Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

I just found this site. I really need to get a new vacuum cleaner. Right now I just have a Eureka Mighty Mite with a HEPA filter. I have recently taken in a long-haired chihuahua and a cat (for a friend who is not able to care for them any longer). I am allergic to (and have also grown very fond of) both the cat and dog and I also have quite bad dust, mold, and pollen allergies. I live in an older split level house: the two upper floors are bare wood with no rugs and the lower two floors are covered with wall-to-wall very-low-pile commercial carpet. The cat (bless her) is generally content to voluntarily stay in the basement all of the time with the exception of just one or two very brief morning strolls each day to the next two higher floors. She sheds what seems to a cat neophyte like myself to be an enormous amount of fur but I'm told by friends who are cat owners that it is a normal amount. The chihuahua just wants to be in the same room with me although I have kept her out of the bedrooms and bathroom on the top floor. I have looked at quite a few vacuum cleaners from the very inexpensive to Miele and Lindhaus and I still am unsure of what to get. I've never had to deal with pet hair and dander before. What would work best for pet hair and dander on low-pile commercial carpet and still be good for bare wood floors and have a good filtering system for allergens? I do know that I would like the self sealing type of bag that is in the Miele (and perhaps other brands?) because of my allergy problems. I can spend up to $850 if I have to but it would be much better for my budget to spend less. I'm sorry for the long-winded description. Advice would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

Nette

Get a Miele cylinder - try EBay and see if you can get a discounted/but newish model. In the UK we have vacs that can be bought reconditioned. I don't know if they have that in the U.S/elsewere. The beauty of Miele is that you can custom build your own vacuum to your own requirements although Miele do make a Cat and Dog cylinder that comes with pet hair tools and a main turbo brush floor head. However on the basis that you have hard flooring I'd go for a basic spec Miele canister and then buy an optional HEPA filter cartridge. Whilst Miele also make charcoal filters the blue HEPA cartridge is better at keeping all allergens in. I currently have a Miele S4 compact canister with a HEPA cartridge fitted instead of the generic Super Air Clean filter. You can then buy a separate pet hair tool at a later date usually from Miele specialists and/or a hard floor brush for general use.

However since you have carpets as well check out Sebo's Felix upright/"medium size" stick vac. Although it can be used as a hand vac it has a much better use as an upright with a canister style swivel head. Sebo's Felix is also GHI and BAF approved and has a stop button on its electric floor head so you can use it on hard flooring. Sebo Felix is around $420 I think and uses bags which have fold over seal caps set into them.

Thanks so much everyone for taking the time and trouble to provide me with all the info. I looked into Orecks, the Miele 7280 and the Sebo Felix with the fold over seal cap vacuum bags. I found a very nice vacuum/appliance fix-it shop that sells Sebos. I bought a store demo model of the latest Felix "Premium" for $400 (it sells on Amazon for $559) and I will be trying it out over the next few days.

Nette wrote:
Great Nette,

Let us know what you think.

Best,

Venson

Nette wrote:

Very good choice.  Excellent price.  Let us know how well it meets your requirements after you take it through its paces.

Carmine D.

The Sebo works great in every way except in one key area: air filtration. Given the allergic reaction (nose, throat, eyes) I have within a couple of minutes of turning it on, it seems as if there is next to no air filtration despite its claims otherwise. I wasn't able to tell this in the store because I tried the vacuum for less than thirty seconds at a time (I tried it several times) as it's such a small shop and it was hard to avoid the other customers coming and going. Maybe this particular vacuum is just not working well but all of the filtration components seem to be installed correctly and in good shape. I had an old Nilfisk until a few years ago and its filtration was much better. I also have less of an allergic reaction using the little Mighty Mite with the HEPA filter (although in every other way the Mighty Mite is obviously not nearly as good a vacuum).

I can return the vacuum but the store charges a twenty percent restocking fee. I can probably exchange it for an Oreck and not be charged a restocking fee (the store doesn't carry Mieles).

Look in to a PROTEAM Xp1500 . This is the best bang for the buck upright on the market.You would be hard pressed to find any better at any price.One of its nicer features is it has a 50ft power cord.If you are truely looking for 20 to 25 year machine this is it,

Check it out

MOLE

mole wrote:

heard those had the same outstanding quality filtering as  lindhause and miele...hospital grade if im not mistaken. ..arent  they made by eka/santr ?

ps. is it me or is that felix one ugly vac...

turtle1

Nette,

If you like the Sebo otherwise, I wouldn't give up on it so quickly.  Certainly you should ask a vacuum professional to check that all the filters are installed properly.  However, your vacuum cleaner is just one part of the puzzle. 

If you have mold in your heating and air system or cat/dog dander in the air, there's not a lot that a vacuum cleaner can do for you. There has been an inordinate amount of rain in some parts of the country which could exacerbate your allergy symptoms with the increased mold and mildew in the air. 

I would recommend that you do some research on the allergy buyer's club web site:  http://www.allergybuyersclub.com/acr/acr_53.shtml#2

It's also possible that you might have to suffer through allergy shots as payment for the enjoyment you get from the cat and dog.  

I wish you well, and hope you find a solution to your allergy problems. 

I've had allergies all of my life and I am aware (and have tried most) of the various treatments available. I already do quite a bit for allergies in regard to indoor air quality: e.g. HEPA room air purifiers throughout the house and on the HVAC system, carpet and upholstery treatments, etc. These are quite helpful. (I have also purchased products recommended by Allergy Buyers Club with mixed results.) Unfortunately, the Sebo Felix does not seem to work as well at filtration as other vacuums I've had and the difference is very noticeable in regard to my allergy symptoms when I use the vacuum.

Hello Nette:

Sorry to hear the results were negative for filtration.  I took the liberty to post this based on MOLE and turtle1's posts.  I agree with Severus, it may not be the vacuum alone and/or you may be able to minimize the negative filtration effects w/o a vacuum change.

Carmine D.

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