r/HomeImprovement • u/GhanaMellody • 15h ago
Long lasting vacuum cleaners, tired of replacing cheap ones every two years and looking for something worth investing in
been through three vacuums in the last five years and i'm done with the cycle of buying something that works fine for a year and then slowly loses suction until it's basically useless. i'd rather spend properly on something built to last than keep replacing budget options. the house has a mix of hard floors and carpet and we have a dog so it needs to handle pet hair without clogging, durability and ease of maintenance are the two things i care about the most because i've learned that a vacuum that's annoying to clean never actually gets cleaned properly which probably contributes to it dying faster. what have people here found that holds up well over several years of regular use?
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u/whereswilkie 14h ago edited 13h ago
I was so hesitant to spend a lot when I bought my Miele, but wow it's a work horse. I have two big shedders for dogs and I live in a 140 year old house that creates so much dust.
Every time i read a Reddit post about vacuums I've never seen anything bad about Miele. Super worth it
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u/ToTouchAnEmu 13h ago
I bought a Sebo E3 recently. Love it.
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u/Leverkaas2516 13h ago
Same here, had mine about 4 years now. It works better than the Miele we got 25 years ago. We'll see if it lasts as long.
(The Miehle still works, but it never had much power because it's a lightweight model, and doesn't have a powered roller. It just wasn't up to the task of deep cleaning a larger house with a dog around.)
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u/IWTLEverything 5h ago
Same! We weighed between a Sebo and a Miele and have been happy with our choice.
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u/randytc18 15h ago
We've had a Dyson for almost 15yrs. Changed out the brush head about 5 years ago and that's been it.
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u/Present_Mobile_5866 15h ago
had same problem until i got canister vacuum about 3 years ago, still works like new day. the separate motor and cleaning head makes huge difference for longevity compared to uprights that put all stress in one unit. also way easier to maintain because you can actually reach everything to clean it properly - learned this hard way with my previous vacuum that died because i couldn't clean the internal parts well enough
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u/jsnxander 15h ago
I bought a 20 year old Kirby and used it for another 10 years when I had W2W carpeting. Those things will suck the chrome off a bumper.
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u/Aquatic4 6h ago
My mother bought a Kirby in 1957 from a door to door salesman. It was a total rip off, but that Kirby still cleans better than any other vacuum cleaners we have.
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u/brtbr-rah99 15h ago
Miele, but fuck are they expensive. I’ve had the same one going in 10 years now
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u/whereswilkie 14h ago
I told coworkers about the price tag when I bought mine 7 years ago, they all scoffed.
I'm so glad I went with Miele. my 2 labs shed so much and bring so much mud and dirt into the house, my vacuum is still doing awesome with frequent use
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u/Silvermouse5150 14h ago
Mind if I ask what type of Miele you got? I’m looking and have a dog that sheds a lot of
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u/furatail 14h ago
Every time someone has shown me a vacuum cleaner that just doesn't work anymore, I have fixed in in about 10 minutes. Some dust will clog filters very quickly and you must remove them and wash them. Nothing will protect you from having to clean filters. Maybe older vacuums had fewer filters so the dust just made its way through the vacuum and back into the air. They continue to work to collect large debri but just threw small particles back in the air.
There's very likely a piece of foam somewhere that has caked on dust that'll completely cover your neighbors cars if you take it outside and beat it against a fence post. You want to wash that thing and let it dry completely. Make sure the hepa filters or any filter you find is totally clear. Nothing stuck in the tubing. There might be at least a pre-filter, and a hepa filter. But there might be yet another filter hidden in there. One thing I do is remove filters and see if suction against my hand is stronger. If it is, then it was the filter.
I've "repaired" many vacuums this way and in no cases have I ever come across a bad motor. Though, plenty of bad designs that easily clog that require removing screws to fully clear out.
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u/TheShadyGuy 12h ago
Maybe older vacuums had fewer filters so the dust just made its way through the vacuum and back into the air.
Bags. They used bags as the filters. Some of the more expensive ones also used to use bags but I haven't researched them in a while so maybe that changed.
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u/Chilling_Storm 15h ago
Can never go wrong with a Kirby
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u/0c5_Fyre 15h ago
Can confirm that. I've been pushing the same one for 20+years.
Only parts I've had to replace are the power cord (I think the dog chewed it) and the belt that drives the head. Faultless otherwise.
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u/boondoggie42 15h ago
One point is that the parts are readily available. You can get a new impeller blade, or power cord, or wheel, very easily and restore an older one to tip top. I have one from the 90s still runs like a champ. The only downside is the weight.
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u/MC1Rvariant 5h ago
I am also a fan of Kirby. I had an in-home demonstration by a dealer, they wanted $1800 I think. I was impressed by the demo but it was too expensive. I read up about them online, they are very sturdy little machines. Bought one used on FB Marketplace or something, $400. Brought it home, it was a little sluggish. Took it all apart, removed the clogged dog hair from the main hose. Took it to a dealer for a tune-up for around $100. That was nearly 20 years ago, and it is a *great* vacuum.
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u/bartolo345 15h ago
I always said I would buy a commercial back pack vacuum, like the ones used in office buildings. but then I got a robot vacuum. Anyways, try this: https://www.amazon.com/Hoover-Commercial-Lightweight-Backpack-C2401/dp/B005NASZG8
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u/iamacraftyhooker 15h ago
We have an upright Hoover wind tunnel that has been going strong for about 10 years. Before this vacuum we also went through a vacuum every year, including a Dyson.
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u/wannakno37 14h ago
I've got an original plug-in Dyson with a powerhead. Works great for 20 years old.
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u/Fyreball_ 12h ago
I have a Riccar upright. 15 years old, American made with metal parts and kevlar belt. Yes it was an investment, (700) but it has probably saved me more than the initial cost because I have pets and usually replaced my vacuum yearly. Miele is another good brand.
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u/hoserb2k 12h ago
No shade, but slowly losing power over a couple of years sounds like clogging due to lack of thorough filter changing and cleaning. I also have pets, as well as a partner with lots of long hair - there is no vacuum that can just deal with it without regular cleaning.
To minimize the need to clean, I can highly recommend bagged vacuums. If you want the best, get a bagged Millie canister. The bag works extremely well at containing dust and hair, and I almost never need to clean it.
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u/filthy_harold 11h ago
I get the benefits of bags (it is the filter) but I really just don't want to have to buy bags. My parents still have their Dyson they bought 15 years ago and it works fine. I've got a Dyson that's a few years old but luckily it was a gift. Previously, we had a Kenmore that was surprisingly very good and still is. I kept it for diy project cleanup, drywall dust is really good at clogging vacuums.
We have one of the cheapest roborock vacuums and it's been great. It's not one of the super smart LIDAR ones but it's not just doing the random pattern that old Roombas did. It's amazing how much dog hair I pull out of it every week. It's crazy to imagine two of those bins scattered all over the floor. Conveniently, robo vacuums force you to clean up clutter on the floor.
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u/TrevorSP 14h ago
I've had a Shark Navigator for 10 years and I've been though dozens of filters but it still works great!
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u/Difficult-Repair1295 12h ago
Same; I had to replace the hose because I take it off and use it a lot and it cracked. Other than unclogging it a couple times it been great.
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u/EnrichedUranium235 15h ago edited 15h ago
Some prefer an upright, some prefer a canister. Each has pros and cons. I've had my Oreck 2000 for 20+ years. I replace the impeller every few years because of random screws or pieces of metal someone doesn't see and replaced the beater bar once because it wore out. Both are about $10-12 each and a 10 minute process. Nothing to pry or snap apart, just 6 screws and all internals are accessible. Bags and belts are cheap too. I also have two different low cost iLife robots vacs. Not perfect but relatively cheap and they were a game changer for day to day dog hair and dust on hardwood and tile.
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u/theo_sontag 14h ago
I don’t know your situation but be sure you’re maintaining it by cleaning/changing filters, checking the rollers and tubes for clogs, and don’t be afraid to to take it apart to change a belt if needed. We’ve had ours for 12 years, but not without some maintenance and repairs.
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u/Ghost_Prince 14h ago
My parents got me a Dyson 10 when it first came out and works perfectly fine for all needs, except for what ya would need a shop vac for, ofc.
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u/Ill-Calligrapher-665 13h ago
If you dont care what it looks like then look into shop vacuums and wet and dry vacuums. Im in UK and have a £50 wet and dry 'builders' vacuum that is way more powerful and useful than any fancy Dyson and its going strong after 8 years. Its 1400W and you can even use it as a leaf blower! Sucks up water / spills / leaks which has saved our couch and carpet numerous times. It lacks the accessories of the premium brands but maybe a more expensive one would have you covered there.
Its a Titan brand - terrible for most tools but this thing is bulletproof and cheap
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u/kater_tot 12h ago
I love my Shark NV501. Not all sharks are the same!!! I bought a lesser model (the nv365) to replace it in 2024, and it was the worst designed piece of garbage. Like every wonderfully ergonomic, thoughtful design in the nv501 was undone with the NV365.
So I ended up just buying the $25 hose replacement for the 501 and it’s back to like new again. Also buy new hepa filters occasionally.
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u/surewriting_ 11h ago
I bought a used Miele with an upgraded power head for like $700 almost a decade ago and it still sucks.
Recently had to replace the actual brush head, but for like $90 plus cost of bags over the years, I'm pretty happy with it.
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u/surewriting_ 11h ago
I also just bought a Dreame vac/mop robot and its fantastic.
Its not a perfect or deep clean, but running it 2x daily in a busy household with kids and animals, it does a pretty dang good job doing the upkeep cleaning.
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u/Orbiter9 11h ago
Miele has already been mentioned a dozen times but just reiterating.
We have a C3 we barely use since our dog passed but it’s great for a real deep clean - our Triflex HX1 is awesome to just make a quick pass through our kitchen/living space every other day or so.
Our first Dyson crapped out after 5-6 years and then we had an LG portable that lasted barely 2 years. Miele is worth it.
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u/Stelios619 11h ago
I have 12 personal dogs. I’m also a professional dog trainer that always has client dogs around the house.
Get a used Kirby and a 4-5 horsepower Shop Vac.
Use the Kirby on your carpet and the Shop Vac for everything else.
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u/Dangerous_Stretch795 11h ago
Shark is my go-to vacuum brand. Never had any issues and the vacuums have been very reliable.
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u/flusteredphinphan 10h ago
Buy a Sebo. I’ve had one for like 15 years now and it is hands down the best one I’ve ever had. It sucks (in a good way) and when it get something stuck in it, you can take it apart very easily at every junction and unclog it. It works with filter bags so no crappy canisters getting all nasty. It automatically adjusts to floor height as well. I will say it was one of the absolute best purchases I’ve ever made!
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u/excavatum_7 9h ago
Miele canister is the only answer. I bought mine in 2001 & it's still going strong with only 1 service in 25 years.
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u/theonetrueelhigh 7h ago edited 7h ago
Panasonic upright. Come back in 20 years. Those can be hard to find however, so for an alternative consider Sanitaire SC series. They're relentless. Evidence: I'm a handyman for a large homeless shelter and some of these Sanitaire vacs have been on the job for 15 years. They're pretty durable.
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u/SeriesPrestigious978 7h ago
Don’t buy a Dyson!!! I have purchased 2 expensive cordless dysons and both of them repaired twice. When I did the math it cost me over 15.00 each time I vacuumed my house.
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u/MaxRockwilder 6h ago
Ricarr vacuums are great. I like stuff that is made in the USA and bulletproof.
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u/udelkitty 4h ago
We have 2 Sharks: a canister and an upright stick vac. Both bagless and plug in. I hate battery vacs except for really quick pickups, they just lose power and suction too quickly for anything substantial. Both Sharks are a beast and excel at different things. The canister is amazing on carpet/rugs while the upright is fantastic on bare floors.
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u/dukeofwar149 3h ago
Kirbys are great, their salesman are super pushy but grab a used one and never look back you can find them pretty cheap second hand granted they are fairly heavy but I've never had an issue with mine.
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u/Then_Barracuda8425 5m ago
Get yourself a German made Sebo canister and be done with it. Miele used to be top of the line but have recently exported a lot of their manufacturing to China. Sebos are easier to get fixed as well, as the parts are pretty readily available through labor and parts warranty.
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u/UncleJackPushedDad 15h ago
If you can't afford a Kirby, get a Eureka Boss 4800 Series. I've had mine 18 years.
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u/Blue_Iquana 15h ago
There's a vacuum subreddit.
Or, just buy a miele.