Needed: Vacuum Cleaner Advice

[Tuckervill]

I swear by Kenmore vacuums. We have had several that lasted for years, including the one we had when we were building the house. It was used for cleaning up sawdust, and picked up a few nails and screws in the process, and never missed a beat! They are also consistently rated at the top of the Consumer Reports ratings.

+1 for the Kenmore.

Consumer Reports says the Dyson and its imitators aren't "all that", either.

I don't like bagless vacuums because when you empty them the dust flies everywhere. I don't need that high of a concentration of allergens in my lungs all at once! The bags for my Kenmore are spendy, but I don't vacuum that much anyway. I use my little portable Shark (electric Bissel type) for quick clean ups.

I LOVE my giant Shop-Vac that picks up 10 penny nails, too. I have a smaller one and a portable one, too.

Oh no. Do I have a vacuum fetish or something? lol.

Karen

[Tuckervill]

OMG. I have a Roomba TOO! I think I need to reevaluate my vacuum habits!

Karen

[snapdragen]

I've got a Dirt Devil Vision that cleans up Chloe fur beautifully.

[Mr. Bloom]

I've not read all the posts...but at home #2, I have one of those Kirby upright bagless vacs. The filters don't last very long and are VERY expensive. Vac is cheap, air filters are off the charts.

Home #1 we have a very expensive Kirby, but it's 20 years old and going strong (and you get a workout everytime you lift it!!).

I'm not advocating the Kirby, but only point is that the filters can cause an inexpensive vac to cost nearly as much as the most expensive one over time...

[LoriO]

I used to think that my Electrolux did an excellent job until I got my Dyson. It put my Electrolux to shame!! Vacummed with my old vacuum first and then the Dyson, you would have though I never vacuumed at all from what the Dyson picked up. I have 2 dogs and 2 cats that shed alot, the Dyson so far wins hands down for picking up the dirt and fur.

If you keep an eye on www.woot.com, they occasionally have then on there for a really good price. Sometimes they are new, sometimes refurbished but still a great deal.

[xeney]

We do wash the Dyson parts, that's what customer service told us to do. It is a pain in the butt -- they need to be washed all the time, and we have had to replace a couple of parts. It also completely destroyed our wool rugs because without the beater bar they don't get clean, but the beater bar just tears them all to hell.

It is a neat machine and we completely loved it at first. It's about three years old now and we have no idea what to do, but we will probably replace it this year with something else.

[OakLeaf]

Roomba is great for daily maintenance, but try vacuuming with a regular vac immediately after the Roomba has run. Use an empty bagless vac or a new bag so you can see what you just sucked up. You won't rely on the Roomba alone any more, I guarantee.

[SouthernBelle]

I bought a bagless about 2 months ago at K-Mart and so far I'm very happy with it. But it's at home and I'm not so I can't remember what it is. Either a Eureka or Electrolux.