Miele - S6290 Silence

holy shit god bless you for this lol this is so inside baseball but so great to have omg. have an organization I’m working with trying to figure out a vacuum situation and they’re so sold on the gm80 (obvi great and what I trained with but $$$$ I think someone else sold them on it… rightfully so but it’s just so pricy) but the cost of the museum/rheostat models is obviously so steep it makes me insane. i get sooo frustrated w/ the state of info on this sort of thing– have genuinely always suspected that there’s a lot of opportunity for DIYing this particular aspect (there’s enough crossover with like, dust extractors&some aspects of cnc routing vac/dust remover things that people have had to diy) but obviously the field is so small & “quiet” that it’s been hard to find resources. for OP- i *have* used variable speed Miele vacs with HEPA filters on the “curtains”/drapery settings on some pretty delicate stuff w/ cheesecloth and muslin to dampen and it’s worked fine. also hear decent things about HEPA filter variable speed dust extractors by Festool– they are very well respected/truly Loved in non museum contexts & i know some conservators that use them!! but haven’t been able to personally try them out yet

i would recommend the miele vacuums, which have HEPA FILTERS and a speed dial to control the suction force. they are around $700, depending on the model but even the basic ones are great. we have had some for 10 years of intense use and they are still working perfectly fine. considering their usefulness and life span, they are totally worth it

Any miele or sebo cylinder would be a great choice. Either can be optioned with a dedicated hard floor brush with no brushbar, no wheels even. And the cylinders themselves have soft rubberized wheels. Best all around option for delicate hard floors.

The airstorm, while good, is no better than a miele or sebo. I wouldn't pay the premium. Mieles and sebos are also sealed to trap dust. They are also more modern in design and easier to use (they have cord rewind while the air storm does not). There's nothing really bespoke about the airstorm. Underneath the top shell, the power nozzle is the same as ones avaliable for Miele models. The hose and other tools are generic off-the-shelf supplies etc. While it would probably last you a long time and do a good job, you might resent using it. I'd strongly suggest you try one in person before choosing, and frankly I'd save money and go with a nicer to use miele/sebo.

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.

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

I have serious allergies and have a Miele canister HEPA vac (it’s not “bag vs. canister”, canister is a form factor for vacs). I have a version with the electro brush which is needed for carpet - if you don’t have carpet, you don’t need it. It is a true sealed system with a HEPA filter. I didn’t know it was possible to feel this strongly about a vacuum, truly - but I love my Miele. It’s great for vacuuming furniture and everything else you can think of, as there are lots of attachments and it has adjustable suction. Due to my allergies I vacuum just about everything with it.

Sorry to be unclear! I didn’t give the model name because I got a special issue vacuum that isn’t available anymore. But, the two key factors for the Miele models are: 1) Do you need an electrobrush or not (yes if you have carpet or think you might in the future, no otherwise); and is it a HEPA filtered or not. Mine has both. Both of these factors make the vacuum more expensive. HEPA is optional on some of their models IIRC. MIne does not have all the premium bells and whistles like a lighted electrobrush and onboard accessories, as I didn’t feel these were essential to me and I was trying to keep costs down. I think I paid about $550.

Even if you pay more for the stick, still buy the Miele. :-) I have a Miele HEPA canister and a Dyson V12, with a total cost of about $1000 (on sale). They are more than worth it.

I too vote for having both. My housecleaner uses my Miele HEPA canister to do a deeper clean of all the floors and to vacuum upholstery, baseboards, etc. I use a Dyson V12 ($450 on sale) for quick cleanups on my hard surface floors in between house cleaner visits - basically, what you would use a broom for in the old days. Plus, I use it as a hand vac. Tbh, I also have a second cordless I use for quick vacuums of my carpeted bedrooms in between housecleaner visits. And, a shop vac for the unfinished basement and screened in porch. It might seem extravagant to have paid almost $1500 for this four-vacuum collection. But, I expect them to last me many years, and they keep my house a lot cleaner with less work! Plus, I save money on housecleaning as these vacuums allow me to go longer between cleaning visits. Four less housecleaner visits a year saves $900, so they have already paid for themselves.

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.

My Miele canister HEPA vacuum has lasted me thru 3 Labs so far and it is still running great. Yea it is expensive but this is "last forever" kind of vacuum. If you have rugs get the rug attachment head that is motorized (as opposed to the rug attachment where the brush spins based solely on suction). I have had this vacuum now for 18 yrs.

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.