200 Series BC4002

Best all around option in that price range would be a Kenmore 200 or 600 series canister with the motorized powerhead. Very good performance on all surfaces and all the tools and flexibility you'd need to clean anywhere. But, they don't last forever. 5-10 years probably if you take care of it, but they aren't the most robust machines. To get something better and more durable we would be looking more 600+ range. The reason I haven't recommended the miele models within your price range is because they lack motorized power brushes, essential for deep carpet cleaning. Even if in every other way a miele C1 pure suction is superior to the Kenmore.

Ignore the purple one from walmart, its the same price as the orange one on amazon, but comes with fewer and worse small attachments. It's not a good deal. The main difference between the two on Amazon is the blue one has a variable suction adjustment built into the handle. This let's you lower the suction motor down, for cleaning throw rugs, dusting drapes, etc. Or allows it to vacuum really dense rugs. Really underrated feature imo. The orange one on Amazon is mostly the same minus the suction adjustment. Personally I'd get the blue one off Amazon but if you don't think the suction adjustment would be useful, the orange one is fine.

Ah sorry, the purple one on Amazon is the 600 series. It's a bit larger and more capable, with more attachments than the 200. It sort of goes like this, 200 orange is most basic, then the 200 series blue, then the purple 600, then the silver top of the line one. What kinds of floors are you looking to clean? This will determine how much a miele or sebo would run you for your situation.

Kenmore is decent. In your budget thats probably the best option. Something like a 200 or 600 series canister with the motorized powerhead. Good on carpets and hard floors alike. That being said kenmore is no longer made by panasonic and quality has definitely gone down some. I still recommend them as theyre still worth it for the price in most cases. Parts availability may not be fantastic but unfortunately thats the case for basically everything in this price range. I really wish it weren't the case but that's where we're at. Not trying to be too much of a downer but want to temper expectations a little.

Tight budget, the best filtering models start at roughly twice that. But there are some decent filtering models in that price range. The Kenmore intuition upright or Kenmore 200 series canister with powerhead are both good performers on carpet. Both are bagged, which capture dust nore effectively than bagless vacuums on average. The 200 series canister had better attachments for furniture cleaning and the canister design makes it easier to get under furniture. Some people find canisters to be bulky though. The intuition is a typical upright style, bit easier to store and move around but I don't like them as much for cleaning under furniture or using the tools. Make sure you use the hepa style bags for either one you go with. The hepa bag plus hepa filter on the exhaust combined will provide good filtration. And when it's full, just throw out the bag. Much less risk of dust spraying around and no dirty filters to handle and clean. Higher end models like miele and sebo include better seals and generally tighter construction, plus higher quality filters. They are top tier but again, pricy. The entry level miele models aren't well suited to carpet cleaning.

Kenmore intuition upright or a Kenmore 200 series canister with the motorized powerhead are the best options at that price point. Both perform well on carpets with good suction and agitation from the spinning brush, have attachments for cleaning furniture and other surfaces. Both use bags which contain large quantities of dust more effectively than bagless models without blocking up. Plus using a bag means you don't have to clean filters all the time, just throw away the bag when full.

In that budget there really isn't much that is genuinely good quality and long lasting. For around $300 or less you are looking at about 3-5 years on average. Avoid shark and dyson. Annoyingly, Costco doesn't sell anything I'd recommend. Considering you have a lot of hard floors now I would look at a canister style vacuum, they have dedicated nozzles for hard floors which clean better and don't have a rotting brush to tangle up. The kenmore 200 series canister with motorized power nozzle is around $200. It includes a motorized power brush for the carpet area and a separate hard floor brush for those surfaces. It's a solid performer as a budget choice.

Well I'll start by saying the kenmore 200 with the motorized powerhead (avoid the mint green version, it doesn't have a powered brush) is great for pulling hair out of carpet. It's a genuinely great vac for the price. As for hard floors, well, I don't sweep. I never sweep unless I need to clean up a huge spill or bulky debris! Always vacuum personally. Vacuuming hard floors is great for several reasons. First of all, every time you sweep the brushes of the broom fling or flick dust up into the air. Sweeping stirs up a ton of lint, dust, allergens etc. Vacuuming draws all of that nasty stuff in with the suction, keeping it out of the air and off your furniture (helps cut down on dusting!) The vacuum suction helps to pull dirt and hair out of difficult corners where a broom doesn't reach. Especially great for pulling dust bunnies out from between furniture or underneath low items. Finally if your floors have any gaps or grooves, like joints between floorboards or grout on tile, the vacuum suction is far better at lifting grit, dirt, dust etc out from those gaps. Brooms just can't lift dirt from grooves really. Plus you don't have to deal with the dustpan line. I say give it a try at least, I find it to be way more effective and cleaner to vacuum hard floors. Not to mention much faster since I'm not chasing dust bunnies or fussing with a dustpan. And if you get a vac capable of vacuuming hard floors, why not try?

Kenmore 200 series canister with motorized power brush. Great performer across all surfaces, has height adjustment to suit different types of rugs and a separate hard floor brush tool for the wood floors. Has small tools for above floor cleaning and furniture, bags are large capacity and easy to get etc. If you want an upright, the kenmore intuition is also a decent choice. It should work on all your floor surfaces, just lacks the height adjustment and hard floor brush tool. You can still vacuum hardwood, it just won't be as maneuverable or sweep up fine dust as well as the 200 series canister.

Kenmore intuition upright or 200 series canister with power nozzle are both solid sub-$300 options which last around 5 years.

Sounds like a case of bad luck with a defective unit, happens with all brands occasionally. I'd try a kenmore 200 series instead, a little more basic but smaller and a little lighter but still has the power nozzle etc.

Kenmore 200 series with motorized power nozzle. Good performance, good on stairs, under budget. The kenmore 300 is even better because it has a small motorized power nozzle ideal for stairs (can be bought separately for the Kenmore 200s as well).

I would really recommend an old Kenmore.  It’s a canister vacuum, you can still buy them new.  However, they show up at goodwill for like 20 bucks.  Replace the bag and filters, clean the roller and you have a really solid machine.  All the attachments are inside the body and it can be stored in a closet or under a bed.  Plus if something happens to it you don’t have to feel bad because it wasn’t super expensive.  Also a Electrolux canister is a great option too.  I will also say a Kirby, but they do take up more space and the hose situation is kinda bizarre.  They are like $1,000 new, but you can get them at the thrift store for like $50 bucks.  Also change the bag and belt on that if you get it.  They are built like a tank so you don’t really need to worry about it getting a little abuse. If you really want something new I think this would work for your situation: https://www.homedepot.com/p/KENMORE-200-Series-Bagged-Canister-Vacuum-Cleaner-BC4002/308593772?MERCH=REC-_-pipsem-_-308593689-_-1-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a Once you get a house/ apartment you can look into a Kirby/Miele/Electrolux.  Just order it on line. Dorms can be a lot on appliances.

First, I will tell you they are NOT cheap for most of them. A shark is going to cost you $100-120, a Miele may cost $300-1,000. You DO NOT need any of the high end ones unless you’ve got a **massive** house. Second I will add, that Miele vacuum is going to last you 10+ years if you do upkeep if you buy the canister one which is the easiest to maintain. I’d say upkeep on them is maybe 10% of the effort of a bagless one. With bags it quite seriously contains everything within, you mainly rinse out the vacuum hose and wipe down the inside - then the main routine part is cleaning the bristles and what not. To remove fur tangled in bristles, take a box cutter knife and run it down the middle slowly cutting off fur that is wrapped around it (only any vacuum). Also note that these vacuums are going to be bigger than an upright one if you go with the canister. As far as specific ones, Kenmore is going to be cheapest and most efficient for the canister vacuum, around $200-300. Kenmore Elite Pet Friendly CrossOver 21814, Kenmore 200 Series BC4002. For Miele, Guard M1 Cat & Dog which is around $500. With all being said, the bagless miele’s are still great and around $350. The one you’d want to explore more is Boost CX1 SNRD0 - it’s $300-400. If you prefer an upright, which is still way better than a stick vacuum, a Kenmore Elite Pet Friendly 31150 is about $200 and will be great. Also, your current one may have gunk in the tub or chamber which is why the fluff is clogging. You may want to try cleaning your vacuum first unless the motor was running too hard / it’s old.

Kenmore 200 for a canister, Kenmore Elite for an upright

This or the Kenmore 200-series canister - good value for the money.

I would recommend the Kenmore 200, 400 or 600-series canisters, or if you can find one, a used Sebo, Riccar, Lindhaus or Miele canister with an electric power nozzle. Canisters generally are less tiring to use, in my experience - most of the weight is dragged on wheels behind you instead of being held in your hand. They also are far better for stairs, hard floors and above-floor cleaning. A tip - enter a room and vacuum your way out, instead of vacuuming your way in the way you might with an upright.