I need a new vacuum - what's your favorite?

[crunchymum]

Our vac has died a slow, painful death. :sigh I know it's probably insensitive to move on so quickly, but... :shifty :giggle


So, we have mostly wood floors. Our kitchen is tile, and we have 3 good sized area rugs ranging from practically indoor/outdoor (read: super short nylon pile) to a fuzzy shag rug that everyone like to make carpet angels in. :lol


Price is always a consideration, but I think we can invest in a nice one if it's not *too* expensive. I'd love it to be somewhat lightweight, and we don't have a ton of room to store it, so a lower profile one would be nice.


:help

[Domina]

:popcorn

Ours died. We are making do with a $50 Dirt Devil cheapie at the mo'.

[Tandem mama]

I despise my dyson.

[mommylove]

There's a Kenmore something or other that rated really high on Consumer Reports that everyone raves about. It's cheaper than they dyson that I have & love. If you do a search here, you can find the model of the Kenmore.

[titosmommy]

We just bought a new one for the first time in our 8 years of marriage. We've just had hand me downs before. In our reaearch wer found the hoover t-series wind tunnel to be the best of the lower price models we soent $100 on sale. We have very littke carpet (one bedroomand hallway plus an area rug). I love it. Its bagless with a washable filter. Plus a retractable cord. Its not the nicest one iut there, but for that price I'm super happy.

[crunchymum]

The kenmore and Hoover - are there attachments that make them ok to use on wood floor?

---------- Post added at 03:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:12 PM ----------

K, I'm linking this thread for my own reference: http://gentlechristianmothers.com/community/showthread.php?t=466848&highlight=Kenmore


A few people mentioned the shark navigator - that's a good one?

[Auroras mom]

Love my Shark - no idea about the wood floors though.

[PaperMomma]

I love the shark I just got.

[2sunshines]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my dyson. We have lots of wood floors, but also lots of carpet (probably about half and half) and I love how well it works on both. :yes

I got it through a woot deal. I'm thinking it was only about $200. :think

[crunchymum]

I always hear mixed reviews about dysons... Which one do you have?

[2sunshines]

Thankful that woot saves my order because I had to look it up. :giggle

It is a Dyson DC14, all floors vacuum. I paid $179.99 for it. It was refurbished but I've never had a problem with it. We've had it for 16 months now and use it almost daily.

I've heard such mixed reviews on the dyson too. People either LOVE it or HATE it. I LOVE LOVE LOVE how well it vacuums my wood floors. I'm not a sweeper, HATE sweeping, so this does the job well. :yes

The only downside I have is that it is a bit bulky. It's never been an issue for me, but I can see how it could be.

[daughter_of_faith]

We have a Kenmore Cannister vacuum. I'm pretty sure it is an older model of this one: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02021614000P?srccode=cii_10043468&cpncode=30-108431713-2&sid=IDx20070921x00003c

Ours is blue though instead of pretty purple. ;)

We purchased it because we were tired of buying new vacuums every 6 months to a year (or more frequently). We've had this one for 2+ years.

[bclemons84]

LOVE love love my shark Navigator!!! :) Can't say enough good things about it!

[blondie]

I want a Roomba. Or whatever they're called. :giggle

[crunchymum]

I want a Roomba. Or whatever they're called. :giggle

:giggle that would be sweet!

---------- Post added at 10:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:16 PM ----------

LOVE love love my shark Navigator!!! :) Can't say enough good things about it!

Which one do you have? I've been looking at reviews for this one, it's seems to have the most consistent positive reviews... http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005KMDV9A/ref=aw_cr_item_title?qid=1358740421&sr=8-1

I could maybe find it at B B & B? With a 20% coupon, that would be super affordable...

[Elspeth]

I adore my vintage Electrolux canister vaccum. Scored it off eBay for $100, it's 50+ yrs old and still going strong.

[crunchymum]

Well, I bought a shark navigator pro lift away, and I'm not sure I like it. :-/ it actually seems quite heavy, and doesn't work very well on our one shaggy carpet... It works fine on the low pile ones. The suction is GREAT, which I love, but honestly it's so cumbersome, I don't think the kids could use it, which would be a negative. :giggle I'm thinking I should take it back and get some kind of canister, but the not good reviews online are scaring me. :nails plus I want a bagless, is it possible to get a good bagless canister vac? Ours was, but it wasn't a good one. :no


:sigh I do love the bare floor attachment it came with. I just wish it was lighter and smaller.

[illinoismommy]

I have a bagged canister Kenmore, it had a 5 year maintenance plan and I used the plan more than once plus yearly cleanings. The plan has worn off now, I've had it about 6 years. The canister is kind of a pain to drag around, but I only had cheap uprights before and they didn't work that well and this one does so yay. I like bags because it seems cleaner in vacuum for me and less allergy stuffs flying around when its emptied.

[DancingWithElves]

well, you know what happened around here :sigh and we did a lot of research on vacuums.

basically, if you are getting a hepa vac, it needs to be a REALLY good one. a bad hepa vac will simply take particles that were laying on the floor minding their own business, and nebulize them. as in, the breathing treatment, nebulizer thing. :eek make them so small and airborn that they go straight to the lungs where they can be absorbed :shiver :ph :shiver

also, bagless have been in fashion for a while, for whatever reason. however, what we vacuum up needs to be gone forever, we should not have to touch, smell, or breathe it again :no and that's exactly what happens with bagless vacs when you empty them. also, in theory it doesn't happen, but in practice after being emptied a few times, dust makes its way where it ought not be in the bagless vac: behind and around the filters, on the outside parts, and then when it's turned on it blows out into the air. bagless vacuums are not recommended for anyone with allergies (except for the advice given by companies who make them ;-) )

we got a Miele. it's amazing. it's also very pricey. and so are the bags. but for our situation it's worth it. there is a place near me where you can get them refurbished :eyebrows

[milkmommy]

we used to have a Kenmore LOVED it the first year or so.. liked it for another good year HATED it after that it jsut stopped working wouldn't suck up a darn thing did everything we could think and about 3-4 weeks ago it totally died. LAsted us about 4 years with 3 good years of use which was still longer than the cheepies lasted :shrug3 I bought it for around $100 on sale as well..

I now have a Shark Navagator so far I love it.. SOme small complaints
1) the cord is ridiclously short I have a fairly small home with my kenmore I could plug it in our hall and reach pretty much the entire house... THis one I had to unplug three times just to vaccum our combined living dining area and its NOT a big space... and extention can fix that though...

2) the "bulk" of the canister it is advertised ans able to go under funiture/beds ect that is can lie flat... well yes except the canister part sticks up so in reality one can only go under hight objects or like 4 inches... Thats probably my biggest but you also have the option of using this like a canister feature which in theory solves that issue..

But it is an overall small profile it has so far great suction its easy to clean and doesn't require buying addtional filters and such. I bought it for just over $220 (actually it was a gift from my parents) from Walmart including an added 3 year protection plan

Deanna

---------- Post added at 10:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:50 AM ----------

Well, I bought a shark navigator pro lift away, and I'm not sure I like it. :-/ it actually seems quite heavy, and doesn't work very well on our one shaggy carpet... It works fine on the low pile ones. The suction is GREAT, which I love, but honestly it's so cumbersome, I don't think the kids could use it, which would be a negative. :giggle I'm thinking I should take it back and get some kind of canister, but the not good reviews online are scaring me. :nails plus I want a bagless, is it possible to get a good bagless canister vac? Ours was, but it wasn't a good one. :no


:sigh I do love the bare floor attachment it came with. I just wish it was lighter and smaller.
The shark is a lot smaller than the Kenmore I had but not tiny for sure.. However FWIW my 10 year old uses it great. We have low pile carpet though. HAve you adjusted the suction for the higher pile carpet?

[mountainash]

I like the Kenmore canisters that at 12 amps. Super suction. If you ever get the impulse to use the wand as a microphone, don't, because you'll end up with huge purple lips. :shifty

[trustingGod2]

I:heart the Shark Navigator that we just bought last weekend $150 at Lowes.

It replaced my go to vac for the past 5 years the Eureka Mighty Mite

[cobluegirl]

I have a Kenmore Canister. It is my 3rd one. First one was my moms and we had it for 20yr..LOL Second lasted about 4. :-) I love it because I have both wood and carpet floors and it i super easy and convenient to swap out pieces etc inbetween tasks.

[Auroras mom]

we used to have a Kenmore LOVED it the first year or so.. liked it for another good year HATED it after that it jsut stopped working wouldn't suck up a darn thing did everything we could think and about 3-4 weeks ago it totally died. LAsted us about 4 years with 3 good years of use which was still longer than the cheepies lasted :shrug3 I bought it for around $100 on sale as well..

I now have a Shark Navagator so far I love it.. SOme small complaints
1) the cord is ridiclously short I have a fairly small home with my kenmore I could plug it in our hall and reach pretty much the entire house... THis one I had to unplug three times just to vaccum our combined living dining area and its NOT a big space... and extention can fix that though...

2) the "bulk" of the canister it is advertised ans able to go under funiture/beds ect that is can lie flat... well yes except the canister part sticks up so in reality one can only go under hight objects or like 4 inches... Thats probably my biggest but you also have the option of using this like a canister feature which in theory solves that issue..

But it is an overall small profile it has so far great suction its easy to clean and doesn't require buying addtional filters and such. I bought it for just over $220 (actually it was a gift from my parents) from Walmart including an added 3 year protection plan

Deanna

---------- Post added at 10:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:50 AM ----------


The shark is a lot smaller than the Kenmore I had but not tiny for sure.. However FWIW my 10 year old uses it great. We have low pile carpet though. HAve you adjusted the suction for the higher pile carpet?


This is why I selected the plain white, less pretty Shark Professional that copst a bit more - the cord is sooooo long (and the cannister is larger). I actually un-wound the two vacuum's cords in the store for comparison, LoL. Ihate that it doesn't have touch button cord rewind though. I loved the feature on my Hoover the most.

[wisdomjourney]

I like the Kenmore canisters that at 12 amps. Super suction. If you ever get the impulse to use the wand as a microphone, don't, because you'll end up with huge purple lips. :shifty

:roll That. Is. Awesome. I am subbing because our decrepit old vacuum is on its last leg.

[milkmommy]

This is why I selected the plain white, less pretty Shark Professional that copst a bit more - the cord is sooooo long (and the cannister is larger). I actually un-wound the two vacuum's cords in the store for comparison, LoL. Ihate that it doesn't have touch button cord rewind though. I loved the feature on my Hoover the most.

I bought this one http://www.walmart.com/ip/Shark-Professional-Navigator-Lift-Away-Upright-Vacuum-NV355/16913478 which is the plain white and it had the bigger canister but the cord is too short..

[crunchymum]

well, you know what happened around here :sigh and we did a lot of research on vacuums.

basically, if you are getting a hepa vac, it needs to be a REALLY good one. a bad hepa vac will simply take particles that were laying on the floor minding their own business, and nebulize them. as in, the breathing treatment, nebulizer thing. :eek make them so small and airborn that they go straight to the lungs where they can be absorbed :shiver :ph :shiver

also, bagless have been in fashion for a while, for whatever reason. however, what we vacuum up needs to be gone forever, we should not have to touch, smell, or breathe it again :no and that's exactly what happens with bagless vacs when you empty them. also, in theory it doesn't happen, but in practice after being emptied a few times, dust makes its way where it ought not be in the bagless vac: behind and around the filters, on the outside parts, and then when it's turned on it blows out into the air. bagless vacuums are not recommended for anyone with allergies (except for the advice given by companies who make them ;-) )

we got a Miele. it's amazing. it's also very pricey. and so are the bags. but for our situation it's worth it. there is a place near me where you can get them refurbished :eyebrows

yikes. :nails didn't know that... mind me asking what a refurbished one costs? and you're probably right about the bags... :sigh i just hate bags.

I like the Kenmore canisters that at 12 amps. Super suction. If you ever get the impulse to use the wand as a microphone, don't, because you'll end up with huge purple lips. :shifty

:roll


we did adjust the suction, it was better but still really hard.

[GlacierLily]

We have a shark navigator with the pet attatchements and it is lightweight and excellent on the wood floors! :rockon It's the only one I have ever used that works on the wood and linolium!:heart

We've had it a year and it is still sucking just as well as when we bought it :).

We got it at Walmart online for 120.-130.00 dollars.:yes

[DancingWithElves]

you can get a $400 vacuum under $100 :yes these guys are amazing. they are like vacuum whisperers :lol

[crunchymum]

you can get a $400 vacuum under $100 :yes these guys are amazing. they are like vacuum whisperers :lol

:giggle well hook me uuuup! I want!

[Lady TS]

So....I've put up with the ailing vacuum for years now, and I think I put it out of its misery today and I am TRULY in the market for a vacuum cleaner...

Which Shark Navigator model is the good one with the long cord?

:)

[crunchymum]

The navigator had a loooong cord. :yes

[Lady TS]

The navigator had a loooong cord. :yes

But which Navigator? I thought there was one that had a shorter cord and one that had the longer cord...there's a bunch of Navigators that come up in my search...

---------- Post added at 09:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:48 PM ----------

This is why I selected the plain white, less pretty Shark Professional that copst a bit more - the cord is sooooo long (and the cannister is larger). I actually un-wound the two vacuum's cords in the store for comparison, LoL. Ihate that it doesn't have touch button cord rewind though. I loved the feature on my Hoover the most.

Looks like the professional models is what had the long cord.

Just had to re-read the thread. :)

[crunchymum]

:doh yeah, I read your post too fast. The pro one (the one I got) has a nice long cord.