Any info on Thermax AF2 vs. rainbow? And, how do they work on shag?

Saw both through in-home demonstration. Went with the E2 Rainbow. Cleaned MUCH MUCH MUCH better and was far easier to haul around.

Justin.

Acts10... I think you meant the dirt stops spinning, not the brushroll, right? I believe that Spiritualgardner misunderstood you. The dirt doesn't have to be "spinning". It is visually appealing, but it's OK if it doesn't. Dysons by their nature can't lose suction, so you just empty the bin when it reaches the max fill line and you will be just fine. Of course even if you do have to empty it after each room, the Dyson is the easiest possible vacuum in the world for that. No paper pleated filter to clack off in the garbage pail. No twisting and turning to unlock. Just pull the trigger and let gravity do the work, what could be easier?

The only people I wouldn't recommend a Dyson for are those who have long hair because it will tangle around the slender brushroll.

Becks... Please do not even consider the Electrolux Oxygen. It's a pretty color and relatively quiet, but that is where the benefits end. It is a re badged Eureka and the quality (or lack thereof) is not worth the price. If you can find one for 100 bucks with a power nozzle go for it, but you'll not find a new one for that price. Miele or Dyson or a newer Kirby would be what I would go with. Chinacat... I sold Kirbys for about 3 days and also needed therapy to get over the experience.

diane55_2007- Did you ever find out the best vacuum for shag carpet? I am also wondering this myself.

I have an Oreck that has been repaired a few times over the years, I like that it is lightweight, but a couple of years ago I got a Hoover Fusion. I think they are only at WalMart. It's a Dyson knockoff for $100 and it works great. Suction is good and we have dog hair from the pekingese that you can't really see well on the carpet but the Fusion sure picks it up.

I am a huge Miele canister fan. It is quieter, great filtration, outstanding suction that is infintely adjustable, compact, easy to store, great attachments, manuvers well and does an awesome job. I bought the smallest, least expensive blue one.

As for Consumer Reports, before I bought the Miele, I bought exactly what consumer reports reccommended..a Kenmore canister at the time. It was big, clunky and weighed a ton. Even the hose and wand were big and clunky. Once it got upstairs, it stayed there and vice versa until I could get somebody to move it for me. I also heard that most of the testing at CU is done by men which seems foolish to do when testing appliances used mostly by women. I'd like to know there are women of various heights, weights and ages testing the appliances that are mostly used by women.

Some advice especially to upright users: pay attention to the edges along all baseboards. Use your crevice attachment to get the dirt and pet hair right along the edge. Even professional carpet cleaners can't get at that. I'm a realtor and you wouldn't believe how many people have the nice lighter neutral colored carpet with blackened edges along the baseboards. After years of accumulation, you can't get it out. Buyers want the carpet replaced because it makes the rest of the carpeting look old and dirty even if it's not. We are talking about thousands of dollars down the drain. People who keep after their edges can have the same carpet with the same age & wear yet, after a good cleaning, it looks pretty new.

I always do the edges with the crevice tool first, then put on the power head. It might seem like a bit of a pain but it's worth it. My Miele gets very close but it not as good as using the crevice tool. You might not have to do this every time you vacuum but don't let it build up so long that you can't get it out. Maybe some uprights do a better job of this.

We love our Rainbow vacuum. It is wonderful on dog hair (which we have a lot of). Disadvantage is that it is heavy to haul around and up/down stairs.

Had the in-home demonstration of the Rainbow several years ago and while we were initially impressed, it eventually dawned on me what a pain it would be to empty that dirty water. YUCK!

I wanted a canister vac that had a large capacity bag because of the enormous amounts of dog hair I was vacuuming up every day. Also, I wanted to be able to fill it up as much as possible without losing much suction. I came to this forum and lurked for several months. I don't know if it was staged or what but the vast majority of people posting were endorsing Airway, a brand I'd never heard of.

While I might have been able to get another machine for a lot less, I don't think I could've found one that satisfied the two criteria above unless I went with a shop-vac.

Several years later, I'm still satisfied with my Airway. It's heavy (made of metal) but I really can fill those bags up to the very top without losing a lot of suction.

It's an old-fashioned looking thing and I have to send away to another town on the other side of my state to get bags but it's been reliable. Can't ask for more than that, I guess!

Liked the Oreck's power but didn't like the fact that it's two parts (upright and small cannister). Dyson tooooo heavy, returned it the same day. Miele is great but you need to buy one with a motorized head not just the rotary brush head, or it won't give you the suction needed for most carpets. Now have a Sebo (pricey but I use it every day and it's worth it). Should have bought that in the first place - 10 years ago instead of wasting so much $.

Miele is it for me. I bought a used one - quiet with great filtration and high quality attachments. I have wood floors with oriental rugs. My previous Panasonic upright usually "ate" the fringe on the orientals!

I also have an Oreck & I LOVE it!!! They are kind of pricey, but I think it's worth it & you usually get "free" stuff w/ it. Plus you can try it for 30 days & if you don't like it send it back, that's why I tried it b/c you're not losing anything. (No, I don't work for them.) I have a long haired St. Bernard and a Chocolate Lab & used to have 2 long haired cats & the Oreck has no problem picking up any of that. I also like to use it on my kitchen hard floor, works great! It's not the quietest machine, but I don't think you're going to find a really quiet vacuum that actually does what it's supposed to do. One negative is that I live in a rural area so there are no stores that sell the bags & I have to order them off the internet, but I don't have a problem w/ that, you just have to make sure to do it before you actually run out. Mine also came w/ an 8 year warrenty & you can take it & get it maintenanced every year for free, so that's good.

My parents would always go out & buy the cheapest vacuum they could find and then have to replace it in about 6-12 months, so I think it makes more sense to pay the higher price, but know you have something that's going to last. Just my opinion.

(PS~ They also have a payment plan I think.)

sebo x4, has long life, great filtration,great features and weight is 16.9 lbs.
check it out!!!

Lemme see. So far in my collection I have a new Kirby, A new Rainbow E2, a new Dyson Ball, a Music & Sound Central Vacuum and an older Electrolux Canister. By far my favorites are the Rainbow E2 and the Dyson. They outclean everything else and the carpet looks so well groomed after they are used. We have several long haired cats so frequent vacuuming is a must and these vac's stand up to the challenge. They're easy to use (Though my housekeeper says the Dyson wins the ease of use challenge, hands down) and I cannot stress enough how well they work.

Justin

When I was researching vacuums a few months back, the repairmen at several vac shops told me that the Hoover and Eureka that were rated highly by CR were junk as far as durability goes.
I also looked at the Panasonics with the tri-force motors and liked them pretty well, but I was even more impressed with the Riccar line, especially the 8900 which has a bare floor selector that turns off the brush. I like the brush design better and it pushes easier than the Panasonic. The machine wasnt in my price range at that time but I will own one in the future. Find a dealer in your area and go look at one as well as try it out compared to others. It wont cost you anything to try it out

I just purchased the Dyson Slim. Now that I'm not as young as I used to be, and my son is planning to go away to college in the fall, I decided it was time to get a vacuum I could carry up and down the stairs myself. This was the only light weight vacuum I could find that had what I wanted on it... attachments for cleaning above floor, no more than 17 lbs, easy to use, and of course it has to work well. I love the extra long hose for the attachments. I think it is about 15'. I can vacuum my entire staircase while the machine sits at the bottom of the stairs. It weighs just under 16 lbs and is very easy to carry. It is designed like Dyson's Ball vacuum so it is extremely easy to maneuver. And it actually sucks! Most light weight vacuums I have tried don't pick up things like lint, thread (I'm a quilter), and rabbit hair. This one does. I did try a friends Oreck, but I hate having to use two vacuums, I would have considered it if it had attachments but it doesn't. My friend actually uses the small canister she got free with her Oreck more than the one she bought. It is also very easy to empty. I have not had any problem with dust getting everywhere when I empty it like a different bag-less I had. A friend of mine has a Kirby, she said it is the most powerful vacuum she has ever used. Unfortunately it is very hard for her to maneuver, and she can't carry it up and down stairs so she just keeps it in the basement (finished and carpeted).

I guess the best vacuum depends on what you want.

Best of all I got my Dyson slim at Linens n Things with a 20% off coupon. I could have got it slightly cheaper from Amazon, but for the price I wanted the option of returning it if it did not work as I hoped.

I have a kirby & love it. Wish I'd bought one 30 years ago. I amk amazed, every time I use it, at how much dirt it sucks up. Well worth the money, if you ask me.

we have a central vac... far ansd away the BEST answer in my book... you only HEAR the motor in the carpet head... when dong hard floors youcan watch things like pet hair start sliding to the attachment from about 8 inches away... awsome sucking power... quiet... and the bag holds tons... and it's in your garage or basement when it's time to empty it... not in your living area...

Most reputable installation companies can do them after constructio without a big problem...

ps- Now that I think about it- I believe the Panasonic was even used..Yes, it was a trade in At the local Vac store....I'm pretty sure I only paid $164.00 and that included a 4 year warranty! I think I paid extra for the warranty cause the vac was cheaper being used. I wasn't sure if I wanted to do the extra warranty, I am cheap, lol, but did anyway. Well never ever needed to use it or ever had it in the shop for anything....in 24 years. Yea, ok, knock on wood. So the unit could be almost 30 years old! PANASONIC ALL THE WAY!

I have a Sebo, which has worked great. I especially love that there's no belt to break. The Eureka I had before it had to have its belt replaced every couple months...plus it was so hard to replace I had to get a friend's husband to do it.

I'd like to get another vacuum and have been thinking of the Dyson. I have cats, plus also have asthma and allergies (and no, I'm NOT allergic to the cats!) :)

I haven't done the research yet, but does the Dyson have a belt? What others do NOT have a belt is probably the better question to ask...

Consumer Reports report that the Dyson Animail tested poorly.

They say the Eureka Boss Smart Va Ultra 4870 is a CR best buy.

As I write this, my Hoover WindTunnel (with a bag) sits at the curb, waiting for the trash truck.

I bought the WindTunnel about 2 years ago, based, primarily, on Consumer Reports' ratings. Since then, I've replaced expensive belts numerous times. This time, I think the motor seized up.

I've never really like the WindTunnel, mostly because the darned thing is HEAVY. It had great suction, but that was a double-edged sword. Because the suction was so good, and the hose so short, it was VERY difficult use the turbo brush to vacuum furniture. The darned thing kept falling over, usually on my leg!

So, I'm shopping for a new vacuum. I've looked at the Dyson, and found it to be too heavy. Plus, I don't really like bagless - usually too dusty when emptying the cup. I looked at Miele - to the tune of $900!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, I'm looking hard at both Simplicity and Panasonic.

I guess my point is, use Consumer Report as a guide, not a "bible".

Ellen

Amen, Ellen. My wife and I based many purchases on CR years ago. Bought a Panasonic upright that was rated number 1 and had nothing but problems with the machine. It was actually discontinued less than a year later. Washer and Dryer set, no problems with the Dryer but several with the washer. Of course it happened right after the warranty expired. So, do yourself a favor folks and research more than just CR.

I have upright and canister Riccars, love them. And, if they do need repair they can be repaired locally. Another plus is they are made in America.

I agree on the Consumer Reports opinions. Had the Kenmore Progressive; suction continues on a downward spiral every time you use it. And I changed bags more often than needed. The Eureka Boss was by far the worst vacuum I ever owned, and I replaced it within a year with the Kenmore. I now have a Dyson after going to every store possible and trying them all out. I absolutely love it. I also liked the Rainbow, but am not hauling water upstairs and down, nor paying that much.

Dyson owners should be aware that there is a paper elemented Hepa filter on several models that does need to be changed on occasion. Especially those that have done remodeling because of the fine sheetrock dust. And carpet fresh or any type of powder will also shorten the life of the filter.

That appears to be a matter of opinion. This from Dyson:

Thank you for contacting Dyson, I apologize for the delay with this response. The Hepa filter does not ever need to be replaced. If you want to replace it, you can, if you feel it need be. But they are designed to last the life of the vacuum. If you have any other questions, please contact our helpline at the toll-free number listed below.

"But they are designed to last the life of the vacuum"

Does this mean they think the filter will last a long time or that the vacuum won't? LOL

The Vacuums have "Lifetime Hepa filter" advertised right on the machines. Why would Dyson tell someone otherwise? Thats no big surprise. Change the filter if you like, or maybe at least open it up and look at it. If you do, you will be inclined to change it. One of my friends wife is supposed to buy a new filter for their Dyson soon, maybe I can take a picture of both filters and post it.

I looked at the 2 filters tonight and there is no doubt that the filter needs to be changed. I have taken a picture of the two filters but not sure I want to post it just to prove a point. Dyson owners, check your Hepa filter and change if needed. A dirty filter causes a reduction in air flow and can cause the motor to run hot. Or, you can ignore it and pretend that it isnt a factor, which I can understand some doing to justify their purchase. Take a look at your filter and decide for yourself.

At the moment I'm using a small, cheap Sanyo with a re-usable bag. It's the best vacuum I've had so far, not so much because of suction (it doesn't have a huge amount) but because it was very cheap and is easy to carry up and down the stairs in our little terrace house. I sort of figured when I bought it that it would last us until the cheaper end of the bagless vacuum technology market improves. Call it my five year vacuum plan ;)

What I would really like would be a cheap, very light, bagless vacuum with a very long cord, that could be worn on my back and with all controls and accessories reachable without taking it off my back.

I've used the Bosch Formula hepa 1400W canister for about two years. I like it; it's -Much- quieter than the Oreck upright. I used to wear hearing protection with the Oreck. The powered head on the Bosch does real well for dog hair. I've replaced the hepa filter once in two years. Bag changes are easy and relatively clean, though I do them outside. The Bosch could use a better crevice tool for the car, otherwise a good machine.
Just ordered the Nilfisk-Alto Attix-8 for the garage, because sawdust and sheetrock dust are rough on the Bosch.

In my experience, I would by a Panasonic if you need a upright to do it all. If you want to just clean carpets, go with Sanitaire Professional (SystemPro) models. Nothing cleans as deep as these simple basic machines. And they are very durable and easy to repair. There is a Sanitaire S647 that we use at work for cleaning the office carpet. This machine is abused daily, and has held up very well.

At home I have a Panasonic that I bought in 1999, and it works very well in dealing with pet hair. The Riccar machines seem very nice, but the Panasonic is always cheaper, or has some form of discount. Happy shopping!

My central vac. you can not beat central vac.would never be without it!

"As I write this, my Hoover WindTunnel (with a bag) sits at the curb, waiting for the trash truck.
I bought the WindTunnel about 2 years ago, based, primarily, on Consumer Reports' ratings. Since then, I've replaced expensive belts numerous times. This time, I think the motor seized up.

I've never really like the WindTunnel, mostly because the darned thing is HEAVY. It had great suction, but that was a double-edged sword. Because the suction was so good, and the hose so short, it was VERY difficult use the turbo brush to vacuum furniture. The darned thing kept falling over, usually on my leg!"

Wow, I could have written these exact words as I must have the same model you do. I researched mine heavily in CR before purchasing and am just about ready to trash mine, too.

I agree on all the points you made about the suction being good but the weight/tipping a problem.

My big issue is mine only works for about 30 seconds at a time before the motor shuts off. Obviously this makes cleaning a total pain as I have to turn it off (if the button isn't switched to "off" I've had it not work for weeks) and wait for it to cool down.

I'm not sure if it was a lemon from day one or what (others have had issues with overheating). My mom did use it to vacuum up after some plastering and painting and they advise not to do this because small particles clog the bag/harm the motor.

Anyway, I'm now living in a house with mostly hardwood and while I can turn the beater brush off I still worry about this thing damaging the floor, plus it's a pain to have to be so gentle with it.

I think I'm going to look into cheap cannister vacs. I've come to the conclusion that even the "best," priciest vacs (that Wind Tunnel was $300) don't have much life in them.

I like my Kirby very well and though I didn't pay retail I did negotiate a good price. And if I had a budget of $300, I'd get a good used one knowing it would outlast the average plastic machine out there.

I just did my regular "quarterly maintenance" on our Dyson DC07, and the only thing I still can't address is the hair on the portion of the beater bar under the drive belt (I agree with vacuumfreak's recommend for people with long hair to avoid Dysons because their hair will tangle around the slender brushroll).

The Dyson is heavy and complicated but (knock wood) has performed well for us. Has anyone noticed a performance improvement after washing their Dyson's pre-motor filter?

After moving to a new (to us) home with more hardwood floors and antique rugs, we're going to add a canister to our cleaning arsenal and are considering Miele, Riccar, Sebo, and Panasonic. With so much information and so many opinions available, I feel like flipping a four-sided coin and that's just to decide on a brand. Then comes the decision on a model!

I too have a Dyson (Yellow Ball) and it is the best. It has two switches that work independently so you just cut one switch to off when you are on a wood or tile surface to stop the front motorized beater bar but the suction continues and then when you are on the carpet you just mash that button again and the beater bar starts to rotate and it cleans your carpet and it picks up everything as evidenced by the clear container contents. Also, the Dyson has an initial Five (5) year warranty. With that ball you can maneuver around furniture and into spaces you would not believe. If they ever make a Dyson race-car, I want to drive it because it will be a winner too. Consumer Reports sure failed their mission when they didn't put Dyson at the top.

If you want a bagless and you also want a cannister, check out Home Depot for their Everstar. It's about $50 and has a lot of power. It's made to be very efficient. You can keep all the well known brands. They're way too expensive in the cannister style.

Dyson Animal. I used to have a Fein and Electolux. I hated vacuuming, now I actually enjoy doing it every day.

I am in desperate need of help. I am on my third Kenmore Progressive and I don't think Consumer Reports are right with the ratings. I hate my Progressives and I had THREE different models in the range of $150-$500.

My sister owns a Miele. It's expensive and I am not sure whether it will work for me. I have hardwood floors and area rugs. The carpet attachment on my latest Progressive broke and I already fixed it twice. I am not getting it fixed again. I still manage to vacuum with it but feel that my rugs never get cleaned. So I need something that will do a GREAT job on my rugs, something that is easy to use daily (I have 3 little kids), and something that will last me at least 10 years. I am willing to buy a Miele but only if it will meet my needs. I am also am very confused about the different Miele models and attachments. Which one should I get?

What other vacuum brands should I look into? Any advice will be appreciated. Many, many thanks.

I bought a Miele cannister vacuum within the last month.

Our house also has area rugs with hardwood floors.I had been using an upright but finally decided to switch to the cannister and am so glad I did. I tried the Kenmore Progressive but it felt too cumbersome. The Miele is much easier to use.

For us, a HEPA filter was a must and it had to use bags.

The Meile is so easy to use that I'm vacuuming more often which is a good thing since we have a lovely, sweet golden retriever whose one "vice" is the amount of hair that he sheds. The Miele does a GREAT job of removing dog hair from the area rugs and is so maneuverable that it's easy to get around furniture and into the corners where the hair collects.

The only disadvantage that I've found is that the electrified wand is quite heavy for vacuuming anything overhead, such as drapes, spider webs near the ceiling, etc. I had an old plain plastic wand that just happened to fit and I use it if I'm going to do more than minimal up-high vacuuming.

Can you borrow your sister's Miele and try it out? It is a big investment and I did a lot of research before buying ours. It needs to be right for YOU since you'll probably be using it for many years.

Love my Dyson DC14. It is a pleasure to use.

My Hoover Windtunnel Self-Propelled is a PIA -- constantly needs to new belts.

newtoremodeling, find a Riccar dealer near you and go take a look at them, it wont cost you anything to look and chances are you can compare them to others mentioned here

I LOVE my Miele hepa filter canister!!!! I've had it for over 10 years. I went through two hoover uprights (10 years each) and liked them but didn't like pushing the whole vacuum around. Eventually stress broke the metal pieces that hold the bottom to the top. They were fine but not great. I went to a specialty vacuum store and they sold me on the Miele upright. I haven't turned back since. (of course I spent a fortune on it and my husband almost killed me, but now he loves to vacuum too!!!) Any time I need anything done to it (rubber belt changed once, plug changed once) they do it for free! I loved it so much that I went back last year and got my daughter a used one for $100 - similar to ours!!! I have a whole house central vac, which I always wanted (came with the house), and absolutely HATE it! All I was doing was draging this HUGE hose all around my large rooms and knocking things over. I have a 3400sq foot home with area rugs, wood floors, tile, marble and wall to wall. I am a Miele convert!!!!!! ~L

Electrolux, the orginal, now called aerus electrolux, Made in the USA, great service, Great sealed systems, will last forever.

I've had my Rainbow 2 speed for five years. Love it. There is a learning curve. I never understood the big deal about dumping the water down the toilet and putting clean water back in and continuing to vacuum.

The main reason I like the Rainbow is that (even though it's somewhat of a bigger pain to use and takes a little longer while you're cleaning, you ultimately don't have to clean AS OFTEN (especially where dusting is concerned)

The Rainbow actually has a hepa filter on it. Mine still has it's original hepa filter (which I have taken off to examine it) and it's still brand new looking on both sides and even smells fresh.

These machines are great if used properly. Change the water before it gets too nasty and don't suck up anything non-wettable like fireplaces ashes, talc powder, flour etc. and you will be maintenance FREE for a LONG time

All of that being said. I think Rainbow's sales tactics leave a lot to be desired. Get one refurbished from a REPUTABLE vac shop On or OFF line. I've seen Reconditioned E2's that look brand new that are as low as 500 to 600 dollars. And some of the previous Rainbow models even cheaper.

In addition to that there are other vacuums extremely similar to Rainbow (though I've never used one). Pro Aqua. Ocean Blue. Hyla and Thermax (though I don't think Thermax uses Separator technology. You can look for those refurbished as well.

THE YEAR IS 2013 MONTH JUNE I am posting from a mount high with my Valkyrie horns and piercing Wagnerian Opera singing voice strong enough to break a crystal goblet. -- trumpets blaring singing highest praises to the best vacuum cleaner I have used in my entire life! I am 52 and housecleaned for years in my youth before I became a forensic psychologist. I cleaned households of wealthy cocaine dealers in Marin County, California in the late 70s early mid eighties and the houses of Rock stars thereby becoming acquainted with all of the best, most expensive, well established vacuums in the entire world. Naturally those days fell away as I was able to escape the depraved world of my criminal drug dealer rock and roll roadie father I was born to, to attend UC berkeley and Post Graduate School to enter forensic psychology as PhD assessing dangerousness for highly violent psychopath inmates in the California criminal Justice System. Though very busy and engaged in this high paying, dangerous work cut out for the select few, I always cleaned my various domiciles myself, availing myself of fine vacuums on a high salary. It was not until 2002 that I came across the vacuum cleaner of my dreams! This vacuum has been with me for 11 yrs. requiring nary a single repair and works as well as the day I so luckily bought it for pennies from a young gentlemen who bought it brand new but was suddenly forced to leave the country in 24 hrs. to catch a flight to Germany to work at his dream job of a lifetime, at Adidas Headquarters! The vacuum!? A Miele 246 Naturelle cannister vacuum cleaner. This vacuum is wonderful! It will suck up anything on anything! I dont even change the attachments, I just take off their standard floor rug head, and use the tube for corners and all else. This is because the power suck is so strong there's no need to jack up the PSI with attachments that narrow the square inch factor for smaller harder areas. In fact this vacuum is so strong I almost sucked up my parrot! It's not a large parrot like a Macaw, its barrel chested and stocky but only the height of a Robin. My poor parrot ran in front of the field zone of my vacuum path and got sucked right into the entrance hole of the hose! Horrible, The sqwauking and screaming that entailed!!! Because he was larger than the circumference, and a strong, athletic little tough bird, he wasnt dragged up the tube, but he was momentarily pinned at the ingress. I flipped off the power in 2 seconds, releasing him, befuddled and recouping while he rustled his feathers and scampered like a bowlegged pigeon toed football running back across the floor to safety. He was not the worse for wear and hence forth he was caged during vacuum times. Nevertheless my parrot's frightening experience speaks volumes to the vacuum power this cannister has and still does!! This Miele is lightweight on wheels and easily maneuvered. It has not required a single repair. I just change the couple filters when needed and keep it in a warm dry storage. It never blows dust or stinks like so many vacuums do after awhile. It handles wood, tile, low carpet, ciellings and corners equally beautifully and it is pleasantly quiet for a vacuum cleaner - really helpful when I feel compelled to push the limit of shared wall apt. living by vacuuming compulsively some visually irritatting debris off the floor at an off hour. I havnt received a single complaint even for a 20 minute vacuum session at 2am in the morning right below my upstairs neighbors bedroom!! This leads to my last point. Which is I love this vacuum cleaner so much after all these years, and this will sound a little perverse maybe - but I actually look forward to almost any time I get to use it! The ease of use and the immense gratification of such dramatic clean up results while feeling the power of this little muscely whirring German mini- tank of a machine is just so satisfying, at times, I can scarcely stand it :-) :-)!! This German engineering and quality reminds me of a very high end little racing power coupe BMW. As Ive had those too. No machine engineering rivals those pesky Germans! Why do you think they almost ruled the world?! Kiss your Kirby, Hoover, Oreck, Dyson... blah, blah....goodbye forever and invest in one of these cannisters from Miele and you will never have to buy another vacuum cleaner your entire life!! I personally have the Naturelle 246. I believe its pricing is highly competitive and its the best of my life as a discerning, intelligent and highly experienced house cleaner as most women are anyways.

Dyson DC39!

Pompky,

I sounds as though while cleaning for the cocaine dealers that U took the vacuum bags with you and are still using your ill gotten gains! LOL

Dyson DC 39