txcanoegirl
Power Conserver
My old Eureka Boss Smartvac was about 10-15 years old. The bristles on the beater bar all worn off. I was just about to order a new beater bar because that thing just kept on sucking up cat hair and dirt. Glad I hadn't spent the money yet because I plugged it in and started vacuuming and the darned thing started sparking and smoking! I was all set to buy another Eureka Smartvac, but after borrowing my mother's "newer" one (maybe 5 years old), I hated it. Hers is heavier and harder to handle, maneuver, and control. I don't know if the model I wanted is like hers or my old one because no one seems to sell it here...and I have looked. The model I was interested in is the Eureka Boss SmartVac Model 4870 MZ with the powered "power paw" attachment for pet hair.
Bagged models always seemed cleaner to me. I've always used bagged ones at home, but I used to have a small bagless at my office that was messy. Emptying the cup wasn't the problem, but getting the filters clean was a hassle. I always hated emptying that dust cup. It never seemed clean and the pleated filter was always dirty. However, it seems like a lot of people like the bagless today. Have they improved them that much?
If you have switched to a bagless model, are you happy with it? Would you go back to a bagged model if you had the choice?
I can't afford an expensive vacuum cleaner. I'm okay with the approx $150 cost of the Eureka and I almost bought the bagless Shark Rotator 3-in-1 at Bed Bath and Beyond yesterday with my 20% off coupon ($249 before discount), but changed my mind at the last minute, afraid that some of the features were just gimmicks that won't really be useful to me. Here are links to the only two vacuums I've considered so far...
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=40446653 (shark)
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=16386464 (eureka)
I have three cats. I have a low pile wool carpet in about 1/3 of my house. The house is about 2000 sq feet. I have original heart pine floors (this is a 100 year old farmhouse) in four bedrooms, with rugs covering part of the floor. The kitchen floor is pine. With the rooms with the wood floors and rugs, cat hair seems to accumulate along the perimeter of the room. I usually sweep the wood part and either vacuum it up or use a dust pan. It's a one story house, so I don't need to vacuum stairs.
It's also a working farmhouse, so even though we try to be clean and neat, it seems that we track in some leaves, grass, and dirt, despite our best efforts.
Any advice for a low to moderately priced vacuum that will handle both types of floors? Or is that a pipe dream?
What do you like about your vacuum and what do you dislike about it?
I'm open to suggestions for bagged vs bagless, upright vs canister.
I'm going to look up the vacuum Nifty likes so well and check out the features, too.
Your experiences are especially valuable if you bought your vacuum cleaner within the last 2-3 years. Older than that, and the model may be obsolete or the design and quality may have changed significantly.
Help, please!
Jill
Bagged models always seemed cleaner to me. I've always used bagged ones at home, but I used to have a small bagless at my office that was messy. Emptying the cup wasn't the problem, but getting the filters clean was a hassle. I always hated emptying that dust cup. It never seemed clean and the pleated filter was always dirty. However, it seems like a lot of people like the bagless today. Have they improved them that much?
If you have switched to a bagless model, are you happy with it? Would you go back to a bagged model if you had the choice?
I can't afford an expensive vacuum cleaner. I'm okay with the approx $150 cost of the Eureka and I almost bought the bagless Shark Rotator 3-in-1 at Bed Bath and Beyond yesterday with my 20% off coupon ($249 before discount), but changed my mind at the last minute, afraid that some of the features were just gimmicks that won't really be useful to me. Here are links to the only two vacuums I've considered so far...
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=40446653 (shark)
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=16386464 (eureka)
I have three cats. I have a low pile wool carpet in about 1/3 of my house. The house is about 2000 sq feet. I have original heart pine floors (this is a 100 year old farmhouse) in four bedrooms, with rugs covering part of the floor. The kitchen floor is pine. With the rooms with the wood floors and rugs, cat hair seems to accumulate along the perimeter of the room. I usually sweep the wood part and either vacuum it up or use a dust pan. It's a one story house, so I don't need to vacuum stairs.
It's also a working farmhouse, so even though we try to be clean and neat, it seems that we track in some leaves, grass, and dirt, despite our best efforts.
Any advice for a low to moderately priced vacuum that will handle both types of floors? Or is that a pipe dream?
What do you like about your vacuum and what do you dislike about it?
I'm open to suggestions for bagged vs bagless, upright vs canister.
I'm going to look up the vacuum Nifty likes so well and check out the features, too.
Your experiences are especially valuable if you bought your vacuum cleaner within the last 2-3 years. Older than that, and the model may be obsolete or the design and quality may have changed significantly.
Help, please!
Jill
I'm actually in the market myself at the moment 
Soon as I get done though, I'll start up again. I'm getting pretty desperate here. I swear my cats have been having little tussles with each other just to leave extra tufts of hair on the carpet!
That's because you're so busy w/ taxes, you aren't chilling with them.
