Just like you, I've bought a lot of vacuums over the years, and they've all fallen apart. I'm putting in a vote for the Dyson, as well. I bought the yellow one a little more than a year ago, and it really sucks! LOL But I mean that in the best possible way! The wand arm really stretches very far, and the suction never diminishes. We live in an old house with 11-foot ceilings. I can reach up to the tops of windows very easily, or leave the vacuum at the bottom of the steps and vacuum all the way to the top, including landing and turn in staircase. I never have to move the vacuum because the hose reaches so far. It's super simple to empty. You basically carry the dust bin to the trash can, pull a trigger level, and the bottom opens dropping all the dirt straight into the trash can. And if you accidentally suck up something, you can easily see it in the bin and retrieve it. And that goes for even small valuable things, like my diamond stud earrings! It's not just brightly colored Legos that show up!
It's a great vacuum, and I think it was well worth the money. I also bought the small brush/wand attachment, which I use for cleaning the radiators in our old house. Wonderful!