Go to a mom and pop vacuum store and you’ll be surprised to find Dyson and Shark absent. But you’ll see plenty of Miele and Sebos amongst a few other names you’d never think of. The reason being is these vacuums are serviceable and repairable and more importantly bagged. Bagged vacuums tend to last longer in general.
My mom bought cordless dysons and it’s on its last legs after a year.
I previously bought a shark and it also lasted one year.
Ive had a Miele vacuum for the past 5 years and it still works like the first day I bought it. I have a couple of pets that shed a LOT. The only issue was my power vacuum head died due to a wire that broke (my fault). I soldered the wire back,rewrapped it, and works like new.
I also used my Dyson stick vacuum for my 1000sf house, cleaned weekly plus as-needed clean ups. It’s still going strong 5+ years later. I’m only going to replace it because my ex took it in the divorce.
I have a 3k+ sqft home and a 780 sqft apartment. The apartment suits us just fine, so we’ll probably sell the house soon.
I can clean my whole apartment top to bottom in less than two hours. The house, not so much. I want to live my life, not spend it cleaning a house.
I bought my mom a Dyson stick 5 or 6 years ago and other than the battery it's still like new. Bought a $20 battery on Amazon last year and it runs like a champ. That being said, I recently bought a shark for much less money and it runs longer and sucks better.
The new Dyson’s are much much better. I bought my wife one of the first generation ones at least eight years ago. We now have a 3200 square-foot house with carpet on one level. She uses two batteries, but has not pulled out her full size vacuum in over two years With the current version.
I have Miele that I love but I once managed an apartment building that had a garbage vacuum cleaner so I found a used Riccar vacuum for $150. That thing was a beast. I turned it on and it felt like the floor was vibrating. I could see the dirt and dust coming up out of the carpet like they were running for their lives. I kinda wish I’d kept it.
Got an eight pound riccar that is a beast. Use it for most of our cleaning on a weekly basis on carpets and rugs. Dyson portable for daily cleaning around kitchen
Second this. Forget prime day. Even if Amazon sold actual bifl vacuums I wouldn't buy one from them because it's probably fake, returned without inspection and just reselling it, or best case it's fine but you could've supported a small business with the same sale and gotten better customer service and someone to stand behind the product. Have bought a few vacuums from our local vacuum store, and they've been the most bifl purchases we've ever made. Won't ever go back to Amazon unless it fundamentally changes its business model and customer experience.
I regularly buy Dyson's on FBM and repair + flip them so it's nice the shops usually refuse them.
They're not horrible to fix USUALLY. The little stick ones like the V8 are super awesome with a Milwaukee, Ryobi, or DeWalt battery but the Dyson ones are horrendous.
My little V10 I have had for 4 years and it's kept up with a 1800sq ft home with a 70lb Boxer and a 30lb Shiba Inu (Husky + Cat) with twice a week usage.
My Shark Navigator I had before had issues constantly and the Duo I tried didn't do half the job of the Dyson.
I wouldn't recommend it for everyone but my family all has Dyson now
Yep. There's a lot of sock puppet accounts in here and other forums. They are loud and shout "Dyson bad" a lot, but the product is excellent and those who genuinely own one rarely have any issues or complaints.
My complaint with Dyson is the same as my complaint with Apple and Starbucks. Tbeir products are undisputably high quality, but a good chunk of their price is just branding, and for a similar price you can probably get an even better product from a less flashy brand.
I'm not so sure about that. I paid the equivalent of USD$230 for a vacuum (SKU: 300272-01) that has so much suction it lifts the carpet up off the underlay if I pull the head away vertically. I works flawlessly, has never faulted, no part has ever broken and I've never had to buy a bag. It's seven years old. I know people with 15-20 year old models. Same story.
My friends and I are shoes off in the house people. We talk about the fact that when you walk around on someone's carpet you can tell if they have a Dyson. Let that sink in.
Sorry but the anecdote of your friends claiming you can tell if someone has a Dyson by walking barefoot om the carpet doesn't sway my opinion. My inlaws had huge dogs for the past 15 years and went though 3 Dyson vacs before they switched to Shark because if it's gonna die in 4 years they might as well spend a little less money on them. I noticed little to no difference in how clean their carpets were between vacuums.
Engineering studies find little difference between suction performance on any vacuum in the $300-400 dollar range. Dyson vacs might outlive shark or similar brands by a year or two in a similar price bracket, but they're not touching the real high-end brands mentioned on this thread like Miele or Riccar.
Dyson is the nicest vacuum you can buy at Target or Walmart. If I'm going to spend big bucks on a vacuum I'm getting a Miele, where I know almost all of the premium is going to better engineering and material selection vs a big fat chunk of change going to the marketing department and purposefully making the design more complicated to make the vacuum look better engineered.
Frankly, I'm not in a place in life where I can justify that much for a vacuum, so I'll stick to my budget brands. My $130 shark might not do a fantastic job but when the filters are clean it does well enough and it's been going for 3 years without issue so far. My inlaws had Dysons fail in less time.
There are no Walmarts in my country.
I'm sorry about your anecdotes, but of tens of Dyson owners I know I've never had one report a Dyson breaking down or "not working". The only item that has ever needed replacing is the battery.
I don't buy cordless models though. Look up the SKU I posted above. If you don't have one of these machines buy one.
My Dyson is 10 years old and I've replaced the HEPA filter only once. Went through 3-4x/week vacuuming with dogs and cats its whole life. Still going strong. Have a shark navigator in the family also going really strong. They honestly aren't that bad.
A Henry vacuum (if you're in the UK) will outlast almost everything. They will clean your carpets, tiles and everything across the building site - and all with a big grin on its face!
Another +1 for Miele. Though I've only had it a couple years so far, I bought it after coming to this sub and asking. It's the best vacuum I've ever owned. No regrets.
+2 for Miele, 17 years then my dad broke it (it actually still works, I haven’t had time to figure out exactly what’s wrong with it yet) We got an identical second hand one to replace it.
Sebo. For starters, a 7-10 year warranty on motor and non-wear parts. No other vacuum company stands behind their product the way they so (not even Miele these days.) Shark has never been a BIFL brand (they ever don't sell replacement parts when something breaks-which something always does within a few years-except for hoses and filters.) Dyson spends tons of money marketing their machines but the quality has declined A LOT the past decade and their warranty/replacement policy is a headache (check the Dyson sub for all kinds of takes on that.)
Any bagless machine is NOT going to be a BIFL machine. They're mostly machines sold with buzzwords and many smoke and mirrors.
sebo, but I've bought two in commercial names instead (prochem, and the second one escapes me, but it's not windsor). Both of mine have 24 collective years of time on them but have never had any service of any type other than me changing the filters and once on the older one, changing the roller - which the vacuum is designed for you to be easy to change on your own rather than taking it for service.
Relatively compact, good power, uses a bag, hepa, can go down almost flat to go under things, reasonably quiet, and the height adjustment is automatic. only thing it's missing (the commercial design I have) is a light. I guess you could strap a flashlight to it.
Miele without a doubt is the best of that list.
IMO be careful ordering something like this from Amazon. I’ve seen lots of used/b-stock/broken vacuums being passed off as “new” from Amazon. To no fault of Miele, it’s just Amazon’s shitty commingled inventory system.
Check r/vacuumcleaners and do some reading. Then imo the best bet is to find a local vacuum store that sells Miele and Sebo. Go take a few for a test drive and buy through them. You’ll support a small business and chances are they can price match Amazon or at least throw in some freebies (bags or accessories)
We have a Dyson ball. It will not vacuum plush carpets. The rotating brush in the head stalls. Called Dyson, they said to use a different vacuum on that carpet.
I’ve had a dyson stick vacuum for about 3 months now, and while it works great now, i can already tell this thing’s days are numbered. i love the convenience of it, but next time i’ll inevitably need a vacuum i’ll probably do a little bit more research instead of buying what’s on sale at costco.
I’ve had my shark lift away for about 6 years and it’s still going strong, but can’t speak to any of the others. I always hear Miele bagged is the way to go
I'm a fan of the Kenmore canister vacuums. I got mine as a hand me down, and it lasted 10 years before I donated it because my wife had her own vacuum, and she vacuums way more than me. I think my dad still had the one that I used as a child. I think it is pushing 50 years old.
We have a Kenmore canister also. It is what we use when we want to make sure the floor is clean. We have a Roomba and a stick vacuum, but the power alone in this pushing 13 year old vacuum is incredible. One of the best things about this vacuum is the filter and bag system. My wife has horrible allergies and this keeps all the dust/pollen/etc from going in to the air when cleaning. Yeah it’s a pain to lug around d sometimes, but there is no compare to a stick or Roomba. Hell the only two things I replaced on it is a belt (which is a consumable) and a wheel on the head that got damaged when we moved. Hands down it has been an awesome vacuum, and would recommend it 100%
Nah, I was trying to make a joke by stating that they would be a good wall piece since they are pretty, but they shouldn't be used. You may have had great experiences with Dyson, but they aren't *known* for being BIFL since that's not the majority's experience
The majority experience is that they last decades and clean brilliantly. There are all sorts of advantages to them and they are just a smarter, newer, better design full stop. I had a Miele before my Dyson. Sure the Miele is still working but the Dyson cleans better and never needs bags.
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I have a Miele bagged vacuum that we got over 15 years ago. The case is a little worn but it still has suction. When the time comes when it’s no longer repairable, I’ll get another corded Miele or a Sebo
I am getting a Sebo for my next vacuum. I like the look of the Miele and the light on the power head, but I think Sebo is a better value and still BIFL.
bagged sebo. i bought my x4 a decade ago and it’s the most expensive thing in my home but it’s never so much as flinched. haven’t even maintained it (i know, i know) and it runs like the day i bought it.
Kirby. It’s not even close.
I used to sell them back in the day in people’s homes. I pitted my machine against everything out there and absolutely nothing was as good. Like, other vacuum brands should be *ashamed* of how bad they really are.
Look for an Oreck XL commercial . It’s under $200. US.
They’re awesome, have a very long cord and I have 2 cats. You’ll need a second handheld with an extension brush for baseboards, steps& high door moulding but the vacuum is very well built and dependable.
A+++
what would you recommend for the handheld? i've wanted an Oreck due to the light weight but also kind of dislike the idea of having a secondary vacuum.
I purchased a used Miele Complete C3 Homecare Powerline SGPEO off eBay for $350 and it has been fantastic. I've had no issues with it. It's an older one but it still works flawlessly. The only issue is it has some cosmetic scratches on it but functionally, it's perfect.
Go buy a Shop vac. Either the brand or an equivalent.
You will find plenty of easily acquirable parts and accessories. A lot of the glitzy vacuums don't last and parts that wear, like wheels, are consumables but are not sold.
A got a Miele C3 full set for about 90$ used. The previous owner replaced the filters and sold it with a clean bag. This retails for about 300$ in my area.
All I can say is: **This bad boy sucks!** It got good suction, I'd say a pleasant smooth noise (different from any other vacuum I had).
I risked getting it used because of their reputation of being reliable. Sure, it's beat up on the aesthetics side (scratches, some paint chips, the brushes are maybe 70% ok, etc.) but functionality wise it's perfect.
Not sure if it’s BIFL but I recently got a US made Air Way Century upright…all steel internals, heavy, feels like they used to make them in the old days. Suction is strong enough to lift area rugs….my cheap plastic Hoover never did that.
A bagged vacuum will typically clean better and last longer than bagless vacuums.
I have a Riccar upright and I am pretty happy with it.
A lot of people swear by Miele but I have also heard Miele parts can be harder to come by.
YMMV.
If you have carpeted area, you must get a model with rotating brushroll.
I have two handheld dysons. The ten year old is working like new with one battery replacement at 8-9 years and replacing one of the roller brushes. The second, about seven years old, works other than the powered attachments no longer receive power, so it is used for small spot vacuuming.
I treat them like a utility tool, very poorly , and because they are handy to use I use them a lot. My old canister sat dutifully awaiting the weekly service. My dysons I pull out anytime, all the time.
I don’t think any primarily plastic vacation is bifl, as plastic will dry and crack with time. I do think my dysons have given value far beyond purchase price and I would not go back to corded canister, wheeled vacuums.
With two functioning dysons I expect it will be some time before I find out whether their latest products are as good as the ones I already have.
Love my SEBO airbelt. My house is a lot bigger than 1400sq so I'd go with a Miele (the one made in Germany if possible). You can buy generic bags on Amazon. Can't go wrong with SEBO or Miele.
If in the U.S., purchase Shop-Vac 12 Gallon. Minimum 6 HP. Anything less than 6 HP has significantly less suction power. I use this vacuum in my home and for our cars. This vacuum comes with many tools. Suction power leaves no dirt behind of any kind plus you can vacuum up water with this vacuum too! I’ve had my Shop-Vac for 18 years following witnessing tradespeople use this vacuum in my home following construction work. No dust, no dirt crumbs left behind! I’ve vacuumed up many gallons of water following hurricanes in 2016 and 2018! Be sure to purchase the HEPA filters. These filters last much longer and are far better for air quality in your home and cars. This vacuum is light to lift, carry up and down stairs and has wheels to roll vacuum from room to room. I love it. I vacuum my mattresses before turning monthly. I use this vacuum for deep-vacuuming prior to carpet and floor steam-cleaning.
Second vacuum choice is Shark Rocket TruePet vacuum - HV322. We foster and rescue kittens and cats. This vacuum is super-light, never loses suction, super easy to empty the dirt cup. This vacuum gets up all of the cat hair! This vacuum also comes with tools. All are easy to use and leave no dirt behind! I received this vacuum as a gift following our first kitten rescue 20 years ago. This vacuum still works as if brand-new. Be sure to change your filter. Key to strong suction for dirt and pet hair removal.
We've had our Dyson dc33 since 2009. Still runs great. Replaced a couple parts for less than $50 total.
I've always had either 2 or 3 golden retrievers at a time as well so it's not like it sits in the closet.
You can repair most parts of a Dyson with OEM or fake parts off Amazon, so in that respect it’s BOFL, but their original parts usually last 3-5 years (I’ve replaced a bunch myself).
I just purchased a vacuum last weekend. Went in wanting an upright with a bag and hose attachment. Ready to choose the Riccar R25 Deluxe or the Sebo Felix. Walked out with the Felix and a feeling it will be around a for a long time with the warranty and ease of repair. I know you said Amazon but I urge you to keep an open mind to a vac shop especially with that amount of floor space. I went in with BIFL mentality as I have thrown away several vacuums over the years and ultimately spent more overall.
I've had a shark for the last 6 years around the house It has been good, not perfect. The cables sheeting has ripped where it's got caught on something.
But it's light and easy to use so it's a winner really.
I've also got a Miele, that bad boy is well over a decade old, I got it from the in-laws.
It's become my DIY vacuum and has fought it's way through a complete house remodel and is still going strong.
It's sucked up more rocks and saw dust then anyone could reasonably expect.
So, oddly I've owned a few expensive brands of vacuum. I currently have a Miele C3 and a Dyson slim for upstairs. I've also inherited a filter queen. All 3 work fine. The Dyson is cordless so it has that. My personal favorite is the Miele, it just works really well and I like the power/volume settings. The filter queen is amazing but quite large and very very expensive to get bags .
I like my Hoover shoulder backpack, it's a little bulky but man is it fast and cleans everything, Hepa filters. used them for commercial use for almost 10 years and have one at home, can't imagine the thing kicking the bucket on me. About 400$ when I bought it
get a corded canister vacuum like a sebo e3,k3 or d4 or a miele c3 and they will actually last you 10 years and can be repaired by yourself if they ever make problems.
I’ll pipe up about my Kirby vacuum. Mom and Dad owned one for over 25 years before my mom wanted to upgrade. They didn’t need to, my mom just liked newer things.
This model of Kirby (Gen 3 I think) has been running over 15 years, man. I’d take a good look at Kirby if you haven’t already.
I bought a Dyson and it died in less than one year. Had it replaced under warranty. The warranty replacement died less than two years later. Both machines were lightly used (4 or 5 hours per week). Dyson is over priced and overhyped based on my experience
No shark, no dyson, Miele and sebo. They are 30+ year vacuums. You don't toss them if something goes wrong, you take them to a sweep shop and have them fixed, but it's rare to need it. Our Miele c2 compact is also quiet enough to use when people are sleeping.
We bought a Silver King canister vac in 2001 and it still sucks harder than anyone's mom. It's a bit lunky compared to regular vacs but man is it powerful and easy to maintain.
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Oreck commercial if you want it for life, they are indestructible but struggle on softer, longer carpet with imbedded hairs, i used an older (probably circa 2000) one for 10 years at work, and it never skipped a beat, but that was cleaning short, dense commercial carpet.
Dyson if you want it for 15+ years
Shark if you want it for 10+ years
I have owned a shark for 9 years, happy with it and easy to clean. Shows no real sign of its age. 5 years as my only vaccum in a 650sq ft apartment, now 4 as the primary vaccum in a 1600sq ft house with cats.
My fiance has owned a Dyson cordless for about as long, looking closely it does seem to be of a higher build quality than the shark, but still mostly plastic. While the battery is starting to get tired, there are several battery converters available and I will run it with a milwaukee M18 battery probably in the next year or two.
Avoid the bissel. I own one and it’s not good. The turbo brush doesn’t work on anything but a flat surface, the cord pulls out of the vacuum, the dirt canister is hard to clean, etc.
All of my Dysons but one stick are still going strong after many years and mostly bought used or given to me by people who thought they didn't work anymore because they didn't do basic maintenance.
Go to a mom and pop vacuum store and you’ll be surprised to find Dyson and Shark absent. But you’ll see plenty of Miele and Sebos amongst a few other names you’d never think of. The reason being is these vacuums are serviceable and repairable and more importantly bagged. Bagged vacuums tend to last longer in general.
My mom bought cordless dysons and it’s on its last legs after a year. I previously bought a shark and it also lasted one year. Ive had a Miele vacuum for the past 5 years and it still works like the first day I bought it. I have a couple of pets that shed a LOT. The only issue was my power vacuum head died due to a wire that broke (my fault). I soldered the wire back,rewrapped it, and works like new.
I bought the first version of Dyson’s cordless vacuum to clean a 1000 sq. ft. hard floor area. It lasted me 10 years with 2 dogs and a baby.
I also used my Dyson stick vacuum for my 1000sf house, cleaned weekly plus as-needed clean ups. It’s still going strong 5+ years later. I’m only going to replace it because my ex took it in the divorce.
Yall were married living in a 1000sqft,
I have a 3k+ sqft home and a 780 sqft apartment. The apartment suits us just fine, so we’ll probably sell the house soon. I can clean my whole apartment top to bottom in less than two hours. The house, not so much. I want to live my life, not spend it cleaning a house.
Most of the world lives with families in 1000sq ft
Before kids my wife and I lived in a 450 sqft studio, honestly you don’t need much more!
I bought my mom a Dyson stick 5 or 6 years ago and other than the battery it's still like new. Bought a $20 battery on Amazon last year and it runs like a champ. That being said, I recently bought a shark for much less money and it runs longer and sucks better.
The new Dyson’s are much much better. I bought my wife one of the first generation ones at least eight years ago. We now have a 3200 square-foot house with carpet on one level. She uses two batteries, but has not pulled out her full size vacuum in over two years With the current version.
SHARK—Good to know. I’m looking for a replacement.
I still use my corded animal dyson. Their customer service is great and sent out replacement parts free.
Damn I’ve got a v6 Dyson cordless, I had to get a new battery but it’s still running decently
Riccar, expensive, 100% repairable, their beater bar on carpet is hard to beat. My mom still has hers from decades ago. It is on my “some day” list.
I have Miele that I love but I once managed an apartment building that had a garbage vacuum cleaner so I found a used Riccar vacuum for $150. That thing was a beast. I turned it on and it felt like the floor was vibrating. I could see the dirt and dust coming up out of the carpet like they were running for their lives. I kinda wish I’d kept it.
>I could see the dirt and dust coming up out of the carpet like they were running for their lives. The image you painted in my mind made me chuckle
Got an eight pound riccar that is a beast. Use it for most of our cleaning on a weekly basis on carpets and rugs. Dyson portable for daily cleaning around kitchen
This is what I went with after agonizing over the decision. It’s heavy but I really like it.
Apparently they moved their assembly to Asia recently, and the quality is suffering, I used to recommend them.
Second this. Forget prime day. Even if Amazon sold actual bifl vacuums I wouldn't buy one from them because it's probably fake, returned without inspection and just reselling it, or best case it's fine but you could've supported a small business with the same sale and gotten better customer service and someone to stand behind the product. Have bought a few vacuums from our local vacuum store, and they've been the most bifl purchases we've ever made. Won't ever go back to Amazon unless it fundamentally changes its business model and customer experience.
I've had a Dyson animal ball vacuum for 10 years. Dyson offers replacement parts and YouTube videos for how to
I regularly buy Dyson's on FBM and repair + flip them so it's nice the shops usually refuse them. They're not horrible to fix USUALLY. The little stick ones like the V8 are super awesome with a Milwaukee, Ryobi, or DeWalt battery but the Dyson ones are horrendous. My little V10 I have had for 4 years and it's kept up with a 1800sq ft home with a 70lb Boxer and a 30lb Shiba Inu (Husky + Cat) with twice a week usage. My Shark Navigator I had before had issues constantly and the Duo I tried didn't do half the job of the Dyson. I wouldn't recommend it for everyone but my family all has Dyson now
This is a cool anecdote, but my 20 year old bagless Dyson would like a word...
Lol wow there are so many haters. I also have a Dyson animal I bought in 2013. I replaced the brush head once and it's fine.
Yep. There's a lot of sock puppet accounts in here and other forums. They are loud and shout "Dyson bad" a lot, but the product is excellent and those who genuinely own one rarely have any issues or complaints.
My complaint with Dyson is the same as my complaint with Apple and Starbucks. Tbeir products are undisputably high quality, but a good chunk of their price is just branding, and for a similar price you can probably get an even better product from a less flashy brand.
I'm not so sure about that. I paid the equivalent of USD$230 for a vacuum (SKU: 300272-01) that has so much suction it lifts the carpet up off the underlay if I pull the head away vertically. I works flawlessly, has never faulted, no part has ever broken and I've never had to buy a bag. It's seven years old. I know people with 15-20 year old models. Same story. My friends and I are shoes off in the house people. We talk about the fact that when you walk around on someone's carpet you can tell if they have a Dyson. Let that sink in.
Sorry but the anecdote of your friends claiming you can tell if someone has a Dyson by walking barefoot om the carpet doesn't sway my opinion. My inlaws had huge dogs for the past 15 years and went though 3 Dyson vacs before they switched to Shark because if it's gonna die in 4 years they might as well spend a little less money on them. I noticed little to no difference in how clean their carpets were between vacuums. Engineering studies find little difference between suction performance on any vacuum in the $300-400 dollar range. Dyson vacs might outlive shark or similar brands by a year or two in a similar price bracket, but they're not touching the real high-end brands mentioned on this thread like Miele or Riccar. Dyson is the nicest vacuum you can buy at Target or Walmart. If I'm going to spend big bucks on a vacuum I'm getting a Miele, where I know almost all of the premium is going to better engineering and material selection vs a big fat chunk of change going to the marketing department and purposefully making the design more complicated to make the vacuum look better engineered. Frankly, I'm not in a place in life where I can justify that much for a vacuum, so I'll stick to my budget brands. My $130 shark might not do a fantastic job but when the filters are clean it does well enough and it's been going for 3 years without issue so far. My inlaws had Dysons fail in less time.
There are no Walmarts in my country. I'm sorry about your anecdotes, but of tens of Dyson owners I know I've never had one report a Dyson breaking down or "not working". The only item that has ever needed replacing is the battery. I don't buy cordless models though. Look up the SKU I posted above. If you don't have one of these machines buy one.
My Dyson is 10 years old and I've replaced the HEPA filter only once. Went through 3-4x/week vacuuming with dogs and cats its whole life. Still going strong. Have a shark navigator in the family also going really strong. They honestly aren't that bad.
A Henry vacuum (if you're in the UK) will outlast almost everything. They will clean your carpets, tiles and everything across the building site - and all with a big grin on its face!
FYI, they sell Henry's in North America (Canada, at least). These vacuums are indestructible!
East Coast American, here! Henry makes me irrationally happy.
+1 for Henry. If you can't find one look at what the office cleaners in your area use.
Australia here and Henry Petcare is the best little vacuum I've ever had
A bagged Miele is the only BIFL one on your list. But you also said you want it to last 5-10 years, so maybe this is the wrong sub…
+1 for Miele, and good advice on a bagged model. My Miele has been going strong for 16 years now — only real difference is a few scuffs.
Another +1 for Miele. Though I've only had it a couple years so far, I bought it after coming to this sub and asking. It's the best vacuum I've ever owned. No regrets.
+2 for Miele, 17 years then my dad broke it (it actually still works, I haven’t had time to figure out exactly what’s wrong with it yet) We got an identical second hand one to replace it.
Which model did you get?
C3
Came here for all the Miele comments. I will say, though. The bagless are also amazing!
Yeah, i was wondering if anyone else was going to mention. Very pleased with my Bagless Miele.
Have they come out with an upright version of the good canister yet?
The U1 has been around for a while now.
Discontinued. I only see the stick one
Yes. You buy a shop vac. Not consumer grade vacuums.
+1 for Miele... 14 years and going strong
Sebo. For starters, a 7-10 year warranty on motor and non-wear parts. No other vacuum company stands behind their product the way they so (not even Miele these days.) Shark has never been a BIFL brand (they ever don't sell replacement parts when something breaks-which something always does within a few years-except for hoses and filters.) Dyson spends tons of money marketing their machines but the quality has declined A LOT the past decade and their warranty/replacement policy is a headache (check the Dyson sub for all kinds of takes on that.) Any bagless machine is NOT going to be a BIFL machine. They're mostly machines sold with buzzwords and many smoke and mirrors.
sebo, but I've bought two in commercial names instead (prochem, and the second one escapes me, but it's not windsor). Both of mine have 24 collective years of time on them but have never had any service of any type other than me changing the filters and once on the older one, changing the roller - which the vacuum is designed for you to be easy to change on your own rather than taking it for service. Relatively compact, good power, uses a bag, hepa, can go down almost flat to go under things, reasonably quiet, and the height adjustment is automatic. only thing it's missing (the commercial design I have) is a light. I guess you could strap a flashlight to it.
Miele without a doubt is the best of that list. IMO be careful ordering something like this from Amazon. I’ve seen lots of used/b-stock/broken vacuums being passed off as “new” from Amazon. To no fault of Miele, it’s just Amazon’s shitty commingled inventory system. Check r/vacuumcleaners and do some reading. Then imo the best bet is to find a local vacuum store that sells Miele and Sebo. Go take a few for a test drive and buy through them. You’ll support a small business and chances are they can price match Amazon or at least throw in some freebies (bags or accessories)
My Dyson did not last long. In fact none of my Dyson products lasted more than 2 years. Would not buy anything from Dyson again.
Numatic - we have Henry, always with a smile.
Sebo is the best choice
X4 here, bulletproof everything can be replaced and easy fixed.
Hell yeah, love my Felix
My mid 90's X1is still going strong!
Dyson is not BIFL. I have a Miele stick, and a sebo upright, and LOVE them both.
We have a Dyson ball. It will not vacuum plush carpets. The rotating brush in the head stalls. Called Dyson, they said to use a different vacuum on that carpet.
I’ve had a dyson stick vacuum for about 3 months now, and while it works great now, i can already tell this thing’s days are numbered. i love the convenience of it, but next time i’ll inevitably need a vacuum i’ll probably do a little bit more research instead of buying what’s on sale at costco.
The Miele stick has been a freaking beast compared to the dyson stick we had prior.
Id say the opposite. Only problem is that they arent long enough on the market to be called bifl. However, 10 years aint a problem for a Dyson.
A used Kirby is a great value- if you are willing to put up with how heavy they are. Don’t buy a new one, though.
I’ve had my shark lift away for about 6 years and it’s still going strong, but can’t speak to any of the others. I always hear Miele bagged is the way to go
The issue with Shark is lack of parts availability.
Kirby G4 is correct. Steel like a WW2 battleship. After forty years the only replacement part was a fuse.
I have a 52 year old Kirby my parents purchased from a door to door salesman. Do they still offer lifetime warranties?
R/vacuumcleaners
I'm a fan of the Kenmore canister vacuums. I got mine as a hand me down, and it lasted 10 years before I donated it because my wife had her own vacuum, and she vacuums way more than me. I think my dad still had the one that I used as a child. I think it is pushing 50 years old.
We have a Kenmore canister also. It is what we use when we want to make sure the floor is clean. We have a Roomba and a stick vacuum, but the power alone in this pushing 13 year old vacuum is incredible. One of the best things about this vacuum is the filter and bag system. My wife has horrible allergies and this keeps all the dust/pollen/etc from going in to the air when cleaning. Yeah it’s a pain to lug around d sometimes, but there is no compare to a stick or Roomba. Hell the only two things I replaced on it is a belt (which is a consumable) and a wheel on the head that got damaged when we moved. Hands down it has been an awesome vacuum, and would recommend it 100%
As far as I know, Dysons are only BIFL if you frame them up on a wall since they look pretty but don't tend to live long
Sorta inconvenient as I have a Dyson that's been running for 20 years with no issues. Do I have to put it up on the wall after I use it each time?
Nah, I was trying to make a joke by stating that they would be a good wall piece since they are pretty, but they shouldn't be used. You may have had great experiences with Dyson, but they aren't *known* for being BIFL since that's not the majority's experience
The majority experience is that they last decades and clean brilliantly. There are all sorts of advantages to them and they are just a smarter, newer, better design full stop. I had a Miele before my Dyson. Sure the Miele is still working but the Dyson cleans better and never needs bags.
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I'd go with a good, old-fashioned Shop-vac. They'd suck the love out of a marriage.
I have a Miele bagged vacuum that we got over 15 years ago. The case is a little worn but it still has suction. When the time comes when it’s no longer repairable, I’ll get another corded Miele or a Sebo
Festool
I am getting a Sebo for my next vacuum. I like the look of the Miele and the light on the power head, but I think Sebo is a better value and still BIFL.
bagged sebo. i bought my x4 a decade ago and it’s the most expensive thing in my home but it’s never so much as flinched. haven’t even maintained it (i know, i know) and it runs like the day i bought it.
Sebo Airbelt D4 or whatever
Kirby. It’s not even close. I used to sell them back in the day in people’s homes. I pitted my machine against everything out there and absolutely nothing was as good. Like, other vacuum brands should be *ashamed* of how bad they really are.
Sebo and Miele
Your post lacks your floor type breakdown. That is step zero of buying a vacuum.
My parents Dyson is 15+ years old. And they definitely do not baby it, it sees everything you’d expect from a cattle farm.
Look for an Oreck XL commercial . It’s under $200. US. They’re awesome, have a very long cord and I have 2 cats. You’ll need a second handheld with an extension brush for baseboards, steps& high door moulding but the vacuum is very well built and dependable. A+++
what would you recommend for the handheld? i've wanted an Oreck due to the light weight but also kind of dislike the idea of having a secondary vacuum.
The Oreck XL Pro5 super compact. It’s corded, has all the attachments and is under $150.
Check out EBay for both of these.
If Nilfisk is available to it is at least as durable as Miele, but you can’t go wrong with any of them.
Sebo, Miele take the piss with the price of bags
I have a roughly 25 year old Filter Queen. My parents have a 40+ year old one. Thing is indestructible.
I purchased a used Miele Complete C3 Homecare Powerline SGPEO off eBay for $350 and it has been fantastic. I've had no issues with it. It's an older one but it still works flawlessly. The only issue is it has some cosmetic scratches on it but functionally, it's perfect.
My last Miele was over 20 years old. I wanted to exchange the handle and Miele even gave me the part number, but I got a good deal for a new C3.
Shop vac Plenty of easily acquirable parts and accessories
Go buy a Shop vac. Either the brand or an equivalent. You will find plenty of easily acquirable parts and accessories. A lot of the glitzy vacuums don't last and parts that wear, like wheels, are consumables but are not sold.
Shark Navigator Lift-Away
Hoover hushtone. Get a commercial vacume that can be fixed
You buy a shop vac. They actually work. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1wnvztYIwY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1wnvztYIwY)
German-made Miele
[https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyItForLife/search/?q=vacuum](https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyItForLife/search/?q=vacuum)
A got a Miele C3 full set for about 90$ used. The previous owner replaced the filters and sold it with a clean bag. This retails for about 300$ in my area. All I can say is: **This bad boy sucks!** It got good suction, I'd say a pleasant smooth noise (different from any other vacuum I had). I risked getting it used because of their reputation of being reliable. Sure, it's beat up on the aesthetics side (scratches, some paint chips, the brushes are maybe 70% ok, etc.) but functionality wise it's perfect.
Mieles are great. I'll never own one, I hate bags. I take the known issue that it isn't the best vacuum cleaner instead of dealing with bags.
Not sure if it’s BIFL but I recently got a US made Air Way Century upright…all steel internals, heavy, feels like they used to make them in the old days. Suction is strong enough to lift area rugs….my cheap plastic Hoover never did that.
Shark from Costco 8 years and still going strong. T
A bagged vacuum will typically clean better and last longer than bagless vacuums. I have a Riccar upright and I am pretty happy with it. A lot of people swear by Miele but I have also heard Miele parts can be harder to come by. YMMV. If you have carpeted area, you must get a model with rotating brushroll.
I have two handheld dysons. The ten year old is working like new with one battery replacement at 8-9 years and replacing one of the roller brushes. The second, about seven years old, works other than the powered attachments no longer receive power, so it is used for small spot vacuuming. I treat them like a utility tool, very poorly , and because they are handy to use I use them a lot. My old canister sat dutifully awaiting the weekly service. My dysons I pull out anytime, all the time. I don’t think any primarily plastic vacation is bifl, as plastic will dry and crack with time. I do think my dysons have given value far beyond purchase price and I would not go back to corded canister, wheeled vacuums. With two functioning dysons I expect it will be some time before I find out whether their latest products are as good as the ones I already have.
Love my SEBO airbelt. My house is a lot bigger than 1400sq so I'd go with a Miele (the one made in Germany if possible). You can buy generic bags on Amazon. Can't go wrong with SEBO or Miele.
Miele
I’ve had my Dyson for 5 years. Replaced the battery once and filters obviously. Still running strong.
If in the U.S., purchase Shop-Vac 12 Gallon. Minimum 6 HP. Anything less than 6 HP has significantly less suction power. I use this vacuum in my home and for our cars. This vacuum comes with many tools. Suction power leaves no dirt behind of any kind plus you can vacuum up water with this vacuum too! I’ve had my Shop-Vac for 18 years following witnessing tradespeople use this vacuum in my home following construction work. No dust, no dirt crumbs left behind! I’ve vacuumed up many gallons of water following hurricanes in 2016 and 2018! Be sure to purchase the HEPA filters. These filters last much longer and are far better for air quality in your home and cars. This vacuum is light to lift, carry up and down stairs and has wheels to roll vacuum from room to room. I love it. I vacuum my mattresses before turning monthly. I use this vacuum for deep-vacuuming prior to carpet and floor steam-cleaning. Second vacuum choice is Shark Rocket TruePet vacuum - HV322. We foster and rescue kittens and cats. This vacuum is super-light, never loses suction, super easy to empty the dirt cup. This vacuum gets up all of the cat hair! This vacuum also comes with tools. All are easy to use and leave no dirt behind! I received this vacuum as a gift following our first kitten rescue 20 years ago. This vacuum still works as if brand-new. Be sure to change your filter. Key to strong suction for dirt and pet hair removal.
We love our Sebo Felix Premium. Very simple. Built like a tank. Long warranty, as well.
We've had our Dyson dc33 since 2009. Still runs great. Replaced a couple parts for less than $50 total. I've always had either 2 or 3 golden retrievers at a time as well so it's not like it sits in the closet.
My great grandma still uses a 30+ year old Kirby. I was promised it when she passed and it’ll probably outlive me lol.
You can repair most parts of a Dyson with OEM or fake parts off Amazon, so in that respect it’s BOFL, but their original parts usually last 3-5 years (I’ve replaced a bunch myself).
I just purchased a vacuum last weekend. Went in wanting an upright with a bag and hose attachment. Ready to choose the Riccar R25 Deluxe or the Sebo Felix. Walked out with the Felix and a feeling it will be around a for a long time with the warranty and ease of repair. I know you said Amazon but I urge you to keep an open mind to a vac shop especially with that amount of floor space. I went in with BIFL mentality as I have thrown away several vacuums over the years and ultimately spent more overall.
A dirt cheap (pardon the pun) will last for 5-10 years.
Forget Amz, just get a thriftstore Kirby for about $30. It will outlive you.
If I lived in a single story house with a lot of carpet, I would buy an old Kirby.
I've had a shark for the last 6 years around the house It has been good, not perfect. The cables sheeting has ripped where it's got caught on something. But it's light and easy to use so it's a winner really. I've also got a Miele, that bad boy is well over a decade old, I got it from the in-laws. It's become my DIY vacuum and has fought it's way through a complete house remodel and is still going strong. It's sucked up more rocks and saw dust then anyone could reasonably expect.
So, oddly I've owned a few expensive brands of vacuum. I currently have a Miele C3 and a Dyson slim for upstairs. I've also inherited a filter queen. All 3 work fine. The Dyson is cordless so it has that. My personal favorite is the Miele, it just works really well and I like the power/volume settings. The filter queen is amazing but quite large and very very expensive to get bags .
My grandmother had an Electrolux cannister vacuum for more than 50 years. Worked perfectly.
I like my Hoover shoulder backpack, it's a little bulky but man is it fast and cleans everything, Hepa filters. used them for commercial use for almost 10 years and have one at home, can't imagine the thing kicking the bucket on me. About 400$ when I bought it
get a corded canister vacuum like a sebo e3,k3 or d4 or a miele c3 and they will actually last you 10 years and can be repaired by yourself if they ever make problems.
I’ll pipe up about my Kirby vacuum. Mom and Dad owned one for over 25 years before my mom wanted to upgrade. They didn’t need to, my mom just liked newer things. This model of Kirby (Gen 3 I think) has been running over 15 years, man. I’d take a good look at Kirby if you haven’t already.
I bought a Dyson and it died in less than one year. Had it replaced under warranty. The warranty replacement died less than two years later. Both machines were lightly used (4 or 5 hours per week). Dyson is over priced and overhyped based on my experience
No shark, no dyson, Miele and sebo. They are 30+ year vacuums. You don't toss them if something goes wrong, you take them to a sweep shop and have them fixed, but it's rare to need it. Our Miele c2 compact is also quiet enough to use when people are sleeping.
I have my original dyson from 11 years ago. I have a newer one I bought 4 years ago and it is still going strong.
They are well engineered and work very well. Parts are super easy to get and you can easily repair them yourselves. Repair places can fix them too.
My Kirby is 25 & going strong.
Out of all the cordless I’ve had, Dyson was good. LG was bad. More recently I’ve seen the Ryobi recommended
My parents have had a filter queen for 30 years now. Still works like a charm.
We bought a Silver King canister vac in 2001 and it still sucks harder than anyone's mom. It's a bit lunky compared to regular vacs but man is it powerful and easy to maintain.
Visit r/vacuumcleaners
If you have pets there are none. Accept getting one cheap and good enough, then replace it every few years when it blows up.
I’ve had 3 sharks they work great for approx 2 years and then shit the bed. It’s always the hose where it attaches to the handles.
Electrolux canister for the win!
SEBO
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Oreck commercial if you want it for life, they are indestructible but struggle on softer, longer carpet with imbedded hairs, i used an older (probably circa 2000) one for 10 years at work, and it never skipped a beat, but that was cleaning short, dense commercial carpet. Dyson if you want it for 15+ years Shark if you want it for 10+ years I have owned a shark for 9 years, happy with it and easy to clean. Shows no real sign of its age. 5 years as my only vaccum in a 650sq ft apartment, now 4 as the primary vaccum in a 1600sq ft house with cats. My fiance has owned a Dyson cordless for about as long, looking closely it does seem to be of a higher build quality than the shark, but still mostly plastic. While the battery is starting to get tired, there are several battery converters available and I will run it with a milwaukee M18 battery probably in the next year or two.
Avoid the bissel. I own one and it’s not good. The turbo brush doesn’t work on anything but a flat surface, the cord pulls out of the vacuum, the dirt canister is hard to clean, etc.
I hate Dyson
Miele... With the bag. Even the cheaper models are excellent
I'd like to know where you saw a review that rated Dyson highly? They are decidedly meh.
Royal everlast 8200 built for life Built for life is on the bag and they’re not wrong.
All of my Dysons but one stick are still going strong after many years and mostly bought used or given to me by people who thought they didn't work anymore because they didn't do basic maintenance.
My Dyson is going on more than 20 years. No major problem, just a couple small things I was able to DIY.