Riccar - Tandem Air Premium Pet Upright Vacuum

I'm shocked in /r/buyitforlife, that the Riccar brand isn't mentioned once.  This list feels like a list of well marketed applicances, not lifetime purchases.  As others point out, most of these are pretty, throwaway, plastic devices that will perform okay for a few years.   Hands down my Riccar Tandem Premium vacuum is once of the finest appliances I've ever owned.  The unit rattles my house when I run it to shake the dirt out of carpet.  It's designed to be entered disassembled and rebuilt with sourceable parts for any repairs that might be needed.

Riccar uses tandem motors in the RD 30 and RD 40. Best vacs you can buy today.

No cordless, no bag less. Riccar makes the best. All with warranty over a year. Great quality. Last forever plus decades.

Riccar? That’s in my top 3.

Real vacuum dealerships will not sell Dyson any longer. Many other traditional brands either because those companies have decided to produce in Asia and change designs super fast. It is the OPPOSITE of sustainability, it is planned obsolescence at an incredible level. Vacs should not be bought online and a big box stores, these machines do not clean carpet/air, are designed to fail, can’t be serviced and are literal fire hazards. Man the stories I can tell you about “brand new” machines. Most were manufactured years before they reached the consumer. CAVEAT EMPTOR. Dealerships sell quality machines, built to last, serviceable, at great competitive prices, with warranties that do not cost extra. You can’t find service like that anywhere! Find a dealer and buy Riccar or Sebo.

See a local dealer. If they are too far, check Riccar on the web then hit me back. Riccar is best by far. BAGGED ONLY.

Depends on the needs. I’ve owned many premium vacs. Kirby, Rainbow, Hyla, Riccar, Sebo, Miele, and several cheaper vacs like Dyson, Shark, Kenmore, etc. This includes Riccar Tandem Air upright, Kirby Avalir, Rainbow E2 & SRX, Hyla N and EST Defender, Miele C3, Miele CX1 Blizzard, Sebo E3 and D4 Premium canisters. Canister - Miele Complete C3 Brilliant - easiest canister to use - best-filtering - most suction and airflow out of all canisters I’ve used - best-cleaning power nozzles - comes with my favorite hard floor tool - don’t have to bend over to do things with it Upright - Kirby Avalir - best-cleaning vac for carpet that I have used/ owned - highest airflow available (higher airflow = better carpet cleaning) - most aggressive power nozzle with firm brush roll - this is my heavy-hitter for maximum dirt removal from carpet - can do a ton of other things but carpet is where they shine - I do feel it does a better job cleaning than my Riccar Tandem Air did on our carpet. Water-based Filtration Vac - Rainbow E2 - when paired with the SRX PN3 v1 power nozzle, it cleans carpet very well. - like the Miele C3, it is H13-rated HEPA - parts availability is awesome - super easy to service - The Hyla is a little easier to use and pull around but it doesn’t have as much suction as the Rainbow E2.

I love mine, got it about 2 months ago and it’s the best vac I’ve ever used. I now prefer it over my bagged Riccar which I bought years ago, after going down a Reddit rabbit hole on vacuums.

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?

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

Riccar has been the best vacuum of all these manufacturers. If not myself I have seen my work go through tens of big box store vacuums and nothing comes close to the Riccar quality, effectiveness and lifespan.

Oh man i use a riccar for one of my buildings but the thing's been broken for 3 weeks now 😭

I have a Riccar and also got the stick vac on Black Friday. Went with the self empty model and the way that thing is just easy to use has me grabbing it more often than not.

I repaired vacuums for a few years. The oldest and best models we worked on were Miele and Riccar. They are easily serviceable as a tech, and worked far better than any Dyson or Shark. The cheap molded plastics on Dyson specifically taught me to never trust advertising and to do my own research. Also for people with allergies and pets, I also learned if you use a bagless vacuum that you're doing yourself more harm than good. Tons of videos and I've seen it in person, bagless vacs not only leak a lot after minimal use but throw more dust/particles in the air than even the worst bagged vacs. I traded my Dyson for a Riccar on Craigslist, and kept an old trade in Miele built in the 80s. They both are far better and easier to work on than the heap I traded out.

Maybe I missed it but in your links is the only place I’ve seen Riccar referenced. High quality vacuum- not sure how it’s not in OP’s data

I have a Shark Pet Pro Stick that plugs in, and it's really great on my hardwood floors and area rugs. I can't speak to super longevity yet, I've had it since 2023 with no issues. I used to have a Riccar, which is one of the good (but not quite Miele expensive) brands, and it was incredible- but it was also really heavy, and cumbersome. For me, regardless of how "good" the appliance is, the best one is the one I actually use. This and the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser handheld are my super duo. I have a short-haired dog who sheds like crazy and a maine coon. The tumblefuzz happens quickly if I skip a cleaning day.

I love my Riccar.

Bought a Riccar in 2016 because of him and that thing is still amazing.

Seriously I remember back when that vacuum guy used to post amazing threads about vacuums and I bought a Riccar from his recommendation. I LOVE it. 8 years going strong.

I saw a comment above that said probably because you can’t buy them on Amazon. You gotta go to one of those vacuum stores people usually pass by and go who buys vacuums there? People that want awesome vacuums that’s who! Love my Riccar BTW.

I absolutely love my Riccar.

I’m just here 5 months late. I received a Riccar for my wedding five years ago. Literally one of the best household tools I’ve ever used. QOL improvement over the vacuums I grew up with was night and day. 

really. i have one for 4 years and it is is a powerhouse. just make sure it does catch onto other things like cords, rugs, etc