What Kind of Vacuum Should I Get?

Hi J.,

I LOVE my Roomba and Scooba! Roomba is a bagless system (no HEPA filters, so probably not good enough if you need those). It needs to be emptied every couple of rooms because the canister is pretty small. The upside though? It's robotic -- you push the button (or program it if you like) and walk away.

Scooba's also robotic, but it washes floors. I have to tell you, it does a far better job than my mop! It first does a light sweep of the floor for stray bits of dust and dirt, then puts down cleaning fluid, scrubs it with a rotating brush (like on a vacuum cleaner), then siphons up the dirty fluid, so you don't just keep pushing it around.

The price for these items is pretty hefty, but well worth it, in my opinion. Both are quite durable, as far as vacuum cleaners go. I was having cleaners burn out on me every 2 - 3 years. My roomba and scooba are 4 years old now and still going strong. We have had to replace the batteries on each, though.

Check out irobot.com for more information and demo videos. You can buy them direct but I think Sears and Bed, Bath, and Beyond also carry them. No, I do NOT work for the company.

2 moms found this helpful

We have the dyson pet vacuum (we have a dog) and really love it! The dyson's are more expensive but worth the extra money. We got ours at Costco so it was a bit cheaper than retail. It was worth the extra money as we tried buying cheaper named brands but would had to get a new vacuum just about every other year or less. So, for the amount of money we spent on those, we should've just started with the dyson and not wasted all that time. The dyson's really are better. At the time we got the dyson, our other vacuum was still working. So we did a test, used the other vacuum and then ran the dyson over the already vacuumed area. Turns out the dyson picked up additional lint, dog hair, etc that the other vacuum did not.....if cost is an issue, look into a refurbished dyson.....

1 mom found this helpful

The dyson just has a good marketing department, its a crappy vacuum. It rates low on consumer reports and I used it and was surprised at just how bad it was. I had my cats at the in-laws and used their Dyson only to end up picking cat litter up by hand because it just wouldn't pick up dry cat litter off plush carpet. Even a 40 year old Hoover can do that! I recently joined consumer reports for this very reason and got the top rated vacuum that was by the way very affordable- the Kenmore Progressive sold at Sears for under $200. The attachments rock, I do my hard surface tile with it at well. I'm quite happy with it. I've used bagless in the past and while I loved initially seeing just what came off my floors each and every time, emptying it gets real old real fast( you have to empty it with each use, and you will breath in all that dust and dander in the process). I'm into bags for the time being. But it really depends what you are looking for in a vacuum. My mom has one of those really expensive ones thats supposed to last 20 years and have excellent suction. I hate her vacuum because its so darn heavy, it doesn't do hard surface and the attachments are too complicated. She's stuck with it because it will last forever!

1 mom found this helpful

We have a Bernese Mountain and he sheds like crazy! We have a Dyson animal and I don't think it was worth the money. We had to get it serviced recently and saw a Simplicity vacuum at the shop where we took it. We ended up buying a Simplicity and I LOVE it.
The suction is much better than the Dyson.
I hope this helps. (I have heard that the Meile is the best. But they are very expensive.)

1 mom found this helpful

A couple of people recommended Kirby... I have one and have LOVED it for years... but I recently saw a demonstration for the Rainbow system. It kicks Kirby's bottom!!! If you can find a RAINBOW consultant in your area I strongly recommend you have them come to your home for a demo. IT IS AMAZING and truly revolutionary. If you have any allergy issues I wouldn't buy anything else! It also doubles as an air purifier and carpet shampooer. Yes it's probably the most expensive system out there, but I believe it the absolute best. The demo is very educational, and mine was low sales pressure, the machine definitely sells itself. There's a dealer locater at their web site:
http://www.rainbowsystem.com

good luck.
s

1 mom found this helpful

Hi J.,

I'll offer my 2 cents here, since I haven't seen anyone talk about this yet. I have been a professional house cleaner for a number of years and have used A LOT of different vacuum's in other people's homes. Here are some of my tried and true tips, for what it's worth:

1. If you use a bagless vac, you have to empty the canister after every use or you lose suction.

2. Any kind of vacuum will get clogged if you vacuum up things that shouldn't be vacuumed. Pick up the big chunks first.

3. Any vacuum with "on board" attachemets will not have good suction. If you have a vacuum pulling stuff out of the carpet and from a hose at the same time, both places lose suction. Your best choice is a vacuum that requires you to remove the head and beater bar and replace it with a hose. You will have optimal suction that way.

4. Vacuums with bags are not bad, just be sure your connections are secure and spend the money on name brand bags and ones that are designed for homes with pets. The bags are a bit different if you want ones that will contain pet dander, it's worth the money.

5. You get what you pay for. Yes, a quality vacuum can be expensive, but you will buy one vacuum, it will last you 20 years vs. a $200 Sears model that will last a year or so.

6. Have your vacuum serviced on a regular schedule. Keeping up with maintainance is must, your vacuum will last longer and you will get a better clean.

I have used an Oreck, they are lightweight, and professional grade. It will last. I have not used the Miele brand, so I cannot offer anything there. Dyson is popular, I have mixed feelings on those, but would not buy one.

My personal choice is Kirby. I own a Kirby and have used it for my own house as well as houses I clean for more than 11 years. They are heave, and yes, I paid a pretty penny for it, I have all the hoses and attachments, including the carpet cleaning system. I have spent just under $300 total in almost 12 years for service, maintainance and parts/labor costs. I have no regrets, it will last for 25 years, and then I can have to motor rebuild and use it for another 25 years.

When we moved into a new house, I had the carpets cleaned professionally. From that point on, I have done it myself with my Kirby, I have not paid for carpet cleaning since August of 1998.

I'm not a Kirby salesman, nor do I send the sales guys calling on my friends, but if someone asks, I highly recommend the product. If you have the chance to have a Kirby rep come into your home and do a demo, take them up on it. See what it can do, then go find a vacuum store and see if you can buy one used. Or look online/e-bay/Craigslist, etc. and find one used. Check with the Kirby store nearest you for used models. There are people who choose to upgrade to a newer model every few years or so and trade in the older model. (I don't know why, they last forever,) You save several hundred dollars that way, and you will not regret the decision.

Good luck!
G.

Hello J.:

At first I thought of getting a "Dyson" because I've heard a lot of good things about it. However, when I found out how expensive it was, I immediately changed my mind. I just want to be practical, you know. And then we found this "Infinity" vacuum. Infinity NV30 Bagless Upright Vacuum. And works great. I would definitely suggest you get a "bagless" one. It's very cheap (not even $200). Hope this helps. Good luck on finding a good vacuum. Take care.

I have a Miele and I love it. I love when I open the canister, the bag is intact and there is ZERO dust and dirt inside the canister. It's a HEPA filter (and I'm very allergic to dust) so this is the best there is.

Go to a store and have them do a demo of it for you. Miele beat them all. I bought mine from a vacuum repair shop and it was interesting to see all the vacuums coming in for repairs. It wasn't the Miele. Very pricey, but worth the investment.

Hi J.,
I just saw a commercial for a vacuum called a shark navigator. They were comparing it a Dyson vacuum which runs for $ 500.00- the navigator runs for less than $ 200.00 they said. They also said that it comes with a free steam mop. The web page that they gave was: www.buysharknavigator.com/

I know nothing about this vacuum so I'm not vouching for it, I just saw the commercial right after I read your post and since they were comparing it to the Dyson, I wanted to pass the info to you.

I hope this helps you!

K.

I have a Riccar. Dyson from what I've been told expensive from marketing. That said, I've never really used one so I can't compare I suppose. Riccar's one of the higher end, robust models - not as expensive as a Kirby.

We have a Dyson that we purchased on HSN. I love the canister since it is very easy to clean and maintain. Also, we have a cat and it picks up everything really well.

J.,
I have the best vacuum, I believe, that was every made. I have a Kirby. This has been an unbelievable vacuum. They are pricy, but if you haggle enough, you can get it for a good deal. It does have a bag, but it is a hepa system. I don't have one bit of dust in my bag area. I have had this vacuum for almost 15 years. I take it to be checked about every couple of years and get a tune up (19.95) and I had to have it overhauled last year, which was only $100., better than an new vacuum or one that can't be fixed. We went through many vacuums during the first 5 years we were married, this one has really been the best. I wouldn't recommend it if it wasn't.

Another thing is we had old carpeting when we bought our home, then we had new installed. We had the new carpeting for 5 years then updated to tile. Underneath the 5 year old carpeting, the was not one stitch of dirt. There wasn't anything under the padding. This vacuum does exactly what it says.

Happy shopping, hope you find one that you like!!!
~~D.

I was surprised to see the Eureka Boss getting such a high rating from Consumer Reports. I bought that vacuum because of that and it was terrible. We don't wear shoes in the house, but wear socks and I have sock lint left behind. I would vacuum over and over and over again in the same spot, different directions and end up bending down and picking it up by hand. Drove me crazy. I splurged and got a Dyson Animal at my friend's recommendation and I love it. Works great for me :)
Frustrating item to shop for... good luck!

Hi J.

At the risk of offending the Dyson posse;I have been faithful to my Oreck for nineteen years! I love the easy maneuverability and the fact that it weighs less than eight pounds. You mentioned many stairs. It's a pleasure to vacuum stairs with a light weight vacuum.I recommend using Oreck bags as the generic ones tear easily. Enjoy your new house.

Rainbow. it is not in stores. you'll be able to hunt down the distributor if you Google it. best thing i ever spent my $$ on. it is not cheap, but worth every penny.
Good Luck
V.

To me the best vacuum, hands down, is anything that my husband is interested in (no matter what brand)!

Don't ask me how this happened, but one day my husband (who has no interest whatsoever in housecleaning) came home and said he wanted to buy a $900 vacuum cleaner from Miele. I rolled my eyes and asked if he was going to use it. He adamantly assured me "yes" and seven years later he still is. =-D

The Miele has run like a champ for quite a long run now. I understand that it has quite a cult following similar to what electrolux had when we were kids. It was expensive, but seven years later, I hardly know how to turn it on myself and I'm A-OK with that.

If budget is an issue, I highly recommend the Sears Kenmore Progressive w/ Intelliclean. It takes a bag (to me, bagless are gross and don't seem to work as well), and for a couple of hundred dollars, we've had a really great vacuum that has worked beautifully for over three years now. I think the Dyson stuff is just hype--Consumer Reports recommended the one we got over the Dyson for pet hair and general cleaning. We have a cat who sheds a lot so that's an issue for us. Anyway, I highly recommend the Kenmore. The only disadvantage is that you can't buy replacement bags at your grocery store or Target (like you could with a standard Hoover or whatever)--you have to buy them at or online from Sears. But that's relatively small in terms of inconvenience, and after burning through two Hoovers in four years and having horrible memories of how miserably heavy my mom's Kirby was, I'm glad to have our Kenmore. Good luck!

My mother in law has a dyson and claims to love it, but I notice that she is constantly pulling it apart to unclog it. So when I went vacuum shopping I avoided them, plus they were to pricey for my budget. I bought a eureka capture and I love it. Of course this is the first not cheap vacuum I have ever bought, but it just seems to pick up everything, and does so well with the pet hair.

Vacuums are a pet peeve of mine! i have been through so many-and I have yet to find a perfect one. I think the Oreck would be it, but, i am not willing to pay for it. actually, one of my favs was the roomba, but then one of kids broke it. I had problems w/ the dyson parts. again-my kids are rough.

We really like our Simplicity vacuum cleaner and it must be at least 10 years old now. Every maid service we have had prefers it over our lightweight Oreck. It really does a good job (although it's kind of heavy) and it's worth the money because it will last a long time.

iRobot! Roomba! LOVE IT! For kitchen or wood floors; SCOOBA by iRobot!

I purchased the Eureka "the boss" smart vac red. It is by far the best one we have ever purchased. We did some research and decided that one with a bag is better. More of a hassel but better. Specially for a son that has asthma. Good luck

I'm happy with our Dyson. If you buy it at Bed, Bath & Beyond you can use a 20% off coupon!

Check consumer reports - I got one a few years ago. I like what I have but forget the brand and am not home right now. Tyson was NOT the best, but they did have great marketing.

Hi J.,

I love my Dyson. I have the Animal because I have a shedding German Shepherd. I actually Mamasourced for vacuum recommendations also. Dyson, Dyson, Dyson is what came up.

Good luck.

C.

I love my Miele. Great for hard surfaces.

C., mother of 3, sleep consultant, sleep blog writer www.lullabyluna.com

I love my Dyson and have for 3 years now.

I've never used a Dyson, so I can't say I wouldn't like one... BUT I have an Oreck and it's AWESOME! So light, and so easy, just a vacuum and a bag - my floors have never been cleaner, and I love to vacuum now! Even my four year old can help because it's so light :) I got mine super cheap because I bought it used from an Oreck store - the only thing wrong with it was a few scratches on the faceplate (which they would have replaced for me if I wanted them to for only an extra 10 bucks). Good luck in your search - happy cleaning!

I got a Miele and would never go back to any other! Not only is it a great vacuum, it's so quiet you can have a conversation while vacuuming. I just love it.
S.

I have a roomba...it vacuums the house for you!!!! Turn it on and walk away. I know that wont work on the stairs but for carpet, tile, wood floor it works great...and it goes under the beds, corners etc. I love it!!!!!! definitely worth the money.

bagless works great for my family. I had a dyson and it broke down within a year. I got a cheaper one, and am going on 2 years with it.

I have to echo so many others and say I love my Dyson. I had another vacuum that worked really well...or so I thought. When I got the Dyson I did a test (I'm a big skeptic). I vacuumed my house with my old vacuum first. Then I vacuumed my house with the Dyson. I couldn't believe how much dirt the Dyson picked up that my old vacuum left behind. Plus it works well on carpet and hard surfaces. I love the ease of using all the attachments. I pull the hose off every time I vacuum to get into tight areas. I have a dog who sheds like crazy and the hair always floats under the couch and behind the furniture. I find the attachments easy and quick to use to get into all those tight spots. However, I just moved into a new house and now have stairs. The Dyson as I own it isn't quite working for me on the stairs. They make a stair attachment that I plan to purchase, but haven't done so yet. So, the jury is still out regarding the Dyson and stairs. But, I still have to recommend Dyson...from a mom with 2 active kids and a 80# dog.

Hi J.,

You are so right about the Dyson. I have tried MANY different brands. Hoover,
Eureka, and others i can't even remember. I have a border collie and every
vacuum would get ruined eventually. I had spent soooo much time and money
on bags and parts and who knows what else. I then decided I was fed up and
invested in the Dyson. I watched for sales or free gift cards because it is expensive.
So worth it!!!!!!!!! No clogs even with our hairy dog. You only clean the HEPA filter
twice a year (it works too) and I am not running around buying bags. The one thing I
do each time I vacuum is turn it over and clean the dog hair around the brush rollers.
Wouldn't use anything else. I don't work for Dyson either. (tee hee) Just a mom who was fed up with useless vacuums. Hope this helps.

Kenmore Progressive. I love mine.

I love my Miele Vacuum. The guys at BestVacuum.com were such a great help in helping my find the right vacuum for what I need.

rainbow's are the best and most expensive. but, you will go through 10 regular vacuums before a rainbow will quit.

We have a Oreck. It's the best. We had a vacuum with out the bag and the "dust" went everywhere in our house. It was expensive and was not that great. Our Oreck has been great we have had it over 4 years now.
SR

About 9 years ago we bought a miracle mate platnum, I have apparently grown very used to its deep cleaning power, and never been disappointed, I have sucked up alot of things (not always on purpose) so I deserve the few times I have to clean out my clogging. In 9 years of loyal service with me we have sucked up socks, dryer sheets, ppr towels, puzzle pices, crayons, and the list would go forever in my house. Now I need to fix the hose so I went to get an inexpensive temp. replacement, and I am shocked at the sad job performance so far. I have returned a bissel, and Eureka, now I am looking into getting my hose fixed asap. I miss my "mate" I thought after 9 yrs something would be equal. Not! No I am not a salesman, just a mom at home and very consumer cautious.