Looking for a good sub $250 vacuum cleaner

SzczerbiakManiac · 08-25-2009, 11:46 AM

My old vacuum cleaner died thanks to a well-meaning, but extremely long-haired former roommate who liked to vacuum regularly. I found the Dyson thread, but that's out of my budget.

I need something that does carpet well and if it's great at resurrecting crushed fibers, all the better.

Bagged or bag-less doesn't matter to me. Either emptying out the nasty container of loose detritus or having to fork out more bucks for filters seems like a wash.

I also need a hand-vac option. Sometimes I'll vacuum things high up, so I'd need a tube with attachments to get at that stuff.

Being able to purchase it at Costco or through Amazon Prime is a major plus.

Thanks

Snowflake · 08-25-2009, 11:57 AM

Well, I can't sing the praises of Dyson enough.

Have you thought about ordering it from someplace like HSN that will split the payments up? It's damned good vacuum and has all the things you are looking for.

My old Eureka was passable, until I got cats. Oreck, piece of garbage.

Betty · 08-25-2009, 12:31 PM

Ours is currently broken - or so I"m told by the vaccuumer

However, having owned by bagless and bagged, I strongly urge you to use the bagless one where you can empty out the dirt.

Vaccuums work best when empty I think? you are more likely to empty it when your done (or when it's full) when you can see it all in there. And it's very gratifying to have it empty, vaccuum and then see all the dirt it's pulled out.

You just don't get that with the bag. Plus - sometimes the bags fight you when you put them in/take them out. Ours just snaps in place and it's good to go.

Unless it's broken.

Chernabog · 08-25-2009, 12:39 PM

Our vacuum just croaked too, so any model suggestions in here would be awesome :P

Disneyphile · 08-25-2009, 12:51 PM

Woot! occasionally has Dyson vacs for around $250.

We swear by ours too, even though we don't have carpet anymore. But, it worked wonders at our old place, even with four cats.

wolfy999 · 08-25-2009, 12:55 PM

Dyson....only Dyson!

Stan4dSteph · 08-25-2009, 12:58 PM

Have you checked out Consumer Reports ratings? I think they have some good recommendations for vacuums in your price range. That's what I'm going to use when I get a new one sometime soon, and I won't be getting a Dyson.

SzczerbiakManiac · 08-25-2009, 01:18 PM

Funny you should say that, I just let my Consumer Reports subscription lapse last month.

D'OH!

Andrew · 08-25-2009, 01:28 PM

Dyson, Dyson, Dyson. Overstock.com has several around the $250 price point.

We have the DC14-Animal (three cats and two long-haired humans) and even five years later it's just incredible what this thing picks up.

Ghoulish Delight · 08-25-2009, 01:32 PM

We bought a Black & Decker (I think...I'll check when I get home) standard bagged upright in 1998 with hose and hand tool attachments at Target for < $100. Still does a marvelous job of cleaning, even with copious rabbit hair and hay.

08-25-2009, 11:46 AM	#1
SzczerbiakManiac "ZER-bee-ak" Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,409	Looking for a good sub $250 vacuum cleaner My old vacuum cleaner died thanks to a well-meaning, but extremely long-haired former roommate who liked to vacuum regularly. I found the Dyson thread, but that's out of my budget. I need something that does carpet well and if it's great at resurrecting crushed fibers, all the better. Bagged or bag-less doesn't matter to me. Either emptying out the nasty container of loose detritus or having to fork out more bucks for filters seems like a wash. I also need a hand-vac option. Sometimes I'll vacuum things high up, so I'd need a tube with attachments to get at that stuff. Being able to purchase it at Costco or through Amazon Prime is a major plus. Thanks __________________
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08-25-2009, 11:57 AM	#2
Snowflake lost in the fog Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 7,831	Well, I can't sing the praises of Dyson enough. Have you thought about ordering it from someplace like HSN that will split the payments up? It's damned good vacuum and has all the things you are looking for. My old Eureka was passable, until I got cats. Oreck, piece of garbage.
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08-25-2009, 12:31 PM	#3
Betty Kicking up my heels! Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: The Silver State Posts: 3,783	Ours is currently broken - or so I"m told by the vaccuumer However, having owned by bagless and bagged, I strongly urge you to use the bagless one where you can empty out the dirt. Vaccuums work best when empty I think? you are more likely to empty it when your done (or when it's full) when you can see it all in there. And it's very gratifying to have it empty, vaccuum and then see all the dirt it's pulled out. You just don't get that with the bag. Plus - sometimes the bags fight you when you put them in/take them out. Ours just snaps in place and it's good to go. Unless it's broken. __________________ Nee Stell Thue
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08-25-2009, 12:39 PM	#4
Chernabog Biophage Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: The Moon Posts: 2,679	Our vacuum just croaked too, so any model suggestions in here would be awesome :P __________________ And they say back then our universe Was a coal black egg Until the god inside Burst out and from its shattered shell He made what became the world we know ~ Bjork (Cosmogony)
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08-25-2009, 12:51 PM	#5
Disneyphile SQUIRREL! Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: On the curbside. Posts: 5,098	Woot! occasionally has Dyson vacs for around $250. We swear by ours too, even though we don't have carpet anymore. But, it worked wonders at our old place, even with four cats.
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08-25-2009, 12:55 PM	#6
wolfy999 Eyes like Sapphires! Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 2.4 miles from Disneyland Posts: 1,523	Dyson....only Dyson! __________________ Diane "Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy." - George Carlin 1937-2008 DISNEY IS FINALLY PAYING ME BACK......STILL OWES ME ABOUT (oh, wait....way too much)!
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08-25-2009, 12:58 PM	#7
Stan4dSteph Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: East Bay Area, CA Posts: 3,156	Have you checked out Consumer Reports ratings? I think they have some good recommendations for vacuums in your price range. That's what I'm going to use when I get a new one sometime soon, and I won't be getting a Dyson.
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08-25-2009, 01:18 PM	#8
SzczerbiakManiac "ZER-bee-ak" Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,409	Funny you should say that, I just let my Consumer Reports subscription lapse last month. D'OH! __________________
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08-25-2009, 01:28 PM	#9
Andrew Making Good Girls Go Bad Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Palo Alto, CA Posts: 734	Dyson, Dyson, Dyson. Overstock.com has several around the $250 price point. We have the DC14-Animal (three cats and two long-haired humans) and even five years later it's just incredible what this thing picks up. __________________ -- Andrew Just Andrew. Do I contradict myself? Very well then, I contradict myself. (I am large, I contain multitudes.) -- Walt Whitman, "Song of Myself"
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08-25-2009, 01:32 PM	#10
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	We bought a Black & Decker (I think...I'll check when I get home) standard bagged upright in 1998 with hose and hand tool attachments at Target for < $100. Still does a marvelous job of cleaning, even with copious rabbit hair and hay. __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
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