Bagless Canister Recommendation, please

[rosiembanks]

I need recommendations for a bagless canister. I prefer bagged machines as a general rule, but in this instance, a bagless canister is what I need. It's for our vacation home, and as a practical matter, it's simply better not to have to stock bags in the house. I've been using a Dyson upright, but a canister is easier to use under beds, etc. The house is mostly carpet, so I need a power nozzle with decent brush roll.
Thanks.

 

[eurekaprince]

Consumer Reports latest tests have resulted in a Best Buy rating for a Kenmore Bagless canister and the similar Panasonic version. The models are Kenmore 22614 and Panasonic MC-CL935.

Here's a summary of their review:

Impressive cleaning, lots of airflow for tools, and fairly quiet running helped make this bagless canister a top pick. This Kenmore is also a great choice for picking up after cats or dogs. Key features include manual carpet pile-height adjustment (better for matching brush to surface), suction control (protects drapes when using tools), a brush on/off switch (safeguards bare floors and prevents scattered debris), and a retractable cord. But handling this vac's 23 pounds took some muscle. And emptying a bagless vac's bin can be a messy chore. Among canister brands, Kenmore has consistently been among the top performers.

Highs
• Excelled at removing embedded dirt from carpets
• Performed well when cleaning bare floors, ideal for kitchens, bathrooms, and hardwood floors
• Did well at picking up pet hair, useful if you have a cat or dog
• Excelled at capturing all the dust it picked up, important if you have allergies or other respiratory issues
• Strong tool airflow, which matters if you will be using the vacuum's accessories for cleaning
• Has a manual carpet pile-height adjustment, which is better than automatic systems at matching the brush to the surface
• Has suction control, which helps protect drapes when using tools
• Has a brush on/off switch, which safeguards bare floors and prevents scattering of dust and debris
• Has a retractable cord, which lets you rewind via a slight tug or a pushbutton

Lows
• Requires manually emptying the bin, which is messier and sometimes presents problems for those with allergies or other respiratory issues

 

[kirbylux77]

Mary, I would suggest looking at the Electrolux Ultracaptic. It's a little bit pricey at $600 CDN dollars, but very well built & worth every penny. I just bought one back in October, & I love it! It has all the features that Brian listed above for the Kenmore, & the powerhead would be very comparable to the Kenmore/Panasonic canisters & the Miele SEB236 powerhead. A couple of advantages the Ultracaptic has over the Kenmore 22614 & Panasonic MC-CL935....The Electrolux has a LED headlight that doesn't require replacement, & the powerhead has swivel steering like a Miele, whereas the Kenmore you can't turn the wand at all, just straight up & down. Also, the Electrolux Ultracaptic has a larger bin capacity than the Kenmore, & much easier to empty....it's designed so that when you take the bin out of the canister, it compresses the dirt, & also the cyclone shroud is NOT in the canister, so no hair to get caught up there & dig out by hand or bang out.

Good luck shopping for a new vacuum, & Happy Holidays.

Rob

http://www.amazon.com/Electrolux-Ul...608097&sr=8-1&keywords=electrolux+ultracaptic

 

[gottahaveahoove]

You might not run out and buy one, but.................

I have reccomended the HOOVER Bagged Windtunnel.

 

[fanonthefloor]

I have and can recommend the Hoover Air Canister which is a great vacuum and has the windtunnel technology so it really deep cleans.

 

[ralph123]

Does Dyson have any attachments that you could use to make your upright more amenable for cleaning under beds and cleaning bare floors?

 

[floor-a-matic]

@gottahaveahoover

Are U refering to the S3630, S3670 or the new Envy Hush bagged canister?

 

[ralph123]

Some bagless vacs require expensive filter changes.

Before buying any bagless vacuum be sure to research the cost of filters.
Most bagless vacuums are not as easy and cheap to maintain as your Dyson. Dyson's are not the best cleaning bagless vacuums, but the filters are washable and easy to maintain. Many bagless vacuums have expensive replacement filters. I was at my Sam's Club, and they are offering a Samsung copy of a Dyson that comes with 2 extra filters "a $45 value". It makes me wonder how much one would spend on replacement filters for that vacuum over it's lifetime.

 

[rosiembanks]

I appreciate the suggestions, and will check them out. You've certainly given me a range of options in terms of expense. The cost of filters is something to consider--washable filters is a handy feature, not just from an expense standpoint in this situation. Again, I asked about bagless because I don't want to have to maintain a supply of bags in the vacation home (which is miles away from anywhere), even though I recognize there are shortcomings (and it's not what I have in my usual home).

Thanks!

 

[dysonman1]

The Electrolux UltraCaptic is the one to get. I own one, and consider it far above any other bagless canister (with the exception of Rainbow and other water vacs). It has lifetime filters, so it has NO on-going costs. Excellent machine with Excellent attachments.

 

[countryguy]

Tom,

A few years ago you were a huge fan of Dyson....not any more? What changed your mind?

Gary

 

[rosiembanks]

Well, Tom, you know how much I trust and value your opinion, so I'll move the UltraCaptic to the top of the list! Plus, it has a light! I am partial to a vacuum with a light, especially for under beds and sofas!
Thank you for weighing in. (Btw, on another topic--any idea when the Prima might hit my local shop for purchase? I'm still hoping to supplement my Riccar Brilliance with that one in my main house?)

 

[sebo_fan]

Frankly I think you'd be better off with the Numatic Henry. They're built to withstand a lot of abuse, take massive dust bags (though can be used bagless but is messy) and in the U.S seem to be sold with a power nozzle.

 

[eurekaprince]

Why not buy a bagged vacuum that uses the same bags as the vac you use in your main home? This way, you could always buy a second pack of bags for your vacation home every time you stock up for your main home.....just a thought....

 

[dysonman1]

The $600 Electrolux Ultra Captic (which is an EXCELLENT vacuum cleaner with really good quality attachments) is on sale TODAY for $259.99 with free shipping at Newegg.com

 

[kirbylux77]

Rats! And yet another instance Canadians get ripped off! They're asking $699.99 CDN plus $29.99 shipping on Newegg.ca, for the same cleaner. Glad I bought thru the local shop & saved $130 then. I don't know how some companies can justify giving Americans a deal, but not Canadians.

Rob

 

[rosiembanks]

Whoa--That's a great deal at Newegg! Thank you! I can't quite believe my good luck--I think I spent that amount on my not-wonderful Kenmore canister.

The vacation home is used by my adult kids and their families, as well as me and my husband. This makes keeping track of supplies a bit of a challenge, so I like to keep things simple--that's why bagless is preferred (you can't run out, and no one can use that excuse for not vacuuming before they leave!)[this post was last edited: 12/19/2014-14:30]

 

[eurekaprince]

Mary,

I understand your situation. But remember that bagless machines often require more maintenance than bagged vacs. Your guests will have to be trained to keep compacting the dust in the UltraCaptic's bin, and unless they empty the bin and clean the filters regularly, you may end up with a dirty vac that may not clean so well. It's worth a try, but you may end up needing to switch your vacation home vac with the one you are using at home now.

Just something to think about.....

EurekaPrince Brian

 

[eurekaprince]

Oops! Ignore that last post, Mary! Just re-read your initial post and saw that your guests are already using a bagless Dyson in your vacation home. So you already know the rules for maintaining a bagless vac....

Never mind.....