canister vacuum-Miele or Kenmore?
nodirthere
16 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (31)
capt.dan
16 years agosteve_a
16 years agoRelated Discussions
vacuums: riccar or miele, upright or canister?
Comments (10)After years with a Dyson, I was getting frustrated with the fact that I couldn't go in small places (under a bed etc...) and decided to switch to a canister. So I decided to go all out and bought the Miele Capricorn...oh my! So that's what it's like to vacuum! The Dyson was no slouch but the Miele is in a different league all together. First, the quality of the material is first grade, much better plastics that the Dyson. The Capricorn allows you to change the power from the handle (6 settings if I recall) from full power, to quiet mode, to vacuuming your curtains without sucking them. It is pretty quiet even on full power, much more quiet than my Dyson. I personally prefer a canister because of its maneuverability. It's much lighter to pull and operate than an upright and can go behind tight spaces and under the bed (finally!) The only downside is you will need two different brushes for your floors (I have both too). On the upside, they're very easy to change, and you can control the brush for the carpet from the handle as well (on the capricorn anyway) so you can turn off the rotating brush without moving your hand when your reach the fringes of a rug for example. I do love those control buttons on the handle. A friend of mine just bought a capricorn as well and had the same reaction: I wish I would have bought this a long time ago! It's like vacuuming for the first time. And that's coming from a Dyson! Great quality, fantastic power, super quiet and very light. Expensive, but like every Miele product, you do get what you pay for....See MoreI really want a Kenmore Intuition canister vac. Is it good?
Comments (8)I had an old used Electrolux canister that I absolutely loved. The pros were-it was great,it picked up everything in its path,the attachments worked very well. . The cons-it was somewhat heavy to drag around, and the hose kept getting clogged. I finally got sick of the clogs and replaced it with-in order, a Hoover upright bagless, a Eureka upright rated a "BestBuy" by Consumer Reports, and my current Bissell Grab and Go convertible. I have hated every one of the replacements, they "suck" or rather, don't suck at cleaning. I have considered both a Dyson and another Electrolux/Aerus . Someone else must have the answer. What is the best vacuum?...See MoreRecommendations: canister vacuum cleaner.
Comments (27)Hey guys.... I don't check the forum like I used to... I remember the days when I'd check it multiple times a day even from my phone and work computer.... I'm working two jobs now and I just don't have the time and energy to participate or cook like I used to.... but it feels like a part of my life is missing so I thought I'd check in and see how everyone was doing and make sure everyone was still alive :o) Now you know the way to bring me out of hiding is to bring up vacuum cleaners! Claire, You've gotten some excellent advice that I can only echo.... you guys didn't even need me for this :o) If you an afford it, Miele hands down! They are quiet and have great filtration and all the wheels on the canister body swivel so it makes backing out of a tight corner very easy.... you can just kick the machine whichever direction you want it to go and it will readily submit.... it can cost between 700 and 1000 dollars for a Miele, so if that's not in your budget, the alternative as others have mention is Panasonic/Kenmore. Panasonic still makes most of the higher end Kenmores, but there are a few that are now made by TTI (the parent company of Dirt Devil/Hoover/Royal) and they (TTI) are an awful company and they make incredibly low quality products... vacuum people around the world mourned the day they bought Hoover.... of course they closed the North Canton Ohio factory and put all the workers out of a job and moved all production to China.... Panasonic/Kenmore canisters will resemble the one in the link below and can be had for around 2 or 3 hundred dollars. Things to look for in an canister would include a fingertip switch (who wants to go back to the machine to step on a pedal?), brushroll off feature for quick cleaning on bare floors, dedicated bare floor tool for detailed cleaning in tight spaces, dedicated dusting brush, upholstery tool, and crevice tool (many manufacturers are trying to combine all those functions into one tool and their attempts result in a piece of trash that doesn't perform any of the tasks well), direct connect wands and hose (you should not be able to see a cord or wire on the outside of the hose.... it will get tangled and you will throw the machine in a bonfire), rubber coated wheels (just scratch the wheels of the model you are testing to figure out if it has this, it will be obvious), and a quick release wand.... a quick release wand is very nice.... there is a pedal at the bottom that if you step on will release the power nozzle with just one press... this makes getting the wand off very easy for snatching a quick cob web or doing baseboards or something that is just too big to go through the power nozzle... Another thing to look for is a manual height adjustment pedal on the power nozzle, many canisters lack a height adjustment and it's important to have one because everyone has different kinds of carpet. Telescopic wands are nice too. Something that I like (more common on Miele than Panasonic) is a swivel neck on the power nozzle.... then you get "power steering" and it makes it more maneuverable than a machine that you just have to push back and forth. LG has a new canister out that is called the "Follow ME"... it has motorized wheels and will literally follow the user around (look it up on youtube if your'e curious.... it's fascinating really) but I don't think that's necessary. The only real problems with the Panasonic/Kenmore machines are that sometimes the wheels or pedals on the power nozzle can break off, they are of course cheap plastic. If you insist on supporting an American company, Simplicity/Riccars are good machines, but for the money, I'd go with the German Miele.... still can't beat Panasonic/Kenmore for value for money. I'd recommend not to go bagless.... the only company that makes a decent bagless is Dyson, but their canisters tend to be bulky and not well reviewed.... the power nozzle motors are whiny, they lack a height adjust and a quick release wand and a fingertip switch and you get that bagless mess every time you empty the silly thing... though it's fun to see the dirt in the cup, the dust poof when you empty the thing makes it not much fun. Another thing to look for is a 360 degree swivel hose.... like the one in the link below, the hose swivels 360 degrees where it comes out of the machine. The alternative is that the hose would be fixed and typically come out of the front of the machine and you have to turn/pivot the entire machine every time you move.... I wish you luck in deciding and hope you'll let us know when you finally settle on a machine :o) Here is a link that might be useful: Panasonic canister on Amazon...See MoreCanister vacuum recs?
Comments (10)I had a 10 y/o Hoover WindTunnel canister that had fallen apart over the years. The kiss of death was when the wand would not stay in the handle. Grrr.... Otherwise, it had great suction, but I was done with disposable vacs. After reading good reviews everywhere on the Internet, I bought Miele vacs a couple years ago and have no regrets. The bags are really expensive, but I have horrible dust allergies and it's worth it. Our housekeeper says my Miele vacs are her favorites, of all the homes at which she works. The more expensive vac (Gemini) has the attachments "under the hood" and the less expensive one (Delphi) has them mounted on top of the hood. Having used both, I prefer the one with the attachments under the hood. The other major difference in Miele price points is the wand. Some have the 'electric' feature for the optional carpet head. Miele's web site lists the features of each vac....See Moregizmonike
16 years agoteedup1
16 years agocj47
16 years agoneilometer
16 years agoljsandler
16 years agoLinda Giorgi
16 years agofandlil
16 years agoteedup1
16 years agoccc123
16 years agosandra_zone6
16 years agonodirthere
16 years agolucky51
16 years agobookmom41
16 years agochara_ct
16 years agomkcook
16 years agolucky51
16 years agochipshot
16 years agoeal51
16 years agosdionnemoore
16 years agocj47
16 years agodeke
16 years agomcmann
16 years agoUser
16 years agodebbie_2008
16 years agodebbie_2008
16 years agotpol
16 years agomcmann
16 years agoscottielee
16 years ago
Related Stories
ACCESSORIESEveryday Home Must-Haves Beg for a Makeover
The Nest's much-improved take on the thermostat has us pondering reinventions of other necessities around the house
Full StoryHOUSEKEEPINGHow to Clean Hardwood Floors
Gleaming wood floors are a thing of beauty. Find out how to keep them that way
Full StoryPRODUCT PICKSGuest Picks: A Tidy Roundup of Cleaning Supplies
Practical and pretty cleansers and cleaning accessories to make housecleaning chores a pleasure
Full StoryFLOORSDrama’s Afoot With Striking Black Floors
Be bold. Be brave. Drench your floors in black for a memorable interior scene
Full StoryHOUSEKEEPINGTackle Big Messes Better With a Sparkling-Clean Dishwasher
You might think it’s self-cleaning, but your dishwasher needs regular upkeep to keep it working hard for you
Full StoryLAUNDRY ROOMS7-Day Plan: Get a Spotless, Beautifully Organized Laundry Room
Get your laundry area in shape to make washday more pleasant and convenient
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGNKitchen of the Week: Elegant Updates for a Serious Cook
High-end appliances and finishes, and a more open layout, give a home chef in California everything she needs
Full StoryTHE HARDWORKING HOMESmart Ways to Make the Most of a Compact Kitchen
Minimal square footage is no barrier to fulfilling your culinary dreams. These tips will help you squeeze the most out of your space
Full Story
pastryqueen