Teriwyn

Hi folks!

I stumbled upon this site while looking for reviews and information to prepare us for the upcoming task of purchasing a new vacuum, and was hoping people here far more knowledgeable could point us in the right direction.

I know this is based a lot on preference, and also on our situation. Here's what we're dealing with.

- Standard apartment. 90% of the floor is carpet, and areas that aren't will be swept and mopped. So, a vacuum that is appropriate for 100% carpet vacuuming on run-of-the-mill, medium+ pile carpet is needed.
- Pets. We have one cat, and will be getting another when we move in to the apartment. Vacuum must deal exceptionally with pet hair and dander.
- Human hair. I have long hair, and one of the problems we constantly have is that it becomes wound around the beater-bar and either causes the belt to be damaged, burns up the motor (lost one vac this way), or requires us to spend a ton of time taking the base apart, removing the beater-bar, and combing/cutting all of the hair (along with the grime it has picked up with the vacuum) out of the brushes. Disgusting! Would like to avoid this if at all possible.
- Preference. Our preference is for an upright over a canister, unless someone can provide us with really compelling evidence that a canister would serve our needs better.
- Life. We have gone through too many vacuums. This next one needs to have a good life-span when treated properly. I don't see this as a disposable purchase.
- Cost. We are willing to pay more for something that meets our needs well, and will last. Our upper limit is probably in the $500 neighborhood, perhaps a bit higher.

With all that said, we either don't care, or aren't sure about the following topics:
- Weight. I don't care if it's heavy to push. That really doesn't bother me much, especially just in a two-bedroom, single level apartment. Once we get it home, I don't have to haul it up and down stairs.
- Bagged vs. Bagless. This is a tossup. After having used both, right now we lean toward a bagged vacuum. The bagless vac we used before was messy to empty, and after we emptied it the first time, the dirt cup never made a good seal again, spewing dust right back out into the air.
- HEPA. I think we want this, especially with pet dander.
- Attachments. We don't have to clean upholstery or drapes or anything weirder than corners. As pet owners, we buy furniture with machine-washable covers to keep them clean, so it's not likely we'll vacuum the couches. I'm not an attachment addict.
- Shampooing. Our apartment requires us to have the place professionally shampooed before we leave. We aren't allowed to do it ourselves and save the money. So, I am not in the market for a Rug-shampooer at all.


Did I leave anything out? I really don't know what other information might be relevant to choosing a vacuum. Our prior choices have been poor, resulting in dead vacuums inside of around 18 months, so at this point, I'm ready to defer to people who know far more on the topic for assistance.

Thanks for any advice or suggestions you might be able to offer!
-Teri