I’m looking to replace my old (heavy as hell) vacuum cleaner. I want something that is more lightweight and easy to maneuver. I prefer it not require bags as I hate changing those suckers. It doesn’t need to be heavy duty. I’ve looked at so many reviews on so many different brands and I gave up and came here to see if I could get some recommendations. I don’t want to spend more than a couple hundred dollars.
I have this Dyson (I have 2 cats) and I love it. No bags, decent design and materials and still going strong after 4 years. Still looks new. Has plenty of suck. Comes with lots of attachments to clean furniture, corners, etc. It’s more than you said you wanted to spend but I think it’s an excellent machine and worth the extra money, especially if you have pets.
We just got this Dyson and I haven’t actually used it yet, but if you take the tube off of it, it looks like a cool space gun prop, so that’s a definite plus.
I have a Shark Navigator lift away that I just love. Keeps its suction (it has had heavy use for 2 years) and does a great job on dog hair. There have been advancements in the time I have had mine, so the current models are even more impressive.
I bought a $90 Elite Rewind at Walmart several years ago and I’m quite happy with it.
The reviews said the biggest problem was the belt breaking. About two years into owning it, it appeared that had happened. Bought 4 belts for something like $6. Opened the machine and the belt had simply slipped off. Happened again a couple of months ago, same thing. Not a big deal.
Pull the container full of cat hair and dust off, dump it directly into a plastic bag and into the trash.
I got an Electrolux Precision Brushroll Clean not long ago online for about $200. It’s been fantastic so far. Bagless, fairly lightweight, long reach wand, and has this great feature that self cleans all the crap that winds itself around the beater bar.
It was a top pick on CNET.com.
Shark Navigator. I have pet hair, big time. This thing has attachments for pet hair. It’s also cheap. Now it has this little glitch, that sometimes it will just stop working, and you have to wait 45 minutes before trying to start it again. I have one for upstairs and one for downstairs, just in case one of them doesn’t start up again (and of course for that 45 minute interval). They cost about $120 but I got the last one on sale, for $90.
No bags. You do, of course, have to empty a compartment. It’s clear, so you can see when it needs to be emptied.
I don’t think it has a HEPA filter, though.
I have both the Dysons listed. I love them. You can get them at CostCo for less and with extras (extra attachments usually). I thought I would hate dumping the container into the trash, but it’s not bad. My Hoover’s and Kenmore’s would end up smelling up the entire house when I ran them (pet hair or dirt in the motor?). Not an issue with these. I’ve had the larger one for 6 years now. The cordless holds a charge forever and is very convenient for stairs, and furniture, and the car, and curtains and all kinds of things.
I highly endorse the Dysons.
Surprising no one has mentioned it but if you like high tech consider the Roomba, autonomous robotic vacuum cleaner:
Pinplpl
:dubious:
Sorry, typo. Meant to write “covfefe”.
Start making everyone take their shoes off and leave them at the front door. Double the lifetime of your new vacuum.
FWIW, I just got a cheap ($150) but well rated robot vacuum, and it’s a total game changer. Freshly vacuumed floors daily is a total luxury.
With that in mind, they designed for daily maintainence, not deep cleaning.
Shark Navigator Lift-Away. The purple one. I’m on my second one, because we left the other behind when we moved cross-country. It sucks like you wouldn’t believe and is easy to carry around.
We had another Shark right after we moved here–a white one–and I was less happy with it. It seemed to fall apart every time I tried to carry it up or down stairs, its hose was way too short to be useful for anything, and its head was wider so it didn’t get into as many spaces.
We have 4 cats, so the V8 Dyson is our tool of choice. Powerful, 45 minutes on a charge and not too heavy. The attachments are first-rate as well, especially the mini-head for furniture.
Oh yeah. I just got rid of a Sears canister vac that I’ve been cursing for years and bought the Shark. Well designed and does a great job on both carpet and floors. The lift away feature of the dirt canister is a plus for vacuuming out the car.
Lots of great recommendations. Thanks. I’ll be doing a little more research and making my decision and purchase this weekend.
What a timely thread. 
I need to buy a vacuum myself, and my criteria included lightweight and inexpensive, plus o have pets … And here you all are already, with suggestions and recommendations about exactly what I need!
I love this place.
The Dyson V8 Absolute stick vacuum is really fantastic (but quite expensive). I prefer it to our regular heavy vacuum. The dirt canister is small, so if you’re doing the whole house you’ll have to empty it a couple of times, but it’s easy. The vacuum is very lightweight and easy to maneuver, and has great suction. Consumer Reports also recommended it about 6 months ago.