Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

I don't really see the reason Miele, out of all, is seeking to make even quieter vacuums than it already does but the company has recently put out a low-noise canister, the S6290. It's a straight-suction machine that Miele says will rout pet hair well. I have been searching for reviews but as I'm not a Which? subscriber, who's just reviewed it, I'm finding it difficult to dig up either a user review or one from a consumer organization. Thanks, Venson

Hi Venson - guess who is a member of which? You should message me on here at any time if you want Which results.

"...Miele claims the 'Airteq' floorhead that comes with this bagged cylinder vacuum cleaner means the S6290's performance matches that of the 2,000W S6 models, even though its 'Silence' motor is only 1,200W, and uses 40% less energy. These claims were scrutinised in the Which? Test Lab, to confirm whether the S6290's cleaning ability really can compete with more powerful models.
This star vac is one of our top-scoring Best Buys, putting in a five-star performance on carpets, laminate floors and wooden floorboards. Living up to its name, the S6290 Silence is also extremely quiet.
The S6290 has a telescopic hose and comes with an upholstery nozzle, dusting brush and crevice nozzle. The main Airteq floor nozzle has a switch to alternate between hard and carpeted floors and, while no turbo brush is supplied, the floorhead is designed to boost the S6290's performance to match that of the higher-powered S6 models.

Excellent pick-up
Dust pick-up on carpet is excellent - suction starts off strong and doesn't drop off as the 2.5 litre-capacity bag fills.
The standard nozzle also produces excellent overall results on hard floors, sucking dust out of cracks and crevices in wooden floorboards and leaving them spotless. Laminate floors are also given a five-star clean.
As well as impressing with its pick-up, the S6290 is also extremely efficient at holding on to the dust it sucks up. It scores top marks for dust and allergen retention and would be a great choice for allergy sufferers.
It would also be a good choice for pet owners. The standard floor nozzle sucks hairs away quickly and can be cleaned very quickly afterwards to avoid a build-up of hair on the brushes.

Cleans to the edge
The S6290 gets up close to walls and corners, so you won't be left with strips of dirty floor that need revisiting with smaller nozzle accessories.
The S6730 is easy to manoeuvre, simple to use and maintain, and energy consumption in our tests was 30% lower than for the more powerful models in the S6 range. Cleaning the nozzle and changing bags and filters are all effortless processes.

Pros: Very quiet, excellent on all floor types and with pet hair
Cons: Not as easy as some models to use on the stairs..."


My thoughts
Ive got the Eco version of this which has the same 1200 watt motor fitted to it - and the reason that the "suction" only floor head is efficient at pick up is simply because it is heavier than Miele's own S5 floor head. I would disagree with hairs though - the floor head doesn't seem to pick up hair that is ground in - particularly human hair than clumps of pet hair, and I'd say the motor noise is actually louder than a standard "full powered" Miele canister like the S4 series, which this model replaces. Also the silent setting is up four notches away from the lowest setting - which isn't silent!

Hi vacmanuk,

How's it going?

Thanks so much for all the info.  It's highly appreciated.  Feel free to call on me for anything I can dig up from Consumer Reports if need arises.  I'll PM a personal email address.

I found out we that do have it here -- and carrying the new nozzle -- except it has been retagged as the "Jasper".  Just for clarification, do either or both of the brushes on this new nozzle design, front or back, come in contact with the floor when it's set for carpet mode or does it just employ the usual red "lint-picker" strips most Miele straight-suction combi-nozzles do?

http://www.mieleusa.com/usa/vacuums/product.asp?cat=1&subcat=1&model=658&series=145&nav=&snav=&tnav=&oT=184&menu_id=5&active=Our%20Products&subm=Vacuum%20Cleaners&thirdL=Canisters&fourthL=&

The U.S. also draws 1,200 watts which is considerable for an American suction only vac.

Thought I might try out the new nozzle here to see what it does but the last genuine Miele combi- floor nozzle I bought cost a handsome 75 bucks.  I like it but when I think of the money . . .  Needless to say, that idea has been scrapped.

Thanks again,

Venson

Venson wrote:
Hi Venson. Don't waste your money - the AirTeq principle is to employ a heavier footprint when it is used with the "Eco" vacuums, using the force of suction and it's extra weight to maintain pick up and there's no design change where the stiff brushes are concerned - the lint pickers and wider suction channel do the work on carpets, pretty much the same effort as the older 550-3 floor head. The UK models that have 1800 to 2000 watts (UK voltage) need the machines to be selected into the higher power when the floor head picks up sufficiently. Miele get around this by using the AirTeq designs on their Eco versions, which have a higher rate of power and suction in the lowest dial selections of the vacuums. The Jasper model has the awful floor head as mine, and it's heavier than the "SBD 550-3" model that comes with the S5 (seen here on the left):






Now, the 550-3 model used to be featured with the Miele S5 canister. However, the press button release has a fancy rocker window, which shows which floor type is selected but you'll get a sore foot unless you use shoes on your feet to change the floor setting! That one has a softer rubberised base in which a whole perimeter of stiff brushes come down for hard floors. The next floor head (the one to the right) which was supplied with the S4 Ecoline is the AirTeq "type 1" floor head (SBD 295-3) and is about the same weight as the 2 pedal AirTeq floor head that comes with the Jasper model (SBD 650). In both cases, a whole wall of perimeter brushes come down to sweep hard floors just like the previous 550-3 - see pics below. There is nothing new other than a rubberised grey wall that protects surfaces and both are heavier compared to the Miele S5 550-3 floor head and the standard single rocker switch floor heads available on other Miele models. The lightest floor head is the pedal floor head that is supplied with the Miele S2 series, a whole plastic affair that is very light (model SBD 265). Im also not keen on the complete metal strip (there's a black rectangle, but that must have been the reflection of the camera at the time), and only the basic lightweight all plastic affair that comes with the S2 has an all-plastic soleplate.






Finally, as with both AirTeq floor heads (either the more modern 2 pedal type or the 1 pedal type), both have articulated necks that don't really do much that standard Miele floor heads can't. Infact I find it to be a right nuisance! This is because whenever the S6 is being used and inadvertently the cord at the back is being pulled out and plugged in, when the floor head is parked at the back and lifted off, the cord can get tangled right in between the ribbed tube and the angled floor head cover that can't be taken off. This doesn't happen with the older AirTeq floor head - but you don't get the grey rubberised bumper on that one.

Hi again vacmanuk,

Thanks for including the very descriptive pictures.  The SBD 550-3 nozzle you uploaded is indeed the one I purchased and though, yes, the mechanism for lifting and lowering the brushes is rather stiff, I find it pretty serviceable and better than the expensive SBB300 tool on bare floors.  I also agree that the "new" nozzle that comes with the Jasper doesn't show much to recommed it.

Thanks,

Venson

By the way Venson, I've just made an accompanying You Tube video of my S6 Ecoline.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd824IXa1I4

Venson wrote:

Hi vacmanuk,

Wow! You did quite a bit of work on this.  Thank you. 

My only disappointment was that I was expecting to hear some sort of landmark level level of quiet when the machine was set to high.  Think I'll keep the Miele I've got.

Best,

Venson