AIRBELT D2 Eco 700 (90616NZ)

Go with Miele c&d BUT make sure it comes with the STB205-3 turbo brush attachment else buy it seperately. In New Zealand & Australia, Miele is sharply priced compared to the Sebo. the Sebo is not $900 better. It's maybe $100 better. I have a Sebo D2 Eco in NZ as my home is 100% hardfloor (laminate & tile) so take a look at that as well as its included bursh is good for small areas of carpet and rugs but make sure to buy the parquet premium brush for the hardfloor and remove the front yellow brush strip from it for best hardfloor performance.

Sorry I actually meant 305-3 and not 205-3. So get the Miele C&D with 305-3 unless you can score a Sebo D2 Eco for same price. One benefit of Sebo is that it has air bumpers around its body and it saves your gib walls from getting dings when it's dragging behind you on its wheels

Best comes down to the user preference and circumstance - floor types and other needs. However, some things for me are non negotiable; durability, ease of maintenance, repair and use and of course, performance - not just out of the box, but in 5 or 10 years. When it comes to performance, when it comes to carpets especially, suction is important, but it isn't the most important. Airflow and agitation are more important, to beat and flow the air through the carpet fibres, so the suction can take it away. The old Hoover advert - it beats as it sweeps as it clean a remains true and they had 300 watts. Hard floors generally don't require huge amounts of suction. Creating a good seal can also work, but that means snow ploughing large items, so usually you can't have one without the other, but some vacs have a retractable flap to allow large items in but keep the seal. These are usually on cordless vacs with lower power. Well designed corded vacuums with a powered brush bar is the starting point. You have to decide whether you prefer an upright or a canister, though personally I think a canister is more versatile. I don't understand the issues people have with using canisters, it's just a vacuum! That means you should buy a bagged vacuum. The Miele's have great suction and amazing filtration. The performance is superb BUT they are not as reliable as Sebo. The bags are more expensive, the brush rolls are not as easy to remove hair off or generally maintain and on the C3 range at least, there is an issue where the bags can fail to seat correctly and the dirt can fill the chamber around the bag, possibly getting into the motor. I think Sebo's are better options. In day to day use, the performance is essentially the same, the bags are bigger and they are easier to maintain. Furthermore, they all use the same power head, the ET-1, so the performance from that defines the pick up performance essentially. Any vacuum that uses it will have the same at the head performance, including the upright Felix/Dart. The brush roll can be removed to cut off hair and clean it, it can even be put in the dishwasher! The E Series is the sweet spot, but the D Series is fantastic but big. That would be my choice. Lindhaus also make excellent vacuums but they are harder to find and harder to get the spares for, but if you can, they shouldn't be overlooked.

Another left field option. As they are both bagged, I would have no concern buying a second hand machine, if in good condition. Indeed, I have done so, twice. If you replace the bag, filters and clean the pipes, you have essentially a clean, refurbished machine. Particularly with Sebo machines, you can replace virtually everything, including the brush bar very easily, which can’t be done in the Miele. My other concern with the Miele is the bag connector which is meant to close when the compartment closes, doesn’t always close properly, so dirt can escape the bag and fly around the compartment and potentially get past the motor filter. I have a C3 and it has done this on mine. It can be worse with fake bags, but it can happen with genuine bags too. It doesn’t happen with Sebo. Additionally, Sebo’s motors are rated for double the life of Miele’s and Mieles are rated at 4 times the life of Shark’s! Miele does have slightly better filtration, but not that you would notice in the real world. If there are second hand Sebo’s where you are, this may reduce the cost for you. The cleaning performance won’t be any less than a new machine and you can keep it performing as new very easily. I bought my second hand Felix for £10 when the family used it during a renovation to clean up drywall etc about 6 years ago. I changed the bag, filter and brush roll as ell as cleaning the hose and it still works perfectly.

Miele Guard L1, M1 or S1 (L1 is the best moving canister out there). All can be fitted with the HA50 H13 Hepa filter, which will make it the best filtering canister on the planet. Sebo E or D series are another fantastic option! Filtration is very similar, and they are built very well as well. The reason I've recommended options that are above $250, is because HEPA doesn't mean what it should. Lower end hepa filters just bleed dust over time, and units in that price range just aren't sealed units. They may try to claim they are.... they aren't. Some of them exhaust right on the floor, which blows the dust into the air. There is also the Miele Classic C1 series and Sebo K series. They aren't quite as good as the other models (why they are less expensive than them), but they are still much much much better than other vacuums out there.

See if any vac shops have any used Miele or Sebos with a good straight air tool (you probably don't need a powerhead, but if they have one where the price is right, it could then be an option). They are some of the most serviceable vacuums out there, which is important cause everything breaks at some point, and its nice to be able to fix it. They are also sealed units. You can add different tools later on to any of them, but powerheads can only be added to the electric hose models. Best models to look for would be: Miele Compact C1, C2, C3, or any guard series Sebo E or D series Their other models are still good, those are just the best.

Watch for how the vacuum exhausts if you’re getting a new one. The exhaust should be straight up, away from the floor. Not blowing right out the back or side against the floor, which blows the dust up in the air. Also, the hepa rating is not enough. There’s multiple levels of hepa, and just because a vacuum says it’s hepa, it doesn’t mean it’s an actual sealed system. I’ve tested plenty of “hepa” vacuums, just to find out they aren’t really hepa. Miele’s C3 / Guard Series are properly sealed vacuums. Add on an H13 hepa filter, and you truly have the best of the best. Sebo is another fantastic option - I’m very allergic to dust and it works awesome for myself. The airbelt even disperses the exhaust, so it helps the dust in the air settle, and doesn’t disrupt the dust on the floor. Anyone, and I will state this firmly, that says anything against Miele or Sebo as far as filtration, truly has not a clue what they are talking about, respectfully. Brands like Kenmore, Shark, Dyson, have no business being in the same conversation when it comes to filtration - they are without question worse. Edit: I will also add on, Miele and Sebo are Quiet vacuums.

If your vacuum's acting up like a rebellious teenager, the SEBO Airbelt might be your new best friend. Solid build and suction that won’t quit!

Sebo Airbelt. Expensive, but never going back to bagless Target brands ever again.

I hated my clunky, messy, stinky Dyson Animal Ball for many reasons and am glad to go back to an old school bagged vacuum and plan to be very happy with my new bagged Sebo canister. That doesn’t mean I’m looking down at other people’s choices, I’m not. Before I found this site, I thought Shark was the way to go and it wouldn’t have necessarily been bad, it just wouldn’t have held up for long.

I went sebo (E3) over miele due to: cheaper, better warranty, cheaper parts and repair, and sebo does one thing (make vacuums)... suprised theres no sebo dealer nearby, I recommend trying to fine one even if its a drive. Think of SEBO like volkswagen, and MIELE like BMW. the variety of responses here are proof positive of TRY BEFORE BUY I tried miele, sebo uprights, sebo felix, sebo canister. disliked the felix immediately upon trying, despite my mind leaning felix during the online research phase! I'm a total convert from upright to canister (or at least sebos version of it) but you need to assess if you can handle the quirks of a canister. downsides of a canister: 1) one more thing to keep track of (I got used to it fast, I just kick it around or pull it by the hose) 2) harder to store (pending a good solution to this...) 3) heavier to take up the stairs (but easier to actually vacuum said stairs) Upsides of the canister: 1) lighter IN HAND (the weight of the vacuum is supported by the floor, not your hand, in use). 2) cord rewind (wrapping up cords after a upright vacuum session sucks, the SEBO you just unplug and step on the retract button. 3) much easier to do top to bottom detail vacuuming (fans, vents, dusting, cabinets, walls, pictures, shelves, dusting), wand/hose mode reaches many more high places and without tipping over the upright. 4) easier to maneuver the power head. yes you gotta maneuver the canister into position, but once you do you can get that powerhead into alot more difficult to reach places (under beds, couches, rugs, tables). Easier to maneuver the canister than moving furniture. I'm over cordless due to wall to wall carpet, the time limit (good for quick pickups only), and I really dislike the cleaning/washing/emptying of bagless machines (which most cordless are). The whole reason I vacuum is to GET RID of dust, dirt and nastiness... why do I wanna go touching and breathing it later... in concentrated form, bathing in a big ol dust cloud?!