Cleaning power of a Miele?

[dustin]

I'm really wondering... Do Miele vacuums have better cleaning performance, will they outclean brand X? Or are they just high filtration and good quality? I would love to, at some point in the future, purchase a Miele vacuum (probably a canister), but it would be pointless if they don't have spectacular cleaning to go along with the build quality, quietness and high filtration. I have two dogs and wall to wall carpet in all but two rooms, and need a powerful vacuum to remove the dog hair and sand that gets tracked in from outside. For some reason, I'm just not overly convinced that a Miele would deep clean as well as some other machines in my collection. Discuss....

 

[beko1987]

They are built better than most, but cleaning power is objective. I have an air turbo brush on our s5, and it will pick everything up first pass, I like the tools and the suction stays great with a full bag

However, a Turbopower 1 will groom the carpet more and get more sand out in my experience!

If you have medium pile carpet then the turbobrush will possibly do a good job, it does on my mums carpet, but on our short pile synthetic carpet it doesn't do anything to the pile

Ohm and I have to take the turbobrush apart every few months to clean my girlfriends hair off. If you have long haired dogs then so will you!

 

[piano_god]

Speaking for North America...

As long as the Miele is equipped with the SEB 228 (AKA Wessel Werk EBK 360) or SEB 236 (based on Wessel Werk EBK 340), it would be amongst the best cleaning canisters available today.

 

[jade_angel]

They're solid. They have suction and airflow on par with most any of the better vacuums out there (Filter Queen, Silver King, Tristar, Riccar/Simplicity, Aerus etc), and if you have one of the good power nozzles, the agitation is as good as any and better than most. I'm skeptical of turbo nozzles in general, but if you're going to get a turbo nozzle, I think Miele has the best in the business. That said, they offer models with electric power nozzles - get one of those.

Outside the old classic DTD brands, Miele probably has the best canisters on the market (with stiff competition from Tacony), and their uprights are top-tier too. Reasonable people will disagree about what will do the absolute best in your specific case, but I virtually guarantee that Miele would get mentioned.

 

[suckolux]

quiet, good suction, works till bag is full, light weight, well made. Short cord, short hose, power nozzle for the heavier thicker carpet is pricy I understand.My seb 217-3 works well for medium to short carpet, and excellent for floors. The side cleaning of it is amazing, cat hair comes running from a distance to the side of it.

 

[suckolux]

as a side note, on the quiet low speed, which is enough power for most, cat comes running to be brushed/ vacuumed.Others scare him too much

 

[sebo_fan]

In the UK we are lucky to have an extensive Miele, SEBO and Bosch range of vacuums, but very few have PN's other than SEBO. I'm not keen on them, really but then I think if the UK had been offered PN's with cylinder vacs in general, I probably wouldn't be of that opinion. We've always been taught that cylinder/canister vacuums are for above the floor cleaning and lightweight.

I own a SEBO K3 Premium but I have never been keen on it - the power head does a fantastic job of picking up hair, dirt, stones and such like, so it would cope well with whatever you throw at it - I just don't like cylinder/canister vacs with PN's - in my mind, they should be far lighter vacuums compared to conventional, heavier uprights and my K3 is used with a conventional floor tool and only gets used for pet hair if the air driven turbo brush is added.

The one compromise I get is from the Felix by SEBO. Has the same kind of power head but manual height adjustment, brush roll on/off button and a long cord. As with each SEBO floor head, there's a trapdoor to remove clogs, the brush rolls are superb for picking up and the side door allows access to remove the entire brush roll for cleaning off pet hair etc. Miele on the other hand do offer PN's in the U.S, but you're left with 6.5 metres of cord compared to the longer cord on the Felix or even more with SEBO's new D4.

I only wish that SEBO in the U.S would stock more models of its suction only D series - they're a heck of a lot easier to cope with than the cord-embedded hose - of the D4. That's the trade of if you want a longer cord and a more durable power nozzle that can cope with your dirt requirements.

 

[ralph123]

The Miele uprights received very good scores from Consumer Reports. The canisters are another story. A $990 Miele Calisto was bested by 2 Kenmores costing $400/$500 in recent ratings. It's curious that no canister tested by Consumer Reports scored excellent for carpet cleaning. However, several uprights (including those by Miele) scored excellent. The cheaper Miele Titan ($660) only got a "good" score (on a 5 point scale with excellent, very good, good, fair, poor) for carpet cleaning.

I hate to be blunt, but there's nothing really special about the cleaning power of a Miele. Based on the CR results, it cleans no better than vacuums costing significantly less.

So are the vacuums in Europe more powerful than the US models given the higher voltages there?

 

[dustin]

Ok, that being said, are the different models actually more or less powerful, or is the main difference features? I saw on their website models starting at $299, and up to over $1000. Is the huge price difference just different levels of features? What about uprights? I doubt I will be buying one in the near future, but I would like to compare prices and features anyway.

 

[beko1987]

I think its just features and sometimes motor wattage. I'm not entirely convinced that my mums mid 90s 1600w miele is any less powerful than my 2200w s5. The turbo brush certainly spins up to the same speed!

 

[blackheart]

Miele

I've only got a silver moon but it's a nicely built canister that performs well. I love how quiet it is and the variable speeds. My only real gripe with it is the cost of parts a dusting brush cost me 19.95 the hepa filter was around $50

On my baird meter it pulls a 5.5 when the bag is clean tying it with my Patriot and Riccar 1700 but being outdone by my airway (with airtec bags) by .5

The wessell Werk nozzles are a very good cleaning nozzle (taking 2nd place only to my lindhaus in previous testing) but are prone to light and circuit board issues.

As a canister it's a great vacuum but since you are seeking a great deep cleaner i'd probably stick to a direct air machine.

 

[sebo_fan]

The models in Europe run on a different voltage to U.S vacuums - but the power is still very similar. I know some of you in the U.S and Canada go wide eyed at the mere mention of Miele's S5 models having 2000 watts when your equivalent is 1200 watts - but thats because we have a different voltage and different current. They're practically the same vacuum that's just been changed for each country. The only difference is that the spec changes and the U.S get more options and specific models with PN's added.

For example, in the U.S the SEBO D4 is rated at 1250 watts for the suction motor alone. Ours is 2100 watts, similar to Miele's U.S equivalent of 1200 watts.

 

[vegassucks]

I am impressed.

I just purchased my 1st canister in 20 years. Miele Topaz with Seb 228 power head. I am very impressed, much more than I was with the s7.

 

[vegassucks]

Consumer Reports

To use Consumer reports as your bible is to be a fool. NO Kenmore vaccum compares to any Miele, Sebo or Lindhaus vaccum. If u want a Kenmore canister just go to any thrift store in the United States and it is yours for $15. Anyone who says a kenmore compares to the above brands is someone who's advise I would turn a deaf ear too.

Please see this videoo and disregard foolish advise from people who respect Consumer Reports on vacuums.

 

[vinvac]

Consumer reports is not a good guide to anything!

I have a Miele and can't say it is my favorite vacuum, but I it is well built and quiet. I don't like the tools or hose. Filtration is awesome, the powerhead is one of the best.

Consumer reports has poorly rated many of the great vacuums of our time. Perhaps because the good companies won't pay for their rating.

Morgan

 

[dustin]

Maybe a Miele isn't for me? I do have a smallish vacuum collection, but was considering maybe at some point in the future adding a Miele. If I'm not going to be floored by the performance, I don't know if I can even justify saving the money to spend on it. Maybe I will find a decent used Miele for cheap, but I am feeling a bit mixed about shelling out the $ for a new one. I may look into anothe high end brand, but I don't really care for new Kirbys and I don't feel any interest in a Filter Queen or Aerus Electrolux. I'm just testing the waters at this point, I have exactly $0.00 saved for a new vacuum, and would need to sell at least a few first.

 

[vegassucks]

Dustin

Do not pay full retail and yes a good used one is a smart purchase. Mieles really are very nice quit vacums with awesome filteration. I tested the water lift of several vacuums including Riccar, Sebo, Lindhaus and the Mieles were best. None of the vacuums will test at what they claim and some were way short. eBay has some Great deals on used ones, there is also a website that will finance new Vacuums at 0 nterest.

 

[kirbylux77]

Used Miele a smart purchase....

Vegassucks.....I completely disagree with you on that! I bought my 2002 Miele S538 Monte Verde with SEB217 & 2004 Miele S558 Red Velvet with SEB236 secondhand. The Monte Verde I found in a pawn shop for $69 dollars, & my Red Velvet for $150 from a secondhand shop. While my Monte Verde has been trouble-free, the Red Velvet has been nothing short of a NIGHTMARE! The owner of the shop had the nerve to use the vacuum before I could pick it up in a couple of days & had to pay to replace the direct-connect powerhead neck; after only 4 uses it broke again!! So, having had enough, I jury-rigged the darn thing so it couldn't break again. And just recently, the cordwinder broke down & needed replacing; considering the cordwinder was a design flaw on this particular series of Miele vacuum, I chose to bypass the cordwinder & hook the cord directly to the wiring of the vacuum, avoiding at least $150 to $200 for a new cordwinder that would just break again. In addition, older model Mieles are known to have their internal circuit boards break down & require replacement long before the 20 year lifespan of the motor dies out, so yet another costly repair bill!

The ONLY WAY I would recommend anyone buy a Miele is if they buy new & they buy when Miele announces their month-long 10 year warranty promotion. That way, it's likely anything that breaks will be caught during the warranty period & save it's owner some big repair bills. Otherwise, if looking at German-made vacuums, I suggest a Sebo D4 or used Sebo Airbelt C3.1. Much better made vacuums, have just as much waterlift & airflow ratings as the Miele, & with the ET-C powerhead, they clean just as well-if not better- than a Miele. It also doesn't hurt that the cost of bags & filters are more reasonable for the Sebo vs Miele's outrageous prices. Otherwise, a second-hand Aerus Electrolux or TriStar CXL are much better buys, clean just as well, & will last much longer, in my opinion.

Rob

 

[sebo_fan]

I would agree with that, but not only just second hand Miele but also second hand anything premium - chances are that they have been abused badly - and no matter how many times the seller cleans up the hood or even in some cases adds a new hood to cover up the abuse inside, it isn't worth the cost of buying a second hand unit just because it is cheaper.

End of the day if you wouldn't dream of buying second hand tools, so why should it be the same for a vacuum cleaner?

 

[vegassucks]

Kirbylux 77

Sebo D4 is a powerful machine, I am not a fan of their power head and Sebo is the worst for filteration, and I do mean the worst of the elite brands. Sebo are great for People who do not take care of stuff like house keepers, because they are well built. Buying a floor model from a dealer or closeout from a dealer with warranty is a better bet.

 

[sebo_fan]

What a load of rubbish. As usual vegassucks, no evidence, just your thoughts. No chance for anyone else to have an opinion. D series was rated high for filtration when it was tested by quite a lot of organisations that you probably don't trust.

Have a look at the You Tube video of the D4, you'll see a particulate air test meter done on the D4 and it drops to zero. 2mins 54 towards the end of the video. Real evidence.

And YOUR link doesn't appear to work.

 

[vegassucks]

Sebo fan

No, it is not just my opinion, read the chart. I was surprised at how poorly the X4 did. The Sebo D4 is a nice machine, I just am not a fan of their power head. I owned a Felix for 5 years, bullet proof, I am just not a fan Sebo fan. The Sebo D4 also come in at 16 pounds, That is too heavy compared to the Miele S8 at 12 pounds.

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

I think the suction and airflow of my Miele canister are great, but the power nozzle is weak... I've got the SEB-217. It was does a good job on low pile carpet which it was made for, but you really need the big daddy power nozzle for good grooming or anything more plush.

The Miele upright is a true power house, but there are people who complain of quality or weight issues.... I'm still enthralled with mine.

 

[vegassucks]

Power heads

Agreed the seb-217 is weak, that's why I went with the Seb-228, you can always upgrade. No vacuum is perfect and if you own a Miele you cannot throw it into the back of a pickup truck like a Eureka or Sebo X4, it will not hold up. Would your try off roading in a Bentley?

 

[eurekaprince]

Call me a "fool" if you want, but I trust the lab results of Consumer Reports more than the information provided by a salesperson at a vacuum dealer or a retail outlet. I know I can trust the test results to help me decide on a product without wasting too much of my money or valuable time.

Like in most things in life, you need to use your wisdom to interpret test results. I may choose a Miele Olympus S2120 as a companion vac to an upright because I don't care how poorly it performs on carpet. This particular vac ends up mid-table in the ranking of canisters because of mediocre results in the carpet cleaning tests. But if you use the convenient "Filtering" feature on the CR website, you can choose the test results that are important to you and come up with the most appropriate vac for your needs. That, along with brand reliability data, should help you make an informed decision without having to suffer through the misinformation often provided by those most interested in selling you their most expensive machine.

Since I prefer to have an upright for carpets and a canister to clean everything else, my reading of the current test results in Consumer Reports results in the following effective pair of vacs: the Hoover Platinum Bagged Upright (without the companion mini canister to save money) plus the Miele Olympus canister for everything else. Grand Total cost = not more than $600 for a great performing, easy to use pair of vacs.

Over the 30 years in which I have used Consumer Reports to buy everything from toothpaste to cars, they have rarely steered me wrong.

Just my humble opinion.....

 

[vegassucks]

For the foolish

For those who need a magazine to tell them what to think, here is a much better guide to go with. Remember, they do not live with these vacuums and only test them and on to toaster ovens and bicycle tires.

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/product-reviews/appliances/vacuum-cleaner-reviews/

 

[tolivac]

Sears Kenmore vacs vrs Miele-no contest CU thinks the Sears will perform as well-but the big diffrence is build quality.The Sears machine has poor quality plastic-thin,warps and bends-breaks easily.And the Sears machine is not gasket sealed like the Miele.The plastic material on the Miele is stronger,thicker,heavier than the Sears.And the Miele has gaskets on all of its body panels.The Miele dealer here in Greenville has a couple of Sears machines traded in for the Miele after customers were shown the differences.The filters on the Miele are better-and better sealed so there is no dust leakage around them.I have seen for myself on the particle tester-the Miele will blow zero while the Sears does not.So don't beleive everything CU says.Their product test quality and quantity has gone down over the years.They are a non profit company so they are limited in cost for testing and procuring items to test-and the deal of they will test vacuums one day and blenders the next.The testing isn't as thorough as it used to be.Oh yes-another thing-the motor compartment of a Miele that has been used(Mikes shop Miele vacs) are clean after heavy use-the Sears bag chamber,motor chambers are FILTHY after the machine has had hard use.Explains the high particle count from the Sears.

 

[tolivac]

Filtration of Sebo vacuums-The dealer in Greenville besides Miele also carrys Sebo- A Sebo vacuum-including the X4 blows zero on the particle counter like Miele.Same with the Sebo canisters-any model.They have as good of filtration as the Miele.

 

[jade_angel]

My experience with CR's vacuum ratings is that they have a tendency to take a dim view of models with a high price tag unless they perform drastically better than cheaper models. They don't much seem to factor build quality into it.

I'd bet that when new and in perfect condition, a Kenmore and a Miele of similar "tiers" (say, take the TOL from both) would perform quite similarly. Give it five years of less-than-perfect (but not horrible) maintenance, though, and I'll bet the Kenmore wouldn't hold up nearly as well.

As for buying second-hand, I'll cheerfully do it if the price is right. I'd buy a Tristar or a Filter Queen second-hand; there's not a horribly huge amount to go wrong on either one and they're straightforward to fix, plus massively expensive new. A Miele or a Riccar I'd think twice about, and a Panasonic? Fahgeddaboudit, unless the price is a bloody steal.

If you're looking to buy something interesting new, might I suggest a Fairfax? I don't know how well they clean (seems to me their filtering arrangement might clog up a lot faster than an FQ or TS would), but they're unique, classic, and still being made. IIRC they also come with a Eureka-built power nozzle that's one of the better ones out there.