Riccar - Spirit Plus Upright Vacuum R21PLUS

The Spirit is one of the better Riccar machines you can buy right now. It's basically the old Vibrance put back into production and that was always a pretty good vacuum. Riccars are decent vacuums when they're more simple and have more elements that are built in the states.

We have a Riccar, which we got from the local vacuum shop. It’s a bagged model and it plugs in, but it’s fantastic. Best vacuum I’ve ever owned. It was between Riccar and Miele for us, and we preferred the Riccar. We also have a Shark stick that we use for spot cleaning. It’s definitely not as good.

Not surprised about the rug. You need raw power to effectively clean a rug like that. Sebo G-series upright. Riccar upright. Etc. Almost any premium level upright will accomplish this task without issue. I prefer Sebo’s quick change rollers for dog hair homes though. Makes cleaning the brush extremely easy. Canisters will work too but most folks don’t want to deal with dragging or carrying a canister around. You tend to get a little more filtration this way. If you want cheaper box store brand, a Shark Navigator/Apex type with duoclean and powerfins. Know these are more plastic and prob won’t last as long as more premium brands. Find a vacuum dealer near you. My local shop markets with the brand name Oreck. They have lots of floor models you can try before you buy. One of the important aspects to check out is weight. Is it comfortable to whomever will be operating it?

I trust vacuum recommendations on the internet (and Reddit) as much as I do mattress recommendations. The Carpet and Rug Institute, whose board includes members from companies like Shaw and Mohawk who manufacture carpet (https://carpet-rug.org/about-us/board-of-directors/), maintains a certified list of vacuums (https://carpet-rug.org/soa-vacuums/). You can filter by residential and commercial. Of course there are good vacuums that aren't certified. I have no affiliation with them but do happen to own a bagged Hoover WindTunnel (2006), two Riccar uprights (\~2017, one was a gift), and a Sebo canister vac. I can get the Riccar and Sebo serviced nearby and I stock some spare parts, for example the Riccar brush roll has replaceable brush strips.

If you get a room a for daily upkeep, get the one that empties itself. I love my room a but wish I would’ve gotten the self-emptying base. My upright is a Riccar. I’ve also owned a Miehle canister vac. Both are outstanding

I like my riccar upright. It’s very lightweight and works great.

Miele canister or Riccaro upright. Bagged vacuum all the way.

We got tired of replacing vacuums every other year. Three large dogs. Bought an upright Riccar about 15 years ago, and it works like a champ. Ok, bags and maintenance add up, but at we still have a vacuum that works.

For Miele, it’s would be a C3 series, or Guard L1 with an electric powerhead and good floor brush. Add the HA50 H13 Hepa filter if you want the best filtering vacuum in the world. For Sebo, the K3 is under $1000, but the more powerful models are E3 or D4 premium with the ET-1 powerhead (best powerhead in the world). This time of year being that sales are more likely to start popping up, a Sebo dealer will happily give a deal on each model to get within or closer to your budget. If you want uprights, Sebo X4 or Felix, or a top model riccar (riccar will have a bit more power, but I’d personally chose the X4 or Felix).

Mine imploded in less than a year. The motor died and it ate its own belt. Come to find out Most major brands in big box stores are owned by the same Chinese company and do not offer repairs. Just got a Riccar and am very happy with it