Miele - Flamenco II (S251i, S251)

I have a Dyson Animal 2 and it’s the only vacuum from Dyson I have not hated. I would see if you can find any used on eBay or Facebook marketplace or somewhere like that. Its capacity is large enough you could clean the whole house without dumping. Suction is decent but as a heads up it’s pretty loud. As are most Dysons. Maybe see if you can find a used Miele canister vacuum that’s an older model within your price range. I have a flamenco 2 from Miele (budget early 2000s model) got it for $60 and that thing absolutely rips! It’s not bagless but the bags are fairly cheap and you don’t have to replace them as often as you might think. Not sure how old you are but I always think it’s worth mentioning: If you think you want a bagless vacuum because you’ve only had bagless as a adult and have memories of your parent(s) struggling changing messy hard to clip in bags that’s a way of the past. Bagged machines really aren’t more work compared to bagless and the suction / cleaning capacity will always be better. You have to change the bag every couple months on a quality machine not ever time you vacuum.

The general consensus here is that stick vacs as a whole aren't good. I think I'm inclined to agree when it comes to the absolute budget end of the spectrum like this. They won't perform and they won't last long. However I do genuinely think that stick vacs serve a purpose so I'm not against them like a lot of others on this sub. I have one that I use for quick pick ups and a quick run around every few days just to keep things looking ok. It is hugely convenient and my most used vacuum. But I have a corded canister and upright vacuum for deeper cleans every week or so. If I need to do a "proper" clean, the stick vac isn't coming out. You just have to go into the purchase knowing that even if you spend a little more, they're not going to be the longest lasting thing and won't perform as well as a half decent mains powered vacuum with a powered head, and in some cases they won't even perform as well as a canister with a turbo brush. Do you need the convenience of a stick vac? And what flooring do you mainly have?

Whilst it's less convenient, I find a canister vacuum the lightest to work with, although you do need to manoeuvre the machine around on the floor. With a canister you're barely holding any weight in your hand, it's all down on the floor. For above floor cleaning it's the best experience, and then for carpets and floors it's also easy as you're only pushing around the wand and floor head. In terms of lightweight sticks I don't know too many really I'm afraid. Sebo balance and Dyson V12 are both light. I can't speak to the longevity and quality of either though. I owned a V12 for a bit and it was light to use but I returned it as couldn't justify the expense for my daily runaround vacuum. I own a Levoit LVAC 200 which is...fine...but does a poor job on carpets, it will really only skim the surface. I replaced that with a Tineco Pure One Station Five. It's a bit heavier but it does the job and I picked it up new in box on eBay for about £125. The self empty station really helps and it does an ok job just keeping things looking clean. However I'm not sure how long it'll last as some of the joints are already getting creaky and loose.

If you get one with a turbo brush it'll be ok, not fantastic but it'll be better than just a straight suction head. I use a Miele canister with a turbo brush and it doesn't dig as deep as my upright with a powered head but it's fine. If you have low pile carpets then it should be ok. For me the convenience of a canister is the versatility of using it for above floor cleaning of upholstery, dusting etc...then also hard floors and area rugs/carpets. There are very limited canister vacuums available in the UK with powered heads, basically I think it's only Sebo who do them now - the K3, E3 and D4. However even the K3 is probably above your budget.

I have a bagged Miele cylinder as my main vacuum and a cordless bagless stick as a daily run around/quick pick up machine. There's no way the bagless stick could ever serve as my main vacuum. The Miele serves as a regular vacuum, DIY clean up machine, duster etc...has served me well for 9 years now and just keeps going and going. I cannot imagine the cordless stick I have lasting anything like as long - it's already feeling rickety and creaky after less than a year and I take good care of it. If you can afford it - Bagged corded vacuum for your main vacuum, cordless stick for a secondary run around.

OP, I've wrestled with dog hair clogs myself. My Miele bag canister crushed hardwood, though my older Dyson and Shark weren't much better. I ended up checking ConsumerRating for ideas since it cut through the nonsense, and my cleaning life got a bit easier. Best to stick with something proven for fur and floor.

Miele! Seriously a game changer with my two long haired, triple coated dogs.

The first time I used the carpet steamer after vacuuming with the Miele there was 1 tiny little ball of fur like the size of a peanut. I was used to the carpet steamer pulling up gross, soggy clumps of hair that the vacuum had missed. Worth every penny!

We bought a canister during COVID germ panic and I am never going back. We have pets and the difference in what the canister picked up vs our upright Hoover was astounding. Edited to say we went with Miele.

Thank you for your reply! I did try a corded Miele in 2017, which was allegedly the most powerful vacuum they had at the time (within the 900 W limit, of course). I was not impressed, at least not enough to actually buy it, even though it was much cheaper than they are nowadays. I'm sure they have gotten better over the last 7 years, but by how much? And is it really enough to defend the insane price tag? I understand that this price level is "the new normal", and therefore by definition not "insane" anymore, but still – I'm having a really hard time dishing out all that money without getting something absolute premium in return. And nowadays, I don't.

Sounds like you are on the right path. For what it's worth, we have loved our miele's. We have both a floor canister that stays on the lower level and a rechargeable stick for everywhere else.

Bagged vacuums are needed if you have significant allergies. Once I’ve removed something from my home, I don’t want to have to breath it again when I empty the vacuum canister. I actually have three - a bagged, corded canister (Miele), for deeper cleaning; a bagged cordless (Hoover OnePower) for quick pickups on carpet; and a bagless cordless (Dyson V12) for quick pickups on hard surfaces. This seems to keep my house the cleanest. IMO the Dyson doesn’t have enough suction power for carpet even for quick pickups.

I would say that anyone whose allergies are significant enough that they are concerned about them would benefit from a bagged vacuum with good sealing and a HEPA filter, that also does well at deep cleaning not only floors but upholstery, curtains etc. That’s why I have my Miele. If they are not concerned, they can use whatever vacuum they want. I’ve had people on this sub say they think allergens don’t go into the air when you empty out a bagless vacuum. If someone like that has allergies but prefers a bagless that doesn’t do a good job on carpet, it’s their life.

i was so disappointed by the miele i bought ([proof](https://www.reddit.com/r/VacuumCleaners/comments/hd317t/got_a_miele_disappointed_help/)) that ive since assumed everyone on reddit is a shill and yes i tried the $150 heads and i made sure the vacuum is turned On etc etc

I have a Miele canister. Love it! We have a lot of hard surfaces (hard wood and tile). I got the extra large attachment for hard floors, but honestly the normal sized one it comes with would be sufficient.

I have a Miele canister vac that's great for hardwoods and rugs. personally, I prefer it to a stick vacuum (I can use it in couch crevices/on any upholstery, etc), and it's going on 24 years strong.