I never thought I'd end up being an expert on vacuum cleaners.

Who knew when I started reviewing gadgets, vacuums would often be at the cutting edge of new technology?

But just as I've found with so many tech devices, not all new features are worth having and sometimes, the less complicated a gadget is, the easier it is to use and the better it actually works.

Which is why I've gone from never having heard of Bissell to being a Bissell fan, in just a matter of weeks.

The PowerClean FurFinder 200W might be one of Bissell's latest floor cleaning devices but that doesn't mean Bissell is new at this - far from it.

The company started in 1876 in Grand Rapids, Michigan and when Anna Bissell took over the reins in 1889, she became America's first female CEO. Although I'm late to the Bissell party, Queen Victoria certainly wasn't - in fact she insisted her staff use Bissells to keep the palace clean.

Talk about pedigree.

On the other hand, I've definitely reviewed my share of stick vacuums over the years and I've come to appreciate what makes a good one.

A lot of it is about balance - and I don't just mean how balanced the vacuum feels when you're using it - although that's important too.

I'm talking about the balance between suction power and battery life. Dustbin capacity versus sheer size. Technical features against ease of use. The PowerClean FurFinder 200W gets a lot of those equations exactly right.

Compared to some stick vacuums I've trialled, the main body of the PowerClean FurFinder 200W seems quite long and I was worried that might make things a bit clumsy, especially when using it in close quarters - when cleaning my car, for example. That wasn't the case though and using the combination crevice tool I was able to get into most nooks and crannies easily - on both hard and soft surfaces.

Although, that's not really what this particular vacuum was designed for. As the name suggests, this is supposed to be the go-to cleaner for pet owners and as such, it boasts a "tangle-free" main brush roll. While this is a claim I've seen from many others in the past, often the reality of cleaning up after my shaggy dog and hairy housemates results in a brush head disappointingly snarled up, even on the first clean.

Not this time. I don't know how Bissell has done it - the brush roll doesn't look wildly different from any other I've come across but I can't argue with the results; it truly is tangle-free. 

For anyone who's ever had to hack and pull away at a mess of hair and fur clogging up your vacuum, knowing that won't happen with this one might be a compelling reason to upgrade.

However, that's not the only thing the main brush head has going for it. Despite the PowerClean FurFinder 200W's considerable suctionpower, there are two sturdy wheels to keep it rolling easily over any surface, and there's also the the built-in combination of warm and cool LED headlights so you won't miss a speck of dust or a single strand of hair - even in the darkest corners.

But it's the self-standing abilities of this main brush head that have really won me over. Simply click the PowerClean FurFinder 200W into its vertical position and you can leave it standing there - no need to lean against a wall. What's more, there's also a convenient foot release so you can remove the head without bending over. Lazy? Maybe. Helpful? Definitely.

Unfortunately, a lot of the convenience and ease-of-use presented by the no-bending-down design of the main brush head is somewhat undone by how difficult the other accessories are to swap out.

In some ways, this is actually a positive. It means when you attach the combination crevice tool or the smaller FurFinder head, there's a satisfying "ker-chunk" when it clicks into place. This solidity is evident over every inch of the PowerClean FurFinder 200W and its tools - there's no snapping, bending or denting these.

But that super-secure connection definitely comes at the cost of being able to easily slide the attachments on and off. There's a small locking rocker at each connection point that needs quite a bit of brute force to click in and out. Perhaps I just have a weak grip? Maybe things will loosen up a bit in time?

Either way, let's turn our attention to the secondary brush head, the smaller FurFinder Upholstery Tool. This is a powered roller - just like the main one - but the brush cylinder is quite different, rows of longer, strong bristles alternating with solid silicon "de-furring" strips, rotating in a spiral. This means no particle of fur, dander or anything else is safe on your couches, armchairs or even your duvet cover. What impressed me even more was I could run this tool over my duvet without sucking up the fabric itself, thereby clogging up the works. Even better; The upholstery tool also has FurFinding headlights - just like the main brush head - making this so useful for darker areas like stairwells and car floors.

As you would expect from any decent vacuum these days, there's a HEPA filtration system so you're not just recycling dust and other allergens back into the air around you. It's also worth noting the dust bin is very easy to remove for fuss-free emptying and like everything else on this vacuum, it snaps back into place with another one of those satisfying "ker-chunks."

I just wish that dirt tank was a little more capacious. At just 400ml, I often find myself having to empty the PowerClean FurFinder 200W before I'm finished cleaning the whole house - a bit frustrating given the 40-minute battery life (in Eco Mode) is enough to get me through. (Even if it wasn't, you can buy a spare battery and leave it charging while you vacuum)

At the end of the day, that small tank is only an issue because the PowerClean FurFinder 200W does such a great job of sucking everything up in the fist place. The powerful lighting on both powered heads means you won't miss a thing and there's no trigger so you won't end up with a tired index finger. Instead, just switch it on and choose Eco, Medium or Turbo.

It's simple but strong and most importantly for me, it never tangles. It's a real stand-up kind of vacuum.

Click here for more information and pricing on the Bissell PowerClean FurFinder 200W.