Do GREAT Vacuums REALLY Exist?

I used a $250 Hoover for years. I have one for upstairs and one for down stairs. They were great.

About 2 yrs ago, I got an Oreck that I LOVE. It is so lightweight, I don't need to have the extra upstairs. It has a HEPA bag, (I'm not into the bagless), 10 yr warranty, go in once a year for service for free. I love this vac. I do have 3 dogs, carpet, tile and hardwoods. I paid around $800 for this vac and it is worth it.

A LOT of people talk about Dyson and how great they are. My mom has a Dyson and hates it. She says it works well, it is just heavy and hard to get around.

Good luck.

My mom always bought Kenmore's when we were growing up and I have continued in the tradition. I think they are worth the money and if you get the warranty, it's even better. My sister has a Dyson and I believe she's been very happy with it. I did once try a cheaper vacuum and never again!

I hate to say it, but shell out the $$ for a Dyson. I have the "ball" one and will NEVER get another vaccuum! It is worth every penny and if you think about it, not having to replace it in 2 years or so makes it pay for itself! Good luck!

After burning through several $100 vacuums (each lasted about a year), we finally got the Dyson Animal (the purple one) and it is amazing. We've had it for more than 5 years and it is still great. We do have two big dogs (labs) so it is def. worth it for us. For all the junk that gets sucked up (Legos, papers, even the occasional pencil!), the Dyson has never given up. You can see all the dust and dog hair in the bin so you know it's working.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my vacuum!!! I, like you, didn't want to spend a lot on a vacuum and always bought the ones just over $100. They last about a year before needing to be replaced. The one I had was a bissel and it lost it's sucking power pretty quick. I just recently decided to buy a nicer vacuum. I didn't want to spend $1000 on a vacuum but I was willing to spend more than usual. I went to walmarts website and was looking at the Dyson brand (I've always heard GREAT things about Dyson). There is one there that's $400 that has a 5yr warranty, a lifetime filter (it's washable), and it's approved and works great for allergy sufferers. I decided to go ahead and buy it and after using the Dyson, I will NEVER buy another brand of vacuum!! It works WONDERFUL!! It is bagless, but it's very easy to dump (my last vacuum was bagless but it was such a hassle to empty). I say, spend a little more on a good vacuum and you'll probably find yourself pleasantly surprised at how good they work! Good Luck

I completely agree with Lisa D. Spend the money on a Dyson. Mine is probably 4-5 years old now? The first time I used my Dyson, I was surprised and a little sick what we had been living with and not being picked up. Oh, and we do have a central vac that sucks, not in a good way. The ONLY thing the central vac is used for is the hardwoods. *I challenge anyone who thinks their central vac does a good job to let someone come to your home with a Dyson and you won't believe it.

I have 2 big dogs (golden/lab mixes) who can shed a ton! I have 2 teenagers with all their friends and dirt. I have a dear husband who sometimes can be as bad as the kids. So it does get a work out.

Good luck

I've had a Dyson for 3 years now and boy does it suck! I can't believe how much dust is in the bin after vaccuming. After several years, the power isn't any less either. It is bagless, but easy to empty and I've rescued many things from their demise by doing a quick check when dumping.

I got my vaccuum from woot.com which offers 1 deal a day. Every now and then the Dyson's come up at a good price. I'd buy one again in a heartbeat.

My husband and I felt the same about vacuums not having enough sucking power!! Here is one that is similar to the one we have-
http://www.bissell.com/ProductDetail.aspx?id=2443
Its a BISSELL and we love it-we got the one that cleans pet hair-we don't have a pet but my hair is all over our rug! Also, it is bagless and has an adjustable dial that can do bare floor or carpet in varying degrees. We bought it at LOWES because they had like a $20 rebate or something which made it more attractive-but we bought another one as well!!! Its a little pricey but totally worth it. Happy cleaning!!!

Unfortunately, the only great vacuums are expensive. Period.

I had a Hoover that we paid around 250 for and it was clunky and heavy. I thought that was alot for a vac. After years of frustration we broke down and bought a Dyson. It isn't perfect but it really picks up the dirt and dust.

Good luck!!

I love my Bissell Healthy home vacuum. We have 2 kids with allergy induced asthma , a long haired dog and a cat. It kicks dog hair's butt. And I use it on my hardwood floors and it does great. My mom has a Dyson and it's not as good as my Bissell.

I don't think new non bagless exists.

Hi Theresa,
I would love to find out if there is a vacuum out there that REALLY works without breaking the bank.
I have no rugs in my home, mostly hardwood floors. I always find that what they don't suck up they kick out the back.
I am guessing central vac works the best?
J.

I've heard the dyson animal is a GREAT vacuum, but, like you, I am not willing to shell out close to $600 for something that gives me absolutely no enjoyment!! However, I do have an Oreck XL (with a bag) that I purchased several years ago for about $300 from, I think, QVC. It's a terrific vacuum, and still runs like new. With that said, you may be able to get a good deal on it if you shop around online--I think QVC still carries it, and they probably have a good price on it. The bag is wonderful--bagless vacs just clog up in my opinion. The only drawback is that the oreck doesn't have attachments for getting baseboards and such, but mine came with a handheld vac as well, which has been great for the stairs and baseboards. It's a powerful set of vacuums. Even my husband likes 'em!
Hope this helps!
-T

I love my Kenmore Progressive Upright vacuum from SEARS....here is a link to one that you may be interested in....good luck!

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/search_10153_12605?keyword=ken...=

I love my Kirby. I just don't like their sales practices. If I ever get another one, I will probably go to my vacuum cleaner store and purchase a slightly used one. Mine is 23 years old an works like it did the day I bought it for $700. People thought I was crazy back then. I wouldn't own anything else.

Dear Theresa, The best vacuum I ever had was an Electrolux and yes it is expensive. I now use a Eureka, contour which was under $100. I do not have pet hair or berber but it works well on regular carpet and hardwood floors ( also needs a bag) Grandma Mary

We swear by our Dyson. I wouldn't buy another vaccuum cleaner but that personally. Well worth the money.

Theresa,
Go back to the centeral vac, I have had mine for almost 20 years and would never trade it for anything in the world. It is so funny that you posted this, my husband and I were just talking about what we would do if ours every stopped working. A few years ago my older son ordered me a new hose on-line from a company out of MA, it was a generic hose not that that matters because it works just as good as my Electrolux hose did. Anyway the company he ordered from has everything from parts to complete systems and their prices are not bad at all. We told a friend of ours about them, her husband ordered their central vac from them and installed it himself (after he looked at how our outlets are set up). If you decide you want the name of this company let me know and I will gladly give it to you. I called them when I needed attachments after my lovely Black Lab chewed them. LOL Gotta love that puppy stage.) LOL
Hugs,
T.

I bought a Riccar (from a store that carries Oreck, but it is not an Oreck brand) from a vacuum store - not a Target or Walmart purchase. It was about $400. But it is Wonderful! It is NOT bagless (I hate those too; we had one for awhile and emptying it just made a bigger mess by the trashcan and made me sneeze every time).

Mine came with a smaller handheld (with a strap) that has a hose so I can do drapes, furniture and vacuum out the car as well. The vacuum itself is an upright and it is light like an Oreck (under 12 lbs). Has hepa filtration too. It picks up dog hair (we have a german shepherd) like a dream. It is so lightweight that my kids are able to use it without help as well (even when my smallish daughter was only 7).

A Dyson is worth every penny. Watch for the sales at Target! LOVE IT!

I had a Kirby(pricey) that lasted 25 years, and they gave me $100 as a trade-in when I bought my present one(10 years ago). I tried the top-of-the-line from Sears before buying my second Kirby, and took it back after 1 use. You can get a used one with plenty of suck left in it at a repair shop, or bite the bullet and get a new one. I wouldn't own anything else.

LOL... I did a lot of research on this for a long time b/c I was as aggravated as you were. I almost bought the Dyson, but a lot of people complain that it falls apart after a while.

After much debate, I ended up buying an Electrolux Oxygen Canister from Amazon. It was in the low $300 range and they shipped it for free. I LOVE IT!!

Here is the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Electrolux-EL-7020B-Canister-Vacuum...

I just got a Dyson and it definitely has a STRONG suction. I've only used it a couple of times so can't say for sure but I think it does what everyone says it does. It's bagless and it comes with a 5 year warranty. Just be sure to buy it at a licensed dealer b/c if you dont the warranty is void and null. I almost bought it for 30 bucks cheaper on ebay and then realized that that 30 is not worth losing a 5 year warranty for. if you go to dyson.com, it tells you which online and store retailers are licensed. plus we have a longhaired dog but didnt get the animal b/c its more $$ and the only difference is that it has an extra attachment for getting the hair off of your couch, around stair corners, etc. we didnt really need this so we went with the all floors. good luck!

I'd like to know, too!

I like my electrolux, have had it for 18 years. I've had it serviced, which keeps it working better and longer. You can go to a service shop and buy a used one.