Olympus (S2121)

I second the Miele S2 best vac I ever owned. And it’s very lightweight. Easy to carry upstairs.

Second the Melie. Best vacuum I’ve ever had. The Shark Navigator was way too heavy/bulky for me.

I have one of the cheapest ($400ish). It’s the S2, I believe. It’s best for hard flooring and very low pile carpet/rugs. If you have thicker pile carpet to deal with I would recommend going up to the mid range priced Mieles that can handle the thicker carpeting. I personally don’t think the highest priced Pet branded range is worth the cost. I’ve had up to 15 cats home at times, and found the lowest priced Miele to be more effective on fur and litter than any of the high priced Pet Vacs I’ve tried. All Mieles have the exact same suction power across all lines, which is the most important factor in a vac’s effectiveness. Also, the bags last a long time, so I don’t find the cost of bags to be an issue. Edit to add: the Miele is one of the lightest weight and quietest I’ve used as well.

Worth every penny and they last forever. These things just don’t break! Many people get a good 20-25 years out of their Mieles. And if repairs are needed they are usually fairly easy and inexpensive. I’ve had mine 7 years and nothing has broken/no loss of suction whatsoever. Love this thing!

No. Overpriced, too heavy/bulky, not ergonomic, breakdown easily. I’d rather use a cheap Shark over a Dyson. Miele vacuums, however, are well worth their hefty price tags. Bags are an added cost, but don’t need to be replaced as often as you’d think, and their vacuums last forever. I’m a housekeeper and my Miele is the best vacuum I’ve ever used. I’ve tried nearly every brand and style out there. Can’t recommend them enough. Edited to add that I used Shark for a number of years until I could save up for a Miele. A Shark is a decent vacuum and MUCH cheaper to replace than a Dyson.

Riccar upright for carpet and Miele canister for tile, laminate, hardwood and stairs.

Prices in Europe are more reasonable for Miele, Sebo and the Henry. Miele S series, Sebo K series and Henry would be the models I'ld be looking at.

Miele is consistently rated as the best among impartial, professional reviewers & can be bought for $300-$500 depending on the model They last a long time as well. Personally I use a Samsung Bespoke Jet, mostly for the convenience factor of having a dust station & no long cables to deal with. We also have an old Miele S series that does a good job after almost a decade (motor overheats a tad though).

Used Miele S series are also really good value and reliable, plus repairs are super easy too.

Having now had both (our White Pearl Miele croaked when it got used during home renovation and got into a pile of unauthorized sheetrock dust), I will say the Sebo is lighter, leaves fewer marks on the walls (I got the Airbelt D1 and use it every day), and (I have been told) performs better in the event it too inadvertently encounters unauthorized sheetrock dust. Both are German-made, and both brands do come with nice warranties... better warranties than other vacuums on the market. Plus they can be repaired. A friend told me she was supposed to throw away her Dyson if it broke, because even if it could be repaired, the cost would likely exceed the value of the vacuum.