Vacuum Recommendations

taysun · September 2015

We are in the market for a vacuum and the choices are overwhelming! This will be a first vacuum purchase for both of us, so we don't have any experience really.
We're looking to get one that will last a long time (we view it as an investment item) and don't have a problem spending somewhere in the $300-$400 range if that will get us an awesome long lasting vacuum.
I'm hoping you ladies can give some advice on your experiences with different brands, both ones you've loved and ones you've hated.
Thank you!

adecembermom2015 · September 2015

We adore our Shark vacuum! It has a canister versus bags. Canister is necessary with all the pet hair.

Mizuiro007 · September 2015

We have a Dyson ball that we've loved. Mostly I would recommend trying out different display models, find one that's lightweight and easy to maneuver. It's nice if you can find one with an edger or if not at least check that any attachments are easy to use.

We've liked with ours that we don't have to buy bags and the filter can just be rinsed out.

leek71983 · September 2015

We have the Dyson DC 50. It's great. I wish I'd gotten the bigger version bc we do empty the canister quite a bit. However, that might not be an issue if I vacuumed more. Also, we have a Bernese Mountain dog. She's pretty fluffy and the vacuum manages her fur very well.

redfallon · September 2015

I want a new vacuum, too! We have a Bissel with canister. We empty it after every use. It is supposed to also do bare floors, but it just shoots stuff out the back end of it mostly. What I'd like is one that can do well with pet hair plus do well on bare floors (tile mainly).

yankeebabeme · September 2015

Dyson.

LMJL · September 2015

We needed a new vacuum a year or so ago. It needed to actually work on hard surfaces as well as area rugs. I also wanted a hepa filter for my man's allergies. After reading a MILION reviews, we bought a Miele. It's more than your current price range, but we've LOVED IT!

susiaustin · September 2015

I actually got mine at Big Lots, it was a lot cheaper and it works great! Also got a steam mop for downstairs because we have a fully tiled first floor there for really reasonable. You can get the same brands as a bigger store for a lot cheaper and mine works fantastic!! Just stay away from dirt Devils they aren't worth the money at all.

Latina211508 · September 2015

We have a Kirby. Yes, expensive but also deep cleans the carpet. Awesome when having 3 kids, 2 dogs and when 90% of my house is a light beige carpet.

chewie5990 · September 2015

I cannot recommend Oreck enough! If you keep up with regular maintenance and take good care of it Oreck vacuums will last you forever. My mom had hers for 10 years and then passed it down to me about 5 years ago. Still cleans the floors as if it's brand new. Also it's light weight. Dyson vacuums are so heavy!

mac-n-cheesy · September 2015

We just bought the Dyson Cinetic Animal vacuum. We have an even mix of hardwood and carpet and even though I vacuumed two days before with our two year old Bissel canister vac it got up SO much dirt and hair!! We have two dogs so I vacuum every few days.
It's easier for me to maneuver too and I love having no bags to replace or filters to ever clean. It's not the lightest thing in the world but because it swivels on the ball it doesn't really make a difference to me--DH just carries it upstairs when I ask!
It's normally $599 but was on sale for $479 @ Target. We used their cartwheel app and finally opened a Target debit just for the discount and we got it for $440 including tax.

Mizuiro007 · September 2015

redfallon said:
I want a new vacuum, too! We have a Bissel with canister. We empty it after every use. It is supposed to also do bare floors, but it just shoots stuff out the back end of it mostly. What I'd like is one that can do well with pet hair plus do well on bare floors (tile mainly).

Our Dyson ball seems to handle these things well. We have a cat and it seems to manage the cat hair. We have carpet through most of the apartment then linoleum and short pile rugs in the kitchen. We vacuum the entire are including linoleum and rugs (then follow up with swifter on linoleum) and it doesn't struggle at all with the transitions and doesn't need to be adjusted for the height differences.

Catherine1021 · September 2015

We have a Kirby and love it- but it was a lot more than $400. Before the Kirby we had a Dyson Animal. It also worked pretty well, but I do like our Kirby better.

BostonBaby1 · September 2015

I have had Dyson since before they were in the U.S. If you wanted to spend more, Miele is great but I think the Dyson's are the best value.

beccabeeee · September 2015

My personal favorite is Kirby. I grew up using it, it finally popped out but it worked great for many years. Although you'd probably be spending more around $500-$600. I've never had a shark but I've also looked into those and wouldn't mind having one either.

yl1m32015 · September 2015

Definitely following this thread! In the last 2 years, I've been through 5 vacuums...I can't make them last! I only have 1 dog, it doesn't make sense. Anyways, I've had a shark, eureka, bissel and now a Hoover. I've hated them all lol. I'm going with a dyson next to see if the hype is worth it.

BostonBaby1 · September 2015

yl1m32015 said:
Definitely following this thread! In the last 2 years, I've been through 5 vacuums...I can't make them last! I only have 1 dog, it doesn't make sense. Anyways, I've had a shark, eureka, bissel and now a Hoover. I've hated them all lol. I'm going with a dyson next to see if the hype is worth it.

Just make sure you empty & most importantly thoroughly clean it as directed if not more frequently. I use a small metal brush to clean out the holes. Mine has been running great for well over a decade!

*ETA- the Miele brand is also great. You can get one for a few hundred but I think the higher end models are about $1500

taysun · September 2015

@BostonBaby1 you've cemented my desire for a Dyson! My mom has one but she's only had it a few months and I didn't want to push buying one if a shark would to the same. But hearing that yours has lasted so long makes it fit my needs!

taysun · September 2015

Thank you everyone for your thoughts! It'll be a few months before we buy, but I want to decide soon so we know how much to put aside for it along with baby money.

tesary · September 2015

Look out for Black Friday deals. My parents got a great deal on a dyson animal and love it.

Court11152325 · September 2015

I just want to jump on the Dyson bandwagon. We've had our Dyson ball for 7-8 years and it is awesome. We have 2 dogs and live in the country where dirt and grass get trekked in a lot. Just make sure you take care of it. Clean the filters and what not. Definitely worth the money.

stephaniearthurs · September 2015

We have a dyson V6 cordless! It's amazing. My house is 90% hardwood and we have cats, I have not had to sweep since we got it! My ONLY issue is that the battery won't last for our whole house. That being said, there is no change in suction. I say, if you can afford it, invest in a dyson, or a similar well revived brand. You can get a cheap vacuum, but with a baby on the way, I think it's a good investment.

Side note, we got ours last Black Friday off of amazon and got a pretty good deal (I can't remember right now) if you can wait, it could be worth it.

Also, I really want a roomba!!!!

taysun · September 2015

@stephaniearthurs My mum has a roomba and she did like it however it was loud so she never ran it while she was at home. Once in a while it gets stuck under furniture. And because she doesn't vacuum regularly it has to be emptied once or twice before finishing her house because of the cat hair.

BellaM110 · September 2015

I have a Dyson Cinetic Animal Canister Vacuum. I love it and makes having to vacuum stairs super easy.

celainev · September 2015

We have a Dyson dc66 animal vacuum and we hate it. I don't know if it's just the model we have, but it is not super light like they say, I am a small person and it's still a trek carrying it up the stairs. It locks all the time which is annoying, and I don't like that the only option to vacuum couches has to come out of the top, for some reason it is so springy that I am fighting resistance all the time.
Maybe I'm just vacuuming terribly wrong... But this vacuum makes vacuuming a nightmare.

megcpie · September 2015

My mom works for a restoration company that also cleans and repairs rugs. They say that Dysons have such high suction they can actually damage the fibers in your carpet/rugs.

We have a Shark and two big dogs...it is great!

redfallon · September 2015

We have a Roomba. We run it every weekday morning except Thursdays (just randomly not on Thursday). We have mainly tile. We don't run it on the carpet. It helps with the hairball tumbleweeds from the dog and the cat. I still use a regular vacuum for our room and DDs room which are carpeted. It can be pretty loud.

LMJL · September 2015

We bought our Miele @ a dealer. (It's a Titan-btw, as @BostonBaby1 said there are MUCH more expensive models) I'd recommend going to a store & checking some out, plus the dealer gave us a better price than online, it was $525. The main reason I ended up shelling out that kind of $, cuz beleive me, I'm cheap, was b/c it was the only one that had everything we needed, plus I couldn't find one bad thing that anyone said about Miele vacuums, anywhere (aside from the fact that they are $$) I was also sick & tired of dragging around heavy vacuums, upstairs, etc & having them crap out on me. The very first time I used the vacuum, I actually said to my husband "you know, I might do this more often now, I don't mind it so much!" Which is HUGE for me.

redfallon · September 2015

LMJL said:

We bought our Miele @ a dealer. (It's a Titan-btw, as @BostonBaby1 said there are MUCH more expensive models) I'd recommend going to a store & checking some out, plus the dealer gave us a better price than online, it was $525. The main reason I ended up shelling out that kind of $, cuz beleive me, I'm cheap, was b/c it was the only one that had everything we needed, plus I couldn't find one bad thing that anyone said about Miele vacuums, anywhere (aside from the fact that they are $$) I was also sick & tired of dragging around heavy vacuums, upstairs, etc & having them crap out on me. The very first time I used the vacuum, I actually said to my husband "you know, I might do this more often now, I don't mind it so much!" Which is HUGE for me.

I wish my husband understood that! If we had a vacuum I didn't hate, I may actually not mind vacuuming so much.

KRH6829 · September 2015

I had a dyson and hated it. Also, if you are picking up lots of dog/cat hair, it is much better to go with a vacuum that bags, otherwise hair and dander can/will become airborn when emptying a canister. I know that this is a little over your price range, but we got a Sebo and love it. I have had it for about six years now and it is still as good as the day I bought it. In those six years, I have taken it in twice to be professionally cleaned at a vacuum store to keep it running well. Also, you will have to buy a Sebo at a vacuum store as they don't sell them at stores such as target. Totally worth the investment.

sayreja · September 2015

I swear by my rainbow! They suck everything into a tub of water and works amazing. I have allergies and still have dogs and no problems. They're super pricey. Get what you pay for. But you can find refurbished ones on Amazon for 400-500. The new ones come with an 8 year warranty

taysun · September 2015

We don't actually have pets in our home, our pets live upstairs with bfs grandparents so we actually get all the love and cuddles of having them but don't have to take care of any of the cleaning. That said we may get our own dog in a few years so I would like something that can deal with some pet hair.
We also don't have stairs, but again, the house we plan on building will likely have a second floor so I appreciate those of you who've mentioned being able to lift it up the stairs.

Rawr052992 · September 2015

The Combo I Have Works FANTASTIC!

I Have 3 dogs, & BF & I both have pet allergies.

Shark Navigator & Bissel Deep Clean Premier

^ ^

^ Vacumn ^ Steam Cleaner

Jess0813 · September 2015

Shark!!! Ive owned alot of vacuums and none compare to the shark!

melibedeli11 · September 2015

We just switched from a Kirby to.a Kenmore Progressive. Both get recommendations from Consumer Reports and the Kenmore is not nearly as expensive. We have a dog who sheds a lot and the Kenmore is lighter and the tools are on board for more convenience. Both are HEPA

ktc18 · September 2015

We have a Hoover windtunnel for pet hair ( I don't know the official name, but it's something like that.)
We like it and it does a great job with dirt and pet hair.
True confession: we have a central vacuum in our home and I recently realized it had terrible suction so pretty much anything that actually cleans my carpet impresses me.

MLC81614 · September 2015

Kirby 100%! I love mine!

MegStark · September 2015

We have a dyson ball. I liked it for the first few years but now it makes this horrible noise. We got it fixed once for a few hundred bucks, but here we are 6 months later, and same issue is happening. Unfortunately, we were just out of the warranty timeline.

BostonBaby1 · September 2015

I think if weight is a concern or vacuuming tons of furniture... You may want to consider a canister vacuum. Dyson makes it and Miele and I would say that it's almost preferential in my opinion. However, we don't have the space for one.

oregonmommy-2 · September 2015

I've had a Dyson for the past 9 years and it has never failed me!! It is amazing and I would never buy another brand! Dyson also sells replacement parts, which is great because you won't have to buy a new vacuum if something breaks on it!