My housekeeper swears by Kenmore. She will not use anything else, not even a Meile or a central system. She hauls that Kenmore everywhere, and even buys the service contract. She says it always pays off for her, but YMMV. The average homeowner won't run their vacuum 4 hours a day.

Get the Shark Rotator Lift Away.
Cost around $200, better than your Dyson.

I'm trying to find a decent vacuum for my son's new apartment space. It's hardwood floors and carpet.
He has northern breed dog residing there also.

I can't invest in a Miele. Would like to pick the best out of the units costing $250. I almost selected the Shark Pro series based on the reviews but then you read a review that claims there is weak suction and I wonder if people know what they're talking about. Is it true that American made vacuums are a joke? Someone claimed that European vacuums are more powerful (1700 watts) and much cheaper yet that doesn't seem to be the case when you look at the power of Mieles.

I searched multiple forums for information regarding vacuums. I would think this is an important topic. I'll be going to the library to see what CR says but hope to hear from others on the forum.
Thanks
TM

After reading your post I went to Amazon.com and checked all the brands they sell to see if one had positive feedback reviews. Most positives were short time owners. All low cost vacuums got large amounts of negative rants saying they are now cheap short lived junk imported from China. Even makers of expensive luxury models like Electrolux get their low cost models that way.. Maybe you could find a different on-line site with other brands and reviews yourself.

I've had a Panasonic canister for 20 years. It works fine, but its clumsy to use and I hate having to find bags. I also have a Dyson upright, and wouldn't buy anything but a Dyson again.