Kirby as a canister...
No. Kirby's use a direct fan design that bodes for a *MUCH* slower finning fan which causes it to literally have pitiful suction vs. even the cheapest of cheap vacs.
Our $80 Eureka Maxima canister turns a Kirby bag from inflated to skinny as a sheet of paper in an instant. It's pathetic really.
The best bare floor cleaner would have to be a either a Miele with parquet brush or an Electrolux (NOT Aerus) Ergospace or Ultra Silencer. Both have incredible suction, are quieter than a baby sleeping (almost), have *TRUE SEALED* and *QUALITY* HEPA filtration, and are *QUALITY* Hungary-made canisters - the Ergospace backed by a respectable 5 year warranty - and from what I've read, Electrolux (again, not the Aerus metal body Electrolux) honors their warranty well.
So yeah, Miele, Electrolux, even a straight suction SEBO, and then I'd just pick up a Kenmore Magic Blue as it seems to fit the bill perfectly - for me anyways. Super powerful suction with a quality built unit overall I'd say to match.
