Riccar - SupraLite R17 Premium Lightweight Vacuum

Loved those, I sold a ton of Riccar lightweight vacs and could toss one in as a closer on the sale when the no tools question came up

yes I use riccar lightweights at home

They are ok , nice light vac, my wife had one when we met, now she has me bring home riccar lightweight, super power, I see a ton in my store now since the old Oreck stores went bankrupt

Sounds like most of your surfaces are hardwood vs carpet. If the carpet is low pile, you might be able to get a suction-only machine with a turbo floor tool. I recommend limiting your search to bagged models, none of the bagless models will provide the HEPA filtration you need. Are you in or near a city that has a vacuum dealer? If yes, they will assess your needs and work with you (discounts, demonstrations, etc.), its possible to get an entry level upright or canister in your budget and HEPA needs (Riccar Superlite, Miele C1). Most dealers have used models they refurbished at deep discounts from new/MSRP and have HEPA technology. Riccar, Filter Queen, Rainbow, Kirby, Sebo, Miele U1 and many others will meet your budget as a refurbished option.

Big fan of the riccar supralite. I’ll take that and an old school elctrolux any day.

I bought my Kirby used on FB Marketplace for $150. It is a heavy workhorse that ranks up there for BIFL. However, I got tired of the weight of the Kirby and bought a Riccar Supralite. The Riccar is awesome, but I cannot speak to the longevity yet as I've only had it about 5 months.

Just demo’d the Riccar Superlight. It did not impress me for the price. I have very light heart pine floors, low pile rugs and a couple of shag rugs. Going to Demo another Riccar with an auto sensor that adjusts for the flooring. It also has a really accessible hose with attachments fire furniture. I have 3 dogs a teenage lacrosse/track kids with dirty cleats, and a cat, so I vacuum twice a day. I like. Uprights with bags because they keep away dust and allergens. I will return with a review.

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.

Pricey but the last one you’ll buy is Riccar upright, bag. Best system out there.

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