Reccomend a Vacuum

[A.Goldberg]

So I'm looking to purchase a vacuum for my company. Budget is around $500 max. The building is mostly carpet with some tile. The carpet is either this indoor/outdoor crap in the hallways, otherwise a more residential Berber-like material. The tile is typically not vacuumed but is on occasion. I believe it's porcelain. There is also an entryway... in not quite sure what the flooring is, it might be lanoleum, but like the tile it's typically mopped.

I don't really know anything about vacuums, including if I should get a commercial or residential vacuum (or what the difference is). It doesn't need to be fancy, but a wand would be helpful. Something built to last is favorable. I suppose buying two cheaper vacuums is also an option.

I asked our cleaning crew their thoughts. They didn't really seem to have much of an opinion. Maybe someone here can make some suggestions.

 

[0388631]

How long do you want it to last?

If it's that very short fiber stuff that's common in most professional buildings or hotel hallways, then you don't need a deep cleaning vacuum. Just good suction.

For the price limit and longevity, I would recommend either Oreck or Meile. Both are great and offer tuning services to renew the suction power years down the line. Fairly cheap servicing, under $50 in most cases. Wand or stick vacuums are light, powerful enough and don't take up much space. Another option is canister with wheels. You can change the suction heads on these with most companies. You can grab a tile head and a low fiber carpet head.

I'd stay away from the typical store brands and Dyson. Dysons are only good as long as you perform weekly cleaning maintenance. Though their product quality has gone down since they first came out.

 

[Plutonius]

For the price limit and longevity, I would recommend either Oreck or Meile.

Another recommendation for Oreck.

 

[Clix Pix]

DYSON!!!! My Dyson that I bought quite a few years ago when I first moved into this condo unit is still going strong..... However, yes, that is a good point that quality control and overall effectiveness of the various models may have gone downhill since I bought mine lo these many moons ago.....

 

[upandown]

Dyson

 

[A.Goldberg]

How long do you want it to last?

If it's that very short fiber stuff that's common in most professional buildings or hotel hallways, then you don't need a deep cleaning vacuum. Just good suction.

For the price limit and longevity, I would recommend either Oreck or Meile. Both are great and offer tuning services to renew the suction power years down the line. Fairly cheap servicing, under $50 in most cases. Wand or stick vacuums are light, powerful enough and don't take up much space. Another option is canister with wheels. You can change the suction heads on these with most companies. You can grab a tile head and a low fiber carpet head.

I'd stay away from the typical store brands and Dyson. Dysons are only good as long as you perform weekly cleaning maintenance. Though their product quality has gone down since they first came out.

Upright would be preferred. Bagless is nice but I suppose not necessary, it doesn't seem to really be an option on the commercial models. Commercial vacuums don't tend to have wands either, but I suppose one could get a separate vacuum for that kind of stuff.

The current vacuum there is a Shark(?). It cost a couple hundred bucks... I didn't buy it. It's like 1.5 years old and the cord is falling apart, the switch is screwy, the canister leaks, and it's never been great at cleaning.

I grew up with central vac. We have this ancient Hoover in my apartment- it weights 50lbs, its self propelled, and louder than a leaf blower but it works amazingly.

I figure like most appliances these days most vacuums are garbage and really not built to last. Dyson always struck me as a company that relied heavily on marketing to justify their high costs, much like Bose.

 

[0388631]

Upright would be preferred. Bagless is nice but I suppose not necessary, it doesn't seem to really be an option on the commercial models. Commercial vacuums don't tend to have wands either, but I suppose one could get a separate vacuum for that kind of stuff.

The current vacuum there is a Shark(?). It cost a couple hundred bucks... I didn't buy it. It's like 1.5 years old and the cord is falling apart, the switch is screwy, the canister leaks, and it's never been great at cleaning.

I grew up with central vac. We have this ancient Hoover in my apartment- it weights 50lbs, its self propelled, and louder than a leaf blower but it works amazingly.

I figure like most appliances these days most vacuums are garbage and really not built to last. Dyson always struck me as a company that relied heavily on marketing to justify their high costs, much like Bose.

I see. Get a Meile or an Oreck. Even if used commercially, they'll last longer than commercial units. Though I believe Oreck offers commercial units. The Meile's use the same motor through and through or did when I bought ours for our house and then for the offices I own. The price difference you see is the extra components and heavier duty hoses and cords and connectors. Even the cheapest Meile will be better than a $300 Hoover. Oreck offers wands for commercial use. Oreck's are very simple to work on if you get the bagged version. The wands cost about $30 to service every 4-5 years.

There's average vacuums and then there's the likes of Meile, Oreck, Ricco, etc. These will last. Relative of mine introduced me to Meile. They've had it for donkeys years. Since the late 80s or early 90s. Used daily, still sucks everything in site. It's a canister vacuum with wheels. Takes up broken pottery, dirty and shards of glass with ease. Just needs maintenance here and there. These are units built very well and to withstand considerable use. There's a reason you never see these brands in stores. The average person isn't going to drop $400-2400 on a vacuum cleaner.

I'm a stickler for cleanliness. I wouldn't use a Hoover or a Eureka in my house, because I know they suck. Pun not intended.

 

[Gregg2]

Riccar http://riccar.com/

American made. No internal plastic parts - all metal motor.

 

[0388631]

Oh, yes, Riccar, not Ricco. Riccar, Meile and Oreck should be the only companies in your sights.

 

[AustinIllini]

We have four animals, so we use a Dyson Full Animal, but I think it would be overkill in an office setting.

 

[ejb190]

Had an Oreck upright. It also came with a little canister vac with the wands and all the attachments. The upright was built like a tank. On the other hand, the canister was less then useless. It plugged in a heartbeat. The biggest problem is my wife is disabled - she couldn't use either one very well. The bags were difficult to swap, the units are heavy, and all the bits and pieces made storage and portability a pain. For an office, it would be just fine and probably last you a lifetime.

We got a Shark Navigator when our local Sears was going out of business. She loves it. The hoses and attachments are all built in. The hose pops out one-handed and it is bagless. It's perfect for what we need.

 

[HDFan]

Consumer Reports top rated models are:

http://www.consumerreports.org/products/upright-vacuum/ratings-overview/

KenmoreElite Pet Friendly 31150
MieleDynamic U1 Twist
MieleDynamic U1 Cat & Dog

Most reliable by 3rd year of ownership:

http://www.consumerreports.org/products/upright-vacuum/brand-reliability/

Shark 11%
Kirby 12%
Kenmore 17%

Dyson and Miele are towards the bottom with 22% and 23% needing repairs by 3rd year of ownership

 

[0388631]

I'm quite wary of CR after I paid for research and found it to be next to useless based on how the tests were conducted and how consumers used them. CR may be good for certain things, but not very good for others. I recall just this last year doing research on dishwashers and they had the most unrealistic test bed and method, including leaving chunks of food at least half an inch thick on the plate. Rubbish.

Kirby's are incredibly expensive and extremely heavy. They're also very overpriced for what they are. Shark is trash. Kenmore vacuums are made by Panasonic.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Personally, I am rather partial to Miele, a very solidly made, well constructed, long lasting and powerful German machine; it is what we use here at home, and it is excellent.

Some others on the thread have already recommended Miele.

 

[ActionableMango]

Dysons are only good as long as you perform weekly cleaning maintenance.

I have a DC07 from way back in the day when Dyson was just starting to take off in the US. I didn't know I'm supposed to do maintenance on it. I can't think of anything other than the motor filter which I've washed 2 or 3 times in...I'm not sure how old it is, 15 years maybe? Still works great today!

I also have one of Dyson's newer model handhelds, and it is okay, but one huge problem is that the "on" button is a momentary trigger. This means I have to hold it down constantly (it doesn't lock down). There have been times where I've had a 5-10 minute vacuuming session trying to get cat hair off the couch and my finger/hand is cramping up from holding down the trigger. This seems inordinately stupid to me.

 

[0388631]

I have a DC07 from way back in the day when Dyson was just starting to take off in the US. I didn't know I'm supposed to do maintenance on it. I can't think of anything other than the motor filter which I've washed 2 or 3 times in...I'm not sure how old it is, 15 years maybe? Still works great today!

I also have one of Dyson's newer model handhelds, and it is okay, but one huge problem is that the "on" button is a momentary trigger. This means I have to hold it down constantly (it doesn't lock down). There have been times where I've had a 5-10 minute vacuuming session trying to get cat hair off the couch and my finger/hand is cramping up from holding down the trigger. This seems inordinately stupid to me.

The DC07 is actually a solid machine back when Dyson made quality stuff. However, once they got popular, the internals got cheaper while looking the same. The best handhelds I've used are by Metropolitan and Metrovac. Terribly expensive, but solid construction. Heavy, too, but not much. I love their products.

I think you're talking about the V6 Trigger, right? I've tried it out in store. It's very good, but I wonder about long term reliability. I'm currently looking for a wet/dry vac. I need a new one for my garage since my current nearly 18 yo one is on its way out. I spent 2 hours repairing it a month ago only for it to act up again a few weeks later. And I'd like one around the house so I can quickly clean up messes the kids make and dump the bucket out.

 

[nebo1ss]

My Vacuum cleaner is a Miele, My Cooker is a Miele, My Dish Washer is Miele and My fridge is Miele. Their products are very reliable and their service is second to none. I had a problem with my fridge after two years, they sent someone out to look at it next day and they had a new one here to replace it the day after that.

 

[citizenzen]

DYSON!!!!

Dyson

My wife bought a Dyson about 5 years ago and I like it except for two things (I do a lot of the vacuuming) ...

1. The wand that comes out of the handle is awkward to use.

2. The dust canister is ridiculously designed. It's guaranteed to spread a cloud of dust when you empty it. The user is not protected at all from coming into contact with the contents.

Notice how the photo shows all the dust going down? Well, that's just wishful thinking. What actually happens is a cloud rises back at you as you're dumping it out. So if you're sensitive to dust (and all the other crap in there) a Dyson may not be the choice for you.

 

[0388631]

My Vacuum cleaner is a Miele, My Cooker is a Miele, My Dish Washer is Miele and My fridge is Miele. Their products are very reliable and their service is second to none. I had a problem with my fridge after two years, they sent someone out to look at it next day and they had a new one here to replace it the day after that.

It never occurred to me to buy Meile major appliances. We did buy professional grade fridges and a stove/cooker/whatever word you love to use. Better than the typical stoves and whatnot you can grab from a large home improvement store. There is a distinctive build quality between those and good appliance companies.

One thing I noticed then was how the electrical ignition differed in common brands vs professional hardware. Thin wires versus bulky, well insulated wiring that is dead simple to replace if it corrodes. The other? Throw a few hail maries.

 

[Clix Pix]

My wife bought a Dyson about 5 years ago and I like it except for two things (I do a lot of the vacuuming) ...

1. The wand that comes out of the handle is awkward to use.

2. The dust canister is ridiculously designed. It's guaranteed to spread a cloud of dust when you empty it. The user is not protected at all from coming into contact with the contents.

Notice how the photo shows all the dust going down? Well, that's just wishful thinking. What actually happens is a cloud rises back at you as you're dumping it out. So if you're sensitive to dust (and all the other crap in there) a Dyson may not be the choice for you.

I always position a plastic bag under and surrounding the dust canister when I'm ready to empty it, and I try to hold the bag up around the canister as with the other hand I am pulling the trigger to release the canister's contents...... Not ideal, but I do manage to get most of the contents from canister to plastic bag without a lot of excess dust floating around...... My Dyson is pretty old now and it is possible that the newer machines and canisters don't work quite as well as mine still does.....

 

[0388631]

Leave it during a high humidity night, empty it in the morning. All of it should clump up nicely.

 

[citizenzen]

I always position a plastic bag under and surrounding the dust canister when I'm ready to empty it, and I try to hold the bag up around the canister as with the other hand I am pulling the trigger to release the canister's contents...... Not ideal, but I do manage to get most of the contents from canister to plastic bag without a lot of excess dust floating around...... My Dyson is pretty old now and it is possible that the newer machines and canisters don't work quite as well as mine still does.....

In my case, I'm not sensitive to dust, etc., so I just dump it in the garbage and it doesn't bother me.

But for those who are sensitive, there are probably better options out there.
[doublepost=1498878589][/doublepost]

Leave it during a high humidity night, empty it in the morning. All of it should clump up nicely.

Invariably I start to vacuum, only to look down and notice how full the canister has become.

For those who plan as well as you do, that method might be the solution.

 

[0388631]

My SiL doesn't bother with my advice. She's got an even more clever method. Invert the canister and use a wet/dry vac to suck it all up. No dust, no nothing. As time goes by, since the canister bucket is larger, it just compresses nicely. Works well on the filter pad, too. I'm surprised I never thought of that.

If you have to empty the canister, don't vacuum. Most canisters heat up due to the air inside the system and while plastics are durable, I find the heat from the air expands it. Easier to crack the canister if you're being rough in the removal or reattachment.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

My Vacuum cleaner is a Miele, My Cooker is a Miele, My Dish Washer is Miele and My fridge is Miele. Their products are very reliable and their service is second to none. I had a problem with my fridge after two years, they sent someone out to look at it next day and they had a new one here to replace it the day after that.

Agreed.

If such purchase were left to me, we would have a great many more Miele products than we actually have at present.

It never occurred to me to buy Meile major appliances. We did buy professional grade fridges and a stove/cooker/whatever word you love to use. Better than the typical stoves and whatnot you can grab from a large home improvement store. There is a distinctive build quality between those and good appliance companies.

One thing I noticed then was how the electrical ignition differed in common brands vs professional hardware. Thin wires versus bulky, well insulated wiring that is dead simple to replace if it corrodes. The other? Throw a few hail maries.

Miele are excellent. My sister-in-law, who is German, - with the characteristic preference for good quality that Germans are known for - swears by their products.

 

[Huntn]

Riccar http://riccar.com/

American made. No internal plastic parts - all metal motor.

Very interesting! In a thread like this, I used to recommend Sears Kenmore but wonder how long the brand will be around. I assume it will live on and be assimilated into something, but who knows about quality?