# What vacuum cleaner should I buy?



## JReger (Mar 9, 2013)

Hello!  I need to buy a new vacuum.  Our current machine is 10 years old and it's always breaking down and making unnerving sounds.  Yep.

I want something cheap and effective.  It doesn't have to be fancy.  Is anything from this guide to the best inexpensive vacuums a good choice for me?  I am intrigued by that tiny Bissell vacuum at the end of the list that doesn't take any bags.  Has anyone used something similar?

What is your favorite vacuum cleaner?  Can I get it for around $100?  If not, why should I save up some more money to get it?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!


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## aileenp777 (Mar 10, 2013)

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...42876972495148&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf

Its used but it works like new! I paid $175 for it and I am asking $100 it works great i'm looking to buy an upright instead of canister.


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## woodchuck (Mar 10, 2013)

I hate the kind where the hose makes a sharp turn from the head. It constantly get clogged and I have to take it apart to unstop it. I don't know what other style is available but I know what to look for next time I get one.


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## nealtw (Mar 11, 2013)

They all pretty much much suck


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## Admin (Mar 13, 2013)

What are you vacuuming most, tile, carpet, or hardwood?


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## reubenbanks (Mar 15, 2013)

Henry every time...with turbo boost button.
Copes with cat and dog hair, sewing cotton thread, beads, spiders smile and assorted lumps of unidentifiable stuff.

I am just about to buy a second one for upstairs though, as they are cumbersome to lug about. Not bag less, but I have gone off that idea anyway. I like a nice tidy bag of crap to plank straight in the bin.


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## justacook (Sep 10, 2013)

Well heres where I purchased my last vacuum. goodwill.Over a year ago. One no frills, no hoses or attachments, just a plain ol dirt devil upright, no bag needed only part needing replacement is a $14.00 air filter that has just now come to the end of its usefulness. The vacuum was tagged as "works fine" and they will tell you IF they are aware of any problems with anything they sell. How ever should the tag read "as is" don't pay to take out the garbage for them, Also the reason this vacuum had been discarded to the land of unwanted appliances became apparent upon the first use in my home. The 2 rear wheels would fall off.This required 2 pins made out of a coat hanger and an electric drill to fix.  In addition to my "normal" (Im single, so no one tells me I cant take it out to the garage) This machine took on a house last summer that carbon  dating might have been the only way to tell the last time anything was cleaned, Might be worth a look..;What did I pay for this? $6.50   Yes, six dollars and 50 cents
The Cook


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## bud16415 (Sep 10, 2013)

I have always gone with the old Hoovers. They are in your price point.


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## Drywallinfo (Sep 12, 2013)

We have a Bissell bagless - I like it because you can empty and clean it up very easily. Cost us under $100. For the price I do not think you could do much better.


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## TrevorS (Sep 13, 2013)

Dysons are pretty awesome


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## remodelaholic (Sep 16, 2013)

You could check out this site? It might have some helpful tips.
http://www.top-vacuums.com/top-rated-vacuums-for-under-100/


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## Chris (Sep 16, 2013)

I have a tri-star, very very pricey but is the best vacuum I have ever owned. Never an issue in the last 10 years.


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## MyFixededIt (Sep 16, 2013)

I've always buyed a eureka, it is very easy to service yourself. You could take the whole machine apart and pit it back together without any screws left over.


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## Admin (Sep 20, 2013)

Chris said:


> I have a tri-star, very very pricey but is the best vacuum I have ever owned. Never an issue in the last 10 years.



I'll be going this route next time. The one she bought is already falling apart. 

The cheap ends up expensive.


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## nealtw (Sep 20, 2013)

Selvage the cord from the old vacuums, they work great on the skill saw.


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## Admin (Sep 23, 2013)

Smart. I never would have thought of that.


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## Rumi (Dec 30, 2013)

Yup, I keep all of my cords from sweepers, toasters, irons, and the like. They make great extension cords that'll carry a load.  :agree:


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## Chris (Jan 3, 2014)

I was just thinking that 50 foot cord on my vacuum would be awesome on a skilsaw.


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## Wuzzat? (Jan 3, 2014)

Chris said:


> I was just thinking that 50 foot cord on my vacuum would be awesome on a skilsaw.


And would damage your saw.


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## Chris (Jan 3, 2014)

It may but an under sized extension cord does the same thing.


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## Wuzzat? (Jan 3, 2014)

Chris said:


> It may but an under sized extension cord does the same thing.


Yes, so don't undersize. 
Grainger seems to use a max 5% voltage drop at the necessary current, with some constraints on the total length of cords.  And, stringing cords together introduces contact resistance at each connection so the length of the cord seems to be longer than that measured by a tape.

Motors need a low source resistance, a 'stiff' source; incand. lamps don't much care.


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## bud16415 (Jan 4, 2014)

I chop cords off everything. A nice molded plug comes in handy lots of times. Sure use something the proper size. 

Personally I wouldn't want a super long cord on my saw. Maybe half the time I plug it I. And the standard cord is good in the shop. On a job I get an extension just as long as needed. I wouldn't want to wind up a long cord every time I used the saw. Plus my extensions can be used on a half dozen tools I carry.


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## craig7777 (Sep 30, 2014)

[FONT=&quot]Researched for months, looked at all the online reviews, asked all my friends after that I bought a Roomba 630 from my local Target store. I thought it would do a good job but I never expected to be as happy with it as I am! I've now had this for over 6 months and I still love [/FONT]J[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
  [FONT=&quot] [/FONT]


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## nunyabiz1 (Nov 21, 2014)

If you want an Upright save your money and buy a Shark Liftaway, cost is $160 at Bed Bath and Beyond with their 20% off coupon and they are every bit as good a Dyson that cost at least $500, in fact from what I have tested they appear to actually be a bit better than the Dyson.

If you want the best vacuum period then buy a "Pro Team Super Coach 6" this is a Backpack vacuum that you wear on your back so no problems like there is with Uprights such as falling over or can't get under furniture or can't reach up high.

These can reach ANYWHERE, can't fall over, have tremendous suction.
They are the best by far for wood floors, tile, stairs and very short carpet.
Also easier to mess with cords, you can plug it into one plug and probably do the entire house unless you have an extra large home.
Price is about $400 so no more than most vacuums that aren't half as good.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009HURHGO/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

http://www.pro-team.com/vacuums/default.aspx?style=1&id=107312


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## broadbill (Nov 21, 2014)

We have a Shark that we recently purchased and it works great.  The only complaint I have is having to drag it around in roller mode (but will be a problem as most other brands/models follow this form factor).

If this is a big deal, go with a backpack model.


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## kate_fisher (Jun 17, 2015)

In my experience, Riccar uprights are the most reliable and get the job done the best.


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## Newaryon (Jun 19, 2015)

New vacuum cleaner query:

Need a vacuum for a house that mostly has wood floors but with a lot of area rugs. Have stairs everywhere. Have tons of dust-collecting antiques and cats who shed and scatter litter.

What I need:

Good suction that doesn't deteriorate as the machine ages.
Ability to withstand lots of fur and dust.
Light weight so I can carry it up and down stairs.
Has to get into weird corners with hose, so I prefer canister style to upright, or at least it should have tools to enable reaching nooks and crannies.
Has to deal with various surfaces....short and medium carpet as well as bare floors.
Prefer bag-less to bags, but that's negotiable.

I had been using a 2.5 gallon Shop-Vac. This worked for me as it was light and easy to carry around and sucked really well and didn't lose strength. Not so good on carpets though. It could be used bagged or bagless, but it came with a warning to use a bag for things like plaster dust. I didn't realize that applied to the clay dust from the cat litter. Anyway one day the motor burnt up.

I could get another Shop-Vac but I'm looking at some other models of Canister Vacs that maybe would be better on the rugs.  

One is the small Bissell Zing that others in this thread have mentioned . . .

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AZBIXHG/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

The other is a Panasonic MC-CL310 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004J6GTGK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Opinions?


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## bud16415 (Jun 20, 2015)

Newaryon said:


> New vacuum cleaner query:
> 
> Need a vacuum for a house that mostly has wood floors but with a lot of area rugs. Have stairs everywhere. Have tons of dust-collecting antiques and cats who shed and scatter litter.
> 
> ...


 

Your need sounds just like ours and we love our Shark Navigator Lift-Away. 

Ours is going strong after 2 years of daily use with dog hair and all the rest. Easy to clean no bags, light weight and the handle comes off and you can add attachments for corners and carry the base like a mini shop vac. Is small and fills up pretty fast but is clear so you see when its full and can dump it out in 20 seconds.  

Have had the type you posted and are a pain to drag around. 

Take the time to take the shark apart when you look at them to see how they convert and I think you will see how its the best of both worlds being an upright and a canister all in one, and light weight. Another nice feature is you can turn the beater on and off when using as an upright. Rugs on , Wood floors off.


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## Newaryon (Oct 5, 2015)

I ended up getting the model you recommended and it is working very well for me. It came with a ton of attachments but I find I rarely use most of them. When I assemble the machine in upright mode it has a rotating carpet brush that does an immensely better job on the carpet than my old shop-vac ever did. First cleaning removed bushels of dirt and hair.

But mostly I use it in canister mode and just carry it around. It is as light as the Shop-Vac. I have to empty it a lot more frequently but that is easy to do. There is a see-through dust collection bin so I can see if it is getting too full and avoid burning up another motor.

So far it is standing up to the cat litter and doesn't need a bag.
:


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## giterdone (Nov 30, 2015)

Dyson is great vacuum! Too bad they are like 600 bucks!


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