Vaccuum Cleaner Recomendations

I have heard good things about the Shark Navigator ($200) which is more in my price range than a Dyson. They have a pretty convincing infomercial too.

Dyson, Dyson, Dyson! I hated vacuuming before I got my first one. I had the Animal in a house with three cats, now in my apartment, and one cat, I have the yellow one (DC07). So easy to use and really gets the place clean! Just this week I used the hose and extender to get the cobwebs from my ceilings. I wouldn't buy anything else.

Get yourself a Dyson. I've had it for 3 years and vacuum 2x per week and it still has the same suction. It also has really good suction on the hose which is really nice. Good luck!

There was a question about this a few weeks ago, and almost everyone recommended a Dyson Animal (purple one).

That's what we've had - had it for almost 6 years and love it. We paid about $600 at the time, but the prices have come way down. We'd done all the research on Consumer Reports, and they didn't give it great marks. We tried it at the store, brought it home and have recommended to everyone since then. It's held up well including falls down the stairs. I don't foresee that we'll need to replace it anytime soon.

C. - there's a vaccuum store in Bloomington on Lyndale avenue just north of 98th street. They have a fabulous selection of vaccuum cleaners and the staff is very knowledgeable. I purchased my vaccuum there over 20 years ago and it's still going. When I need new parts or repair, they'll capable of rebuilding the whole thing if necessary.

I highly recommend you check out this store!

I recently did the vacuum hunt. I was NOT going to pay $500-$600 for a vacuum..I am just too practicle for that. I am hard on vacuums...but am not sure how you all go thru them in a year or 2. I do home childcare and vacuum once or twice a day! I have a long haired cat..and until 2 years ago, also had a massive shedding dog (160 pound double coated Newfoundland!)..so I have all of the worst extremes!

I have had 2 vacuums in 18 years! Both were Dirt Devils.

But I recently got a Shark Navigator and I love it. It is light, has great suction and I am absolutely amazed at what it brings out of my carpet. I can empty the canister..then vacuum another room and there is crud ...lots of it...gross but facinating at the same time!

I am extremely pleased with my purchase. My hubby is the researching type...read all the reviews, etc...grilled the salesmen....and this is what I decided on. Cost just under $200 on sale ($186 I think..at Sears MOA right after Christmas)

I absolutely love my Kirby. My father gave me one he refurbished from the 80's. It has never broke down. It gets great suction and the beater bar gets all the pet hair the first time. It has bags which I like better. The canisters started stinking after awhile. Just couldn't quite clean them like I like too.

We bought the dyson animal and it is awesome! In fact we used to have the windtunnel before and after we saw how much more the dyson picked up, it kind of grossed me out! It is pricey around $500, but I believe it was a VERY good investment!!

I would look on consumer reports and see where they rate different vacuums before purchasing one.

Hi C.. I never ever buy anything electronic without consulting Consumer Reports and reading the ratings. Dyson actually receives a HORRIBLE rating!!! The one that I bought that received excellent ratings is the Eureka Smart Boss. I got it for a little over $100, and I LOVE IT!!! Consumer Reports gave it great ratings for everything from pet hair to the quietness. I was surprised at how it actually was quieter than other vacuums I've owned. So, don't listen to anyone who hasn't checked out CR, because all you're getting are opinions. I have recommended Eureka to 3 people now who have all bought it and they all said it's the best vacuum they've owned. All those people know I check CR, so they knew I had checked things out

My first choice from now on since having one installed would be a Central Vacuum System. Yes they are a little pricey, but well worth the investment. After having one in my home for about 3 years now, I will never buy another home without one. They are super powerful, you don't have to lug a vacuum up and down stairs if you have them, and the majority of the vacuum noise is in the garage where the dirty dusty canister is mounted. I realize this is probably not what you were thinking, but doesn't buying vacuums every couple of years get old and frustrating? Plus, the money you are spending at that rate would pay for a system that works really well and lasts. One option is to get the system installed then search Ebay or other websites for good deals on vacuum heads and attachments. If this isn't a route you want to check out then my second suggestion would be a Kirby. That is what we had for several years before we had our CV system installed. They are built to last and do a great job. The newer models are nothing like the one your grandmother owned. They are made lighter now, so you don't break a sweat with the first room you vacuum. We tried a Dyson once, and it was just a bunch of plastic like all the other "innovative" vacuums out there. Good luck in your vacuum hunt.

We have an Oreck and it is really good, pricey but good! However....my DH recently bought a 5HP RIDGID shop vac from home depot and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! It was only $70 and it sucks up everything! They all come standard with all sorts of attachments for the floor, so essentially it is just like a vacuum. It is small enough to fit in the bottom of my coat closet and wheels so EASY!

I have yet to plug in my Oreck since having the shop vac...it does in between the coach cushions and the stairs and the edges along the walls and everything....they sell a "wet mop" attachment separately and I can not wait to buy it and try it on my kitchen floor!

Might be worth a try....oh and it's fun too!

I have a Bissell that has a detachable canister which is GREAT for going upstairs. It has a canister that empties and the only drawback (if you can call it that) is that you need to be sure to replace the hepa filters periodically. My next choice if I could afford it would be a an Electrolux. My mother had one for years and it worked GREAT! She still has one just newer.

We had this problem ourselves last year. Our old vacuum finally crapped out. We got the Dyson, the yellow one, not the one with the ball, and we LOVE it. It was pricier, but we used our 20% off coupon at Bed Bath and Beyond, even though it says on the coupon it's not for Dyson, they took it anyway. It's quieter and picks up a lot of junk, and doesnt get clogged as easily by my long hair as the old one did.

I've had both bagless and bag vaccuums before. Overall I like the bags because I hated viewing the dirt/dust I picked up when emptying a dirt trap. BUT it's much harder to retrieve items that were not suppose to be vaccuumed up from a bag. What works best for a hardwood or tile floor is not what works best for a carpet, or carpeted stairs, or curtains. My Mom has a small single story house with a basement and she just LOVES her whole house vaccuuming system she had installed. I'd research on Consumer Reports and I'd read user comments on Amazon for individual models/brands. Only then can you decide what will work best for your particular needs. (PS - My husband LOVES his Sears wet/dry shop vac for the garage, and cars.)

Ok, I am the Queen of vaccuums!! LOL I currently have a Kenmore canister and I like that for hard surfaces, I use this everyday. I also have a Kirby for my carpets. This is great, but I would never buy one again!! Way to much money and they are SO heavy.
One vaccuum that I had and LOVED what the Hoover windtunnel bagless. It picked up dirt like mad!! You could see the sand it picked up out of the carpet and I am someone who vaccums everyday.
Of all the vaccums though I keep going back to the Sears Kenmore tow behind canister. I like to be able to change from hard surface, to carpet and and change ends quickly. Only thing is I find they only last about 2-3 years.
Hope this helps.

When I bought my Eureka Boss SmartVac 4 years ago, it was the top recommendation on Consumer Reports, above even the Dyson (which I have tried and personally dislike). I LOVE my Eureka!!! It works really well, has great attachments, and my 3- and 7-year old can use it. It is also very reasonably priced.

I agree with everyone. Dyson all the way. I've had our Dyson Animal now for 6 years. It's great on hardwood & carpet. It's a bit more expensive to start but well worth it! I have 2 young children & a big shedding dog. I don't know what we do without it!