This vacuum is not light weight. To me it is bulky, but it is powerful and does the job well. The other day my kids and I cleaned out my van and we used the Hoover vacuum to clean the carpets. My kids and I were able to use the wand with ease, and the task was finished quickly. Hoover says it's for pets, but my kids make plenty of messes for me to clean up, and the vacuum does it's job! And as embarrassing as it is, every time I blow dry, brush, and straighten my hair, many of my strands end up on the floor. Forget the cat shedding, I do that already! The Hoover vacuum picks it right up with no problem. I feel that if I take good care of it, with monthly minor maintenance and cleaning, the Hoover WindTunnel 3 High Performance Pet Bagless Upright will last me a long time.