Kenmore AllergenSeal Lift-Up DU5092 Upright Vacuum Review

About the Kenmore AllergenSeal Lift-Up DU5092 bagless upright vacuum

• Attachments: 3-in-1 combination tool, Pet HandiMate
• Weight: 14.4 pounds
• Cord length: 31 feet
• Sound level: 70.4 dBA
• Filter type: HEPA AllergenSeal system

What we like

It cleans carpet really well

Every vacuum that comes through our labs undergoes a series of standardized cleaning tests. One such test involves putting an in-house dirt mixture on various floor types.

On medium-pile carpet, this Kenmore AllergenSeal upright vacuum put its two-motor system that we mentioned earlier to good use. It picked up 49% of the testing dirt we laid out per pass. This puts this Kenmore ahead of the Shark NV352 Navigator, which picked up 38%.

It can reach far into corners

The Kenmore DU5092 impressed us with its reach.

First, it boasts a 31-foot-long cord. The average upright vacuum’s cord length is around 25 feet, which means the DU5092 can reach more places in your home before having to be replugged somewhere else.

In addition to the long cord, the DU5092 has a 10-foot-long hose that is easily accessible via the quick release.

It can transform from an upright vacuum into a canister vacuum

Kenmore’s DU5092 can transform into a canister-style vacuum without wheels. This feature is what put Shark vacuums on the map, and it’s just as well implemented here.

The lift-up technology allows you to quickly transition from vacuuming the living room to cleaning stairs and tight spaces since you only have to deal with a brush head and hose.

When you combine this function with the LED headlights, it means you’ll be ready to clean under furniture as well.

What we don’t like

It can’t handle cleaning large debris

While this Kenmore bagless upright vacuum is good at picking up pet hair and dirt, it falls behind its competition when it comes to crumbs.

We tested the DU5092’s ability to pick up large debris on our testing stage by challenging it with uncooked macaroni and rice. Results show that it has an issue with “snow plowing” a phenomenon where a vacuum just pushes debris around rather than picking it up, and this isn’t great if you have a toddler around.

The automatic removal of hair is hit or miss

Advertisements for the Kenmore AllergenSeal Lift-Up claim, “Automatic removal of hair from the brushroll so it’s always ready to clean. No more cutting pet hair off your brushroll with scissors.”

In theory, this is because the hair eliminator automatically removes pet hair by cutting it away. However, our testing includes cleaning with pet hair, and we still found instances where it failed to keep Bernese mountain dog hair off the brush roll.

There were also instances where the DU5092 picked up bits of carpet fiber and loose threads when we were cleaning with it.

Whether or not this is a fair assessment is debatable. However, what isn’t in question is that we had to bust out the scissors to clean the Du5092’s brush roll.

It struggles to suck up dirt against boundaries like walls

There are certain standards we like to see when it comes to the vacuums we test. One such standard is that a vacuum can clean up debris as close as half an inch against a wall.

During testing, the DU5092 demonstrated that it can clean half an inch from a wall if you come at the wall with the vacuum from the side, but if you’re moving toward the wall straight on, then the vacuum leaves a hefty two-inch gap between it and the wall — which leaves a 2-inch framing of dirt in any room.

What owners are saying

On Amazon, the Kenmore DU5092 scores a 4.4 out of 5 stars with over 2,300 reviews.

Multiple user reviews cite how much they like its suction power. However, people are less enthused by how flimsy some of the parts felt. Based on experience, we would somewhat disagree, but the attachments are smaller than many counterparts at this price range.

Should you buy the Kenmore AllergenSeal Lift-Up DU5092 bagless upright vacuum?

Yes, but this is strictly an on-sale buy

As far as affordable uprights go, the Kenmore DU5092’s test results show that it’s a pretty middle-of-the-road model. It has plenty of suction power, which translates well to cleaning dirt on carpet, but less so on large debris.

The Shark NV352 Navigator provides better value because it has more attachments, better debris cleaning, and a five-year warranty compared to Kenmore’s one year.

However, our analysis of the DU5092 price history shows that it’s often on sale so keep your eyes out for a deal. It’s worth buying if you see for under $150. Otherwise, a Shark vacuum will probably serve you better.

The Kenmore DU5092 is a bagless upright that can transform into a canister vacuum. This allows the DU5092 to clean under furniture and upstairs with ease. With its two-motor system, this vacuum has a ton of suction power.

During testing, it picked up 49% of the testing dirt we laid out for it, putting it in line with other vacuums in its price range. The biggest issue we have with the Kenmore DU5092 is that it has trouble picking up larger crumbs.