New Vac: Canister or Upright

[rosiembanks]

Like so many before me, I'm looking for the perfect vacuum, and need recommendations. There seem to be so many different configurations, and I'm in a quandary even at the most basic level--upright or canister, though I have definite ideas about features I'd like to have and find useful.

My home is about 3200 sq feet--about 40% carpet, with the rest hardwood and area rugs (mostly oriental), also terriers. I've been using a dearly beloved Panasonic MC-6220, as well as a Kenmore Intuition canister. The canister resides in a secondary closet, does a nice job reaching under the beds, has a nice light on its powerhead and wand, but otherwise feels cheap. It's supposed to have a HEPA filter, but I don't know how effective it is. I like it more than I expected--I'd bought it because it was a great price one day I happened to be walking through Sears and needed to sweep under beds. The Panasonic has been a real workhorse for nearly 30 years, but now has a broken flat-belt (not a big deal) and on close inspection also has a badly worn brush roll, which seems to be out of stock everywhere. I have recently been diagnosed with asthma, so probably should replace the Panasonic's spot in the main cleaning lineup with a newer vacuum with better filtration. Does that mean I should only consider HEPA? Weight is an issue, as I have rotator cuff issues, but less so with more than one vacuum. (I should tell you that I have a Dyson upright in our vacation home and it does just fine--there I wanted a bagless so no one would ever be caught without a supply of bags. I don't want it for this house.)

I've been looking at vacuums for a long time, but haven't needed to buy before now. The housekeeper prefers uprights, so I thought I should look at them. But, I like the canister enough to buy a second one (not another Kenmore, however) if I can find a better one in my budget or that I can rationalize spending more money for. I'd like to spend $500-600, though if I have to, it could go higher. Here's what I'd like in an upright:
HEPA, light to see with, manual adjust suction, tools onboard (dusting, crevice, floor at min.), cord length+BAGS
My canister requirements are similar:
HEPA, light on power nozzle, light on wand, reasonably long cord, tool storage, BAGS

So far, the leading contender seems to be the Miele Jazz (is there a better S7, like the CatandDog)? The negative is the cost of Miele bags. Or, for much less, there's the Panasonic MCCG973, much like my Kenmore. Is it too much like it, or, did Panasonic do a nicer job with this one?--the reviews from "just folks using it" make it sound pretty good. Our local shops have very limited stock on hand, so there's not much to try out (certainly no Panasonics)--I've seen a couple of Simplicity uprights, and Sebos, only one of which had a light, for example. One shop had no canisters at all.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[jade_angel]

The MC-CG973 is very much like the Kenmore, though usually the Panasonic-branded models are built a little better. They're pretty solid, and the filtration is decent (not amazing, but not bad either). My problem with them is that the power nozzle is rather lackluster. It's not bad, but you can do better.

Very high on my list would be any of the Simplicity or Riccar (made by the same folks, Tacony corporation) mid-size canisters with the full-size power nozzle, especially the new Simplicity Wonder and Riccar Prima, if your local vacuum shops have them. If not, the previous incarnation - Riccar Pristine or Simplicity Verve, are excellent. Both are considerably more expensive than the Panasonic, but of better quality. The Tacony vacuums have one of the best power nozzles in the industry, in my opinion.

In the same vein, consider the Sebo Airbelt K3 and Miele S2/S5 with the SEB228 power nozzle.

Between the three, I like the Tacony vacuums better, though they are somewhat louder. Also, for whatever reason, Miele doesn't include a light on the SEB228, although its third-party equivalent, the Wessel Werk EBK360, does have one.

For an upright, I'd give serious consideration to either the Riccar Vibrance or Simplicity Symmetry - they offer very good performance for the price. But, I'd personally skip the upright and go with a PN canister, given the floor/rug combination you listed.

 

[GM1982]

Go with a canister based on the flooring you have. Any of the above mentioned are solid machines. I agree with Jade Angel.

 

[vintagerepairer]

Is it not possible to buy a new upright and canister? For years and years my mother made do with a large upright cleaners even though it had no tools and we didn't have carpets all over. She managed with damp brooms & so on, occasionally borrowing a canister from someone else when she turned the house inside-out to clean it thoroughly.

In 1975 she was given a brand-new Electrolux upright, complete with full set of tools. She was over the moon with it, so much so that around 1978 she purchased an Electrolux cylinder to use upstairs & to use for deep-cleaning all over. Although the Electrolux upright was replaced with a Panasonic upright in 1995, she carried on using the cylinder right up until her passing in 1999, often commenting how she'd never manage without the both styles of cleaner.

 

[sebo_fan]

Based on the size of your home I'd go with the SEBO D4 rather than the K3 - it is made for smaller homes and has a smaller dust bag compared to the D4 which is similar to the Miele S2/S5 on bag capacity.

I can't speak for other brands as the UK don't have the same ones - however you get double the amount NEARLY of dust bags with SEBO compared to Miele's standard 4.

 

[turbo500]

Buying both a canister and an upright can often be expensive and impractical, especially in the states where a decent vacuum could cost you up to $2000.

I'm in agreement with the guys above, a canister with a powerhead would be the best option. That way, you have straight suction for bare floors and the brushroll for carpets. Personally, I'd stick with bags. Bagged machines tend to be more reliable. Sebo, Miele, Simplicity/Riccar and Aerus all have some great options available. As Rysn said, the larger capacity would pay off with the D4.

 

[panofan]

So I was in a similar situation - I bought a miele titan with the 228 powerhead. It seems to clean well, but the short hose & cord drive me nuts. I regret spending that much money and have been thinking about what to do I wrote off a lot of reviews talking about it thinking 'not me, it won't bother me', but it's a pain. In some ways I miss my old kenmore canister for the longer hose and cord. There is something to be said about having a vacuum that is designed for an american home when you live in, well, an american home

I ended up buying a kenmore direct drive upright (got a great deal on a floor model on ebay for $75 including shipping) for my upstairs because it was much easier than the new fancy $$$ miele that didn't really roll well on the deep frieze carpet. That's saying a lot as I have always been a canister person, grew up with central vac, etc.

I secretly like the kenmore much more than the miele, but can't admit it to my wife without a giant 'i told you so' ... sigh.

Looking forward to what others have to weigh in on and say here.

 

[rosiembanks]

Thanks for all these suggestions--we're expecting a major storm tomorrow, so I'm researching online, and hoping to be able to shop locally Monday or Tuesday (more likely based on the forecasts). I'll check the Simplicity canister offerings, especially--one shop had none, hopefully the other has some. Looking online, the short cords are off-putting, as are the location of the controls (I'd prefer the handle, like on the Kenmore)--and their cords are so short! Like Panofan says, these seem like small things, but they drive you nuts--the Kenmore canister I have is really nicely designed in that regard (I wish it weren't, really--it'd be easier to disdain). I'm stuck on the light, also, having used my sister's Miele canister that didn't have one, and really noticed I needed it, whether upright or canister. Sebos don't seem to have that feature on their powerheads (when I look at the website)--am I wrong? No one locally handles Aerus.

Progress--I understand that I need to hold out for the features I want, I'll regret it, if I don't, whether upright or canister. I'd thought maybe the Miele upright had enough of the features to make both me and the housekeeper happy, and it may still be the case. I'll see if I can find a Simplicity or Riccar that meets my feature needs that is still affordable for me--I can stretch the budget only so far (to get the features I want may take about three times my $500 starting point); double maybe, triple is doubtful. Otoh, the Panasonic canister wouldn't be the end of the world, and could always end up at the vacation home, where I do need a canister--except ideally that location should have a bagless unit.

Thanks!

 

[sebo_fan]

The S7 upright might be more ideal for you since some models do have an LED light and you can clean hard floors with it as it does have a brush on/off. However if you have stairs in your home, then you'll be lugging the machine up and down.

The SEBO D4 has a mega long cord - twice the length nearly than Miele's canister vacs - and a slightly longer hose.

 

[jade_angel]

The Sebo D4 would be a good call - my only reservation is the lack of a light on the PN, which the Simplicity/Riccar PNs do have. That said, the Sebo has a bigger bag than the Riccars, and it's quieter.

 

[rosiembanks]

The Sebo D4 looks like a great canister--lots to love about it, though the lack of headlight might well drive me nuts. Other things being so well-thought out, I'm surprised it's missing. The Simplicity Wonder and Riccar Prima might be real contenders--I'd really like to see either one of them in person. I'll want to check cord length. It's too bad there's so little information available online yet.

I would love to have both an upright and a canister--it's like having the proper tools for the job. But the cash outlay for both is cost-prohibitive at the moment.

I do have stairs. My Kenmore canister isn't going anywhere just yet, and does an okay job, so it may be that I buy an S7 upright now to keep the housekeeper happy, and limp along with those two until such time as the budget allows.

Thanks again!

 

[sebo_fan]

Being European, our vacs don't tend to have lights on them (some do like Miele's S7 but that was designed for the U.S market in mind) and SEBO don't go down that route because its one thing more to go wrong or require replacing.

 

[sleepdoc]

My suggestions

Try a Simplicity Moxie or Riccar Impeccable. They're full-size, incredible machines. They're the same vacuum, just different names, colors, and trim. Your asthma will improve if you use this vacuum throughout your home and thoroughly clean every surface and mattress. You won't regret this purchase.

 

[kenkart]

Im not a "New vac person" BUT

I agree with Sleepdocs comment, You just cant go wrong with a Tacony product...im even thinking about getting the new canister...and I NEVER use anything but vintage!

 

[rosiembanks]

Interesting about the lack of lights on European models. That's how I feel about many electronic controls (like automatic height adjustments), just something else to go wrong. If I hadn't really noticed how much I appreciated having the light when I vacuum underneath something, like beds, I might not insist on it, but I truly value it--and in the nearly 30 years I've had my Panasonic, the light is still working!

So, today, I'll visit our independent vac dealers. The one with the largest supply of Riccar models is the one I like the least, having given me poor service in the past. The one I like the best (great repair work on my steam machine, nice and knowledgeable) is the one that has Tacony uprights, but no canisters--instead they have Miele canisters. A third dealer has Sebo and Miele models, both canisters and uprights, and other brands like Hoover.

Thanks for the vote for the Moxie/Impeccable--I'll keep my eye out for it during my tour. No one has mentioned the new Maytag upright, the MO2OR, which I only just discovered poking around the forum. I'm assuming that's because I mentioned the Miele S7, and because a canister is the better option, and not because it's much more expensive than the S7? I don't know that I'd find anywhere selling Maytags locally anyway--just thought I'd ask.

I'll report back.

 

[stricklybojack]

Go to theTacony dealer...

that you like, and order a canister if that's your choice. Any dealer (worth doing business with) wants to serve the customer. I wouldn't want to give my money to anyone else. And placing an order for a vacuum should in no way be a problem. Your paying top dollar, mostly for one thing, service.
Don't be a doormate for lazy greedy A-holes, it only encourages them...ahem, imho.[this post was last edited: 3/3/2014-11:11]

 

[dysonman1]

The Maytag M1200 "MO2OR" is an incredible vacuum cleaner. We sell the heck out of them at the Vacuum Cleaner Outlet Store (at the Tacony Factory in St. James). I love the "Wow" bare floor tool with electrostatic pad, coupled with the extremely long 15 foot hose and full length wand. It's easy to vacuum the kitchen floor without having to move the upright. Or, I could simply shut off the brush roller and roll the upright over the floor. With a lifetime belt, tremendous cleaning ability (from TWO suction motors) and HEPA filtration bags that are NOT a fortune, you could not go wrong. At least see the Maytag before you make a decision. Being made in America helps keep 200 factory jobs in St. James. It's not the original cost of any vacuum that is most important, it's the cost to maintain it. A Miele cord costs $125 since you have to replace the handle assembly. A Maytag cord costs $18. The Miele's brush roller ($100) must be replaced in it's entirety (as does the Sebo), but the steel brush roller on the Maytag can have a new set of bristles, costing you $16.

 

[GM1982]

Very nice, it would help if Tacony would distribute them, market and advertise them to the public. What's with the blank website? Until then, its an underground unknown brand. The dealer network and promotion of products are lacking. Miele are much more established nationally for now

 

[sebo_fan]

Sebo's brush roll for the X series in the U.S only costs $28-99. It would be good to know the Maytag's bag capacity per bag and how much you get in a pack.

I like the blue light on the front but I'm puzzled as to why it has to shine every time when the brush roll is activated when there's an LED headlight at the front already? Surely if you can hear the brushes at the front revolving you wouldn't need such a HALO UV light inspired secondary light? Or is there a UV light added to this design?

The hose looks very impressive in this video but without the machine actually switched on, its hard to see if the hose would retract and thus not stretch so far.

 

[rosiembanks]

I've had a disappointing/frustrating round of dealers. The first dealer, not my favorite, but the one closest to my house carries Riccar, not Simplicity. We'll call it Bob's. I described my situation (just as I had here), and Bob told me I needed an upright because it would do a better overall cleaning job. (?) He showed me two uprights, the Retriever and a Premium Briliance . The Retriever is very nice, handles well, and is available for an attractive price. For a home like mine with stairs, he suggested I add a stair kit, which would include a longer hose and another head--always a bother to store, I think, and not a terrific dusting/upholstery brush (nylon) or floor nozzle. He steered me away from the other pricier model, I don't know why. I asked about canisters, and he directed me to two, the Impeccable and the Pristine. I tried the Impeccable, and it's a contender, also available at a pretty good price (more than I originally wanted to spend, but I think I convince my husband). I liked the controls on the wand. Bob didn't seem to know about new models when I asked. I also asked him about the new Maytag line (we don't have a separate Maytag appliance store here), and he said he'd heard they would be very expensive.

Next stop was my favorite dealer, Ket's, only to discover that Ket can no longer sell Simplicity. This is a change from six months ago when I was in and tried out a Simplicty upright. He told me someone else had come into the market and complained about him being able to order them, also. Ket then showed me Mieles. I discovered the S7 upright is taller and heavier for me to maneuver than the Riccar Retriever, so at least I know I prefer the Riccar upright! He reviewed the Miele canisters with me, too. And I bought a belt for my trusty Panasonic so that I can donate it to Good Will as a working vacuum. Ket had nice things to say about my Panasonic for what it was in its day--which is why I've kept using it all this time.

Last, was Dave's, the largest place in terms of the number of lines represented. Mieles and Sebos, but there sat the Simplicitys. Or, at least Simplicity Freedoms and one Jessie canister box. When asked about Simplicity, Dave told me that except for the Freedom, Simplicity uprights would be too heavy for me (I'm not a big person), that Simplicity canisters were big and clunky, and didn't plan to get any in, as the Mieles were just fantastic machines. I wasn't there to argue, but I have a new least favorite vac shop. He also wanted to know where I'd heard about Simplicity canisters--an odd question, but I told him I'd been researching online. I left as soon as I could, but it took awhile, as he was insistent that I see his entire presentation, and he didn't think 21 feet was a short cord ("their standard length is 18 feet" Yes, but. I have a new least favorite shop.

So--that's where I am at the moment. Tomorrow I'll call around to other area shops--there are some about 40 miles away, and see what I can find. I'll call Bob's, too--maybe someone else there will know something about new models. I get the idea that the Wow/Prima would be the ideal size and feature set for me.

 

[pr-21]

Did you try...

Fussnecker Sweepers, they carry Riccar Vacuums. Uprights and Canisters, the last time I checked. They are on Salem Ave and another location on Far Hills.


PR-21

 

[rosiembanks]

Yes, I did go to Fussneckers, the Far Hills location-that's Bob's. I'm not sure Salem is still open (not in the phone book) though the listing is online. They have a shop in Springfield I thought I'd call. There's a Simplicity place in Wilmington. There are also places in Cincinnati.

 

[dysonman1]

The Maytag M1200 is the perfect size for anyone. Not too big, nor too heavy, it features the longest hose Tacony uses on an upright, plus a full length wand (not half length as on the Miele S7). The retail price of the Maytag is $699. It has a very long cord as well.

 

[rosiembanks]

The Maytag sounds terrific and I'd like to see it, but I can't find it anywhere in Southwest Ohio, and have run out of people to ask about it. Fussnecker is offering the Retriever for $599.95. Bob told me the hose would stretche to reach a 9.5' ceiling, which should be sufficient for me. I don't know why Bob would tell me the Maytag M1200 was going to be expensive, unless he really didn't know the price point.

It's frustrating when you can see the Maytags available in other places, just not nearby for you. I could wait a few weeks, but not months; I need a good working vacuum. I'm concluding I should buy the Retriever for $600, and later check out the Wonder/Prima canister when it's available locally. As for the Maytag, it may never be.

 

[dysonman1]

I sure wish I could show you the Maytag in person. They are made several hundred feet from my desk. Whatever you do, please make sure the model number of the Retriever starts with S30P. Those are the brand new models. You wouldn't want one of last years models since the new models were launched several months ago. The serial number will betray the age of the machine. The first two digits are the month, the second two are the year. 0314XXXXXX would be March of 2014. Maytags are not a protected line, so they can be sold outside of vac shops. Such as appliance stores, Maytage stores, etc. We sell at least one or two a day here at the Factory Outlet Store.

 

[rosiembanks]

Thank you for the serial number advice--I'll be sure to ask! I've been calling around the local appliance stores about the Maytag, but have struck out so far. I haven't quite given up, but it's not looking promising.

 

[GM1982]

Dealers aren't ordering new models from Tacony that fast. I wonder why? The website still is not up to date...extremely slow launch. What's going on, you have people interested in the newer up to date models and you cannot even get them out of the factory. makes no sense.

 

[veroroger]

Maytag M1200

I have one and it's great! I ordered mine through Tom at the factory outlet store and couldn't be happier. Although, I really didn't realize it had TWO suction motors until reading these posts. That would explain the difference in sound from when it's in upright mode and tool mode. You really owe it to yourself to hold off (if possible) till you can try it out. The hose is very long and it doesn't suck back into the vacuum when you use the tools. And, it's located from the bottom of the machine to prevent tip overs. Quality tools and many options available. I never realized how convenient the full size telescopic wand could be. Great deep cleaner with a huge HEPA bag and completely sealed system. And....it's quiet to use so you still can talk while vacuuming or hear the phone ring. The power cord is something like 35' long and seems to be a heavier construction than what I've come to expect. Overall a great performer, quality built and worth the money.

 

[rosiembanks]

That's quite an endorsement! I'll make a few more calls to some places farther away to see whether I can track it down. It is curious, no one seems to know anything about it.

Is this 2 motor that different from the Tandem Air System with its two motors? I haven't investigated the serial number yet, but were the previous year Retriever models very different from the current ones? Is there some reason I wouldn't want one from last year, if it's new in a box?