Kenmore - Elite CrossOver™ Bagged Canister Vacuum (Model 21814)

I also prefer bagged. I have experience with the miele classic c1 and kenmore elite 21814. Both are great. Miele is super light and easier to carry. Best choice if you have stairs. But I like how close to the ground the kenmore gets (but it is fairly heavy to carry up or down stairs). If you can afford it, it's definitely worth investing in a high quality vacuum especially of you have pets.

The Sebo Dart is a great vacuum, that said, I find it’s easier to do stairs with a canister. The Kenmore 700/800 series are a great canister that should last a good amount of time.

Just buy a new Kenmore 700/800 series canister, new.

Buying used is risky. Very risky. A Kenmore (as long as you take care of it) will last much longer than a shark. A canister will help with dusting up higher and can handle multi surface homes.

They work just as well on carpets. I find them easier to use. I had an upright for the longest time and then I went to canister and have never looked back. Canister is much more versatile.

A budget option Kenmore 800 series canister or BIFL - Sebo E3 Premium or Miele C1 Cat Dog is $50 off on Amazon right now. If you’re moving to hard surfaces, a canister is your best bet. They just work better and can clean from wall to wall and floor to ceiling.

I asked a similar question last year on r/VacuumCleaners Here's the thread if you want to read everyone's answers: [Do I need two vacuums? : r/VacuumCleaners](https://www.reddit.com/r/VacuumCleaners/comments/1cg235f/do_i_need_two_vacuums/) I settled on a Kenmore Elite 800 (the gold/bronze one) and it does a pretty damn good job Before this one, I had a Shark Apex DuoClean with the self-cleaning brush roll and that lasted like 7ish years, was an amazing vac honestly. Before that I had a Dyson DC50 animal and that thing was fucking garbage and I will NEVERRRR recommend Dyson to anybody lol If you don't mind spending like $1000, I'd go for the Miele or Sebo, they will last a lifetime Also note that if you want a vacuum that lasts a long time, all the experts recommend bagged vacuums over canister vacuums

I just got a Kenmore 800 Series a few days ago because someone in the reviews did a side by side comparison with the Miele and recommended the Kenmore. Unfortunately my retractable cord won’t stay put, but besides that, the powerful suction and the powered pet hair brush are amazing. The carpet roller really fluffs up the carpet fibers. The bare floor head is built in to the carpet head, so you just snap it out when you get to the bare floor and then snap it back in when you return to the carpet. I didn’t realize how much both of my old uprights (a Dyson and a Shark) *weren’t* doing for me. They sell for up to $450 retail but if you get the “Used - Very Good” on Amazon it’s actually an unused return and is just a little over $300.

I chose the Kenmore 800 series because it checked all my boxes: HEPA filter, bag, powerful motorized carpet head, powerful motorized upholstery head, and the dusting tools supposedly have natural hair bristles instead of plastic.

I just got the Kenmore 800 series. The build quality is on par with the Dyson and the Shark I have already - they’re all mostly plastic. I read those reviews, too and I truly believe the ones complaining that it’s flimsy are older people that are dissatisfied because they’re comparing it to the older models of Kenmores from decades ago. My mother had one when I was growing up. It was indeed very durable and the attachments snapped together with metal springs, whereas the new one has plastic springs and no satisfying “snap” sound. It is a little disappointing, but not the worst trade off for how much cleaning power it has.

Kenmore elite canister... Plenty of attachments and costs less than the German brands

There are a handful of vacuums that can clean the Mohawk SmartStrand Silk “soft carpet.” 1. Kirby (with the optional delicate brush roll I presume) 2. Miele C3 with the SEB228; used to be a SoftCarpet model but it wasn’t much different from the other C3s. 3. Sebo vacs with the ET-1 nozzle (adjustable suction, manual carpet height adjustment) with the delicate brush roll 4. Kenmore Elite canister 5. Rainbow SRX with v1.0 and v1.2 power nozzle + soft brush roll 6. SoniClean - I think those are the vacs that have a vibrating pad instead of a revolving brush roll There are more, but these are a few of them. Adjustable carpet height paired with adjustable suction are must have features for those types of carpet, but I like them for any type of carpet.

There's no "consensus" because it's marketing and competition and the two best companies don't market (they don't have to) so the zeitgeist is full of noise. Our current economic system disincentives industries rallying around gold standard practices, ya know. It should but it currently doesn't. At your price point, you'll want the Kenmore bagged elite canisters. Basically all of the same nominal features as the Sebo or Miele, with some perks like the let powermate, crossover tool, and lights everywhere. But they're louder, worse built, and weaker than sebos. And even more so than Mieles, but the price is fair for what's offered. With care these Kenmore can easily last over a decade. Mieles, the vacuums, are the best. Sebo, the company that makes these products, is also the best. Miele is currently reacting to market demands and has changed the way their company has operated in the last 2 decades. Sebo is off responding as well, but not as harshly as Miele. Equally, they're diametrically opposite brands. Miele is a lifestyle luxury brand that ~happens to have the best or one of the best offerings in every category they compete in. Sebo is an industrial cleaning company, and it shows. It's frankly no competition and it's why Dyson and shark don't compete on numbers (other than price & sales numbers) because they cannot compete with Miele/Sebo on sustained suction/airflow, loudness, weight, or extended performance tests. Miele and Sebo and have factories of robots testing their products. Every Miele product made in their German factories are tested by people and computers before being packaged and delivered. On TOP of the 20 year stress tests they conduct on their machines. Dyson & shark hire marketing firms and Malaysian sweatshops, very different. Also Mieles Chinese build quality is impeccable, much like everything else of value made in China (DJI, Roborock, apple, etc). It frankly should be concerning Dysons aren't made in China, the country with the globally superior production capacity. Also how you know Miele and Sebo are the best: they make one flagship product that works for everyone, no matter the use. They certainly iterate, but in the scale of decades, not quarters. There is certainly consensus on who makes the best vacuums, and the only answers are Miele, Sebo, and Nacecare and between those it's mostly preference and fandom (and henry is adorable!) and let's be honest the best vacuum company is Sebo. Sorry Miele, xoxo, love you, but facts are facts. Edit: frankly I didn't read what your use case was because it's irrelevant to the answer. A bagged electro canister is always the best, no questions asked. Look around for used Miele (or Sebo, rarer) deals on marketplace. Vacuum stores sell them lower than their MSRP. Miele is currently having somewhat of a blowout sale before their new machine and we're about to never have Mieles with lights or fingertip controls 😭😭 scoop up somebody's used brilliant if you're really lucky. Or again, buy the Kenmore new. I got my Miele s8 uniq on marketplace for $300($1800msrp). Now I'm gonna make sure it lasts until I die because of the fingertip controls, lights, and (I know this is dumb) the velvet.

A Kenmore canister would easily fall under your budget and have a lot of the ergonomic features you need, like lightweight, cord reel, foot pedals, and fingertip controls. Tbh any canister these days have foot pedals and cord rewinds. I'm a Miele fan, but sebos are a better value. If you can get the Sebo k3 from a dealer (usually for under $700) that would be your best bet. You'd use your dominant hand to maneuver the floor head while using your non dominant to pull at the hose to reposition the canister as you go. If you don't have two hands at your disposal pulling the canister and working in sections while surrounding the canister also works. Bonus points if your place is the perfect size for the canister to use only one plug centrally. These canisters tend to have less weight in hand than even stick models (other than the upright style stick models). These canisters will also last 20 years, with each bag filling up every 3-9 months depending on if you have pets and how many people you have at home. Bagless vacuums require deep cleaning and filter maintenance that will aggravate allergies with the aerosolization of fine dust. with bagged models, you simply toss and replace the bag every few months, and replace the filter every 4ish bags (which works out to 2-3 years for a smaller home/family). Sure it's a disposable, but they're made from recycled fibers already and it's a better prospect than buying a subpar machine every few years. It is also just more hygienic. And are the only option for folks with the worst allergies. Sebos work excellently and have good filtration, however Mieles, with their HEPA filter do filter slightly better and function better and more quietly, however they are more expensive. Any Miele with the parquet twister floor tool and seb217 would be right for you. I recommend buying it from a dealer as you can mix and match the floor heads. From a dealer you can get the c3 Kona with the seb217 (instead of the 228 bc it's lighter) for under $850 on sale, and there are sales. You might be able to get the c1 homecare model for cheaper, so ask about that. The cat & dog model is cheaper but you'll want the HEPA filter. Also Miele bags & filters are cheaper than sebos, even if youre using Miele HEPA with the full size machines. Sebo parts are only sold by dealers and they're very expenny. The Miele allergy pack is 8 bags and a heap filter for $55 (~retail for the Miele HEPA or Sebo filters alone). Other than that, I'd say lookout on the used marketplaces for good deals. I got my $1800 Miele for $300, so it's possible. Good luck.

Probably the Kenmore bagged canisters. 600 or elite for the ease of use and fingertip controls. Maybe the elite crossover? They're not ultra well built and may only last your business about 5 years, but you have to be gentle on them. Mieles and Sebos will last much longer but you need to spend a little more than 500 for something that's carpet capable. The sebo k3 is their cheapest option tho (from a dealer ofc). The warranties don't apply ofc, but I think sebo might honor 1 year for commercial use? You should check that out. I know many cleaning businesses in my area who use Mieles, from the classic C1 all the way up to the brilliant. It depends what you prefer and what your clients demand. My sister has some carpets but her cleaning person only uses a suction Miele and my sister doesn't care (and the cleaning person does an excellent job). The worst Miele/sebo outperforms most vacuums. Just make sure to buy large boxes of original bags for the bulk discount and to make them last. With any new product, you're going to want to do a quick educational tour of the product with the folks who'll need to use it so they're getting the most out of it and aren't encumbered. And especially so they don't accidentally damage the machine. Commercial machines exist as well, but may not be as convenient and maneuverable for cleaning homes. Canisters are the only option imo for their versatility and reduced fatiguing.

I have been selling Vacuums for 35 years. I believe the best Vacuum I have seen out there is the Kenmore elite albeit bulky and heavy you will only find a Chinese made product with poor parts availability for less than 400, people wonder why we always push the SEBO product I had two people last fall trade in their X 4 SEBO after having it for 27 years

My research got me to a kenmore elite. Ive used it for about a year with 3 kids and 2 dogs 2200 sq ft vacuuming every week or two (and shampooing) and only gone through 3-4 bags. Great for carpet, mid at hard floors, probably better off sweeping crumbs. I only needed it to effectively clean carpets, which more than half of my house is covered in. If you want a wireless one, makita sells stick vacuums that are amazing. The brushless stick vac is expensive and has a small filter but is fine for household cleaning if you're alright with emptying out the small tank. Great for hard floors, okay on carpets but I wouldn't use it for daily cleaning. The brushed one is great too, it just needs the cyclone attachment. I was really happy with the kenmore elite, but if you really need it for hard floors I wouldn't settle on it. The problem is that when the bristles wear out, they are very expensive because they are integrated into the seperate motors. I believe ≈$120 if I remember, cheaper than a new vacuum but insane for a brush. Bottom line was corded is cheaper & better than cordless 9/10 times, bagged is more efficient, powerful, and easy to clean, while being cheaper. Not having a tiny filter allows the vacuum to breathe. If you have stairs, or carpet, or hard floors, take that into account.

Kenmore elite or Kenmore intuition BU4050 - just know that a canister is ideal for hard flooring.

That’s a tough budget tbh. You need something corded and bagged (contrary to what you might think, a bagged vacuum actually compresses the fur as opposed to bagless which actually fluffs up the fur, so you won’t be burning through a bag every vacuum session. It should last you at least 1-2 months. If you can stretch a little, a Kenmore 600 series pop and go. The pet powermate is worth the premium alone. It amazing with fur on upholstery.

Skip bagless. They don’t clean well, last long or filter well. Kenmore elite or intuition bu4050

For what it’s worth the C1 cat and dog is on sale for $630. Short of that, Kenmore 600 or 800 series canister. I’d strongly advocate for the Miele though.

People recommending less expensive vacuums generally recommend Kenmore Elite. I had one years ago, and I thought it was great, until someone I lent it to ruined it.

Of course everyone will recommend Sebo or Miele.  I think a good choice would be a Kenmore  Canister with a power head. Since you have stayed as you can use it on that as well, put the attachments.. With a little care it should last many many years.

Get the Kenmore Elite and call it a day. Great on carpets and great on wood floors with the floor attachments. 

I have 2, 7, and 18.  I think I paid $60 for all three at yard sales. Kenmore Elite is wonderful for bedrooms. Dyson v8 is great for busy areas and stairs. Dyson ball animal is for a deeper clean than the v8. I also have a Hoover Hepa Animal 2 and the Hoover Max Extract Pressure-Pro (Model 60) from Breaking Bad. Great combo for deep clean after dealing with animal messes. Kenmore is the poor man’s Miele. Dyson is repairable, but a pain in the butt for the vortex areas to keep clean. Hoovers are stupid simple to keep in tip top shape. I have a simple Dirt Devil and Harbor Freight shop vacuum for my garage. Both are great for regular use.

I love my Kenmore canister for this as it has the powered stair attachment and the canister also has a little stair catch so it sits fairly securely (and is quite stable) on a stair as I vacuum plus the hose is long enough that I really only ever need to sit it on one step above the landing usually and then one step from the bottom of the stairs and I can reach every step.

What I was just going to suggest. It's a huge part of the reason I love them.

Kenmore canister-- affordable and a BEAST

A canister with hepa filtration, long hose, and all of the attachments. My parents had a kenmore canister that was great for many years.

Just don't by a stick one - useless. Get either an upright or a canister corded one - maximum real suction power. I have 2 canister corded vacuums, Kenmore and Panasonic, one for each floor level of our home. Work perfect for hardwood and carpeted.

I have a Kenmore canister and the Panasonic equivalent both for 25+ years running fine. Nothing has every broken so parts are no concern. Just replaced the filters every 10 years or when my brain reminds me :D.

Just realized she had carpet. My bad, the shopvacs don't have a roller brush, so that probably won't work. Maybe consider a Kenmore canister vac from the recommended list on the automod. I unclog a lot of different vacuums but not many kenmores. Slightly larger hose diameter, plus a ton of suction and a straighter airpath than an upright vac lessen the likelihood of a blockage. They should also be well within budget

We have a shark at work that my boss is obsessed with even though it can’t clean for crap…. To show her I brought in my old Kenmore canister and filled the bag full in one pass of our building. I’ve tried all of them and a nice garage sale or curb side Kenmore canister has always been the best bang for the buck 😂

I have a Kenmore canister from Amazon! On sale it was 450 Canadian

You might like a Kenmore canister vac, the power head is super light and they have wands so you can reach places more easily. Also changing the bag is really easy, and you are only moving the hose around not the weight of the whole machine. Figuring out where to place the canister might be tricky, probably beside your chair on dominant side is best, and you can pull it behind you through doorways. The newer models, the handle is a loop, so you don't have to grip it all that well to use it, and they are strong and quiet. My grandma used a wheelchair a lot in her older years because she fell so frequently, and she had one. Worked pretty good for her because with the hose she could sweep a pretty good sized area without navigating the chair too much. She would stick the canister under the chair and put her foot on it so as she moved the chair, it moved with her. They go under tables and stuff really easily too, and you can actually stick your foot in that loop handle to get under low beds and furniture so you don't have to bend and risk tipping the chair.

You're welcome! They're not really all that expensive, and I think you would really like it. They used to come with separate hard floor brushes which are really nice for pet hair/food/accidental broken glass, etc. I haven't seen one in a store for years, but when we had a sears/Kmart in my town people bought those ALL the time. My mom still has her original one, from 1982 😂. It's absolutely had a hard life and seen better days, it's delegated to their finished basement these days, but surprisingly it still works pretty damn good!

Least favorite: Bissell uprights. Every one I've ever used, the end caps for the brush roll has melted. I also find the suction power really lackluster and feel like they scatter more dirt and dust than they actually collect. Rainbow - gigantic pain to use, too high maintenance, and the water is gross AF and messy to deal with Cordless sticks - not powerful enough for my liking, multiple passes to pick everything up and they die too fast. Favorite: Windsor Versamatic, Old school style Electrolux and Kenmore canisters, old school style Hoover uprights, Windsor XP-12. Just good, sturdy, effective machines.

I bought a $25 used kenmore canister vac, then disassembled and meticulously cleaned it cause I was overwhelmed with the idea of spending a grand on one of a dozen different options. I’m very happy with my purchase, and like hyperfocusing on projects like that.

Guys, I bought it and it's working great for me. Thanks again.

Sadly no. It doesn’t come with a power head. I’d recommend looking at c1 cat and dog if you can extend budget a tad or a kenmore canister with a power head. Or a sebo Dart would also work really well.

Get a bagged kenmore canister.

I would strongly suggest a Kenmore bagged canister on Amazon. Not too pricey and bagged is MUCH better for allergies and pet owners

I'm shocked Kenmore bagged canisters aren't more popular. Ours has been an absolute workhorse for over a decade and it's still strong as hell

My Kenmore would like a word with you. Absolute unit and hardy as hell

I don’t think so. I’ve had Dyson and Shark and the vacuum I have now is my ride or die: HEPA filter disposable bagged Kenmore.

It depends on what you mean by “repairing”. Repairing usually refers to replacing a worn belt, the brush roller gets hair tangled around it on the sides where you can’t cut it and needs to be taken out and cleaned, and the vacuum can get clogged and needs to be cleared out. If you want to do any of that, don’t get a shark, because you can’t open them up to do any of those basic things that you could do on most vacuums 10 years ago. Look at a simplicity, or kenmore for plug in. Or Henry quick for cordless 👍🏼