Hello all,

Never would I have thought that I would have spent this much time researching vacuums, however here I am.  My mother had been using a $300 or so Bay brand vacuum for the last five or more years and the cord retract broke.  My father decided to buy her a bissell upright bagless to replace it.  She hates it more than anything as it's very, very heavy and tough to lug up and down the stairs. 

I want to buy her a new canister style vacuum and was hoping to spend in the $300-$400 range.  There are no pets in the house and it'll be used on mostly medium pile carpet and some lino.  It would ideally be fairly light with good suction.  I'm in Canada if that matters at all :)

I look forward to your educated recommendations.

Thanks,

Tawheed

tawheed wrote:

Hello Tawheed:

Kudos on assisting Mom with the vacuum purchase.  The HOOVER cann gets rave reviews form Consumer Reports, but this is primarily due to the power nozzle and its windtunnel technology.  The price is high for this model and HOOVER's product integrity for well-made canisters is lacking.

Worth the time and effort to shop at one/more of the local vacuum stores for a better brand canister in this price range.  You'll get an array of new/used and even floor models that will outlast the HOOVER cann.  Kenmores are very popular and many are sold.  But as Venson and others will say, not like the Kenmores of old in endurance and repairabilty. 

Scope out several of the vacuum store brands that Venson mentions.  You'll be glad you did.  Most definitely have Mom use and approve before buying.  Make the best deal you can and when all is said and done ask for a supply of bags to close the sale.

Carmine D. 

tawheed wrote:

Hi again Tawheed, Carmine is right on point. I would add that my objection to the bagless Hoover you have in mind is that it does not use true cyclonics. Though I noted several versions of it at varied prices, there is an internal filter inside the dust bin that may require frequent cleaning and prove messy to deal with. (Been there, done that and oh what a pain in the neck.) The following URL will take you to its page on Hoover's site. Click on the link there that will allow you to download a PDF of the user manual so that you can see this for yourself -- http://www.hoover.com/product.aspx?model=S3765040&ds=false

The Kenmore Intuition is snazzy but no, as Carmine indicates, they're not makin' 'em like they used to. This does not mean that I say nay necessarily but the price on this machine is way too much for what it is. There are equally adequate Kenmore canisters at less cost.

Nonetheless, if you are actually prepared to consider spending even near as much as the price of the Intuition it would be far better to go to an vacuum sales and repair shop and see if you can't find a canister cleaner with power nozzle that you like that bears far better warranty coverage. Deals regarding brands that offer good performance and warranty protection like Simplicity, Riccar and even Miele can be negotiated. Take it from someone who has the heart of a skinflint -- can be done.<BR><BR>Venson

Tawheed,

Me to in Canada!!

As the ever thoughtful Venson stated, check you local vac shops, it's surprising what turns up for trade ins and comes out as a good rebuilt.  Not to mention, you might find something new that might be slightly more than your budget.

If your family has a Costco membership, Costco Canada is selling the Miele S4 for $429.  Only negative is that it does not come with an electric power head, only an air driven one. 

The other option I ran across last was night was at, hate to admit that once in a blue moon I set foot in the place, was walmart.  The new Panasonic opti flow Mgc 885 (think that's the model), was at $298?? and now is selling for $198.00.  I've always had great faith in Panasonic products in general, they are not junk.  In regards to Panasonic vacs, some are relatively inexpensive, and might just fit the bill.  If I had to choose between buying a Panasonic made Kenmore and an actual Panasonic, I'd opt for the Panasonic and save myself a few dollars. 

Vernon

Vernon wrote:

With the discussions on safety shut offs on another thread, I coped this feature on the above mentioned Panasonic [canister mc cg885] and posted here for readers.  Yes, this Pano cann which generally retails for $450 and now on sale for $249 has an overload protector as indicated.  As MOLE indicated a heat sensor works after heat build up.  By that time, its too late and the damage is done.  A jam fail safe reacts quickly.  Enjoy.

Carmine D.

Overload Protector The overload protector reacts quickly to shut-off and protect the belt and nozzle motor if the agitator is jammed. When the clogging object is removed and the reset button pressed, vacuuming can be resumed.

CarmineD wrote:
Hey Carmine,

I'm a bit confused by your post - is this a good or bad thing? :)

Thanks,

Tawheed

tawheed wrote:

Hello Tawheed:

The Pano overload protector on this vacuum is a good feature for the product and its users. 

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:
Thank you!

This price $198 seems pretty good for a vacuum that still retails for $300+ USD in most places.. I plan to pick one up at Walmart today.. I'll let you guys know how she likes it!

Thanks again for your help and hopefully this is what makes her happy.

-Tawheed

wheed wrote:

I suspect this Pano cann model is comparable to the SEARS cann sold on sale often for $150.  Just a hunch and certainly worth a more careful look. 

Carmine D. 

Pano cann at Wal*Mart  SEARS CANN made by Pano

Check out Sebo in Canada: the more compact K series could be ideal for your parents:Mind you, I dont know how much they are in Canada. http://www.sebocanada.ca/pdf/kseries.pdf

Hello Tawheed:

SEARS has the Kenmore, made by pano, orange sunburst color cann model pictured above on sale today, Saturday Dec 26, for $150, if you are inclined to scope it out.  One thing of note is the smallish power head nozzle.  Especially in light of the HOOVER cann and Kenmore cann Intuition both mentioned in your posts.  The latter two have brush rolls and cavities comparable to full size uprights, hence the reason IMH they score well by Consumer Reports in October 2009. 

Carmine D.