o/t ISO a DECENT Vacuum!

shelbylovesmelby · #1 (**permalink**) 11-05-2006, 07:29 AM

Ok I thought I found an awsome vacuum @ Wally world the other day. Well it's truly not... I"m going to call and see what their return policy is on this bugger.

I bought a Hoover Savvy to replace my Eureka. What a mistake! I have to UNSCREW the entire back pannel to get any clogs out! That's about 10 screws to undoo to get the hose out & clean the clog. I mean it's got some great suction but if it gets clogged so easy I think I'd spend more time unclogging it than actually using it to clean.

I was hoping someone would have a recomendation for a good vacuum that isn't a DYSON cause that's outta my league for cost. I need something that can pick up alot of junk... ya know like broken (dry) noodles, cereal (in various stages of being crushed), dog food & of course dust & other crumbs ect.

Any recommendations??

catlinye_maker · #2 (**permalink**) 11-05-2006, 07:46 AM

Get a Roomba. I never thought that it would do as good a job as it does, but it really cleans up after four cats and three messy humans. Refurbished ones are relatively inexpensive. You do have to take them apart and clean the brushes frequently, but doing so is very easy. And no clogs! We got a programmable one so that it would run at night, but if I were buying now I'd just get one without that feature; it's really very easy to set it up and start it going.

It does tend to catch up electrical cords and cat toys so we quickly police the area before turning it on. It's never swallowed something that we couldn't recover from (knock on wood.) My husband was very sceptical about it (so was I, a bit) but it works better than we thought it would. The running gag in our house is that the person who empties the vacuum after it runs gets "credit" for vacuuming, so my husband will be playing a computer game and listening to roomba run upstairs and saying how hard he's working vacuuming the upstairs.

tinapbeana · #3 (**permalink**) 11-05-2006, 07:55 AM

i have hardwoods and a few throw rugs, so i keep a 5 gal shop-vac. it works great for me cause i can use it to vacuum rugs, furniture, blinds, etc, but there's no beater bar to fuss with. plus, in the event of an emergency it is also a wet-dry vac.

PRICEPLUS · #4 (**permalink**) 11-05-2006, 08:43 AM

The shop vacs also allow you to use different grades of filter. I always use a filter that catches more of the dust. It is a more expensive dust but my allergies require it. I tend to use it in the basement.

We have a Sharp Vacuum that we use throughout the rest of the house. We looked in Consumer reports. I guess it is about 6 or 7 years old now. It is kind of heavy but it really works well!

tinapbeana · #5 (**permalink**) 11-05-2006, 09:13 AM

my grandmother had a rainbow vac for 20-30 years. worked like a champ b/c it has a water resevoir to catch all dust.

geojen · #6 (**permalink**) 11-05-2006, 11:52 AM

According to a recent Consumer Reports, Dysun vacuums aren't all they are cracked up to be anyhow. You are much better off going with a hoover or a or a kenmore progressive. The CR best buys were a Kenmore Progressive with Direct Drive (35922), A Eureka Boss Smart Vac Ultra 4870, and the Kenmore Progressive 25512. Other high scoring and cheaper vacuums were the Hoover Tempo Widepath U5140-900, and the Bissel PowerForce 3522-6. For cat hair, the Kenmore progressive scored really high and so did quite a few Hoover models.

GrimJack · #7 (**permalink**) 11-08-2006, 11:12 AM

I bought a Kenmore progressive with HEPA filters and buy HEPA bags; I really like it and the HEPA helps. We got stuck with a cat that never learned to clean himself (dw - I LOVE Augie even after he 'wets' my clothes). I bought the Kenmore for about $100 and it works well - I bought it on CR 'best buy' recommendation.

Grimjack

ps Augie is almost 20 now and i swear i could knit 20 cats from the fur I brush out of him, sigh! - except, of course, that cat-fur is not cardable and thus can't be knitted.

pps - Augie was probably removed from his litter before he was taught to clean himself; at least that is the only explanation I can come up with.

puppypal · #8 (**permalink**) 11-08-2006, 01:04 PM

Well do not have any pluses when it comes to vacuums........
Lately I have bought two totally useless ones so i can tell ya which one DO NOT SUCK! LOL
Dirt Devil EN Vison is terrible
Also, Not sure of the brand will look tomorrow
It cost 59.00 at Walmart
It is black and like the third one in the price range and it is terrible too!

sakigt · #9 (**permalink**) 11-08-2006, 01:14 PM

It seems like the only reason I vacuum is because of my cats. All I ever pick up is litter and hair

tinapbeana · #10 (**permalink**) 11-08-2006, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sakigt

It seems like the only reason I vacuum is because of my cats. All I ever pick up is litter and hair

you oculd probably get away with an industrial strength roll of masking tape!

i've resorted to that on my couch before, works like a champ...

kinda OT: have you seen those clothes rollers made w/ glorified masking tape? i wish they'd make a giant one for rolling on the carpet. seems like it'd do the trick.

JanH · #11 (**permalink**) 11-08-2006, 01:33 PM

I can't help with vacuums cos I am a vacuum killer. It's not that I vacuum a lot, just that they die on me within about a year. Expensive ones, cheaper ones, all vacuums.
Grimjack and Sagikt: I now also have a shedding cat and dog. We've also said that we could have made several more critters out of all the hair. All I do is vacuum up hair now.

boefixepa · #12 (**permalink**) 11-08-2006, 02:52 PM

I have three dogs that 'blow' their coats and shed ALL the time. They bring in soooo much dust from the yard I feel like I am always fighting it! I went through so many vacuums until I just gave it and bought a Kirby. Yes, I know they are expensive, but you can get them second hand at some stores. I tried it and I've had it for almost a year now and it is doing great. The dogs/cats are murder on vacuums and I had some that put more dust into the air than they picked up! The Kirby has been able to hold onto the dust, unlilke most of the bagless. The Dyson was the best one before that and I killed a Hoover and that one that has a canster that you can snap-off. Anyway, that's my two cents.

kealina · #13 (**permalink**) 11-08-2006, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinapbeana

my grandmother had a rainbow vac for 20-30 years. worked like a champ b/c it has a water resevoir to catch all dust.

LOL... my FIL has a Rainbow and it still works... don't remember how old it is but it is pretty dark old... i would guess at least 20 years? i think they were really expensive but it sure has lasted... of course i know he's repaired it a couple of times so that could be why too...

DH and i plan on getting a roomba eventually because then we could run it to supplement our regular vacuum...we're both rather allergic to dust and like sakigt posted, there is always cat litter and hair....
i read somewhere that in warm climates (for example, here where we live) cats might shed all year instead of just in the spring so we always have cat hair everywhere...

as for a good vacuum available now at an affordable price... i don't know but i think some of the previous posters had good suggestions... usually i look for reviews online before i buy things too...

JanH · #14 (**permalink**) 11-08-2006, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boefixepa

I went through so many vacuums until I just gave it and bought a Kirby. Yes, I know they are expensive, but you can get them second hand at some stores. I tried it and I've had it for almost a year now and it is doing great. The dogs/cats are murder on vacuums and I had some that put more dust into the air than they picked up! The Kirby has been able to hold onto the dust, unlilke most of the bagless. .

I think my MIL has had awesome luck with kirby. She had one for years and years (literally). I think she now has another one. And she vacuums all the time so they must hold up well.

sakigt · #15 (**permalink**) 11-09-2006, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinapbeana

you oculd probably get away with an industrial strength roll of masking tape!

i've resorted to that on my couch before, works like a champ...

kinda OT: have you seen those clothes rollers made w/ glorified masking tape? i wish they'd make a giant one for rolling on the carpet. seems like it'd do the trick.

Yea. Those rollers are mandatory at my house since the kitties like to lie on anything I dont want them too...including clothes.

For the couches and carpet I just lift up my vacuum cleaner and use it there too. I have this model and wash the filter/container about twice a month.

http://www.kohls.com/products/produc...163085 103656

Nifty vacuum for $80!
I vacuum weekly and theres always a giant ball of fur inside when I empty it. Kinda satisfying in a sick way...at least I know all that pushing around it actually doing something

markio26 · #16 (**permalink**) 11-13-2006, 05:08 PM

i own the dyson for 2 years now.. works great.. i vacuum the house less.

Homebody · #17 (**permalink**) 11-14-2006, 06:34 AM

I am on my second Hoover Wind Tunnel, rated highly by Consumer Reports. The first one lasted about 10 years. Well I shouldn't say lasted, it still works, it's just I got new carpets and I wanted a new vacuum because the old one smells.

CRFSaver · #18 (**permalink**) 11-14-2006, 06:45 PM

when i moved out here i bought a new eureka 4870gz boss smart vac that was rated highly by consumer reports. Hepa filter and 149 bucks just about anywhere. works like a charm, has the onboard tools, and can go on hardwood floors too.

PRICEPLUS · #19 (**permalink**) 11-14-2006, 11:47 PM

I think I will start ot look at a vacuum with a HEPA filter. That seems to be the way to go for allergens!

cschin4 · #20 (**permalink**) 11-15-2006, 05:40 AM

Forget the big clunky vacuum cleaners! I have a Kenmore cannister vac which works great but I am tired of pulling that thing around. I recently bought a Hoover stick vac and I use it ALL the time. I think I paid $35 for it. And, I HATE hepa filters! Those pleated filters immediately clog with dirt and are a pain to clean and expensive to replace. My little Hoover has the dust cup and an easy to clean filter. I vacuum much more often because it is lightweight, convenient and easy to pull out for quick jobs.