ISO the best vacuum cleaner

Let's start out by saying I can't afford a Dyson (or think they are so grotesquely overpriced that I won't buy one) but we need a new vacuum cleaner that does a good job on carpets.

Anyone have a vacuum cleaner they love?? I've tried going on Consumer Reports' site, but they never seem to review the ones I actually see in the stores.


I've recently bought a Miele vacuum cleaner and am very pleased with it.  I have a mix of polished timber floors and carpet, and it does well on both surfaces.


Consumer Reports drives me crazy -- by the time they get around to publishing their reviews of certain products, such as mattresses, the products you're actually interested in buying have been discontinued by their manufacturers. And with vacuums, there are so many different models and model numbers and such minor differences among different numbered models by the same manufacturer that you could really lose your mind trying 1) to figure out which one you want, and 2) where to buy the one you've settled on...

We don't have carpet, only area rugs over hardwood floors. Also no pets, so I don't really need a super turbo powered double barreled vacuum cleaner... that said, mine is a Shark Navigator Lift Away. I really like it. It has good suction, was easy to learn to use, and I love the versatility of using it like an upright or detaching the canister and taking it to tricky spots like stairs. I think it costs well under $200.


Miele.  So quiet you're not quite sure they're working right.    Small and light.  etc etc etc...  the only downside is that the bags are relatively pricey and small.  


M'lady complains Miele vacuums are too heavy and refuses to use ours.


I bought a Hoover Lynx. Very small. But because it is lightweight I leave it out and find I use it more often.


I'm sort of a vacuum cleaner nut. I currently have the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Pro, which i like because it works well and has major suction. It works very well on carpets and is the best bang for your buck price-wise. As time goes on I hate the bagless feature because it's a mess to empty the dirt tank. If I had the money I'd buy a Miele. The Lynx is great for small jobs (I keep one upstairs) but I wouldn't use it for a whole-house, heavy duty vacuum. 


I had always heard Mieles were so great, but my mother got one, and it kept dying on her. Plus, getting it repaired was a huge PITA, because you had to find a place that could handle them. It was more trouble than she felt it was worth. I wonder if that was a fluke/exception to the rule? It's made me think twice about that brand.

We have a little handheld Shark, and I like it a lot. I also have an Electrolux stick 2-in-1 that is terrific for wood floors and the stairs because it also breaks out into a handheld. But neither of these works at all well on our area rugs (I should have said that is what we have, rather than W2W carpeting, at least once we get the W2W upstairs replaced in the near future).

I guess "whole-house, heavy duty vacuum" is what I'm after at this point. I will look at the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Pro. I'm afraid I will never get Mr. PeggyC to approve the expense of a Miele, especially given Mom's experience with that brand.


I used to have a Shark, but also hated the mess of emptying the dirt/dust. For some reason I find the dirt container and the way it opens on the Lynx isn't as bad. I hold it way down inside the trash can and pop it open and can shake it out. It is small and I have to change it several times if I'm doing a bigger job, but I still love the light weight quality. 


Whatever brand do not buy bagless!  Google: I hate bagless vacuums 


jersey123,

Is it a pain to take out and put back the hose?  I do like a canister, myself.


Have always been a buyer of Sears Kenmore canister vacs with bags.  Rated well and won't break the bank.


Sorry, love my miele and its over 10 years old - think we are ready to replace and it will be the same brand...


I understand your stance on Dyson, but refurbs are easy to find and much more reasonably priced. Just look for one that's manufacturer refurbished, rather than refurbed by a third-party seller. We received one as a wedding present almost 12 years ago, and we've never had a moment's trouble with it. It's still going strong.

I love my Miele Titan . It's the only vacuum I've ever used that doesn't make me sneeze and there is no odor coming from the exhaust. It's a dream with cat hair also. I found mine on clearance at BB&B. 


We bought an Electrolux Harmony canister vacuum about 10 years ago and it's still going strong. We've replaced a couple of parts that were lost or broken, and it's been great. I did own a bagless stick vac before that and hated it. The Electrolux bags have a slidey thing (that's the technical term) that covers the opening of the bag so you're not spewing dust back into the air when you change the bag. 


I"m  59 and have almost that many years experience with vacuums.  I have a Dyson and will never ever buy another brand of Vacuum.  It is by far the very best vacuum I have ever had.   It cleans better.  It is easier to use and to take apart and clean.

It has taken more abuse than all my other vacuums put together and has lasted longer too.  I've had mine for at least 14 years and I expect it to last 14 more.   It pained me to spend the money on it - but it was sooooooooo worth it.   In the long run it wont be more expensive because it will last longer.  Check out Costco.  You may be able to buy it for less money there.


H'mm. I wonder if I can make a strong enough case to Mr. PeggyC for the Dyson or Miele. I'm pretty convinced based on these posts that Mom's Miele was a lemon and the exception to the rule. Personally, I'm a big believer in "you get what you pay for," but Mr. PeggyC grew up very poor and always wants the lowest price, period. Mauras, I will check around to see if I can find a refurbished one. Thanks for that tip... I had no idea it was an option.

I have to say I agree with people who hate bagless, although I also hate having to change bags and remember to buy them from time to time, then remember where the hell I put the things. Regarding the bagless ones, isn't it a little crazy to have a HEPA filter and make a fuss about how good a vacuum is for people who have allergies, then make you empty the dang thing into the garbage with all the dust poofing up into your face???

Really, I guess I kind of hate vacuum cleaners. I have yet to find one that is truly convenient.

EBandJ said:

I love my Miele Titan . It's the only vacuum I've ever used that doesn't make me sneeze and there is no odor coming from the exhaust. It's a dream with cat hair also. I found mine on clearance at BB&B. 

 Ooo. "A dream with cat hair" is something I have to experience. smile

Thanks for all the comments. Very helpful.


It's not going to be super powered like a Dyson or anything, but I swear the Roomba has changed my life. I let it go each evening and I've found I need to do a deep clean much less frequently. And I don't need to move the couch to clean underneath it anymore.


We named him Walter.


I don't think I love my Dyson anymore. I did at first, but it is just not standing up to what I would expect a vacuum cleaner to take. A very small piece broke and I have to replace pretty much the whole internal part of canister, which is like $80. I certainly don't need the whole thing...

krugle1 said:

jersey123,

Is it a pain to take out and put back the hose?  I do like a canister, myself.

 It's extremely easy to take out the hose - just push a button on the handle and it pops out. My gripe is that the hose is too short, so if you try to move it very far from the rest of the vaccuum the whole thing falls over on you. It's the best vacuum I've had and it's easy to use, but I really dislike the hose issue and the mess of the bagless tank. Having had both bagged and bagless models, I'd rather have a bagged to keep the mess away. 



gerryl said:

I used to have a Shark, but also hated the mess of emptying the dirt/dust. For some reason I find the dirt container and the way it opens on the Lynx isn't as bad. I hold it way down inside the trash can and pop it open and can shake it out. It is small and I have to change it several times if I'm doing a bigger job, but I still love the light weight quality. 

 I don't mind the bagless aspect of my Shark -- I empty it more frequently, so there's not as much dust kicking up, and try to do this when the garbage can is mostly empty. Also, I have a kid, so quite often the vacuum cleaner sucks up something small that was on the floor and wasn't meant to be vacuumed up; you can get those little things out of a bagless vacuum (if you're willing to get your hands dirty, and really, if you're not willing to get your hands dirty, you shouldn't have kids). With a bagged vacuum, kiss those little stray items goodbye forever...


Are you all recommending the Miele upright or canister model?


Well, we bought the Shark lift-away today, so we will cross our fingers and see how it goes. And if THIS doesn't work out, we will try a Dyson or a Miele next. grin


Peggyc,

Would you mind reporting back?  Thanks


For Miele canister for me. I think it is more versatile to use for all sorts of cleaning.


I have both a Dyson and a Shark. I like both of them. They both do what they advertise to do and both are easy to clean/empty. With either, you must clean the filters regularly for optimum results. I also have a Roomba that's magical. Like @jersey123, I'm a bit of a vacuum nut as well. 



krugle1 said:

Peggyc,

Would you mind reporting back?  Thanks

 Happily. Just as soon as I feel strong enough to open the box and put the blasted thing together. I still have nightmares from putting together the Bissell that died a few weeks ago.

BTW, don't buy Bissell. We had one that I really liked until the electrical connections totally failed when it was less than 2 years old.


Do I have some kind of vacuum cleaner curse? Is ours the house where vacuums come to die??


I like any vacuum cleaner that I don't have to operate.


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