Hi folks, I registered to be able to post at VacuumLand to ask this question. I am a regular poster at AutomaticWasher.org but this is my first Vacuumland post.
I live in a single-story house with roughly 55% low-medium pile carpet and 45% ceramic tile. My daily driver vacuum is a Miele S5 series cannister with a S-217 powerhead (the smaller one that doesn't adjust for carpet height; it was purchased 2002 when the adjustable height S-236 powerhead was not, as far as I know, an option).
For cleaning hard floors, it's great. For cleaning the car or ceiling fans or dusting or computers or upholstered furniture, it's great with various attachments. As accessories, I eventually bought the mini cleaning kit (great for getting at dryer crevices) and the mini turbo brush (great for car interior), as well as a larger dusting brush. I've never had it serviced, but I plan to take it for a preventive overhaul just to be sure everything is ok with it, it's an expensive investment.
(And I need to add that I didn't buy it; my parents bought it as a gift and I had no say in the selection, though I did buy the accessories above at later dates).
Where it is only so-so is on the carpet. Not sure if it's because height doesn't adjust, or if the powerhead brushes/belts are worn, or the thing just wasn't designed to deep clean carpet, wall to wall carpet being far less common in Europe . Or perhaps powerhead technology was not that far advanced in 2002.
At any rate, when I was given the Miele, I gave away my bulky/awkward Hoover upright to a thrift store. Its tools were useless, but it did do a good job on carpet. As mentioned above, I am planning to bring the S5 for routine preventive servicing which may put it out of action for a couple of weeks. First time it's seen a service shop.
So I began looking for a less expensive upright "spare vacuum" that:
1. could serve as a substitute while the S5 is in the shop.
2. if the S5 ever died and could not be fixed at reasonable cost, I would need something to use until a replacement for the S5 could be procured
3. possibly could do a better job on carpet than the Miele S5.
I started researching upright vac's. Miele has a new line of upright vac's that are priced way above ($550-950) my budget for a machine to fulfill the criteria above (spare vacuum when S5 is in the shop, buy time if S5 ever dies, maybe do better on carpet).
However, while cruising the internet, I discovered that Miele had an earlier line of uprights known as the S183, S184, S185
http://www.amazon.com/Miele-S183-Upright-Vacuum-Cleaner/dp/B0006U4GK4
which are now the "old models" and no longer their current line. Several retailers still have limited stocks of them and apparently are selling them at discounted prices, since consumers for whom money is no object will pony up $550-950 for the Miele name and get a new model upright. Basically, it seems like the new models swivel and maneuver somewhat like an electric broom, while the old models roll back and forth like a traditional upright. The new models get excellent reviews, but it's hard to find reviews on the S-183-185 series, since they are no longer manufactured (but still sold until supply runs out).
The S183 used to go for $350-400 and, as you well know, Miele tightly controls prices in the USA on new products. But if it's being offered for $229, Miele must not enforce prices on older discontinued models. In that sense, it may be a "deal" to get a new, discontinued model at 40% of what used to be the retail/enforced price.
Why Miele? The brand has a good reputation for not selling junk; otherwise their image would be ruined if they put out low-end, junky products. Second, at $229, that's approaching the cost of a sturdy Hoover or Dyson upright. Third, the Miele can be used on hard floors because there is a switch to turn off the rollers/brushes. The quality of the tools and tool hose suction is not a big issue because it would mostly be used just on carpet. And it would be playing a backup role to the S5 (Monte Verde model)
My guess is that it would HAVE to do a better job on carpet than my S5. I wouldn't pay $400 for it if it were still a current model, but $229 is tenable. An upgraded SEB-236 powerhead costs about $250...more than the S183 upright at the now-discounted price.
Any opinions? Anyone have experience with the S-183-184-185 series? Even if I posted the question at Vacuumland, my guess is that I would get some unintelligible answers from people WAY more into vacuums than I am. They are as passionate about vacuums over there as we are about washers.
http://www.amazon.com/Miele-S183-Upright-Vacuum-Cleaner/dp/B0006U4GK4
I live in a single-story house with roughly 55% low-medium pile carpet and 45% ceramic tile. My daily driver vacuum is a Miele S5 series cannister with a S-217 powerhead (the smaller one that doesn't adjust for carpet height; it was purchased 2002 when the adjustable height S-236 powerhead was not, as far as I know, an option).
For cleaning hard floors, it's great. For cleaning the car or ceiling fans or dusting or computers or upholstered furniture, it's great with various attachments. As accessories, I eventually bought the mini cleaning kit (great for getting at dryer crevices) and the mini turbo brush (great for car interior), as well as a larger dusting brush. I've never had it serviced, but I plan to take it for a preventive overhaul just to be sure everything is ok with it, it's an expensive investment.
(And I need to add that I didn't buy it; my parents bought it as a gift and I had no say in the selection, though I did buy the accessories above at later dates).
Where it is only so-so is on the carpet. Not sure if it's because height doesn't adjust, or if the powerhead brushes/belts are worn, or the thing just wasn't designed to deep clean carpet, wall to wall carpet being far less common in Europe . Or perhaps powerhead technology was not that far advanced in 2002.
At any rate, when I was given the Miele, I gave away my bulky/awkward Hoover upright to a thrift store. Its tools were useless, but it did do a good job on carpet. As mentioned above, I am planning to bring the S5 for routine preventive servicing which may put it out of action for a couple of weeks. First time it's seen a service shop.
So I began looking for a less expensive upright "spare vacuum" that:
1. could serve as a substitute while the S5 is in the shop.
2. if the S5 ever died and could not be fixed at reasonable cost, I would need something to use until a replacement for the S5 could be procured
3. possibly could do a better job on carpet than the Miele S5.
I started researching upright vac's. Miele has a new line of upright vac's that are priced way above ($550-950) my budget for a machine to fulfill the criteria above (spare vacuum when S5 is in the shop, buy time if S5 ever dies, maybe do better on carpet).
However, while cruising the internet, I discovered that Miele had an earlier line of uprights known as the S183, S184, S185
http://www.amazon.com/Miele-S183-Upright-Vacuum-Cleaner/dp/B0006U4GK4
which are now the "old models" and no longer their current line. Several retailers still have limited stocks of them and apparently are selling them at discounted prices, since consumers for whom money is no object will pony up $550-950 for the Miele name and get a new model upright. Basically, it seems like the new models swivel and maneuver somewhat like an electric broom, while the old models roll back and forth like a traditional upright. The new models get excellent reviews, but it's hard to find reviews on the S-183-185 series, since they are no longer manufactured (but still sold until supply runs out).
The S183 used to go for $350-400 and, as you well know, Miele tightly controls prices in the USA on new products. But if it's being offered for $229, Miele must not enforce prices on older discontinued models. In that sense, it may be a "deal" to get a new, discontinued model at 40% of what used to be the retail/enforced price.
Why Miele? The brand has a good reputation for not selling junk; otherwise their image would be ruined if they put out low-end, junky products. Second, at $229, that's approaching the cost of a sturdy Hoover or Dyson upright. Third, the Miele can be used on hard floors because there is a switch to turn off the rollers/brushes. The quality of the tools and tool hose suction is not a big issue because it would mostly be used just on carpet. And it would be playing a backup role to the S5 (Monte Verde model)
My guess is that it would HAVE to do a better job on carpet than my S5. I wouldn't pay $400 for it if it were still a current model, but $229 is tenable. An upgraded SEB-236 powerhead costs about $250...more than the S183 upright at the now-discounted price.
Any opinions? Anyone have experience with the S-183-184-185 series? Even if I posted the question at Vacuumland, my guess is that I would get some unintelligible answers from people WAY more into vacuums than I am. They are as passionate about vacuums over there as we are about washers.
http://www.amazon.com/Miele-S183-Upright-Vacuum-Cleaner/dp/B0006U4GK4
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