Whoever’s second isn’t even close. By coincidence, our Dyson came just after we finished vacuuming the living room carpet with a high-dollar Hoover. When we saw what the Dyson picked up, we gave the high-dollar Hoover to a neighbor.
Forgot to mention… it also does great on wood floors. And I really like the thoughtfulness that was put in its design. Guys like it because it’s like one of those robot toys where you can move the parts all around and make new things out of it.
Right now I have a 12-AMP Bissel Powerforce (but yes, what I really want is a Dyson!). I also have a Himalayan cat. Who sheds copiously.
I got the thing at Walmart (the vacuum, not the kitty 
) for around $50. That was two years ago, and it still works great. Our thought was “for $50, if it dies, it dies”. But so far, so good.
I’ve never spent more than about $80 for a vacuum cleaner in my life, and the carpets still seem to get clean.
Anyhow, if you can get to a Sears early tomorrow morning, they’ve got their $80 Kenmore on sale for $35.99 from 7-10am. It’s model #33079, an upright, the sales flyer says. I can’t guarantee that they have the exact same vacuum on sale in NY as here in MD, but these things are usually pretty much the same nationwide. I dunno what sort of on-board tools it has, but pretty much all the vacs have the basic brush/crevice tool/curtain cleaner combo these days.
I’ve got nothing bad to say about inexpensive Kenmore vacs. They tend to suck like a cheap crackwhore. Of course, I’ve only had two of them, but I got the first one in the mid-1980s, and got the second when the first one died. So they last pretty well, is what I’m sayin’.
It’s a pain in the ass, but I really like my Rainbow.
Awesome, thank you, RTFirefly. I’m not sure we have a Sears in NYC but there may be one in train distance!
[quoteThey tend to suck like a cheap crackwhore. Of course, I’ve only had two of them, but I got the first one in the mid-1980s, and got the second when the first one died.[/QUOTE]
Um. You are still talking about the vacs, right?
Is that good? 
I suppose I could clarify in terms of chrome and trailer hitches.
choie - try the store locator to find the nearest one. They’ve got stores in Brooklyn and Jersey City, it says there. Good luck!
Correct. Ask anyone who cleans carpets for a living. They’ll tell you that the best maintenance is regular vacuuming for dust. Failure to do this routine maintenance will eventually cause the carpet to fail.
When you buy a cheaper vacuum cleaner, be aware that for most machines under $300.00, many of the moving parts are plastic-and they will wear out under heavy use. For example, our Hoover canister vac does a good job-but the beater brush bearings are nylond plastic-and the wheels as well. When these wear out (and my wife vacuums twice a week), they most liely will be not replaceable. My Dad has a Regina (cheap crap)-he tried to fix it, but all of the plactis parts cracked and broke-he actually epoxied it back together!
That is why it is worth buying an expensive machine-the moving parst are made of metal, and will last-and if not, they at least aRe repairable!
Are the wheels on the DYSON plastic?
My theory on vacuuming is that the best vacuum you can buy is the one you use a lot. Since I found dragging my old cheapo canister vac out of the closet a royal pain, I chose a :shudder: cordless vacuum from Eureka. No cords to get in the way, it’s small enough to leave hanging on the wall, charging, and you don’t need super duper suction to get cat hair and dust off a hardwood floor. The charge will also last a lot longer than it will take to vacuum your entire studio.
The biggest pain I have now is emptying the small dirt bin, but it’s a far sight less of a hassle than dealing with a cord.
Right on brother!
When I went shopping for a vacuum I went to a vacuum repair shop. To sum up the conversation in a few sentances… If you the best bang for your buck i.e. reliabilty w/ a very good cleaning job… go with a hoover upright. if you want the best suction and can spend money… Dyson.
Try out the TOL DYSON. Get an in home demonstration if at all possible. I have a central vac that replaced a drag along Electrolux ‘pig.’ When the CV goes out a Dyson will be given serious consideration.
My daugher will be moving soon and will probably want a Dyson.
Given the thread title, the only possible answer is a Dyson.
According to their advertising, they never lose suction.
The concept used in a dyson has been around for a long time but I haven’t seen it in a vacuum cleaner in 40 some years. Nothing wrong with it but it doesn’t make it pick up dirt any more than a “regular” vacuum cleaner. Some things to consider when comparing models:
- The more expensive models will have a higher hp motor and therefore greater suction. You are limited to motor size by the amperage loads found in your house. Nobody is going to make a vacuum cleaner that exceeds a 15 amp circuit.
-uprights are, IMO easier to use on rugs. All high quality uprights come with hose attachments and accessories so things like turbo brushes should be considered highly desireable.
-bagless systems are more prone to leak, which makes a mess. The dyson style of cleaner being the possible acception. Even with the Dyson you are subject to a dust plume when emptying it out. Not a plus for allergy sufferers. You vacuumed for a reason and reintroducing the dust into the air defeats the purpose of vacuuming.
-serviceability is desireable. Uprights are belt driven and you WILL throw a belt when Johnny’s toys jam up the works. The ease of access to the roller brush is a minor but somewhat important consideration.
My recommendation is to keep to the $300 and under price range and go for an upright with bags. It will store easier than a canister and make less of a mess with bags. The Dyson may be a nice vacuum but it is overpriced and the dirt canister looks small compared to a similar sized vacuum with bags. I have cats and my Panasonic does what it is supposed to do. My only complaint is that the high hp motor sucks the hose so hard that it’s hard to extend it out. You don’t need that much suction for dusting but its nice for doing chairs.
How funny that I would have read this thread earlier today!
Did any of you see Saturday Night Live tonight?
One of their fake ads was about the Dyson Toilet. It was funny as hell.
E3
That sounds hillarious! If his toilet is anything like his vacuum cleaner, I imagine it would be like opening a window in a plane at 30,000 feet.