I *think* there's no bag, but a separate, replaceable filter the air passes through on its way back into the room. That's how my hoover bagless works.

Bagless vacs aren't for everyone: I never empty mine in the kitchen trash due to the dust cloud it causes. I have to take it to the garage trash cans.

The best vacuum I've ever found for not stirring up dust (i.e., I can operate) is the Rainbow. You fill a pan at the bottom with water and the machine draws into the water, so all the dust and debris is trapped and doesn't become aerosolized.

The Dyson's HEPA functionality has to do with the air being returned back into the room as you run the machine. Of course don't empty the unit INSIDE the house -- that would be silly.

We went through this analysis about a year ago. We wanted something with a HEPA filter and a bag since DH has a dust allergy and does most of our vacuuming. We got a Simplicity Jack from our local vacuum repair shop (we don't have carpet so this model was the one for us) which has a HEPA filter and a HEPA bag. The HEPA bag is incredible. We love our Simplicity Jack and highly recommend the brand to those who want a vacuum with a bag.

There are two ways to empty a Dyson. One using the quick release button and the other by removing the bucket from the top. Dyson recomends that allergy sufferers not use the quick release button option. However, I have terrible allegies and use it and make sure the garbage bag is completely covering the dyson container before pushing the button. I also empty it in my garage trash.

Per Dyson,
"Clog-free washable filters are approved for allergy sufferers; certified asthma friendly by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America" and has a HEPA filter.

Like your sister I have the dyson Animal and love it. Amazing cleaning. It is very heavy though, so you might want to add that onto the the pile of considerations. The HEPA filtration is great, much better than in our old vac, albeit it was a Kenmore Progressive which I never liked. I agree iwht Patches 123 on the empting method for the vac, in the garage, inside an empty trash bag, with the dust holding unit resting on the floor. Less distance for the dust to fall, so less dust, and you can cinch the bag around the top while it all settles, I'd get a demo from you sister first because one bad thing about Dyson --they don't come with much documentation. You get pictures of how to put it together and empty it. I think like 5 in total.

Good luck with your decision.
Lenvt

Thanks all for your input.

Lenvt - I would love to demo my sister's vac but unfortunately she lives in CA and I am in CT.

I visited my local repair shop about fixing my current vac (the Miele). It will be about $150+ to fix. My DH thinks it's ridiculous to fix a vac for that amount of $ and that we should just buy a new one.

What do you think - fix or replace? If replace, with what?

Thanks again!

The best product for allergies, I've found, is a central vac system. There is no question of particles going back into the house, as the air is vented into the garage or ducted to the outside. The canisters can be purchased with bag functionality or bagless, according to your preference.

Me personally, I would probably not spend that amount on a ten year old vac. But, that is me. What is the value of the Miele vac that is 10 years old?

Tantadoodles: Fix or replace your Miele? May depend on how well your liked it before it broke.

Good vacs are not cheap. I bought (locally) a new Miele cannister #S-514 (including floor brush option) for $689 just this afternoon.

I have a Dyson Animal and I absolutely LOVE it. In fact, with three very large dogs, I couldn't survive (or breathe) without it. I have carpet, hardwood, brick, and tile floors, and it manages to do a great job on all these surfaces. It's also terrific on furniture and drapes and in nooks and crannies.

The first time I used it, the canister filled completely in the one carpeted room where the dogs spend most of their time. I emptied the canister and vacuumed in there again and got almost nothing. This room had been vacuumed a day earlier with my old Eureka, so the Dyson really demonstrated how much the Eureka had been leaving behind.

To get to your question about emptying, I empty mine outside just as others have described. I haven't had any issues with dust getting everywhere during emptying.

I agree with lenvt about the lack of useful directions with the Dyson. The design is not particularly intuitive, but once you figure out all the functions and use it for a bit, it's quite easy to operate.

The Dyson is a lot more than $150, so you'll have to weigh the actual cost against the repair of your Miele.

A year and a half after buying it, I still actually find vacuuming enjoyable. That's something I never, ever thought before the Dyson.

Before you make a decision, I'd say 'find out what 'fix' the miele means.'

if fixing the miele means they'll take the guts out, throw them away, and put in new guts...well, you'll have a new vac for $150. If the casing, hose, and attachments are good, you are good to go.

If the machine is much closer to being 'shot' well that changes the equation.

When our Dyson died two months ago we replaced it with a Hoover. Consumer Reports rated it as a best buy. We bought the self-propelled with bags at Costco for $259. It is far, far superior to the Dyson in regards to how well it cleans our carpet. It was amazing to see how much dirt came up out of our "clean" carpet the first time we used it. I hope this helps.