The vacuum does extremely well on carpets, getting dirt that is deep down in the nap. The first time I used this vacuum was about 4 days after our carpet had been steam cleaned. I was AMAZED at how much dirt this vacuum was getting out of the freshly cleaned carpet. This initial performance gave me a lot of confidence in the cleaning abilities of the vacuum. The height adjustment on the brush allows for effective cleaning on almost any pile carpet. Another convenient feature is that the brush stops spinning when the unit is locked upright, so you don't have to worry about wearing the floor down when you're using the tools. The vacuum is fairly light and easy to manuever in tight spaces. The unit is not self-propelled, but it has a natural tendency to move forward during use, making it easy to handle.

The tools are my only area of complaint (albeit minor.) They are not well integrated into the backside of the unit and can be difficult to get locked back into place. It's not a big deal, but there are other vacuums that are easier to use in this respect. The unit provides good suction with the hose attachment and does a good job of cleaning upolstery and furniture. The hose reach is okay, but a longer hose would be nice for reaching tall areas such as ceiling fan blades or the tops of bookshelves, ect.

Overall, the vacuum is very easy to use. the dial control to switch between floor cleaning and the hose is nice since it is located up high near the handle and doesn't require that you "plug in" the hose attachment. The bag cover is easy to get off, but can take a few seconds to get aligned correctly when you are putting it back on. The bags are very easy to take out and re-install. Eureka also gives you quite a few bags with the vacuum. The Hepa filter needs to be replaced at least twice a year and costs around $20 from Eureka (it may be cheaper online.) There are no additional Hepa filters (or motor filters) included with the vacuum. This seems fairly standard though.

Cosmetically, the vacuum looks better in person than in the pictures. It's not going to win any beauty contests (yellow and green is an odd color combination at best,) but this is a vacuum that is more about function than form.

The 4870 isn't a perfect vacuum, but when you throw price into the equation, it's a hard value to pass up. It does everything a $300 Hoover does at around half the price. I wouldn't hesitate in recommending this vacuum to anyone. I give the 4870DT 4.5 stars (subtracting a 1/2 star for the poor attachment mounting.)