Vacuum Cleaner Recommendations?

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LittleRose

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So I was puttering around the house with the vacuum cleaner today, when it started emitting a high pitched whine and a smell resembling burned rubber. That can’t be good. Hope we don’t need a new one.

Does anyone know of good, reliable vacuums that are practical in a home with carpeted stairs?
 
That sounds good to me! Checked on the belt. It looks a little dried out, but not broken, but that doesn’t mean replacement isn’t a good idea.

3-4 bucks sure beats complete replacement any time.
 
LittleRose said:
That sounds good to me! Checked on the belt. It looks a little dried out, but not broken, but that doesn’t mean replacement isn’t a good idea.

3-4 bucks sure beats complete replacement any time.
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We just had to replace our whole vacuum. At first I thought it was the belt but found out it was something internal.

hope it’s just the belt!🙂
 
I killed two vacs when I lived out in the desert of SoCal. The sand killed them. :o

the first one did just what yours did and I worked through it because I couldn’t figure out what was going on. Well, one afternoon, I see hear a “poof” and a flash comes out the back of the vac along with a small flame. There went vac#1. It was a hoover windtunnel.

the second one… don’t ask what happened. It was a hoover windtunnel2, newer edition, awesome filtering system, etc. I was rearranging my room one afternoon and I go to vacuum after I moved the bed and it just wouldn’t start at all. Have NO idea why.

So, I got an Oreck. Just the basic model as I don’t need a high fangled one with a bunch of stuff on it. But this one is SO worth it!!! I love it! And it’s handled itself very well because I tend to abuse vacuums (I’m neurotic about my carpets).

Good luck!!! 👍
 
I agree, from what you described, it sounds like a belt. I’ve had vacuums that do that when the belt isn’t torn all the way through, but just really thinned out.

FWIW, we bought an Oreck last year and love it…I’d recommend one to anyone.
 
It could also be hair…does anyone in your family have long hair? When I did, the brush roller on my vacuum would get wrapped up with it and make that whining noise. Then you start to smell…burning hair.

You can turn the vacuum over, sometimes unscrew the cover on the bottom, and cut the hair off the roller. Or take it to your local vacuum and sewing machine repair store.

I got a Riccar, a brand of vacuum from Italy with high suction, and the problem stopped. (this was before those Dyson space-age-thingies came out)
 
Oreck. Best vac I’ve ever owned. Then again, I only have carpet in one room so who knows?

But it’s lightweight and powerful. 2 year warranty with every 6 months free servicing. 🙂 Mom has 9 cats and has had her Oreck for 5 years - it’s still running strong with all that cat hair. 👍
 
tamccrackine said:
I killed two vacs when I lived out in the desert of SoCal. The sand killed them. :o

the first one did just what yours did and I worked through it because I couldn’t figure out what was going on. Well, one afternoon, I see hear a “poof” and a flash comes out the back of the vac along with a small flame. There went vac#1. It was a hoover windtunnel.

the second one… don’t ask what happened. It was a hoover windtunnel2, newer edition, awesome filtering system, etc. I was rearranging my room one afternoon and I go to vacuum after I moved the bed and it just wouldn’t start at all. Have NO idea why.

So, I got an Oreck. Just the basic model as I don’t need a high fangled one with a bunch of stuff on it. But this one is SO worth it!!! I love it! And it’s handled itself very well because I tend to abuse vacuums (I’m neurotic about my carpets).

Good luck!!! 👍
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kaj3 said:
I agree, from what you described, it sounds like a belt. I’ve had vacuums that do that when the belt isn’t torn all the way through, but just really thinned out.

FWIW, we bought an Oreck last year and love it…I’d recommend one to anyone.
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sanctareparata said:
Oreck. Best vac I’ve ever owned. Then again, I only have carpet in one room so who knows?

But it’s lightweight and powerful. 2 year warranty with every 6 months free servicing. 🙂 Mom has 9 cats and has had her Oreck for 5 years - it’s still running strong with all that cat hair. 👍
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I bought and Oreck a little over 3 years ago, and mine developed a similar problem as the OP. I will try replacing the belt. Of course, the warranty on the motor is 3 years :eek:
I did love it when it worked. It was so light!
 
**After much thought, we got a Beam central vac and, so far, we LOVE it. Hubby wasn’t convinced that a built in would be convenient and was really leaning towards a Dyson. Now he is glad he listened to me:D.

We were using my parents old Kenmore cannister vac that is as old as I am;). After no longer being able to find bags that fit, we figured we should get a new vacuum, lol.

My sister has a Dyson and I think she finds it bulky and a little hard to maneuver.

So, anyways, if you haven’t thought of a central vac, here’s a vote for Beam:thumbsup:

Malia
**
 
cecilia97 said:
I got a Riccar, a brand of vacuum from Italy with high suction, and the problem stopped. (this was before those Dyson space-age-thingies came out)
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Every year I had to get a new vacuum!
  1. I vacuum 2-3 times a day
  2. With children and a dog there are always things to vacuumThe vacuums I bought, hover, dirt devil, etc just did not held up. I was buying new vacuums every 10-12 months.
So last year, when my vacuum quit working AGAIN, I told my hubby I want a vacuum that will last me! I don’t want to keep getting a new one every year.

So we bought a Dyson! It has been the best thing ever! I was amazed how much it got out of the carpets the first time I used it. (I mean I just vacuumed the day before with my old vacuum). I am still amazed when I watch hairballs (from the dog) be pulled towards the vacuum and sucked up.

My Mom the first time she saw me vacuum with the Dyson was in shocked. She actually saw hair balls (from the dog) be pulled towards the vacuum and be sucked up. I still remember my mom’s words. “You didn’t even have to run the vacuum over the hairballs… it just sucked them up.” Hey it takes a lot to impress my mom! My Mom now calls my vacuum the “black hole”. LOL!

Hey I’ve had it now for 12 months and it still works like it just came out of the box.
Yes it was pricy, but it looks like I won’t be buying a vacuum any time soon.
(So in the long run I’ll be saving money….)
 
Feanaro_s_Wife said:
**After much thought, we got a Beam central vac and, so far, we LOVE it. Hubby wasn’t convinced that a built in would be convenient and was really leaning towards a Dyson. Now he is glad he listened to me:D.

We were using my parents old Kenmore cannister vac that is as old as I am;). After no longer being able to find bags that fit, we figured we should get a new vacuum, lol.

My sister has a Dyson and I think she finds it bulky and a little hard to maneuver.

So, anyways, if you haven’t thought of a central vac, here’s a vote for Beam:thumbsup:

Malia
**
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Dysons are a little heavier then other vacuums but they just came out with the Dyson Slim It’s their lightweight model!
 
I have a friend who owns a Dyson. She loves it but my thing about them is that you have to take that canister off and empty it into a garbage bag, right? I’d be afraid a puff of dust would fly up and out. That would make my allergies go NUTS!

Plus, my older brother terrorized me with dust-bunnies when I was a kid and I hate to see them. Is that weird? 😃
 
cecilia97 said:
I have a friend who owns a Dyson. She loves it but my thing about them is that you have to take that canister off and empty it into a garbage bag, right? I’d be afraid a puff of dust would fly up and out. That would make my allergies go NUTS!

Plus, my older brother terrorized me with dust-bunnies when I was a kid and I hate to see them. Is that weird? 😃
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Yes it’s true you have to take the canister off to empty it. My Hubby has allergies to dogs (Why do we have one then?) and DD has allergies to dust.

Anyway, there is a button at the top of the canister that opens the door at the bottom. When I take mine off to empty I just take a garabage bag place it around the middle of the canister and hold the bag close with one hand and push the button of on the top of the canister with the other hand…

Then when the dust settles I just remove the bag and throw it way… So it’s not flying around my house.
 
How well do those Dyson and Oreck models do with stairs? They look terribly heavy.
 
LittleRose said:
How well do those Dyson and Oreck models do with stairs? They look terribly heavy.
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I have a Dyson. The hose part is nice and long. I can leave the vacuum at the bottom of the stairs and the hose will reach all of the way up to the top.

As far as carrying it up goes, it is a tad heavy, but the place you hold it to carry it makes it easy. There is a handle area that where you hold it the center of gravity is, well, centered. It is also midway down the vacuum so that you don’t have to lift it way up. I hope this makes sense.

Anyways, the Dyson is pricy, but worth it in the long run, IMO. No bags to buy, no filters to replace, and easy to clean - (unless your 3.5 year old decides to suck tuna fish up with the hose, but that’s another story!)
 
Totally agree with the 2 other Dyson posters, it sucks, literally 😛

The mini turbo head attachment is great, I use it on the stairs, upholstery, & even with the shop-vac to clean out the car. Purchased a dusting brush accessory, I can’t imagine dusting now without it.

For grins I let in a Kirby salesman, & was quite impressed with their vacuums, but it was 3x the price of an expensive dyson :eek: Hardest part was getting the salesman out of the house.
 
LittleRose said:
How well do those Dyson and Oreck models do with stairs? They look terribly heavy.
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The classic Oreck is 8 lbs. The newer models are a little more – 12 lbs, maybe? Anyway, they don’t come with attachments, but you usually get a canister vac with attachments free when you buy the upright.

I use my upright to clean the stairs. It’s light enough and it manuevers easily. I still need a crevice tool on the canister vac to get into the crevices, but the upright works quickly for everyday cleanups.
 
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