Need vacuum cleaner recommendation

[Woodwerker]

Dyson, hands down.
I was a skeptic till we bought one

[JeffG78]

So far, it's looking like the Dyson is the way to go. I looked at the various models and the DC-25 Animal seems like the best for us. It sure isn't cheap at $525 on sale, but the online reviews have been very positive. At least with a bagless, and and a lifetime washable hepa filter, there are no bags to buy. Keep the suggestions coming. Thanks everyone!

[KLF]

I was so happy this Spring when my piece-o-junk Dirt Devil finally died, it felt sooo good to heave that unimpressive thing into the local dump where it belonged.

Then I did a BUNCH of research on vacuum cleaners. Looked at every brand in detail, talked to repair shops, shopped big box stores and local independants. The best one out there that I found, hands down, was the Sebo. They are not very popular in the States, but they own the market in Europe. Made in Germany, they also make a lot of the really heavy duty uprights that you see maids using in hotels. We ended up buying a model C3.1, basically their top-of-the-line canister model. They are only sold thru a dealership network, but you can find them pretty much anywhere. We really really liked it, very quiet, well made, and it really sucked, in a good way!

Then we bought a house with central vac already installed, so we sold it to the people that bought our old house. They are also very happy with it.

PS: I asked the local vendor where we bought our SEBO what they thought about the Dysons. "Oh we love them! They keep our repair shop very busy!" While I was paying for my vac, someone else carried in their Dyson "Ball" that was busted into 2 pieces. Apparently the plastic they use is very low grade, and eventually gets really brittle, at least that's what the repair shop guy told me. His words, not mine.

[kbkreisler]

my 2 cents
meile vacuums are top notch, have a very good reputation. light with lots of suction and cfm. I would check out them or kirby vacs as a second choice.
I would stay away from dyson if I were you, I believe there is a you tube video comparing some good vacs with dysons.

dyson = hype and overpriced. looks neat but doesn't vacuum that great, and they recirculate a lot of fine dust particles via the exhaust.

My brother had a dyson animal and a kirby rep stopped by his house had him vacuum with the dyson the same spot 80 passes over, then picked up more dirt with the kirby in 10 passes than the dyson had picked up in 80 passes on the same spot.
A lot of what was picked up by the kirby was a carpet cleaning powder my brother had sprinkled and worked into his carpet months earlier and he had vacuumed dozens of times afterward with his dyson animal.
Also worth noting My brother ended up buying the kirby and the rest of his carpets had the same result. so this was not a salesman gimmick.

[Ed62]

We had 3 large dogs, and a lot of hair when we bought our Dyson. Like you, our floors were not carpeted, but had area rugs. The Dyson worked great, but I took it back after using it for a week or so. When we bought it we were told we could bring it back for a full refund within a certain amount of time.

If we had a lot of wall to wall carpeting, we would have kept it. But we wound up with a Hoover Wind Tunnel. IMHO it (Dyson) was too much money for our needs, and the Wind Tunnel does a good job for much less cash. Think a Wind Tunnel and a new toy.

Ed

[JeffG78]

Why can't anything EVER be easy???

[herb fellows]

Dyson for me too. Awesome vac. Plus the wife lets me use it! But that is okay since technically it is a power tool I can use in the house!

Uh huh. Wife convinced you it was a power tool, did she?!

[Tom Slick]

I know 4 people with dysons and they all like them.

Orecks are good vacuums and are made in the USA but I don't believe they are worth their price. They do have to be maintained, the motor (one of only 2 moving parts) has to be "tuned up" otherwise they will make a terrible noise.

[iceman61]

I just bought a Bissell "Healthy Home" vacuum last week at Lowes. They currently have it on clearance for $199 down from $249. When they rang it up at the register, it rang up for $159. Got another 10% off with a sales receipt coupon making it a pretty good buy for me seeing that Sears sells this same one for $299.

Consumer Reports listed it as the #4 vacuum last year.

[LCHIEN]

Orecks are good vacuums and are made in the USA but I don't believe they are worth their price. They do have to be maintained, the motor (one of only 2 moving parts) has to be "tuned up" otherwise they will make a terrible noise.

tune up a vacuum cleaner motor??? I have had 2 vacuums in 30+ years and none of them had to be tuned up, ever. What is it, a British motorcar?

[TB Roye]

Purple "Animal" Dyson for us. We have a dog and a cat, had a lab that shed like crazy. The dyson worked beautifuly picking up the dog hair easy to use and empty. Had a couple of small clogs due to crayons gettings sucked up but easy to clean out. Never really lost suction. They have come down in price. A number a friends and relatives with pets swear by the Dyson Animal.

Tom

[dielectric]

We went through this over the holiday. We were really leaning toward the Dyson, and actually bought one, but it was too heavy for LOML to use effectively on the stairs. We returned it unopened, and proceeded to buy an Oreck for something like $425. It's the one with a 5-year warranty and the accessory vac. There's another "commercial" vac in the Oreck store for about $200, 1 year warranty no acc vac. Anyway, the thing is really impressive to me. It is built to be maintained, so even though it's a very light vac, it is heavy where it counts. The plastic housing even has a solid feel. The thing is brutally simple, just one switch, no height adjustments, no attachments (hence the accessory vac), but it works great on our floors. My mother has had two Orecks over the last 15 years or so, along with some enormous dogs that shed tumbleweeds all over the house.

I've also noticed LOML runs the thing more, it's just so light and has such a long cord, that it's easier to run it every day.

I was surprised that they want to turn the motor armature every year or so. Makes me want to open 'er up and see what kind of unit is in there.

[cgallery]

tune up a vacuum cleaner motor??? I have had 2 vacuums in 30+ years and none of them had to be tuned up, ever. What is it, a British motorcar?

Yeah, you have to adjust the valves every 7,500 yards of carpet.

[Tom Slick]

tune up a vacuum cleaner motor??? I have had 2 vacuums in 30+ years and none of them had to be tuned up, ever. What is it, a British motorcar?

strange, I know. They get commutator wear that makes a high pitched noise, you take it in and they true the comm. if you ever take an oreck apart they are a marvel of simplicity, but that simplicity is why I think they are overpriced.

[lebomike]

We have a Dyson and if it ever gives up we will buy another. They are a great vac and easy to empty. We also have a yellow lab and it does a great job picking up her hair. My wife uses it every day and it is amazing how much the dog sheds.
DYSON for sure.