I’m looking for a really lightweight but efficient and reasonably priced vacuum (I don’t want to spend more than a couple of hundred dollars - I know, I’m not asking much!). Leaning towards one of those stick vacuums - the shark ones sound good in reviews on Amazon. As we get older, I’m finding the big old heavyweight hoover we have is just too heavy so we just don’t vacuum as often as we should. I have a Roomba which I love love love, but know I need to do a deeper clean every now and then.
I use the Shark Navigator Deluxe as my main vacuum. It does a good job with pet hair, has HEPA filtering, and I love the little mini-vacuum hose attachment for furniture and drapes. I also keep the cordless Shark freestyle charging in a corner near the kitchen and use that for everyday cleanup. They are reliable. I’ve had the Deluxe for 5 or 6 years now with no problems at all (not counting the incident where the puppy attacked the cord…a bit of splicing and electrical tape took care of that though).
I have the dyson stick vacuum that’s good for animal hair, and it’s worked really well for several years now. When I got it, I was able to get 30% off at Kohls, but I’m not sure they let you do that any longer. I have had experience taking 20% off coupons into bed, bath, and beyond, and they would let me order things and get 20% off, even if they were supposed to be excluded. YMMV
I like the robotic Roomba. It goes on sale periodically at Costco, Sam’s Club and elsewhere for under $400. I especially love that it vacuums under furniture! It’s our favorite vacuum–you can program it.
I love Shark vaccums! We had a bigger Navigtor Deluxe which I finally gave to my daughter when I bought a Deluxe Pro (one of the stick kind with all the extra tools for the steps, furniture, car and electronics) from QVC. It has the bare floor thing for my hardwoods and the detail kit makes doing the car a breeze. Our Sheltie, who is blnd and deaf, hates to be brushed like the other dogs but comes over to be vacuumed with one of the soft brushes! My only complaint is the noise is more high-pitched than I care for, but since it’s light weight and easy to use, things get finished quickly so it’s not a huge deal.
I have the Dyson stick vacuum (pet hair) and, unlike @1214mom (post #2), am not happy. Mine no longer holds much a charge. I plan to replace it and am looking at Shark stick vacuums. I just don’t know which one to get. I plan to keep it upstairs only. I’m watching this thread also. (We have pets.)
Same here about watching. Lately, the models where I find the most positive ratings, from the most people, are Shark Navigators. Now, to “navigate” among them.
I got a cheap Dirt Devil stick vacuum from Target last year for about a hundred bucks (I think it was the “360 Degree Reach” or something like that). Not super fancy but it’s lightweight, gets the job done, can be disassembled pretty quickly, and doesn’t take up too much space.
There are recent stick and other reviews you can Google. I also recently read the June (?) issue of Consumer Reports at the library about types of vacuum cleaners. You have to read all of the article so you don’t try to relate numbers across categories. There is the bit about stick vacs getting higher number ratings because they are NOT expected to clean as well as other vacs. Consider this if you think a stick vac will get more deep dirt out than your Roomba.
I understand how heavy good, deep cleaning vacs can be hard to use. However, I got an on sale Shark that was heavier but could detach like a canister vac for less than your $200 budget. There is another recent CC Parent Cafe thread with my and others’ comments.
I echo the person above who got the Shark with Lift-away that can detach like a canister vac. I have that also (as well as a Dyson) and I love it. I use it as a canister for all the hardwoods and as a regular vac on the carpets. It has a MAJOR forward-drive thing in which, on the carpet setting, it feels like it will run away with you. I felt like I was trying to vacuum with a race car the first couple of times! I really like this vacuum- bought it at Costco. I like it much better than the Dyson (too heavy) and the Oreck (which a) don’t clean as deeply and b) have too wide a head to go under much furniture.)
Shark seems a bit harder to steer than my Dyson when fully put together- more top heavy (also noted by good reviewers). Perhaps what I’m used to now. I got the Shark Rotator model #725 when it was on sale at BB&B and used a 20% off coupon for a great price- better than a lesser model elsewhere at the time.
All vacs have pros and cons. Both my Dyson and Shark can get a lot of fine dirt out. Harder to push because of the more powerful suction. But- I want CLEAN, not just surface stuff gone once a month. Hey- with just two of us there’s less need and there are better things in life than cleaning.