<p>Should be noted I got the Dyson as a Christmas gift post-graduation/grad school/after getting a real job!</p>
<p>thumper1 –</p>
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<p>What the heck is a swap shack? I’ve actually never been to a dump. Our trash and recycling is picked up curbside twice a week.</p>
<p>Wet/dry vac, bought from Harbor Freight or Home Depot. Not for routine cleaning (which not many college students actually do), just cleaning up the messes they’ll make</p>
<p>Our S bought himself a robotic Roomba vacuum cleaner. It can be pre-set and doubled as an alarm for him, since it would go off as scheduled and bump into his bed helping nudge him awake and keep his allergies down. D has also gotten a Roomba and it has helped with her allergies as well.</p>
<p>We second buying from Costco, so you can return when it doesn’t work out as expected. Mom and we have returned quite a few vacuums at Costco for full refunds.</p>
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<p>I’ve already suggested that my sister get the Dyson as a graduation present for S (off to a real job). Kids consider it the “cool vacuum” and even slobs become obsessed with clean floors.</p>
<p>We bought the cheapest Oreck upright (with bags) from Target. Very basic,easy to handle,no tools always falling off, seems pretty rugged. I think it cost $125. It does require a bag but the bag is a good size takes awhile to fill up. One pkg. of replacement bags will prob. take him til graduation unless he’s a super cleaner… which.my boys are not:(</p>
<p>I have an upright Bissell (with bags) that did not work for my parents, so they let me snag it. (We have two Labradors so need something that can deal with a LOT of pet hair.) Works well on the industrial carpet and I’ve never had a single problem. I’ll keep using it 'til it dies 
and it’s fairly small for an upright so it doesn’t take up a ton of room in my apartment.</p>