vacuumfilter

May 31, 2005 9:55 PM

Looking for an vacuum that does the trick but doesn't cost a fortune...any suggestions? I see that they sell vacuums at target, meijer, etc. Are these going to fall apart in 3 days and stop working?
posted by fabesfaves to Home & Garden (17 answers total)

Response by poster: Of course I meant a vacuum... oops.
posted by fabesfaves at 9:57 PM on May 31, 2005

"Nothing sucks like an Electrolux"

Get a Hoover. They work, they are reasonably quiet, and you can find bags everywhere. They also are a fraction of the price of Electrolux, etc.

I hear the Dysons are nice and expensive, but mostly I like their telescope game.
posted by caddis at 10:54 PM on May 31, 2005

According to Consumer Reports and other review sites, Hoover and Panasonic seems to be the vaccums of choice. They both have very strong power and has proven track record.

I personally think Panasonic has little more design sense... but as mentioned earlier, Hoover has more easy to find parts and replacement bags.

Vaccums at target, meijer,etc are same as any other retailers... Just get the best priced ones. I tend to go for places with easy refund or longer warranty.

Stay away from Electrolux or some other unfamiliar name brands. Even the Shark brand isn't all that good.

If you have right environment, I also suggest Roomba Discovery. I had it for few month now with weekly vaccum. Haven't had any problems. A little expensive but It does what it says it can do... (Self powered controlled vaccum) It vaccums my carpet, hardwood floor, bathroom tiles and goes back to its docking station automatically. After I come home, usually half the house is clean. I suspect battery limitation. I just put the vaccum in the other end of the house and wala! it is done after I come back from a jog.

I got the Roomba Discovery from Bed Bath and Beyond. I paid $20 or more compare to other retailers but they do have great exchange policy. The manager told me I can bring it back for 100% refund if not satisfied in 6 month. (this may applied to this particular store.. I am not sure)


Dysons are always highly rated. but geeze... I don't think the value is there. I rather buy second or third brand new Hoover with the same money. This way I can enjoy what ever the new technology comes along and have new clean vaccum cleaner now and then...

Hope my opinion helps.

p.s. by the way. since the Roomba, I never had to use my old Hoover upright anymore.
posted by curiousleo at 12:06 AM on June 1, 2005

We picked up a Hoover Windtunnel (bagless, with Hepa filter) model at Meijer. It does a damn good job of picking up cat hair. If I had it to do over again, I'd look for one of the newer models with the powered hand tool to make cleaning the furniture a little easier.

It's a bit awkward on stairs though; bulky and no good way to hang on to it. Our old Dirt Devil had an integrated handle for that sort of thing; this model does not. If you need to do stairs, you might consider one of the new fancy models with the removable canister insert, or even a small second vacuum designed for stairs (they make them, smaller cleaning head and lighter weight).

I like the bagless design, but dumping a full canister of dust, lint and cat hair can be messy. If you don't have an area outside where you can knock the crud out of the collecting bin and filter without drifting the dirt back into your now-clean home, bags might be better.
posted by caution live frogs at 5:54 AM on June 1, 2005

I have a dirt devil with the bagless canister thing. It is, as live frogs said, messy. But bags are a pain in the ass, too, so six of one, half dozen of the other. It's also got a hepa filter, which helps a lot with my seasonal allergies.

But then, I have no stairs.

I have the powered hand tool thing for mine, never used it. The normal hose bit that comes off the upright has always been find for the couch and whatnot.
posted by Kellydamnit at 6:10 AM on June 1, 2005

Oooh... also wanted to add.
Coworker has a roomba. His male cat keeps trying to mate with it. So if you enjoy a floor show, that's something to keep in mind.
posted by Kellydamnit at 6:12 AM on June 1, 2005

I've heard great things about the Dysons but I've never actually tried one.

I bought a Dirt Devil at KMart and have had it forever; it cost maybe $150 and came with a dustbuster type bonus vacuum as well. The thing I like about the Dirt Devil (besides baglessness) is that the casters rotate 360 deg. It works well and has lasted for quite some time (5 years or so).
posted by superkim at 6:15 AM on June 1, 2005

If you're really frugal, most small-town vaccum shops have machines that they take in on trade and re-sell. An old Eureka upright that I picked up via this channel served me well for ten years.
posted by Kwantsar at 6:15 AM on June 1, 2005

I've had a series of (bagged) $110 Dirt Devils that would have been adequate if I didn't have three cats, a varying number of dogs, and multiple residents with very long hair. Each of them would run well for 12-18 months and then start eating belts like candy and exhaling nearly as much dust as they inhaled, which was less every time I vacuumed. I could limp them along another 6-8 months before there was just no suction to speak of.

One of those will likely last a normal person a while. I have not heard great things about the seals on their bagless models.

I've had a Dyson for about 6 weeks now and am in love, though only time will tell how sturdy it is.
posted by Lyn Never at 6:56 AM on June 1, 2005

My Mum bought a Dirt Devil (with bag) about 12 years ago and has had no complaints (two or three household cats at any one time in that 12 years). I also have a Dirt Devil (better model than Mum's, but still with a bag) that's about 6 years old and no complaints (two cats).

Thanks for the laugh, Kellydamnit!
posted by deborah at 7:59 AM on June 1, 2005

I recently bought a shopvac and it is the best thing I have ever owned. It can of course handle wet and dry, is perfect for cleaning out the car, and is so powerful you actually have to reduce the power when vacumming rug because it will pull it right off the floor.

This might not be ideal in your situation, but I paid 1/3 for the shopvac as I did for our "residental" upright and I don't think I'll ever use that upright again.

Next birthday/wedding present I'm buying will be a shopvac.
posted by gfroese at 8:09 AM on June 1, 2005

I have a Dirt Devil canister vac and two cats. Doesn't work for shit on our carpet, but it's fine on hard floors. I wouldn't buy it again though. I also have a 20-year-old Eureka canister that is better on the rug than the new DD. Next time around I'm going Hoover, though.
posted by scratch at 9:12 AM on June 1, 2005

Recently bought a Hoover windtunnel. It works very well (no stairs). Wife and I are very pleased with it - it works great on cat hair.
As for discarding the detritus, I take a plastic bag, completely cover the opening of the dust bin (including the entrance opening) and turn it over. I do this in the bath tub. Then I rinse the dust bin in the tub, and no dust remains anywhere but in the plastic bag and down the drain. Takes 1 minute, and plastic bags (grocery type) are continually available, and essentially free.
posted by birdsquared at 9:24 AM on June 1, 2005

Oreck. They use 'em in hotels.
posted by aspenbaloo at 10:07 AM on June 1, 2005

If there are some independent vacuum repair/service shops in your area, ask them what they would recommend. Your best bet would be to talk to the guy who does the repairs. He'll know which units work best, last longest, and are worth the price. Since he can fix up broken units, he pretty much has the option of choosing any vacuum for free, so ask him what type he has.
posted by joaquim at 10:36 AM on June 1, 2005

I'd just like to say I bought a cheap upright vacuum at Sears for $60 and it died after 4 or 5 uses. The plastic ends of the brush melted. A new brush costs $40. Yeah, as in, 2/3 of the entire vacuum cleaner's cost. Screw Sears/Kenmore.
posted by knave at 11:25 AM on June 1, 2005

About a year ago, I bought a Simplicity vacuum (this one). It was a bit of money ($500-600?), but it is great - high suction, bag is easy to change. Comparable to Electrolux or Miele, but much cheaper.
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 12:29 PM on June 1, 2005