Can I get some help with vacuums?

[yssie]

I am the grim reaper of vacuum cleaners.

We have four cats and two dogs. A typical 1x/week vacuum takes me two hours (with one or two breaks in-between to give the motor a rest). I'm diligent about replacing bags/cleaning canisters, washing filters, etc. Half our house is carpet/rug, and I go through and pick up larger detritus, string from the dog toys, etc. beforehand - but I always still wind up peeling hair/thread out of the brushroll at the end.

Any vacuum that comes into my possession is apparently doomed. I suppose it's small mercy (from their perspectives?) that at least their deaths are final and... quick: they never last more than a few months.

I've tried a fair number of brands - Bissel, Hoover, Shark, Eureka, B&D... mostly in the $200 range, so nominally reasonably-performant but not superstars by any means. We always get the ones which specifically say "for animals" and have pictures of cute retriever puppies sitting on spotless white carpet on the front of the box... And by and large they do meet my expectations - until they stop working altogether! I hesitate to splurge on a Dyson because if I'm buying a new one every six months I'd rather be tossing $200 out the window than $600; on the other hand maybe I'm just asking too much of these mid-level vacuums?

I know we have a number of multi-animal households here Can I get some thoughts on specific models that work well for you? And do you have any tips on making the cleaning process less taxing on the machine, perhaps? Has anyone actually used those Xyear warranties - is it worth buying a model with an extended warranty, or paying extra for one? Is a store warranty as opposed to a manufacturer's warranty any use?

 

[missy]

Yssie, oy I am sorry this keeps happening to you and your vacuums! I hesitate to recommend what works for us because we have almost no carpet (one area rug that's it) and the rest hardwood floors but just in case it might help you I am sharing what we use (and love). We have 4 kitties that love to shed all year round despite being shorthair domestic LOL.

I love our cordless Dyson. Specifically the dc59 model. I loathe vacuums with cords. Too difficult to vacuum the whole house to keep plugging and unplugging. Ridiculously difficult. Also most corded vacuums are way too heavy for me. Only downside (which for you might be a deal breaker) is that it only runs about 20 minutes on one charge. But it charges fast and is so light and easy to use. We love it so much we bought 2 (one for each house). Have had them well over a year and so far no issues. Hope I didn't just jinx it LOL.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/dyson-dc59-animal-cordless-vacuum/1042286202

We also use the Roomba for in between vacuuming. So far so good. I think we have had this since Spring. It is pretty easy to clean the Roomba and empty the filter. It's the pet Roomba we ordered at Costco online. It's the iRobot® Roomba® 655 Pet Series. It's a good supplemental tool for keeping the floors clean in between vacuuming.

HTH and good luck in your search. I can feel how frustrated you are and hope you find something amazing soon that doesn't break!

 

[distracts]

Oh gosh, this thread will be very helpful for me. I thought our Dyson was fine but apparently it is dying and I just had no idea - our new cleaning lady was like "this doesn't have good suction!" and is now bringing her own vacuum from home to vacuum my house with, which is kind of mortifying to me. She shouldn't have to tote her vacuum around to vacuum my house.

 

[missy]

You both might find this thread useful.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/vacuum-recommendations-other-than-dyson.204249/#p3718200']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/vacuum-recommendations-other-than-dyson.204249/#p3718200[/URL]

We have the corded heavier Dyson that our cleaning woman uses and likes but it is way too heavy for me. Still going strong though.

 

[distracts]

Thanks, Missy!

 

[missy]

You're very welcome! I will add that I see nothing wrong with your cleaning person bringing her own vacuum if she doesn't mind. But it is good to have a vacuum anyway for times she is not there to clean.

 

[packrat]

We've been planning to rip out our carpeting, so when our last vacuum went south (riccar), mom brought me one of hers to borrow. Yes, my mom has multiple vacuums. It verges on a disorder, I'm pretty sure. It died, she brought me another, a Hoover I think. That one still works but she brought me a Dyson ball and I used that for a while, but kept the Hoover here b/c the Dyson's hose thing is gawd awful to figure out so I used the other to do steps and such. The Dyson conked out, and I'd gone back to the Hoover, and then mom went out and bought a new Shark for me. A lift away, and I really really like it. It has the ball thing on it so it turns nice, it's not jet engine loud like the Hoover, and it's easy to do the hose/dump the canister etc. I vacuum 2-4 times a week, depending on if I'm working or have stuff going on after work. (during the summer I vacuum every other day, during the school year it might only be twice a week) We have four cats and a dog.

Mom's favorite vacuum is her Kirby. She calls it her workhorse and she's certainly gotten her money's worth out of it-she's had it for 20 odd years. Kirby's are heavy tho, and spendy. Their house is bigger than ours, and is pretty much entirely carpet-including the kitchen and upstairs bathroom.

 

[missy]

OK so I just checked and they no longer make the DC59 though you can get it at Amazon for now till they run out.
http://www.amazon.com/Dyson-DC59-Animal-Cordless-Cleaner/dp/B00GXFI6RA

However Dyson has a new and different model they say replaces the DC59. I always hesitate purchasing new models before I see their track record but it looks pretty good. Dyson V6 Absolute.

http://www.dyson.com/vacuum-cleaners/cordless/dyson-v6/dyson-v6-absolute.aspx

"Two Dyson-engineered cleaner heads - for carpets and hard floors. HEPA Filtration captures allergens.
Deeper carpet cleaning. Complete hard floor cleaning. Extra tools for homes with pets."

 

[yssie]

Missy thank you for the rec, and also for that link!! Our four cats are also DSHs and also missed that memo - one has a double coat and I swear she singlhandedly generates three-quarters of the dust in the house... and what she misses the dogs make up for

I too prefer lighter vacuums as I hate toting behemoths up the stairs. We specifically bought the Shark because it was lighter (13lbs)... I think I might need to change the way I clean, honestly, so maybe cordless (which forces you to turn it off after a short time) would help with that. How often do you have to replace the battery in your Dyson (if you've had to at all)?

The Roomba is a no-go for us - it scared Garett into peeing on everything, LOL.


Distracts Yeah, my mum bought a Dyson Animal (not sure what model) and apparently it conked out on her after a year. She said they were great about repairing it, but it died again soon after and she gave up. She has four (four!) little Dirt Devils stashed in different parts of the house and she swears by them, but they're useless against animal fur on carpet.

Packy Hah, my mum has the SAME disorder! She's brand loyal though - she finds one thing that works and buys a bunch more. I'd be happy to copy her if I could find something that works!

I don't know what we were thinking, choosing carpet instead of anything else - tile, hardwood, heck vinyl would be preferable! Well, I do - we were thinking plush, soft flooring to curl up on in front of the fireplaces... next time it will *definitely* be a couple of plush, soft rugs on top of something sweep-able!! OMG.



I just found this Reddit Ask Me Anything w/ a vacuum tech. I think it might be the longest AMA I've ever seen And, of course, he says that "There are no bad vacuums (except Shark)" - which is what we last bought. He seems to like Riccar though...
https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1pe2bd

 

[MJ_Mac]

Hi Yssie,

We have 2 Miele vacuum cleaners and I love them. One is a mini upright and it's amazing how much suction it has for such a little unit. It's best for small areas and quick clean-ups. They have the best suction of any vacuum cleaner I've used. I will not lie, they are expensive but they last unlike other brands we've tried. We also have a central vac but I still prefer my Mieles. We don't have cats, just 2 non-shedding poodles so what works for me might not work you. My sister does have a heavily shedding dog and she really likes her Miele which she's had for many years without any issues.

 

[yssie]

Hi Yssie,

We have 2 Miele vacuum cleaners and I love them. One is a mini upright and it's amazing how much suction it has for such a little unit. It's best for small areas and quick clean-ups. They have the best suction of any vacuum cleaner I've used. I will not lie, they are expensive but they last unlike other brands we've tried. We also have a central vac but I still prefer my Mieles. We don't have cats, just 2 non-shedding poodles so what works for me might not work you. My sister does have a heavily shedding dog and she really likes her Miele which she's had for many years without any issues.

Poodles - a coworker also highly recommended Miele! D'you know what model you have? There seem to be quite a few.

I'm happy to spend more on something that will last - or that can be repaired/replaced with little fuss. My mum's good experience with having her Dyson repaired is its biggest selling point for me, at this point!

 

[arkieb1]

I owned 2 x Miele Cat and Dog Turbo Vacs and then a Dyson. The Mieles are hard to kill and do a better job with larger bits of stuff like fur, leaves etc, but the Dyson overall does a better job with fine dust and are better overall if you have allergies etc. The Scooba (wooden floor mop) has lasted a couple of years. The Roomba for the in between cleans of the carpet lasted just over a year and then died.

 

[MJ_Mac]

Hi Yssie,

We have 2 Miele vacuum cleaners and I love them. One is a mini upright and it's amazing how much suction it has for such a little unit. It's best for small areas and quick clean-ups. They have the best suction of any vacuum cleaner I've used. I will not lie, they are expensive but they last unlike other brands we've tried. We also have a central vac but I still prefer my Mieles. We don't have cats, just 2 non-shedding poodles so what works for me might not work you. My sister does have a heavily shedding dog and she really likes her Miele which she's had for many years without any issues.

Poodles - a coworker also highly recommended Miele! D'you know what model you have? There seem to be quite a few.

I'm happy to spend more on something that will last - or that can be repaired/replaced with little fuss. My mum's good experience with having her Dyson repaired is its biggest selling point for me, at this point!

I actually had a Dyson at one time but I found it a bit awkward and heavy (mainly because of my back and rib problems). Our friends had a Dyson for years and when theirs finally died we gave them ours. Our friends would definitely recommend Dyson.

I've had my little Miele Universal Upright for so long (15 years) that they don't even make that particular model anymore. It still works great. My canister Miele is the S8 Continuum (think it was top of the line or close to it), which I'm not sure is available anymore either. Both models have optional HEPA filters which is great for an allergy sufferer like myself. I like the fact it does have dustbags, again because of my allergies. If you prefer not to have dustbags than Miele might not be the way to go. The thing I like the most about the Miele vacuums (besides suction power) is the ergonomic design and the telescopic wand. It's nice to be able to adjust the height to the person using it. It has many different accessory options as well. I sound like a Miele salesperson, which I'm not - I just really love my vacuum cleaners .

I just saw on the Miele website they have a robotic vacuum like the Roomba. It's called the Scout RX1. I'll be putting it on my Christmas list to my hubby.

 

[TooPatient]

Eureka The Boss SmartVac

Can only get through Eureka website now. About $179. Buy extra bags and filters too. They are better bags than you can get locally.

Our first lasted 6+ years. Bought another of the same to replace.

We have some carpet but also use heavily on other floors and hose attach for vents, stairs, and furniture.
Vacuuming once per day. Filling a bag every 4-6 weeks even with lots of brushing, sweeping, and big piece picking up.

4 cats and a dog (2 dogs until recently) including some really big shedders.

 

[chemgirl]

Didn't read the rest of the thread, but we have 3 cats, a fair bit of carpet, and a Dyson Animal upright.

It was a wedding gift, but going on 5 years now and so far so good. We did have a minor issue with a flap when switching modes, but we just called the number and they referred us to a local repair person who fixed it under warranty.

When it dies we plan to buy a new one.

We also have central vac, but it doesn't get all of the hair.

 

[CJ2008]

After a lot of research - including that same Reddit AMA (I believe iLander had pointed to it in another vacuum thread a while back) - I settled on the Miele Delphi. We love it - it's light, does a great job on both carpet and tile (we bought for additional $ the parquet brush I believe they call it), and a HEPA filter.

Poodles4me - which is the Miele mini upright you have? I might look into that.

 

[AdaBeta27]

I have a Riccar commercial upright, something like the 8925. I can't remember the model number. It might be a 8925. I've had no problems with the Riccar.

My mother has a Simplicity. The Simplicity tends to fill up fast, and if you don't change the bag immediately the hose will plug and you'll have to dig the debris out of it. Hers is a creamy white color but I don't know its model number.

 

[apacherose]

I will second Missy on the cordless dyson for animals. We have two, lol. Plus a canister dyson. And a seriously hairy dog. We are down to one dog after living overseas in an apt but used to have more. We have lots of little messy kids, too. I've had our canister dyson since 2010. It is good still. It does not get as much use as it used to with our cordless vacs. I hate emptying them. It is gross. And messy. And they don't get Cheerios. How lame. But the cordless ones are amazing. You would be vacuuming in 20 minute spurts daily and having to empty a lot. But honestly my house is cleaner doing that on a daily basis than 'plugging in' twice a week. So there is my 2cents! We keep large shepherds, btw- double coats... 100 pound plus dogs.

 

[MissGotRocks]

My vote is for Dyson every time! I have one for upstairs and one for downstairs as I got tired of trying to lug anything up the steps!

These are far and away the best vacuums I've ever had and just bought a new one to replace the downstairs one after 16 years. The suction on the thing is still fabulous but the mechanism that keeps it sitting upright is starting to not catch correctly. I guess we could have tried to have it repaired but just opted to get a new one after all these years.

I vacuum ceramic tile, hardwood and carpet so these things have to switch modes automatically and do a fabulous job. The wand extends easily for baseboards or behind a cabinet. My old vacuum used to have to be partially disassembled to put the hose piece on - this is so much easier and very user friendly. I vacuum at least once a week - it's my OCD thing - and am amazed at the 'stuff' that is collected in the canister. Carpet releases fibers of course as do area wool rugs but still - if you think your house is clean, pull this thing out and you'll be pleasantly appalled - lol! I really love that it can be emptied and cleaned every week as opposed to having a bag in the vacuum that goes back in the closet with the vacuum every week -eewww - you're storing that old dirt!! Yuck!

 

[Matata]

I have 4 cats and a Miele Kona canister and an old Miele Luna canister which they don't make anymore. There are 2 area rugs in the entire house and the bedrooms are carpeted; the rest of the house has vinyl plank flooring.

I gave away my Dyson when we moved into this house and replaced the carpeting with solid surface. The Dyson did fab on carpeting but on solid surface flooring, it spit litter pieces and anything that wasn't fabric or dust all around the house. I hated cleaning out the canister -- dusty and dirty.

Nothing escapes the Miele bags and it's easy to change them. I love my Mieles.

 

[PintoBean]

I love my eureka mighty mite!
http://www.amazon.com/Eureka-3670G-Mighty-Canister-Vacuum/dp/B00002N8CX

 

[VRBeauty]

I like my corded Dyson. It's easy to move around, powerful, and it's very easy to clean out the dust bin. These days I'm spending a lot of time at my father's house. He has a Bissel wind *something*. It's powerful enough, but a real pain to clean out - and it has a sponge filter that gets saturated in a heartbeat and who has time to was the filter that often? It's so annoying that I'm tempted to drag my Dyson up there next time I go to visit!

The only downside to the Dyson is that it's so clever it's almost over-engineered, and the "instruction manual" has the same annoying level of cleverness. That's only a problem until you figure it out though... I've had mine for four or five years now, and I'm almost over being annoyed at it!

 

[Dancing Fire]

My Costco Dyson is still alive after 6 yrs.... but last month I did have to change a couple of crack plastic parts.

 

[Snowdrop13]

+1 for Miele! Mine has been going strong since 1995 and although it was expensive at the time it has more than given us value for money! We don't have animals but it is used for 2-3 hours per week.

 

[MJ_Mac]

After a lot of research - including that same Reddit AMA (I believe iLander had pointed to it in another vacuum thread a while back) - I settled on the Miele Delphi. We love it - it's light, does a great job on both carpet and tile (we bought for additional $ the parquet brush I believe they call it), and a HEPA filter.

Poodles4me - which is the Miele mini upright you have? I might look into that.

We have the S147 but it's 15 years old. It was the one that had an electric powerhead attachment with beater bar so it worked great on low to medium pile carpet. Other attachments can be used as well. I don't know if Miele makes the Universal Upright or as they call it now Stick Vacuum, with a powerhead attachment anymore.

There is one thing I can tell from this thread, we're all just as passionate about our vacuum cleaners as we are about our diamonds, gemstones and jewellery .

 

[luv2sparkle]

We have a Miele and I love it. I don't love toting it around and having to plug it in. Just this week I purchased a Dyson cordless from Costco. They are on sale for the first few days of September and the model I bought was 60 off. Initially, I bought it to sweep my kitchen before I wash the floor and/or to use in our 5th wheel trailer. I am amazed at how much this thing picks up. When it was delivered, it had a small charge and a vacuumed about 5 stairs. I was so shocked at how much dirt it picked up, I actually emptied it into a zip lock bag so I could show my DH. I thought he wouldn't believe me. After seeing that, I will be using this every single day. The other day I got a spasm in my back, which is painful but I have been able to use this vacuum still. I could never do that with my Miele. I paid just over 300 for this model and I thought if I didn't like it, Costco would accept the return. So far so good, and I am wondering why I waited so darn long. The Absolute model has two heads, one that is supposed to be better for carpet. It is also on sale, and I may buy that model and take the one I have to the beach with our trailer. In my opinion, it is well worth the money.

 

[CJ2008]

After a lot of research - including that same Reddit AMA (I believe iLander had pointed to it in another vacuum thread a while back) - I settled on the Miele Delphi. We love it - it's light, does a great job on both carpet and tile (we bought for additional $ the parquet brush I believe they call it), and a HEPA filter.

Poodles4me - which is the Miele mini upright you have? I might look into that.

We have the S147 but it's 15 years old. It was the one that had an electric powerhead attachment with beater bar so it worked great on low to medium pile carpet. Other attachments can be used as well. I don't know if Miele makes the Universal Upright or as they call it now Stick Vacuum, with a powerhead attachment anymore.

There is one thing I can tell from this thread, we're all just as passionate about our vacuum cleaners as we are about our diamonds, gemstones and jewellery .

I'll go to their site and see what they have now - thanks poodles!

 

[rainydaze]

This is timely for me, too. For reference I have hardwood floors, throw rugs, tile, and carpeting. I have a dog and a cat, and three kids (four if you count DH ) and a fairly large house.

I had a Dyson that I ditched a few years ago and I haven't been happy since. I had it for quite a few years; it was the easiest vacuum to use, and it did a great job. I think it was the DC25 or DC28 - red. It was so easy to pull apart and clear of clogs, so easy to empty, so easy to get the wand out, etc. Never had an issue with it, it just got dirty and I didn't have the know-how or patience I now wish I'd had to address it properly (i.e. clean it or service it, don't abandon it for cryin' out loud!).

So I did a bunch of research and got a Miele canister (red one). Meh, annoy. Cord is too short, bags are too small, canister doesn't cooperate behind me, buttons and adjustments are temperamental and difficult to operate (though they shouldn't be). I still have it, and end up referring back to it as it does do a great job on hardwood, carpet and rugs... it's just bothersome to use.

Saw an Electrolux upright that wasn't expensive so I decided what could it hurt. It was awesome to use and lasted about two weeks. Been sitting in my basement ever since.

Then I tried a Kenmore Canister Elite (silver/gray) - great concept and size, but felt so cheaply made that I wasn't comfortable actually *using* it! I returned it the same day.

After continuing to get mad at the Miele, I went and bought one of their uprights (also red, forget the model) thinking that's what I should have bought in the first place. Nope. That thing clogs in a nanosecond every. time. and is a PAIN to clear out. I recently discovered others have this problem too. It's built like a tank, feels like a Mercedes, and cleans like a dream, so I want to love it but I don't. It's so heavy, and the wand doesn't stretch very well (I need it to), and the clogging... oh my gosh the clogging. Did I mention I don't get vacuuming for five minutes before I am spending a half hour trying to snake out a clog? I am not compelled to clean with it.

So, I finally tried finding my old Dyson for sale somewhere, and Overstock had the Dyson DC17 Animal - similar enough. I just got it last Wed. It's okay. Like my old Dyson (which I now officially miss) it compelled me to keep cleaning and clean more areas because it's pretty easy. A pencil got sucked in and it was super easy to get out. It's a little harder to push on our plush carpeting and doesn't have height adjustments (it's auto) but it doesn't tip over when I pull out the wand to clean under cabinets and in corners, baseboards, window sills, etc. It has an attachment to put on the hose to get under furniture which is great.

Time will tell what I reach for most, I think it will be the Dyson. But the Miele comes with a free service within one or two years, I forget which, so I am going to take it in and see if there's something stuck in there that's causing all my grief. If so, it has some hope of resurrection and I may use it on the carpeting with the Dyson used everywhere else.

Oh, I also have one of those handheld Dysons that have become popular. Yes, I have a diamond and vacuum problem. It's great for light cleanups but doesn't cut it for whole house (charge doesn't last long enough, suction not impressive enough, have to use a flat tool to dig out the crud stuck up in the top of the canister).

Good luck Yssie! I think finding the right setting is easier!

 

[LoveLikeCrazy]

I have two super shedding labradors. Went through 3 cheaper vacuums and finally budged to get a dyson this last June. We vacuum every other day, so theoretically, it shouldn't be as bad as if we vacuumed less. Day one with Dyson made me almost want to vomit. The sheer dust/dirt filled the canister....it was so gross! I ended up with the DC65 Animal Complete. They made new models this year which didn't get as good reviews as the older models. I found this one on a price cut at target for 389 (from ~600, i believe!). Couldn't be happier with my decision. We take the dang thing apart almost overtime after vacuuming to make sure its nice and clean. We love it.

I have been told the Shark rotator lift away true pet is very comparable to the dyson. It is less than 1/2 the price too of a dyson. Had i not found the deal i did on my Dyson, i would have ended up with a shark - many friends on fb highly recommended it!

 

[ericad]

We also have lots of pets and I am somewhat of a vacuum hoarder.

I've owned every vacuum under the sun, including several Dysons. For sheer power, Dyson is my favorite BUT it's complete $hit on area rugs, of which we have many. So back they all went. If you have area rugs AND love the sound of rocks in a blender, then the Dyson will be perfect.

My current favorite is a $149 Hoover Windtunnel (the pet one from Costco) and I swear I love it even more than the Dysons. It's heavy, kind of a beast on the stairs, but that's the only negative thing I can say about it. And at $149, if/when it poops out on me, I'll just get a new one!

But for those who mostly have hard floors and plush carpet, Dyson is fab. It'll suck a hairball from across the room. Just keep it off the area rugs! Out of all the Dyson models, the Ball was actually my least favorite. I liked the regular Dyson Animal best, but I think they may have a Ball Animal now? I may have dreamed that...