Vacuum recommendations
 

OK...we JUST bought a house, we move in January 26th. We're in the process of trying to organise essential early purchases and purchases that can wait (i.e. a lawn mower won't be needed till spring, so we can put that off). We're currently living with my brother, so apart from clothing and a few personal electronics, we have nothing.

One of the essential purchases is a vacuum cleaner. Now, our new house has maple hardwood and ceramic tile on the whole ground floor, carpeted stairs and carpeted upstairs. We don't have any pets, so will not have a very "hairy" house. In England, our last two vacuums were dysons...one we "inherited" when my parents left the country, the other we bought, but we have always thought dysons were overpriced. I do prefer the bagless style though.

So...any personal recommendations for vacuums? I've done a search, but what I'm after specifically is what vacuum do you have, and are you happy with it?

Re: Vacuum recommendations
 

If you prefer bagless, get a Dyson. Every other "bagless" out there is relying on a filter of some sort somewhere, only the Dyson uses real cyclone technology...truly a better mousetrap.

Much as I like Kenmore appliances in general, the kenmore canister vac we got (and it wasnt cheap) is the poorest piece if crap design Ive ever had the misfortune to own, I always end up shouting obsenities at the bloody thing, and hate it with a passion for the fact that whoever designed it clearly never tried to actually use it once it reached the prototype stage. Bloody thing is completely useless to drag along, too big and has a rubber bumper strip thats sticky, so rather than glancing of things its catches on everything, including itself :mad:

I prefer canisters, but Ive only seen the dyson here as an upright, but for my money it cant be beat. Waiting in vain for the Kenmore to expire...I guess the dyson appeals to my techy side. Expensive though. Having said all that my dear wife just sent off $100 for one of those "robot" vacs that roams free range all on it own. Im not expect it to be much good.

Re: Vacuum recommendations
 

DYSON without a doubt. Cheapest here in BC is $499 plus tax.

Re: Vacuum recommendations
 

We are 100% carpet-free and have a dog with hair, as opposed to fur (it doesn't shed). As a result, we get by with the cheapest piece of Kenmore crap going. All it needs to do is pick up the larger bits of debris before swiffering takes place.

Re: Vacuum recommendations
 

I just bought a Dyson and although it's high priced it is, without a doubt, the best vacuum cleaner there is! Mind you, I was replacing my 30-year old Filter Queen which speaks for itself. That's bagless too, but uses filters. When I bought it it was one of the most expensive vacuums, but look how long it lasted. Biggest problem I had was with the power head, had to keep changing belts.

Re: Vacuum recommendations
 

This is exactly what I needed, thanks all. It's no real surprise that Dyson is in a class of its' own, but I'll get OH to read this thread to justify the "ouch" factor of the price :D

Re: Vacuum recommendations
 

WOW!! $499 for a Dyson, that is serious money.

Re: Vacuum recommendations
 

I love my Dyson and unfortunately will have to sell it before I head off to NS. It's less than 6-months old and replaces my 12-year Dyson DC01 which just got a bit wobbly with old age

I am definitely buying another Dyson....... and yes, ouch! they are expensive to buy in Canada :eek:

Re: Vacuum recommendations
 

I'd hate to tell you what I paid for mine - it's the one for pets, costs much more!! But I am very happy with it, inspite of the price.

Re: Vacuum recommendations
 

Silly thought - Are you sure your house doesn't have a central vac? (you don't say if you are moving into a new build or not) I wasn't sure what central vac was until I got here and I was also surprised at how many houses had it roughed in but not connected, I have also heard of people putting it in on a completely finished house (sounds like hassle to me). Both the houses we have bought here have had central vac - the first which was only 5 years old had a 'dustpan' in the kitchen (a sucky thing at floor level to sweep the crap into). The house we are in now is over 20 years old and the central vac does need looking at (we lose suction as soon as we put a gadget in the wall :confused:). For anyone moving into a new build (or even being brave enough to build) I would reccomend a central vac with a dustpan (I would have a dustpan in anyroom with hard floors). Two things I miss 'bout our other house - the 'dustpan' and the walk in closet. Before we moved to the land of central vac's my dream vacuum was a Dyson, so if I had to buy a vacuum that is what I would go for.

having said all that I REALLY like the idea of a 'Free Range' vacuum cleaner...........Have they invented a free range Iron yet?

Re: Vacuum recommendations
 

We have ceramic tiles and parquet flooring and make do with a cheapish bagged pull-along vac. It works fine, and and don't think that the bag is changed very often!

Re: Vacuum recommendations
 

The central vacs are not as powerful as the regular vacuum cleaners and nowhere near as efficient in cleaning. I hardly know anyone who uses their central vacs now.

I think Dyson is the best and I don't think they are much more expensive than the UK- prices at Argos range from 200-360 pounds.

Re: Vacuum recommendations
 

There is a rough-in for a central vac (the house is four years old), but my parents had a top-of-the-line central vac back in the 80's and found it useless. My mother had to buy a separate vacuum to get up the stuff the central vac mixed. The only thing is was good for was sending little green army men from any room in the house to the garage VERY quickly ;)

Re: Vacuum recommendations
 

You're right, I've got a central vac and never found it efficient. Plus, so much hose and cord to trip over!

Re: Vacuum recommendations
 

Oh I found my central vac very good and much better than my normal vacuum back in the uk, easy to use and no heavy bulky machine to lug up and down the stairs, just a hose to plug into a new hole!.