck Halo has a UV-C “germ-killing light” bolted to its underbelly that ignites with the grip of the handle.

In its product literature, the Oreck does not boast about the Halo’s easy handling, light weight or maneuverability – and that’s a good thing because it handles like a tank and feels like one in your hand.

Make no mistake; the Halo is no Barbie Doll vacuum. It’s heavy, hard to turn and it is certainly no art-deco piece like a Dyson. The Halo is loud, forceful and if it were driving down the road at 60 miles per hour, a deer would get caught in its five headlights just before being run over by the beastly, floor cleaning device.

It’s the modern version of the voracious vacuum cleaner from the 1980’s movie, Mr. Mom.

Because of this, we had our doubts about the claims made by Oreck. The question that lingered was, “How can a company make what would be a cutting edge cleaner with innovative use of technology and stick it with a dated, unwieldy design?”

In the end, that question really didn’t matter because the Halo is not marketed as a vacuum that wisps around corners and slides under furniture. Oreck’s messaging is pretty clear: the Halo is supposed to be a doomsday machine for nasty, living creepies that live in and on your floors.

We put that claim to The Test.

We dropped off the machine with our testing mom, Suzanne, along with several Petri dishes filled with agar, some sterile swaps and distilled water. Suzanne, a biology major, got right to work and collected the “before” samples in her family room and kitchen.

A few hours later, Suzaanne ran over her carpet and kitchen floor with the Halo and took the “after” samples. Suzanne used the standard swipes she would use with her other vacuum.

Note that the test that we ran was significantly different from Oreck’s before and after test. Oreck left the Halo with test families for an entire month before taking the “after” swabs. We did it after one use.

The Findings

After allowing our before and after samples to sit in a sealed bag for approximately 48 hours, the results were clear, and our doubts about this machine were indeed wrong.

The Halo worked (see the photo gallery below for the direct results).

It was clear to us that there were lots of nasty, smelly things growing in our “before” samples and a significant reduction of stuff growing in the “after” Petri dishes. Our deeply scientific conclusion is this; “Halo kills stuff good.”

Suzanne admittedly had her doubts that the test would show any noticeable results but when put to the test, the Halo stood out surprisingly well in two areas. First, it works as advertised and kills bacteria and other organisms that cling to your floors. Suzanne’s second surprise came when she used the vacuum on her carpet. Her floors were noticeably cleaner when compared to her standard vacuum.

The Conclusion

Oreck’s Halo isn’t for everyone. Because of its 17-pound bulk and tough maneuverability, it’s not for the dainty who don’t care to work out and clean at the same time. But, if famous germophobe Howard Hughes were alive today, he would have Oreck build a giant Halo and live inside of it.

In normal times, the Halo would be a specialty vacuum for Day Care facilities and other places that would be breeding grounds for illness. However, these are not normal times.

With the H1N1 virus spreading like wildfire, parents around the nation are taking extra precautions to keep their kids safe or at the very least, slow the spread of the virus in the event that their home has already been hit by swine flu. If a household is in the market for a new vacuum cleaner and want that extra level of clean, then the Halo should be a consideration as it is the only vacuum on the market with the unique ability to kill bacteria, viruses and mold in addition to dust mite and flea eggs.

At $599, the Halo is priced $50 higher than the top of the line Dyson. There’s no doubt that’s a big chunk of change. Consumers would be paying a pricey premium for those germ-killing features so it really does come down to a matter of necessity.

Do you have a need for more sanitary conditions in your home? If that answer is yes, then the Halo is the only choice for those looking to get their floors beyond cosmetically clean.

The Halo does come with one other incentive for a buyer and that’s Oreck’s customer service that has earned a reputation of trust since 1963. It’s a solid company that treats its customers well. Also, Oreck’s 30-day at home trial is not just a telemarketing gimmick. You can purchase any of their products, try it out for 30 days and return it for ANY reason for a complete refund. We’ve tested this out before and there were no surprises in the experience.

The Halo is not pretty, it’s neither slender nor sleek but it does what its supposed to do. It’s a bully to bacteria and a villain to viruses in addition to being a solid carpet cleaner.

While we hope that Oreck incorporates UV-C lights into their easier-to-use models, they should be commended for recognizing this innovative use of technology and boldly incorporating it into their long-standing line of vacuum cleaners. It’s a common-sense feature that we hope will catch on.