<p>CR is no longer a voice of independence. I feel that a lot of their reviews praise crap. While I’m not wild about my Dyson’s plastic content, it does a superb job NO Dirt Devil will do. I guarantee it.</p>
<p>H is a big fan of German appliances. When my Dyson kicks the bucket, H can pick whatever Miele he wants. :)</p>
<p>My yellow dyson broke within two years. I bought a Riccar last year and it is great. In fact I just used it on all the pine needles that fell off the Christmas tree and it was a dream. Made in the USA also. </p>
<p>I also feel like something is fishy with CR as I have in the past bought their top rated vacuum (I think it was the Wind Tunnel) and was not impressed. I do have a 30 year old Hoover, all metal parts and heavy as heck, in the basement that still has life in it.</p>
<p>I do hear what many of you are saying about CR … we listened twice in our 20 years and ended up with a Kenmore canister because it was ranked highly in some way by CR, but we’ve had to repair or replace many pieces on them multiple times, and now the one I still use also smells, so I can never vacuum right before guests pop by. Today I vacuumed after overnight guests left and the wheel on the rotary head came off when I bumped it on a door frame … and it still smelled; thus, my looking for a new one.</p>
<p>I put more stock in Amazon reviews than CR these days.</p>
<p>The Riccar was a great vacuum for us for many years, but our second one not so good.</p>
<p>I think if you don’t have delicate carpets the Dyson is superb. Otherwise, love the Miele.</p>
<p>Okay, after reading all your advice and comments, and pooling some spare cash together with H, we bought the Miele cannister and it arrived yesterday. I have to say I am now forever a convert to a high quality vacuum. </p>
<p>Compared to the two Kenmores we had, it was so quiet, so clean, and so easy to handle. My dog was a little freaked out by it, but I actually felt like I could breath better after I vacuumed everything in sight and then collapsed. It was a bit disgusting how full the bag was for being brand new, but that also made me feel good that the dust and dirt was now in the bag and not in my nostrils. </p>
<p>Anyone need a used, loud, smelly Kenmore? I even have new bags to toss in with it. :)</p>
<p>I’m amazed at how crappy most modern stuff is unless you pay an arm and a leg.</p>
<p>Our main vacuum cleaner is called the VAX and it’s a combination vacuum, carpet cleaner and it can clean up spills. It’s about 22 years old and I had the first repair done on it last month (replaced the power plug). It has all of the usual attachments and attachments that deal with liquids. The ad for it shows the vacuum head picking up a bowling ball. I believe that it cost around $200. Parts and supplies are no longer available in the US so I order supplies online from the UK.</p>
<p>We also have the vacuum that I bought when I was single. This thing is about 30 years old and it’s a Eureka. It’s at the kids’ apartment. I think that it was around $79. Eureka still makes the bags for this antique.</p>
<p>My mother still uses her old hoover from the 1950s. It’s all metal(!) and has taken a beating and just keeps on running.</p>
<p>BCEagle, you’re right … when companies were driven by price, they took price reductions in materials and quality. We finally got fed up and re-invested in quality. If you think about it, re-investing in quality is also a greener alternative. It’s a waste of resources that I had to buy my 3rd (or 4th?) vacuum in 15 years … hopefully this one is a long term keeper.</p>
<p>Can you share what miele model you went with and do you still love it.?I am looking at the Bolero,but part of me would like a canister due to the weight of the uprights.</p>
<p>Hi, the one I bought this month is a model S 5981 canister. It is the most recommended by some allergy sufferer website for the fact that captures all the dust before air exits out the exhaust filter. I do still love it, and so did the cleaning lady this week who used it for the first time. She could vacuum and talk to me at the same time without having to raise her voice. I did notice that the nozzle that fits into the canister storage is shorter than I need, so I will likely order a separate piece that you can get that is longer, but I still love the thing overall.</p>
<p>I have a Eureka canister which is 35 years old, stills run great (bit grungy) with great suction that I still use to vaccuum out the car. It has a retractable cord which still works.
My mom has old percale sheets which are still softer and nicer and in better shape than any new ones I have. Same with towels. I have old towels that look new and new towels that I need to throw out.</p>
<p>I find it fascinating that a thread about vacuum cleaners has over 2600 views. I always knew what was really important!
Let’s face it. It is about the only appliance we can’t really live without. Sure, we don’t use it everyday…but what other item can do what it does? If you have wall to wall carpet you have to get the dirt out of it somehow!
There are options for cooking, washing dishes, bathing etc. But how else do we get the dirt out of carpet?
Just interesting…and frustrating to find one that will work and last.</p>
<p>When this topic first flashed across my screen a while ago, I thought, wow, those people need a life! But once my old vacuum started really annoying me, I remembered this thread after Consumer Reports once again recommended a Kenmore. I knew there had to be a better answer and thank goodness us lame parents discuss these odd topics. In 8 years when my kids are hopefully out of grad school, I will probably still lurk here on the Parent’s forum to get advice!</p>
<p>
My baby is in his last year of grad school and I’m still here. Mostly to learn about vacuum cleaners. I still haven’t decided on one but am leaning toward a Miele or a Dyson animal.</p>
<p>Maybe my Miele is a lemon or something…I bought their cat and dog model and it is constantly clogging up. I’ve only had it since the fall and I’m about ready to give up on it. It is expensive to maintain and rather poorly designed when it comes to changing bags.</p>
<p>I have the prettiest vacuum I think ! The Shark is an upright bagless that I got from Bed and Bath about 5 years for around 200 . .It is a metallic maroon -I hate to put it away ! .My current mini is the FLEX by Black and Decker -It has a great flip up brush that is great for dusting -rechargable model- around 80 at Bed and Bath .</p>
<p>Oh Boy! I am also looking at the Miele cat and dog.Hate to spend the money for it if it is trouble. I vacuum the whole house everyday.My Kenmore Progressive just died so using old Hoover until I get a new one.Feel like I need hearing protection when using it.Have 2 labs so lots of dog hair hence reason for vacuuming everything daily. Also looking at the Miele Twist.Trying to find a store that has a lot of them so I can try them out.Read all reviews on Amazon and other sites and watched videos.Why is this so difficult?</p>
<p>Pootie, maybe you do have a lemon. If you have a Miele dealer near you, I would suggest you take it back. My new Miele canister has great suction for Springer Spaniel hair and a great basic upholstery brush for the chair he illegally lays in when we leave the house. The bag slides right in and when I took out the first used bag, it even had a flap that prevented the captured dust from trying to sneak out.</p>
<p>Snowflake, you need a Scatmat for that chair! :)</p>
<p>Went to Meile store yesterday.They had Salsa on display,no Cat and Dog.The woman said it is the same machine just different color and has mini turbo brush.I did ask about Pootie’s problem.She was surprised.Did say if you vacuum wet dog hair it will clog like the arteries with fat.Anyway, total price for it with bags and floor tool and tax is $746.12.Alot of money for vacuum but if it lasts it isn’t.</p>
<p>My favorite vacuum is the iRobot Roomba. It is programmable, so that it will go off & vacuum without human effort (other than taking things off the floor that might interfere, like small cords, bathmats, kleenex, and pieces of paper. This is my 3rd one but we LOVE that it doesn’t throw dust into the air & does a great job on our hardwood floors & sheet vinyl. It’s not perfect but really does make a difference in our household. My brother & SIL & my mom all love theirs too. In fact, my SIL & B bought 3 of them because they have a much larger home. Works GREAT!</p>
<p>I was having a problem of the battery not holding its charge after running it daily M-F for about a year. They sent me a free exchange–machine, base charger and battery! The replacement works even better than the original! Best of all, we purchased from Costco, so we can take it back if/when it breaks & get the latest & greatest model!</p>