Complete C3 Brilliant

Used to be a loyal Dyson customer for over two decades. The straw that broke the camels back was the horrendous build quality and reliability of the Gen5 Detect and their latest robot. Since then, my household has been cleaned with a Miele C3 Brilliant and Samsung Bespoke Jet. Been using both for over a year now, and they both perform remarkably well. I doubt I’ll ever get another Dyson product, including the hair stuff my wife and I use once those finally break.

I have the Miele complete or brilliant or something like that. It’s like brown matte with electric brush and electric control handle. It was like $1,500 in 2020 but had a 10-year warranty and was absolutely worth it. The bags and filters don’t get used up super frequently so it’s not a huge ongoing financial commitment.

With the Miele C3, the most frustrating thing is the top of the metal electric wand - it has a plastic rim that somehow breaks. It’s extremely common. I bought a $1500 C3 Brilliant that this happened to within a year or so, which really pissed me off. So, I bought a Sebo D4 based on reviews and techs praising the bullet-proof from head to toe with quality. I absolutely hated it. I sold I within 3 months, and tried the E3. Again, same story. I decided that the Miele C3’s benefits outweighed those of the D4 and E3, so I kept my Brilliant. The lesson I learned is that there isn’t a perfect vacuum. You can spend $4,000 on a Rainbow or Hyla and have the same issues, very easily. Why? It’s just the nature of mass-produced products. There will always be a set of drawbacks / cons you have to accept as part of the package deal. The better question is, which set of drawbacks are you more comfortable with? For me, I valued cleaning performance, comfort, ease-of-use, filtration, wanted the best-the-best that had each of those things at industry-leading levels, the number 1, and so that was Miele C3. I can say I have owned it for 5 years now, going on 6, and used it every single day for an hour for the first 3 years. No mechanical issues that have affected performance or overall function. The top of the wand is a cosmetic issue, and will not prevent the handle from staying locked into the wand. The SEB 236 has a recline lever inside of it that tends to quit working so well after some time, but again, that isn’t a big deal to me, and is the C3 is still worth owning many times over despite that. Those are really the only two flaws I can find. I have found flaws and drawbacks with every single machine I’ve owned, and I’ve owned/ repaired many of them from all price points. Overall, they really are incredibly well engineered, but Miele places priority on the motor unit, critical functions, and tolerances, and that’s where you find the Miele-level precision. They are simply tools at the end of the day, useful machines. There is one or maybe two things I’d change, but overall, I can’t find one with more power, a better power nozzle, better filtration, and is easier to use, and all of that in one package.

Sebo has incredible customer service in my experience. Lenny, the corporate technician, had me ship him my Sebo X4 directly to him. He covered shipping, parts, and labor - even knowing I bought it on eBay. Granted the eBay seller was a retiring Sebo dealer who had one X4 left, in stock. Most companies would automatically disqualify it because it wasn’t purchased directly from the dealer itself. I told Lenny this, and he said as long as I could verify it was coming from the original dealer who purchased it from Sebo, that he would honor the warranty. He fixed it. $0 out of pocket except for the time, energy, gas, masking tape, etc I used packing it and taking it to the UPS store. Lenny had sent me a shipping label. I also appreciated that when I called, I spoke to someone I could hear (good reception), understand (linguistically), and made the experience very personal - not the typical over seas call center experience common in today’s world. It was impressive. I still prefer my Miele C3 as far as canister vacs are concerned, but Miele’s customer service line is hit and miss.

I've owned/ own both and prefer the Miele **C3** for a few reasons. It has more airflow, more suction, superior filtration (H13+) available, an aggressive beater bar (Sebo's is too gentle imo), and I find it significantly easier to use. It's also a very serviceable vac, very simple to take apart for tune-ups, repair, deep-cleaning, etc. I found the Miele C3 to be a lot easier to disassemble than my E3 and D4. I can do it in 2 minutes flat with a drill.

I love the C3 models. They’re hard to beat. I wish more vacs were like them. It wish there was an upright version. Hopefully Miele will make one, at some point.

S8s are super, super easy to repair. What broke? The C3 is still available in some stores, even from Miele directly. I tried many other vacs and couldn’t find one that had the power and comfort and the S8/C3. The Guard L1 models are slightly less powerful, but still very good vacs.

Alternatively, the Sebo E3 is probably the closest thing. It doesn’t have as much power, and it isn’t available with HEPA-13 (or HEPA at all), nor is it as comfortable to use but they are very durable and well-engineered. People that don’t like them tend to not like them because of the hose, which is also a common complaint with the D4. Overall, the C3 is significantly more comfortable to use, more power, superior filtration, more aggressive carpet performance, more suitable for residential applications. If it is the motor in your S8 that died, the motors can be replaced in 2 - 5 mins. Very easy, not expensive. $130!USD is what I see that listed at.

It’s also important to differentiate between types of HEPA. Miele’s HEPA is H13+ and almost H14. It’s very rare to find H13 in vacuum’s, as most are H11 if they even have HEPA. Rainbows also utilize H13, but aren’t the easiest bags to use if used frequently. I would definitely get a Miele Complete C3, Complete C3, Guard M1 or L1 AllFloors, one with the Parquet Twister floor-head. It significantly better than the AllTeq and FiberTeq heads, and you can get an extra-wide version of it. For rug(s), the TurboTeQ head is sufficient for low pile area rugs.

Miele Complete C3 canister, or a Sebo canister. Both are extremely well engineered. Sebo wands are more durable, but the Miele overlap has the most power, best filtration, and are known for lasting for 10 - 20 years (depending on use rate). It’s also a lot easier to use overall, lots of little things that add up. Sebo’s are commercial grade, more utilitarian, simpler, designed to be used for extended periods every day and still hold up for many, many years; but they come with some traded off drawbacks. I think the Miele canisters are the best choice for residential level cleaning (maybe twice per week for 20-30 mins each time), while the Sebo models are better for commercial level use - using it every day for 45 mins - 1+ hr). Canisters tend to be better for use floors, but both Sebo and Miele sell canisters that are exceptionally effective on carpet - rivaling premium uprights. Get the upgraded hardfloor tool with either brand you go with Sebo Premium Parquet or the Miele Parquet Twister floor head. The Miele version is a lot easier to whip around, but both are premium.

The lightest-weight upright vacs don’t do the best job, but canisters can be exceptionally effective and are the traditional choice for those that want an easy-to-push vac, have back problems, etc. They’re very handy. I used to hate using them but now they’re my preferred vac. They get under furniture, much easier to use attachments with, clean car out with, and they’re a lot better on hard floors. Miele and Sebo are the best canisters. Out of those, I recommend Miele for residential applications - specific models, though. C3 mainly, Guard L1 Electro. Either with the Parquet Twister floor head. The C3 is the best Miele, and has recently been discontinued so get one while you can. Sebo canisters are more utilitarian, simpler, slightly lower performance, but the wands are a little more durable. Still, I choose the Miele for its higher power, comfort features, and excellent filtration.

From a hose perspective, and the time required to use, upright vacs are annoying. They at first seem like they're the easiest, most powerful, fastest machines to use, but let me tell you, I have learned the truth. If you are like me and hate fighting the hose, hate having the upright fall on you, etc, you need to consider a canister, but not just any canister. THE most flexible, easiest-to-use vacuum from a hose-use perspective is any Miele canister with the Comfort-Grip handle. Why? I'll give you 4 reasons off the top of my head. REASON 1: Unlike most canisters, the Miele hose handle pivots left and right, AND rotates 360 degrees. Therefore, it does not tangle, and it does not pull on you or the vacuum nearly us much as other hoses do. REASON 2: The hose becomes very pliable over time. My Sebo hose (especially bad), Kirby, Rainbow, Hyla hoses have all been frustrating to use because they are (a) stiff, and (b) don't pivot (so they awkwardly pull on me and/or the machine and/or the floor tool). REASON 3: Additionally, with Miele's Parquet Twister hard floor tool, you can vacuum in much tighter, 90-degree angles than other vacs allow; and therefore you don't have to reposition yourself or the vacuum, or move furniture like you would with other machines. REASON 4: Ultimate cleaning performance and comfort is my end-game with vacs, and I haven't found a vacuum that beats my Miele C3 in that regard. IS IT PERFECT? Yes, and no. Does it have drawbacks? Sure, all vacuums do. It isn't ideal for commercial-level use, but that's okay. It was fine-tuned and engineered for residential household environments, oriented towards the most discerning, demanding customers. There are a couple of features I wish it had to make it even more of a pleasure to use, but my complaints are minor and have not affected my stance. It's the closest thing to a perfect vacuum that I can find, and Miele continues to refine them.

It was a Miele C3. I can vacuum my house the fastest with it than I can with any of my uprights or stick vacs. Ironic.

A bagged sealed system Miele HEPA is H13+ is the best filtering vacuum available. Ordinary vacuums use H10 or H11 HEPA, and are not fully sealed. Many “sealed system” vacuums are not actually sealed or don’t maintain their seals for long. It is exactly why I bought my C3. The Guard models are even more efficient than the C3, more like H13+.

I see the appeal of a stick. I have a V15. It’s about 3 yrs old. It’s primary role is for in-between cleans, small messes. Touch-ups. But, if I am going to vac our main living areas or the entire house, I can get the job done a lot faster with my Miele. If I am going to deep clean the carpet, I don’t pre-vac with my V15. I use my Kirby. If I am going to detail a vehicle, Miele. If I am going to use attachments for deep cleaning, Miele.

Sure buddy, and the subway serves the same purpose as the shinkansen 😂😂😂 The opinions of the uninformed don't change the reality of how machines work. My parents Miele is old enough to vote, drive, and enlist, and it'll still clean better and quieter than a brand new Dyson v15. Surely better than a Samsung jet75, and I would know, I recommended my close friend get one (I like Samsung's empty station). It'll clean better than a gen5 as long as you use the vacuum for more than 10~ seconds (before the suction relief opens). I'm not even sure you know the difference between these machines from a mechanical perspective, and that's why it's so sad you're so loud and proud here. You're not American, but boy do you sound like my illiterate compatriots...

Because you seemingly require a carrot before acknowledging the stick: it's good that Samsung and LG actually make multi cyclonic machines with bag docks, as they're really trying to make cordless vacuums happen. I like the bespoke jet design a lot. And it's probably what I recommend to my friends who really want a cordless, but I'm not gonna not give them the broadest understanding of the market. I'm glad you finally have a vacuum you like: what we're all saying tho, is that if you like that, you'll surely like a Miele. It's just facts. Nobody ~wants a worse stove, oven, washing machine, computer, they take what they can get and make it work. But even teenage mobile gamers know there are greener pastures with PC gaming (for example). No shame, or anything but that's just life. My mom hates the Dyson v11 I got her because it's too heavy on the wrist (but you loud folks don't think about the elderly or differently abled). She would literally rather wheel out the Miele (because she's used to it). My dad now does the nightly kitchen sweeping (I really need to get them a robot). I flew in the face of the sun, I knew the v11 was a bad choice, but even I was tempted by the siren song of marketing and shiny cheap plastic. I'd wager it's more inconvenient to need 4 batteries and emptying the bin 15 times to clean their house once. Again you're just not thinking about the endpoints of possibility here because THIS ISNT YOUR FIELD OF INTEREST. YOURE COMING IN A SPACE OF KNOWLEDGE AND ACTING LIKE THE PRINTING PRESS IS ELITIST BECAUSE YOUR HAND DRAWN BOOK MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER. If you've never even touched a Miele, do yourself a favor and try. It's impossible to beat the look & feel of real 😎😘 I may never drive a RR but I know it's a better vehicle than anything I'll ever have, and that's okay 🤷🏾‍♂️ Using a cordless stick requires upper body strength and wrist dexterity that a canister simply does not. Folks here come asking all the time for ability friendly vacuums, and canisters (and sometimes uprights) are the best option, but you wouldn't know that because you require feeling good about your purchases on the internet, rather than requiring full context. Even when performance reviews comments here he can be helpful, and he's prince asshole here. He just genuinely has useful knowledge (under that insufferable personality). It's interesting how you keep trying to spin and rationalize this for yourself (you should try and understand how you think first before seeking new info I guess). Your Samsung jet 75 is more difficult to service and repair than even a Miele brilliant. It's worse built, performs worse, and lasts shorter. Sure it's lighter (grossly), but it can't even safely suck up flour, let alone glass or pebbles, things that regularly exist in homes. Your and cats skin is blown all over your walls and furniture. You could deep clean your whole place and then go over it with a real vacuum (like a Henry) and be disgusted. People here try to share our lives experiences and knowledge with people trying to seek answers. Nobody's gonna pat you on the back because you feel validated by your purchase of a samsung product. That's literally how the psychology of capitalism & consumerism work, you're just unaware, seemingly. All I know is, if you have pets and a bad vacuum, people come to your home despite the cleanliness, not because of it. Lol I can't believe I just stream of consciousness'ed that but it was cathartic. It's just sad you WANT to "bash" vacuum elitists. Girl my shits better than yours and you're the only one talking about it, not me. That's just the T.

Absolutely no question when you need above floor cleaning (and you do): get the canisters. You need to clean your fans, air vents, literally every horizontal surface and even every vertical surface, at least twice within 2 weeks to feel an appreciable change. Blinds, vents, mattresses, couches, cushions, molding, the backs of your TV. Literally everything needs to be vacuum dusted or washed and with the new vacuum I guarantee your place will feel like new. With regular weekly vacuuming it should be much noticeably better. You'll probably even notice a better improvement after dog groomings, as their hair will actually disappear for a little. Get the d4 for the bag size, but the e3 comes in much cuter colors and is easier to tote around. The bags are huge and the d4 especially packs it very densely. If your dogs don't particularly smell then your vacuum won't particularly smell. My Miele bag only smells when it's nearing 80% fill and I've been using it for the litter box. If I don't use it for the litter box, it quite literally doesn't smell at all. Somebody in the forum bought a d4 for their German shepherd foster home with like 6 dogs and they filled their d4 bags monthly. So you'll probably get a few months out of each, as Sebo plans for. I am a Miele fanboy as they're quieter, filter better, and feel better but the Sebo warranty is great. If you get a Miele however, the c3 Kona is the budget pick, with the Marin being a good value and the brilliant, a splurge (but fully worth it). Mieles pack their bags more densely than sebos so despite Mieles having a 1.25 gallon cap, compared to the d4 1.5 gallon, it's not much less (and the filtration is a tier above). No doubt about it, you need a canister to wrangle all the dog hair and dander that's inevitably settled in everything. Once you've done a few deep cleans, and do regular cleanings, your air will be noticeably lighter.

I'd take the opportunity to get a Miele c3 Marin or Brilliant/homecare+ at a good price. It seems like they're dropping their (very nice imo) seb236 floor head. Or you'll need the new guard l1 electro. You'll need an electro head for your needs. (So c3 cat& dog to answer your title question, but my recommendation is for the Homecare+ (or the Marin for a better value). Visit a dealer and get them for a good price (900 for the Kona, 1100 for the Marin, and under 1500 for the homecare+/brilliant). Get the homecare models from a dealer if you can. The better warranty and added tools are great.

Well if you want a quiet vacuum, (the quietest to be specific) your option is the Miele C3. The Miele c1 is marginally louder but still quieter than a Sebo. Both are quieter than any Dyson lmao (those things are crazy loud and they don't even tune their motors to offload the whine behind our scope of hearing). The Miele c3 on max is quieter than a Dyson on normal. So the cheapest option would be the Miele c1 classic pure suction. The nicest option would be the c3 gala edition. Both are hard floor only machines, but the build quality of the c3 really speaks for itself. If you're iffy about spending so much on a Miele, try visit a local vacuum store with mieles. They'll be happy to let you try them out and Miele dealers will always sell lower than online listed MSRP. You'll also hear firsthand how much quieter they are. Technically speaking, all bagless machines will be pretty loud bc they don't have much soft padding to capture the sounds (bag, nice filter). Cordless machines overall are very loud because their motors are smaller, spinning at a higher speed to generate similar pressure, and those tiny whirring things make a huge high pitched sound, characteristic of any Dyson machine (vacuum, hairdryer, hand dryer). Combine a cordless bagless and you have the absolute worst care scenario for sound dampening. Mieles recently upped their motor rpm while reducing size, but they tune their motors such that the majority of the sound falls above the frequency of our hearing. My cat doesn't seem to hate my Miele so clearly it's not that loud ultrasonic either. Checkout rtings.com for objective measurements but lemme tell you: we've been a Miele family for about 2 decades now. I bought my mom a Dyson v11 thinking it'll be great for the kitchen but she hates it! It's loud, clunky, weak (relatively: it cant rice grains from the corners) and it needs SOOOOO much brush roll maintenance omfg. Huge waste of money tbh. It's still hung in the kitchen but I think they only use it for vacuuming the stairs now (with the electro tool). The Miele canister is obviously better for our cars too. Nowadays, I think the avg active home only needs a bagged corded vacuum, and a robot. There's very little place for cordlesses imo ESPECIALLY as EVs now have power outlets that allow the use of a normal vacuum.. (I have one and my partner still uses it more than I do, but we wouldn't be in need without one. I only bought it bc I found it for a steal not because I wanted a cordless).

Long story short: no. Mostly because of cordless, as that mostly scuttles your requirement for asthma care. Most cordlesses are bagless, and one trip emptying that bin and it's game over for your bronchioles depending how bad the asthma is. There's basically only one bagged cordless (Henry quick, so check that out, but it doesn't stand) but it's not really meant for primary use. The Miele cordlesses (triflex), are great for what they are (bagless and cordless) and they stand up, have swappable batteries and work well. Their filtration/dust sequestration will always be worse than a bagged. I love my triflex but I also use it maybe once a month or less because of my corded, bagged Miele. I understand you don't want to compromise but what you describe is impossible with how our technology works rn, just like fusion, solid state batteries, or SC power lines, the technology is not there, and even worse than those technologies I listed, very few are working on what you want. You can get everything you want if you accept a cord or accept dirtier air with a bagless. If cost really isn't an issue then I'd say buy a corded bagged vacuum (not the shark rocket, it's generous to call that a real vacuum) and get a robot for daily maintenance. That's probably the best of both worlds as you don't have to compromise on clean or a cord, you just need two devices to meet your needs. If you've never used a cord reel I'd suggest trying it as well. My robot is absolutely the hardest working member of my household, so maybe a robot is what you're looking for? Good luck! But what you're looking for doesn't exist, unfortunately. And because I'm that girl: the only consumer vacuum in existence that's fully HEPA certified is the Miele c3 with their HEPA filter installed, so make of that what you will. That means not only is its filter hepa, but the machine is fully sealed and certified through testing to not allow more than 99.95% of particles smaller than 2.5 microns through. If you want the best clean available, especially noticeable to asthmatics, a Miele c3 is the only answer. Edit: my personal cleaning peeve is running wheeled things over hard floors, which is extra why im recommending the Miele c3. It's just so grating and demoralizing to hear those damn wheels every fkn pass. And no power/motor head will be as nimble as an articulated hard floor tool. If your space is hard floors, you actually have it a bit easier, as carpets make vacuums more expensive. And getting Miele or Sebos cheapest will still suit your needs. I know i said triflex comes close to what you want, but misses asthma care. I say get a bagged c3 and miss out on cordless but actually have a clean home with a machine that'll last a lifetime and work like new until the day it dies (which may be never with care). My skin is crawling thinking about running my triflex all over my hard floors.

They're the best. It's hard to really capture why they're so amazing without using one yourself. I'm glad you like it! https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxUXkgU738xlrJ_rCqPFmY6qq3qnAlOkVP?si=5bIaqi_7qz98kfSq

The Miele C3 makes cleaning folks who haven't used one find God. It's that good. The only girl in the game sucking who NEVER quits. I believe Trixie bought the new Triflex Pro but katya seemingly has 3 C3s for the different floors of her old house 💀 I love that they give representation to every community, especially vacuum freaks like me 🥰

It depends which model you get and what region you're in. If you get a miele with the electric carpet brush, then it's suitable for all floor types and thickness of carpet. The suction only turbo nozzle vacuums are only suitable for thinner carpet and rugs, somewhat.

I do actually have to corroborate this because I do see people complaining (which is their experience) but in my many warranty requests with shark, they were pretty easy to work with, a the most I did was a little video call with a representative but tbh thts kinds nice because it's a person who's talking to you and affirming you're about to receive xyz products in the mail for free and here are the links to using it installing them. Sure the warranty is 4years maybe on their most premium vac (what's it today y'all?) and they will die eventually afterwards without parts. But hey the company is mostly upfront about their marketing first, wowing upfront performance and shorter life cycles (implicitly) and honor their contracts easily.

A shark apex was the first vacuum I bought myself as an adult. I grew up with a miele canister. After a year ish I immediately bought a miele canister on marketplace and ofc it was much better for slightly cheaper (a miele UniQ!). I cleaned up and gave that shark to my bestie's family who still use it (and know how to maintain it well). I bought my brother and Apex for his housewarming (before I got my uniq) and it's a great vacuum for them too but they're not very meticulous users (and have a German shepherd) so it died in under 4 years. As a vacuum nut who acquires new/user vacuums for fun for my loved ones, sharks best stuff does work better than 90% of the crap that's out there... But knowing what I know now after a decade+ of vacuum nuttery, things like a miele/Sebo noticeably and materially outperform a shark, no contest. The economics of shark ownership are really not there in my experience.... ESPECIALLY compared to a Kenmore... Also being a canister vacuum nuts makes me resent shark a little. Though I got my cousin to buy the shark canister and it's great but they're also not meticulous users so I should've found them a miele 🤷🏾 Sharks aren't bad~ but they're always worse... So why not get the better performer (Germans) or the better value (Kenmore)? This is also ignoring the consumerist plague that is the sharkninja company... Their products always mostly work but are also almost always mostly outlcassed by their peers. Overall, it's a "why bother" from me. But get off the cross buddy, you're not a Dyson owner 😂

Yes they still do and it's been the same vaccums: corded bagged machines. Even a corded bagged Bissell/Hoover can put in some work for a while with care. A Kenmore bagged vacuum is better. Miele and sebo are the best and can last 30 years with a bit of maintenance. Never expect any bagless or battery powered vacuum to survive daily service with shedding animals.

I wouldn't bother with the Kenmore because of the excess of hair. Get a miele with the seb228 or 236, not the seb217 (the skinnier shaft makes wraps more common, like with the Sebo ET1). What's your budget and timeline for the machine because I'm pretty gung ho about buying used and self servicing... But I recognize that's not for everyone and not everyone has a flexible budget. The Kenmore will work for years with care and you can service them decently easily. A miele will be a tank and feel better to use every moment you use it. The value of that price difference (let's say $400 vs $950 new) is up to you. A used like new Kenmore 600 series canister for ~$250 is an excellent price point for getting something that works and it can't be forgotten because of how inexpensive it is.

The simple existence of a bag in a vacuum changes a lot of dynamics of how vacuums work. Ultimately they're cleaner and easier to maintain and allow the machine to live longer. Bagless machines need to be emptied per room, and washed monthly to retain performance and live towards a decade. Bagged machines need a bag swap every few months and s filter swap yearly (or less frequently for a smaller or less active home). Having something "capture" the dust is better than having something to "hold" the dust, if that makes sense. It's not even a competition and it's just the fluid dynamics of the machines. Bagless machines were invented as a compromise (and the technology has not panned out in the way James Dyson originally envisioned, a la the failure of their "Cinetic" cyclones). And in that time bags have gotten better and cheaper to produce. So today, there's really no use for a bagless machine as a primary vacuum for a home.

After years of trying the best canister & cordless vacuums, I can assure you, no cordless vacuum can ever be as as great a cleaning machine as a great canister vacuum. But you do sacrifice portability & overall ease of use. They both have use cases. So now, we've the Miele Complete C3 Brilliant & the Dyson V15 Detect.