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I have owned a Bissell Momentum for about 8 months.
Well last week the motor went out. I usually vacuum
Two times per week because I have two small dogs in
The house. I always kept the filters clean. So I need
To know what everyone recommends. I'm looking not to
spend over $250.

"Best" is very subjective and not easy to answer.

I bought this Hoover duo set -- http://www.amazon.com/Hoover-P...id=1359266092&sr=8-6
-- exactly a year ago and haven't regretted anything about them yet. They're both powerful and easy to use. The only thing I'm less than thrilled with is the power cord on the smaller unit. It has to be completely unwound for use and then completely rewound for storage, which is a slight PIA.

I know there are specially-designed "pet" vacuums. I don't have pets and can't say if these machines are well-suited to that use; but I'm sure if you read enough of the reviews, that question will be answered.

My larger Dyson is the best I have ever had, and it has been running for many years with multiple large dogs. There are reconditioned ones available on Ebay, but they may still be more than you want to pay.

Note: Since you mentioned the motor gave out on your present one...make sure in any vacuum, you clean and inspect the rotating beater bar regularly for pet or human hair that can wrap around it. (Sometimes it is not visible, as it wraps near the ends) When this occurs it makes the motor work harder to turn it and eventually you can either burn out a motor or break the belt that drives it. Anytime you get that "hot, burnt hair smell" while vacuuming look for this issue.

Dyson!

I've never seen a Dyson under $250.

ooops, didn't see the cost limit.

Save up to buy one of the more expensive ones or try to find one on eBay, swap shop, etc. I love my RICCAR vacuum. We had been buying vacuums at the department stores. One every other year for the first 6 years of our marriage. Then 10 years ago, we bought a Riccar on a radio auction. (New products bought at a discount. The stores get the retail value of the item in advertising.) We get the Riccar serviced once a year and it is still working great today.

Ask 5 people and you will get 5 answers. Depends what you want.

Expensive is not always better.... and don't believe all the advertising you hear. I have liked the Hoovers I've had though it has been awhile. I currently have Bissell and it is good. Check the size of the motor, how easy it is to clean the unit and cost to get your best deal. They have all done good on dog hair.

I often read the reviews on Amazon, usually only checking the 2,, 3,4 star reviews. The 5 are often people who just got it or are gushers, the 1 are sometimes weird things. See what models your store has and check their reviews.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: metwo,

I really like Eureka. Not sure if it's still called this but I have purchased a couple of the Eureka Altima bagless vacuums. They cost around $100. I've purchased them at Target and Best Buy.

Quick! There is a Dyson for sale on Woot today. If you aren't familiar with Woot, they have ONE item for sale each day. It is for sale until it runs out or until midnight. I have bought several items from them. Today they have a refurbished Dyson DC25 for $229.99.
http://www.woot.com/

Consumer Report magazine says Hoover Windtunnel is the best. My son has one and he really likes it....especially for picking up dog hair.

I agree with metwo, it's an individual choice, I think. I have a central vac but it's a real pain to just clean a small area so I bought an Oreck about 5 or 6 years ago. I like it just fine but you do have to push it. My daughter has one that is self propelled, and it's so much easier to use, it's a Simplicity and she has a very hairy dog!!, and a cat!

Late popping on this topic but I hate my Dyson Animal with the ball, I have had it about 7 months and it was inoperable for 6 weeks total because of breakage. First the little rod that opens the bottom of the canister to empty it (two weeks to get a replacement) and then the side of the ball fell off (four weeks to get the part. All this is under warranty but think how dirty a house can get without being vacuumed. Fortunately I have a small Hoover Linx that runs off of batteries. It let me stay ahead of the worst of the dirt twenty minutes at a time..

As a vacuum when it works it does a very good job on carpet and only middling on my wood floors as long as it is just dust. Let there be small leaves or dead grass and you my have to pick it up by hand. Wish I had spent my money on retrofitting my house for a central vac like I had for the past 20+ years. (Did I say the cord tangles and gets in my way and changing back and forth from hose to floor tool is a pain. I have to do this a lot because it just doesn't vacuum under anything except the breakfast and dining tables.)

Can you say I am not a Dyson lover.

Sometimes it is just the luck of the draw too, and one can certainly get a lemon in any brand or model, these days.
They all tend to use a lot of plastic parts, so one has to be cautious about any rough treatment, or possible breakage could occur.

And how one takes care of a vacuum can be the difference too...go back and read about cleaning the beater bars in my post above?

quote:

Originally posted by May:
Consumer Report magazine says Hoover Windtunnel is the best. My son has one and he really likes it....especially for picking up dog hair.

I have a Hoover Windtunnel Pet Rewind. I think this model was discontinued but they do have "newer" models. On sale at Target or a Walmart will be well within the range you posted. I think I paid 70-90 for mine. I have two double coated breeds and this does a good job at getting the hair up. Good suction and I've had it for 3 years or so without any problems.

The ONLY thing I do not like is the cord. You do need to be careful when pulling the cord out if the unit is warm as the coating can be stripped off (but I bet that is true of any self re-wind model and it was 100% my fault) Other than that, I would buy another Hoover.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: junk collector,

Okay, been reading this thread and finally decided to chime in. In the last 8 years, I've had two Dysons and two Orecks - the Dysons are better BUT they give up quickly. The first one blew its clutch (cost $125 to fix) and the second one isn't exactly a go-getter ~ I really have to work hard with the accessories with the wrists to get it to gobble hair, fur and debris...

On the other hand, my Orecks are work-horses ~ never a problem but they just don't get as close to the woodwork as advertised and their accessories aren't very convenient. So, which is better? Jury is still out....

can only use one hand to type at the moment due to shoulder replacement so please forgive all the small letters.

i'm with Charcoalsmom on this one. We purchased a Eureka Air Speed with 12 amps and i absolutely love it! it is very similar to a dyson regarding the way it works (bagless). The suction is awesome! Plus, due to arthritis, i need something that isnt too heavy. The Eureka fits that need as well.

I think hubby bought this one at Wal-Mart. The price is very reasonable. This one came with several attachments for upholstery/etc.

A couple things i do not like as much about the Eureka is...the power cord is a bit short (not too bad if you have plenty outlets or attach an extension cord). And i don't feel that it works on the floor as well as it could.

We also have an Oreck...I use it specifically for the floors but always had issues with it on area rugs/carpets (mostly with the belt and didn't feel it got the rugs as clean as the Eurkeka). the oreck is lightweight...which is nice.

We've actually had this oreck for many years, but decided to try something different for the rugs/etc...which is how we ended up with two vacs!lol

as others have mentioned, it is really a personal choice when it comes to vacs. Depends upon your personal needs/budget/etc.

good luck with your purchase~

I have to agree with Gwenda, "Can you tell I'm not a Dyson lover?" Neither am I. We have had our "animal hair" dyson for about 3 years now and it has been in the shop 3 times already and needs to go again. We spent an hour on the phone with technical support with them telling us what to check so maybe it was something that could be fixed at home In the end, he said to take it to a repair shop, AGAIN! Now, what do I buy without going to the expense of the Dyson?

Oreck!! I've had one for 15+yrs and only had it tuned up once. Probably should take it in again!

I always buy the cheapest one I can find, with the highest amperage (power). That way, after a year or two, I can give it to charity and get another one.

I know it seems a bit wasteful, but I've never found a way to get all the dirt and dust out of every crevice of an old vacuum cleaner and a couple of family members have allergies that aren't satisfied by ANY filter, so buying new ones works for us.

I have the featherlite dirtdevil & I love it and it cleans great so lightweight to carry upstairs & has a long cord & a hepa filter & no bags.
I had a Filterqueen for 20 yrs that mil bought for me when we got married. I lived that one also. It finally died.

I have a very old Kenmore canister and I think it is wonderful. It even came with an attachment for the stairs. Plus we have an Eureka Boss upright. We've had it for about 6 years.

When we bought the Kenmore it was one of the highest rated Consumer Reports canisters and the Eureka was a top rated upright.

As was mentioned earlier the problem with reviews on Amazon - the really good ones are from people who just bought it.

quote:

Originally posted by Charming:
As was mentioned earlier the problem with reviews on Amazon - the really good ones are from people who just bought it.

I don't completely trust the opinions of internet strangers, either.
But if a product has over 1000 reviews, and 85% of them earned 4 or 5 stars, that's a more than adequate indicator of satisfaction for me. Not all those reviews were written by brand-new users; the ones who got lemons write their reviews without delay, too. One thousand reviews, 85% favorable... There aren't too many lemons in this bunch.

Consumer Reports recommendations are the ones that are suspect, IMO. The models they review are only manufactured for a year or two, at most. And they don't report later on those tested models to let us know if they're still performing well or if they're just so much scrap. Why would they, if they're no longer on the market anyway?

Dixie, you are in need of a vacuum. That's been stated.
Keep this in mind: a cheap item is an expensive item. Buy something to get you by; save and get a Dyson. The subflooring is clean--under carpet and under the padding. We breathe better. It does wonders on mattresses. Use the upholstery attachment.
The suction is fantastic.
Your home will be healthier.

I have two. I bought the Sears Kenmore cannister first (over 5 yrs ago, I think) and it works fine, especially on non-carpeted floors. But after I bought my Eureka Boss (upright) at Lowe's, I find that I much prefer using the upright for my carpeting. Not sure how long I've had it, but I know it's been at least 3 years.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: CA Lori,

Just the other day I went with my daughter to have her Simplicity tuned up (it is a very good vac, and I think she paid under $300.00)... anyway I was looking at a new Eureka Canister, white... I wanted to buy it just because it was so pretty!! What I liked about, it among many things, is the head is low enough to fit under almost any piece of furniture which I find appealing. It's a bit pricey at about $1600.00 but it has a pretty good warranty. It's self propelled so if you have a lot of area to do, it basically does the work for you, you just guide it, another plus in my book.

quote:

I have owned a Bissell Momentum for about 8 months.
Well last week the motor went out. I usually vacuum
Two times per week because I have two small dogs in
The house. I always kept the filters clean. So I need
To know what everyone recommends. I'm looking not to
spend over $250.

maybe Miele Bolero is the best vacuum cleaner, based on the net, hope it helped you. cheers!


_____________
home report

quote:

Originally posted by dixieraven:
I have owned a Bissell Momentum for about 8 months.
Well last week the motor went out. I usually vacuum Two times per week because I have two small dogs in The house. I always kept the filters clean. So I need To know what everyone recommends. I'm looking not to spend over $250.

I have the Hoover Wind tunnel rewind and have had it for 3 years. I also have a dog and I keep the filters clean. It works great!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://householdcleaningandmore.net

I think we all have different needs in a vacuum, some of us want a higher quality and some of us just want a cheap vacuum that does the trick for a while. With that being said I'm kind of a novice in vacuum buying and I thought you guys could help me out with some advice or suggestions. I found this site last night http://www.squidoo.com/what-is...-best-vacuum-cleaner and I'm considering the hoover windtunnel even tho it's kind of pricey i'm hoping it will last a while. I'm wondering if you guys have any experience with it or suggestions of other ways to go? Thanks a lot.

Our daughter has had her DYSON for over 8 yrs and it's running great with NO repairs and we've had our "animal"(purple one) for about 5 yrs. Not only do I love it BUT---MIRACLE---
MY HUBBY---HE LIKES TO USE IT TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IT gets men to vacuum!!! HOW great is that???

Try this site.
I copied it but it's on delay---has a 'trigger' word apparently.
So here's the website. Tells how Consumer Reports rates and lists recommendations/price/ reasons for rating.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business...st/story?id=12985601

you know i picked up a couple of dirt devils for next to nothing at target for 2 of my kids...shock! they're both still working! (after a christmas sale $39) both have kids...