I am a stay-home-mom with one 4 years old who bring sands, dirt and everything in between back home from preschool, one almost 1 year old who been crawling around the house and a husband who doesn't know how to clean after himself... I have my Hoover Windtunnel vacuum cleaner for couple years now. It has been very difficult to vacuum around the house (we got both hard wood and carpet) and the stairs, because it's REALLY heavy and big to carry around, especially up the stairs... With this vacuum cleaner, I never really feel I clean the carpet very thoroughly... I have been searching for a vacuum which is light weight, good suctions and easy to move around the house... But I have a very hard time to figure out what's good or bad with all the different kind of vacuum cleaners out there. It's very confusing... I have friends who suggested the Dyson Ball Series and Shark Navigator... What I like to ask is what do you think about either of them, what vacuum cleaner do you have and do you love your vacuum cleaner??? PLEASE HELP...
I have a dyson and I love it. We had 3 dogs when I 1st got (one who shed a lot) and it picked up all the dog hair. It is very lighhtweight (I ahve to carry up and down stairs) and bagless.
If you can find the vacuum cleaner at Wal_mart, it's not one you want to own. Go to a local vacuum store. Tell them what your requirements are and they will set you up with vacuum that best suits your needs. ie, Miele or other nicer brand.
I went to my local vacuum store 10 years ago and spent double what I would have at Wal-Mart/Target -the ones that last for 2 years max- and was set up with my Mitey Mite and it has never failed me and sucks up cat hair like no-ones business. And obviously at this point I could have purchased 5 vacuums from the box stores and been worse off money wise. Or bought once for a little more money and not worry about a vacuum. The mitey mite suits me, but a canister might be better from what you describe for your needs. I LOVE my cleaner :) And I love my local vacuum store!
I have a Riccar upright. It is NOT bagless... I had a Hoover bagless windtunnel one before this one, and HATED it. The MESS of emptying the thing was ridiculous. And it weighed a TON.
When we finally decided to drop the $$ on a GOOD quality vacuum, my husband was pushing Oreck. The vacuum store we went to sold Oreck, and this brand, Riccar. We brought one of each home for a trial run in our own home. I didn't care for the Oreck... it suctioned so heavily to the rug that I couldn't push it very easily across the floor. Even though it wasn't heavy, it was more difficult to use than the Riccar. The Riccar is fantastic.
Like the Orecks, it only weighs about 8 lbs. We've had it 2 1/2 years and have had no problems whatsoever. It also will lay down almost completely flat to slide underneath furniture-- my old Hoover had such a thick barrel that you couldn't get it under anything much.
It picks up dog hair great (we have a German Shepherd who sheds a LOT), and when we bought it, we got the portable hand vac unit with it. (It is not a handheld vacuum, but a small shoulder strap carried unit that has a hose and attachments for the furniture, curtains, etc. My kids use it to take out to the garage and vacuum out the car.) It has been wonderful also. Easy to carry around and vacuum the blinds, too.
It cost about the same as Oreck... around $400. I never thought I would spend that on a vacuum, but I haven't regretted it for a moment.
I have a Swivel Sweeper that I use day to day to pick up crumbs. It swivels amazingly and can pick up large chunks like small rocks and cheerios. I highly recommend it. They cost about $40 and are worth every penny. They are cordless and they kids love to help use it too.
For my regular cleaning I have a Dyson Ball. I am in love with it. After going through many cheaper, heavier vacuums, I finally decided to go for a Dyson. It is very light-weight and turns on a dime. It effortlessly goes from carpet to wood and has amazing suction power. I can't imagine a better vac.
I have a high end Oreck and LOVE it. SO lightweight, I don't mind bringing it out daily and it works well.
I have a 10 yr warranty, I take it in once a year for complete cleaning, changing of hoses, etc. I can't say enough about how I love my Oreck.
My mom has Dyson and says, although it works well, she hates it because it is heavy and hard to use.
I have the Dyson Drive and love it...if the Dyson Ball is lighter--that will be my next O.. BUT I love the Dyson so much I don't mind lugging it upstairs. Super long cord means I can do each floor from O. outlet.
We have the dyson animal and we love it. But in reality any of the dyson vacuums are good. If you have pets, don't get an oreck, my mother in laws kept clogging from all of the pet hair, which meant expensive repairs. Dyson is the only vacuum that has lasted us more than 2 years. We are going on 7 with it. The warranty is great also.
I love my Kenmore canister vacuum. My mom has always had Kenmore's and they are always great!
Mine has the "pet mate" which you can use on stairs & furniture. It also has a HEPA filter.
I also have a Roomba, though I haven't used it in a while. The Roombas are good for general cleaning, but you will still need a really good vacuum for carpets.
We have a Roomba and it works great because we just turn it on and let it go. The kids stay away from it for the most part. It picks up everything on our carpet and tile. As for the Dyson, I know several people that have them and love them. Kohls right now has one of their models, not the ball one, on sale for like $310.00. They are getting ready to do their up to 30% off again starting Wednesday which would make it like $220. I am seriously considering getting it. We don't use the Roomba for all vacuuming and our current bissel works but not great.
