Vacuum cleaners...

[Wilson]

My Dyson crapped out. It's a year and a half old and the motor burned up. I'm really pissed off about it - nearly $300 to fix.

Soooo... what to do? Consumer Reports seems to love Kenmore - I looked up the recommended models at Sears.com and I can get the #1 for $350. Or....

I can do a trade-in at the vac store on the Dyson and my rarely-used anymore Miele and buy a newer high-end vac. There are things I love about both the Dyson and the Miele and that's the only reason why I'm even entertaining this idea. I don't even know what is available these days or if it's going to cost $1000 to buy a vac there.

So if I go with a Kenmore - specifically, this 95923 model with progressive blah blah blah... how will it handle my 2 shedding-like-there-is-no-tomorrow dogs, my 2,000 sq feet of tile, and the carpet upstairs?

I also have a Roomba, but I'd rather have a large vac for everyday use. I'm just not 100% happy with the job it does downstairs.

[baby duck]

Have you looked at epinions to see if anyone reviewed the models your looking at?

I don't have experience with any of the ones you mentioned.

[natvtxn]

The best long lasting vacuum cleaner I've had was an Electrolux. I currently have a Kenmore upright that I like. But I think Electrolux makes a better product.

[cgwoolf]

Until last year, I would have recommended the Electrolux - used them for 30 years + and loved them all. I had no luck with Kenmore way back when but I'm sure they are better now.

Today I use an upright Oreck and I think it is probably best on the market. Picks up stuff including hair really well.

[FamilyGal]

I was just about to recommend the Oreck as well. I think Penney's had them on sale this week. I need to stop buying $100 vacuums and buy a good one that will last awhile. We have more carpet than tile, so I am constantly vacuuming.

[11Linda11]

I have loved our Dyson. Cleans well and is so easy to empty the canister.

[msucowboy97]

Wilson, I can sell you a kirby...whats the address. :)

[Wilson]

Thanks, but after reading Consumer Reports, Epinions, and talking to people about it, I'm going to go pick up my Dyson now and tomorrow I'll go to Sears and get a Kenmore.

[msucowboy97]

yeah but by selling you a kirby...you will get all kinds of coupons and samples and someone throwing dirt on your carpet....if your lucky the Husband will like the two sales ladies(dressed like they were going to the mercury room). They came to my house and i hit on them the whole time. I even told them about my wife and I are swingers and very open.....

Has anyone ever really owned a kirby on here. We almost bought the dyson last year but went with one from sears.

[Wilson]

Ah... I thought you made a career change :)

I went back to the vac store and picked up my crapped out Dyson. I talked to the guy about possibly buying another Miele, but with the pool pumps having gone out, the garage door fried, and everything else that burned up last weekend (storm? maybe?), I just can't see dropping $1K on another vacuum. And it seems just a little too much to own 2 Miele's ;). So I've picked out a $250 Kenmoore at Sears online and we're going to go over there tomorrow and feel them out. If it craps out after a year, maybe I'll see about that Miele Capricorn...

[FamilyGal]

I even told them about my wife and I are swingers and very open.....



I'm going to give your wife the link to this post. You forgot to write JUST KIDDING. ;) She is going to kick your arse for joking like that ....lol

[FamilyGal]

I just can't see dropping $1K on another vacuum.

I just gave away my $1K Rainbow and all of the accessories. I remember when I loved it, but I got tired of changing out the water everytime. I can't believe I ever spent that much on one. I told hubby we needed to spend the money on tile and get rid of ALL of the carpet.

[Wilson]

We still haven't decided what to do with the carpet upstairs or in our bedroom. I still think I'd like hardwood in the bedroom, but we'd install it ourselves and who has time now? Dh put laminate in one of the kid's rooms and I'd like it in the other as well. At first we thought we'd do all laminate upstairs, but the noise level is insane and I'm kind of scared to finish ripping the carpet up. I do want hardwood on my stairs, though. And then transitioning it from one to the other... ugh... we just can't decide. I'm leaning towards new carpet in the gameroom and the upstairs balcony thingy, hardwood on the stairs and master bedroom, and laminate the other bedrooms upstairs. But then I put off doing anything because I can see firsthand how hard these dogs wear on any flooring.

[schnauzermom]

I just bought a Hoover Mach 5. It is supposed to be a copy cat of the Dyson. So far I like it. I had a fancy Hoover windtunnel that broke the day we put our home on the market so I ran out and bought a cheap windtunnel but I am so tired of buying new hepa filters plus Wal-Mart no longer sells the one I need and it costs $30. Out of frustration and without doing any research I bought this one. It was only $168, which is not bad for a vacuum IMHO. We'll see how it long it lasts. It does have a filter that must be washed out but doesn't say how often, maybe once a month? The best thing about it is that it has a retractable cord!

[Wilson]

So it's an upright? I went ahead with another canister (my Miele that I use upstairs is a canister) and got this Kenmore (http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Vacuum+Cleaners+%26+Floor+Care&pid=02025615000&vertical=APPL&subcat=Canister+Vacuums&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes). So far, I'm just kind "eh" about it. It feels awfully plasticy and I know the canister is supposed to be better on the hard floors, but I'm used to pushing that upright Dyson around. I liked the price, though, and it's rated MUCH better than the Dyson by CR for the pet hair and hard floors. I've only had it about a week now.

[eaglesprings]

For those of you recommending Oreck, have you experienced the customer service/maintenance at the location on I-45 North? We were super happy with the Oreck, until the first "maintenance" after a year, and it's never been the same since. The only reason we even still have it is because my husband got into it and worked on it. Their repairs/maintenance department here just really turned us off of ever owning an Oreck again, but we're using the one we have, and will for years.

I used to telemarket for Electrolux. LOL! That experience wasn't very pleasant, but my Mom has sworn by Electrolux for decades now. She did get a Rainbow, but it is somewhat of a pain in the neck. She's living alone so doesn't have the cleaning to do she once did, but I could not go for a Rainbow with our lifestyle!

[FamilyGal]

At first we thought we'd do all laminate upstairs, but the noise level is insane

Hmmm, we want to replace our carpet and have been considering laminate. Is that noise level really a big issue? No one has every mentioned that to us. We have a 2,500 one story house, so we wouldn't have noise above us. But, I don't want a NOISIER house than we already have. We have a sunken in formal living room that I wouldn't mind if we kept carpet in, although I am so SICK of carpet, personally. I also don't want different flooring in all of the rooms. I don't want it to look like a crazy quilt. That is why we haven't done anything, because I can't decide what to do. But, I definitely don't want more noise! Do you think area rugs would help? I definitely plan on putting a large area rug in the den if we put down laminate and would probably do the same in the bedrooms for warmth.

[FamilyGal]

I could not go for a Rainbow with our lifestyle!


It's a great vacuum cleaner, but I don't recommend it either. Too much of a hassle to clean and too tempting to not clean each time, which leads to major scum in the vacuum machine.

[eaglesprings]

Lack of carpet for us definitely meant more noise, which is problematic since my husband is a day sleeper. But, I'm comparing different homes, too, (all one story).

I'd love to get carpet again, but it will be an easy care carpet. We had Berber in our last home, but it's not "soft" on barefeet. My neighbor has something similar as far as easy care goes, but it's a little softer than berber. I'll have to find out what it is called.

Laminate or hardwood floors never "look" or "feel" as clean as carpet, but dirt does get trapped into the fibers, so I suppose it's six one way, half a dozen the other. Of course, if you have kids, dogs or allergies, the hardwood or laminate is probably the way to go!

[TripleA]

Our house has a good deal of tile downstairs. I can definitely say I spend more time "maintaining" the tile vs. the carpet! We had laminate wood in the last house. Again, more maintenance because you see everything, but even with 2 toddlers I don't recall there being much of a noise issue.

[eaglesprings]

AAA: Noise wouldn't be an issue for us, except for we have a "day sleeper." If you are anything like me, you get used to a certain amount of noise, and of course, you're awake when the kiddos are awake.

[TripleA]

Very true! Our new house is 2 story and very open. I can practically hear the kids whispering - that's good AND bad, lol! DH tried to get a nap this afternoon while the kids were playing upstairs. Let's just say he gave up after a while! I can imagine it would be hard to be quiet when you have a day sleeper.

[msucowboy97]

I'm going to give your wife the link to this post. You forgot to write JUST KIDDING. ;) She is going to kick your arse for joking like that ....lol


you should know by now my wife wouldnt be phased by that....your talking to the guy who told the guy trying to sell us alarm system after i already bought one two weeks earlier from another service...that he had a cute butt and I swing both ways. I always hit and flirt with everyone trying to sell me something.

[msucowboy97]

since we are on the topic....I paid 600 dollars last month to get my carpets cleaned....did they stick in my butt or what. Although my carpets still smells good and one spill we had sat on top and didnt soak in....The name of the company was Dirt Free

[schnauzermom]

The Mach 5 is an upright. It's pretty heavy and a bit cumbersome but does a good job and when I empty the dirt cup the dust doesn't cloud around me like the windtunnel. I think the canisters are supposed to be better for hard surfaces. My new house a ton of tile! I was sweeping but that was taking forever so now I just vacuum and sweep occasionally. At least my shnauzers shed fluff not hair so that helps. :)

[FamilyGal]

I always hit and flirt with everyone trying to sell me something.


Remind me not to let my daughter sell you anymore Girl Scout cookies. ;)

[FamilyGal]

I have the canister type vacuum now and thought I would love it. But, one swipe and it is full of cat hair. I definitely need a new vacuum until we decide which new flooring to get. I just don't want to spend as much on a vacuum as I would a laptop!

[Sysgoddess]

Hmmm, we want to replace our carpet and have been considering laminate. Is that noise level really a big issue? No one has every mentioned that to us. We have a 2,500 one story house, so we wouldn't have noise above us.


Laminate will definitely add to the echo effect in a room. You might consider cork flooring, FG. They're warmer & richer looking, to me, than many laminates, offer some sound dampening, slightly easier on the feet and environmentally friendly.

[Sysgoddess]

...your talking to the guy who told the guy trying to sell us alarm system after i already bought one two weeks earlier from another service...that he had a cute butt and I swing both ways. I always hit and flirt with everyone trying to sell me something.


Won't that be an interesting occasion one day when someone decides to maybe take you up on your :ahem: offer?! LOL