I need a new vacuum like yesterday LOL. But seriously... I had a dirt devil swivel glide. I like it alot but I've tore up 2 of them in the last 5 years. I'm not even sure if they are still available. I thought about going bagless but my husband says bad idea, too many filters that get clogged up and junk. So alittle about me,my family,house and cleaning habits! I vacuum frequently (so it will get alot of use). We have 3 kids 10,6 & 4 and they like to make messes! The 2 girls have long hair , one has very thick long hair that ofcourse comes out when brushed so we usually find her hair all over. I also have 3 dogs and a cat in the house so even more hair. I have low to medium carpet, lamenant and ceramic tile floors, as well as area rugs, etc. We live in a raised ranch so everyone tracks up the stairs to come into our house. It is a curved staircase so a real pain in the you know where to vacuum with a regular upright sweeper. I want something that is lightweight and easy to push, manuver,etc. It has to do a great just picking up pet hair. I like the idea of bagless because I have sucked up more than one barbie shoe before I realized it was too late (we have polly pockets too and those shoes are even harder to see in the carpet) and I also like the idea of the washable filter. I hate dirty filters but buying the things were a pain. I would like to stay around $100.... the cheaper the better but I don't want to have to buy another vacuum in a year so moms what do you suggest. Pros,cons. Vacs you love/hate. Etc...give me all the dirty (and clean) details about your vacuums!
Thanks
I purchased a eureka pet pal (its purple) from walmart for under $80. It is bagless and AMAZING! I swept with my old vacuum because we had a new roof put on and the roofer beat down all kinds of stuff from the ceiling and I bought more vacuum bags for my old one while trying to make my decision of what vacuum to get. It doesn't work well but got me through until I made my decision. I could not afford (or convince my husband that we needed) a dyson or other such expensive vacuum.
Anyway- I had vacuumed with the old vacuum then put together the new one. I swept up a almost full container or nasty dirt and hair just from the rug back my back (kitchen) door. It was totally gross. So then I moved into the livingroom. Oh my- I emptied that thing about 5 times- the carpet looked clean before I used it but obviously it was NOT. I could probably keep going over and over it but I got tired. It is super easy to push- self propelled and amazing suction. I do need to clean out the filter already- only used it yesterday and today. The attachments are great (work great) and are stored very nicely on the vacuum. I highly recommend this. I am not sure if it will last years and years but for $80 who cares. It works great! My grandmother has had this vacuum for several months and she still loves hers as well. Still works as good as when she got it!
Thanks for all your recommendations but this one is it!
I have had a Simplicity vacuum for about 13 years now and I love it. I've never had a bit of trouble with it and it runs like a champ.
I love my Sanitaire upright and canister. The guy at the vacuum store recommended it even with more expensive options out there. It's been great and the canister is nice b/c then I don't have to drag tools around with me all the time.
Great question, I'm going to need a vacuum too. I would suggest you go to a vacuum repair shop and at see what they would recommend. At the very least you will learn what not to buy. Cheap is not always best. I'd spend more in hopes that it would last longer and work better. Good luck.
you get what you pay for. when I was spending 100 I was replacing my vacuum every 1 or 2 years. WHen I spent 400 I got a vacuum that lasted 10 years and that was because of a flood. Check consumer magazines. Things change all the time. If you have a lot of allergies check out an allergy website for suggestions. I have a riccar vacuum and I love it.
I have a dyson, and I hate it. The beater brush is useless and with my long hair I have to clean it off evertime I use it. Don't waste your money.
You get what you pay for. For $100, I don't think you will be able to find a good vac that will last for years unless you spend more. At $100, you will need to keep purchasing vacs. I have heard great things about the Dyson Animal. I don't have any pets, so I just have the Dyson. I love my Dyson. I prefer the bagless because I don't have to worry about having replacement bags.
Good luck.
R.
Boy, do I hear you! I have 3 dogs and two cats and long hair, and finding a good, affordable vacuum has been haaaaaard. I have had a Bissell Pet (bagless), a Eureka (bagless), a Dyson (bagless and waaaaaay overpriced), and a Hoover widepath (bagged) in the last 8 years. After my 3 bagless ones, I can tell you that the convenience of a bagless is NOT WORTH the extra allergens in the air - even with a hepa filter, they send a lot more dust particles into the air and lose suction more quickly. I am allergic to dogs (go figure), so I need to keep my house pretty clean of dog-hair. My Hoover vacuum (which was a Consumer Reports best buy) is the only one that has sufficiently accomplished that for me. All of the bagless worked well enough at first, but they quickly decrease in quality. I highly recommend the Hoover Widepath, which runs about $75 on Amazon, but even if you decide to go with another (I've heard good things about the Riccor too), I would still stay away from the bagless.
I went through a ton of vacuums before I got my Dyson wanting to "save money". I had to buy one about once a year.
I have had my Dyson for 3 years now and it is still working like a charm. It does have a washable filter and is bagless. I will never buy another "cheap" vacuum again. I vacuumed with my last vacuum which was only 6 months old (I got the Dyson for my asthma issues), then vacuumed with the Dyson......I couldn't believe what was in the canister!!!! It actually had more dirt in that canister than the old vacuum had in its canister! That sold me, forever!
I would say get something cyclonic. I just bought a Bissel with cyclonic action and it picks up so much more than my orignal filtered old one. The old one had three filders the new one has two. I clean out the filters every time I do a full vacuume and the suction never reduces and you can wipe them out completely with water so no dust is left. It is great! Let us know what you go with!
You can't go wrong with a Dyson. They are expensive, BUT totally worth it. They are bagless and easy to clean the filter. It just pops out and you rinse it under water. I have a golden retriever, plus I also shed a lot as well and we have had it for 5 years no problems!
J...... I know that you wanted cheap but I don't have a cheap idea for you.... what I have is a knowledge of a great vacuum. If you ever get a chance to purchase a Miele.... do that. They are a little pricey but well worth it. We use them in our cleaning business. They are lightweight, canister vacuums that come with attachments and tools for just about every job. You can get them with hepa filters and the bags last quite awhile. Like I said... they are pricey but even the smallest one are powerful workhorses that are well worth getting. Please check out their website and look at the reviews at www.mieleusa.com. I have a severely asthmatic child and others in my household with bad allergies and even at home the miele is great. Not to mention removing the bag is quick, easy and dust free because the bags have a pull type closer that seals the bag to reduce dust particles. Oh.... just a little added note. We are not severely or over religious or even superstitious but my mom would always say, "I would never buy anything called dirt "devil". I don't want any devils in my house" is what she said! LOL!
i would highly recommend the dyson animal hair. It is bagless, but we've only cleaned the filters like twice in 6 years. We have long haired dogs & we do have to cut the fur off the brush fairly frequently, but it beats me blowing the motor after a month with other vacuums. We would buy a new one tomorrow if this one died.
Go with a Dyson - I have long hair as does my daughter, AND we have a long haired cat. We've had it 2+ years and it is awesome! Bagless & washable filter. More money, but definitely worth every cent.You will spend $100 5x over if you stick with cheap vacuums. We learned our lesson the hard way, looking for the cheaper models.
I'm not surprised by the amount of people suggesting the Dyson and I'm going to second (seventh? ha!) their opinions.
I will NEVER buy a different vacuum. I've had mine for almost 4 years and haven't had any problems with it. It empties easily, you rinse the filter out once in a while and it picks up hair like you wouldn't believe. (I have the Dyson Ball - my mom has the Dyson Animal and feels the same love.) I have 4 cats and one dog and when I first started using it, I was appalled at how much fur I was getting up that my old vacuum had been missing!
Lowes matches prices + 10% and coupons so we waited until it was on sale at Bed, Bath & Beyond, then went to Lowes with the BB&B ad and their 20% off coupon that they send out. We ended up getting 30% off of the BB&B sale price at Lowes! They were going for around $500 then and I think we paid like $300.
Mine is a little heavy but they have a lighter version out now if it's a concern for you.
Anyway, yes it is more than $100 but it's worth every penny!
I have the Dyson Animal-17. I almost purchased The Dyson Ball but went with the Animal because we have a dog and cat. It's awesome! I was shocked at how much gunk my old vacuum was missing. The unit I have has a button that turns the beater brush on and off so when I leave my carpet areas and head on to deal with the tile or wood floors I simply hit the button and turn the brush off. It works great - no brooming and no dust pan. Using the attachement is a snap, it's part of the vacuum's handle so just lift it out and off you go. I can vacuum and deal with baseboards and corners in no time. My favorite feature is the dirt resevoir. The whole thing comes off and with an easy push of a button, the bottom hinges open and the dirt falls out. I can empty the dust and junk out into the trash without a major dust cloud.
I highly recommend a Dyson. No bags to change and the tools are right there on board. I know approx 7-8 people with them and we all love them. A little more than $100 but you will not have to replace so often.
Good Luck.
I don't know where you live, but in Cleveland area I know of more than one shop that repairs sewing machines and vacuum cleaners, and sell reconditioned vacuum cleaners - old models that don't have all the plastic parts that keep breaking. They are more reliable and do a great job. They would sell the bags needed for them, too. Check it out.
I have to agree with several other comments... a Dyson is expensive at first but will last you a really long time. I've had mine 5 years and it's still going strong. And we don't clean the filter quite as often as we should LOL! They are tough and worth the money.
HI J.! I HATE my Dyson and wish I had never bought it.
CONS:
The hose is packed in so tight that it never reaches very far without tipping over the vaccum.
The attachments are worthless and the suction is greatly reduced while using them.
The "easy open bagless canister" needs to be opened outside otherwise it spews dust into the air.
It's completely worthless on hardwood floors.
If I could, I would buy an Oreck or Miele.....if I really had money to spend, I would buy a Rainbow vaccum system.
Good luck in your search! A vaccum is often a long term relationship! :)
I'm surprised about all the comments about getting a Dyson. IMO they are overpriced and gimmicky. My MIL has one and I think it doesn't work that well, IMO. :)
I have an Oreck XL. Expensive, yes... but I get annual cleanings every year for Free for 10 years. Tune-ups really extend the life of any machine. Can't get that from a dept. store vac. It works great. Also, they are made in the USA. It is light weight (only 8 lbs) and is easy to take upstairs and downstairs. The little cannister vac (with the hoses and attachments) works great too.
I think Sears has begun selling them. I am not sure if you bought one there if you'd get tune-ups.... I bought one at the Oreck store, and would recommend doing that.
PS - I know you'd like to stay under $100 but what is more economical, buying a new $100 vac every year, or buying one that's about $300 and keeping it for at least 10 years? ;)
Bissell. Dirt Devils and Dysons were terrible, and I've tried a few of them. We have 3 Bissells, all working, and we love them. We have 3 dogs in the household, too.
We've had a Dyson Animal for 5 years. It was almost $600 (the cost has come way down). We have had NO problems with it whatsoever. It didn't have great recommendations on Consumer Reports, but we bought it because we'd had some issues with other brands.
We love it, and I know of at least 3 other people who've gotten one and love them, too.
Dyson Animal! If you have a Bed Bath & Beyond near you buy it there with the 20% off coupons they always have. We've had ours for about 4 years and I couldn't be happier!
I didn't read the other responses, but I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess you may have heard this one already, lol. You need a Dyson Animal (the purple and gray one). I swear the more I read your posts its like you're writing about my life, lol. I went through a Eureka, a Hoover and a Dirt Devil (all around the $100 range) in the course of about 2 years. We had a husky (he has since passed) and a cat and 4 kids (9, 6, 20 moinths and 2 months). I asked for a Dyson for Christmas 2 years ago and it has been the best purchase we've ever made. It was around $500 but soooo worth it. Sticking with my other vacuuming methods I would be aobut $300 deep in other vacuums by now anyway and on my way to buying another. It is a canister and it is super easy to empty and clean. It also has a washable filter that only needs washing every 6 months...really simple, rinse with hot water until the water runs clear and let it dry overnight. The attachment hose is contained in the handle and pulls out and retracts super easy. It is long enough that I can put the vacuum at the bottom of my stairs and vacuum all 11 of the first set of stairs, the landing and the 3 stairs that make the corner to the second floor. It also has a button that shuts off the roller brushes so I can vacuum bare floors as well. Very convenient and the suction is just as awesome now (2 years later) as it was the first time I used it. The best way to describe how great the suction is...you know the marks your furniture leaves in the carpet from sitting too long? When I pull the recliners out and vacuum under them (which I do about once a week), the Dyson acutally pulls the indented carpet back up to the normal height! I've never seen a vacuum do that...ever! Oh, and as far as clogging...I actually sucked up a toddler sock (and not with the hose either)the other day and it just kept on going...not one clog and it was right there in the canister when I emptied it.
Well I was the same way and believe me i tried them all and after a year they broke down.I bought a dyson ball,the animal one and got it brand new on ebay for 250.00.It was the best 250 i ever spent,they have lifetime warranties and work wonderfully I never want to go back to anything else.Yes they are bagless and have a filter but very easy to dump out. Good Luck!!!!
I have a Kenmore canister vac that I got at KMart. It was more than $100, but less than 200, I dont remember exactly, but it is a great vacuum. I saw a Consumer Reports mag at a friends recently and it listed it in the top 10 for best overall cleaning. I love it.
We also have the Dyson Animal vac and love it. My mom went through 3 vacs of other brands in the 5 years that we have had ours and finally broke down and bought one herself and loves it. They are expensive though but we used some of our wedding money to purchase it years ago and are so glad we did. I have long thick hair that gets everywhere, we have 2 kids and 2 cats so it gets used a lot. The best part is that it has so many places where a piece of the tubing can pop off if something gets stuck, you never have to worry about it clogging and not being able to get to it to clean it out...there really isn't a place you can't get to.
more expensive, but AWESOME..... get a dyson! I have had mine for...2yrs and never an issue. You don't have to buy filters, you wash the filter in it every 6months. Much love to your husband but I suspect he isn't the one who does all the vacuuming and he is crazy! Bag less is the best way to go! The suctions is still as strong as the day I bought it, I have never had any clogs or anything.
Ok....I will not tell you which vac to buy....I will tell you to go to Sears and TRY each vac. Dump all the dirt on the floor (use the bagless ones to dump from) and actually TRY each one!! That is how i got the one i have. See how easily it picks up the dirt....how heavy it is, how long the cords are, how easily it tips over(have a friend how bought one and it is awful for tipping). Also try the attachments and see how they pick up. Same friend....attachments for the stairs...TERRIBLE for picking up. Really cannot do the stairs with the attachments with her vac. So try them out....write notes....go home and review....go back and do it another day. I did this for several weeks. :) They want your business so they will not mind.
I have 6 kids and foster service dogs and have our own puppy....5 of the 6 are girls!! Needless to say, we vac a lot!!! I ended up after many hours of trying and all...the Dyson was truly the best for picking up. It had the longest cord and it had the longest attachments for doing the stairs. I can vac my stairs and the vac can stay at the bottom of the stairs and not tip over. :) It is easy to dump and no bags to buy!! I will say however, your reason for wanting a bagless vac...barbie shoes.....it is not a great experience to have to sift through all that yucky dirt!!! I would have to say, i would truly not go through the dirt unless it was something VERY valuable or something we could not live without!! lol
As far as filters are concerned, i just pull mine out and wash it. It should not really need to be replaced. I like the idea of not worrying about bags. IF you do go with a bagged vac, make sure you check the price of the bags BEFORE you buy!! Some of them are very expensive!!!
Ok, i hope i helped you out a little..... :)
Blessings!!
G.
I had a dirt devil bagless--the one that is between $55-$75. It actually worked great with my LONG hair and dog with long hair. The filter was another story and I didn't really care for it but I never had trouble with the suction and leaving hair. I did have to finally put it away and get a new one b/c it didn't stay locked upright. It fell over ALL the time...while we were wrapping the cord up our heads would get hit regularly.
I got the Dyson Animal. It's suction works on ALL floors (I have a variety of floors and carpeting also). It's pricey though.
My "mother in law" (sons grandma) LOVES her Hoover. It uses bags. It's older but she loves it. I find it very hard to push on thicker carpet. Again hers was probably $150-$200 years ago.
