good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
Post Reply
Topic Author
montanagirl
Posts: 1805
Joined: Thu Nov 19, 2009 3:55 pm
Location: Montana

good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by montanagirl »

I've been looking to replace our horribly expensive Kirby vacuum that we bought to give the stepson a leg up when he was selling them...right before he quit. I can't believe what we paid. :x

And I never liked the unit because I couldn't easily pull the hose out to do corners like I could with my old Eureka. Which Kirby insisted we trade in. The Kirby is a big hassle to switch to hose-mode.

There seems to be all sorts of vacuums for 150-200 but I have no idea how loud or heavy they are. Walmart and Costco have them up real high so you can't pick them up. Some have hoses attached much like the Eureka but I can't tell if you can easily pull it out and do corners. As usual all stores have slightly different model numbers so it's hard to compare apples to apples.

I really don't want to do the more expensive Dyson thing though I know they're good.

Any recommendations, either of what to buy or what not to buy?
Fallible
Posts: 8798
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2009 3:44 pm

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by Fallible »

"Consumer Reports" online gives you a start, at least at deciding what kind of vacuum you want. You need to subscribe for ratings, but you can get those in the CR magazines at the library. http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/vacuum-cleaners.htm

As for Eureka, I still run the Eureka upright my mother bought in the '80s and it seems to pick up as well as the Hoover upright with attachments I bought for about $150 several years ago. Be sure to try out the vacuum at the store.
"Yes, investing is simple. But it is not easy, for it requires discipline, patience, steadfastness, and that most uncommon of all gifts, common sense." ~Jack Bogle
User avatar
Feb29
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Feb 29, 2012 6:52 pm
Location: Chicago Area

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by Feb29 »

We had 2 Hoover Wind Tunnels, one of which was self-propelled. We didn't like either; they cleaned OK, but they were very heavy. Then we got a Hoover Tempo, based on a Consumer Reports review. It performs really well and it's fairly light. It uses bags and it has all the tools. It's on Amazon for $72.
User avatar
Bengineer
Posts: 655
Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:25 am
Location: NC

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by Bengineer »

I have a Panasonic MC-CG902. It has worked for me for the last few years. Light use. I got a wide bare floor head for it as well. I second perusing CR for the type that works for you.
User avatar
CABob
Posts: 5091
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2007 7:55 pm
Location: Southern California

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by CABob »

We recently bought a Shark Professional Rotator and are very happy with it. It is not particularly light but is quite maneuverable due to its design. It is picking up a lot of pet hair that our prior Hoover Wind Tunnel was not getting. If you shop around you might get it for less than $200. Check QVC, Costco, and various sales.
Shark link
Bob
User avatar
camper
Posts: 895
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2008 10:51 pm
Location: My side of the mountain

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by camper »

We picked up this one at Costco a couple of weeks ago. We primarily got it for use on our stairs. We tried it on the carpet after vacuuming with our Dyson. We were surprised at how much the Dyson had left behind and the Shark picked up. We shall see how long the Shark lasts. It is also on sale.
dgdevil
Posts: 938
Joined: Sun Feb 20, 2011 12:42 pm

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by dgdevil »

Don't buy the Hoover Widepath Tempo, which was - and maybe still is - a CR favorite for some time. It is very heavy and doesn't pick up anything. I canceled my CR subscription as a result. Sadly I am stuck with it because I bought a ton of filter bags.
User avatar
ray.james
Posts: 1902
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2011 4:08 am

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by ray.james »

I use Bissel's cleanview($79) vacuum cleaner.Works very well with the carpet. Not so well with tiles. Wouldn't recommend if everything was a hardwood floor. But on carpet it just makes those nice lines of cleanliness :) .It also comes with long hose for corners, patio cleanup.

Also, after 3 years I cleaned up my vacuum cleaner, replaced its belt and filter for 15$. I realized the vacuum has more suction, compared to when I got it from a friend who moved out of town. I read up a little bit and realized that belts become loose over time. The vacuum cleaner loses a lot of suction due to belts/improper air flow from filters. When I cleaned house after repair, surprising amount of dirt was collected. I am probably gonna do this maintenance every 1-2 years now.
When in doubt, http://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=79939
random_walker_77
Posts: 2212
Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 8:49 pm

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by random_walker_77 »

Don't rule out the Dyson on price. Years ago, we got a refurbished dc17 for a little under $200, and couldn't be happier with its performance over the years. (Hard use in a 4000 sq ft house!)

Keep an eye out on slickdeals. New and refurbished deals show up periodically. Just set up a deal alert.

Example of recent deal: (New dc40 for $180)

http://slickdeals.net/f/7866543-dyson-d ... SiteSearch
red5
Posts: 798
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2012 4:42 pm

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by red5 »

I'll second the previous posters who mentioned the Shark. I bought a Shark from Costco for about $150.00 six months ago (I think it is the Deluxe model) and have been very pleased with it.
User avatar
Sheepdog
Posts: 5783
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:05 pm
Location: Indiana, retired 1998 at age 65

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by Sheepdog »

Kenmore Progressive 31069 ($200), a Consumer Reports bagged upright best buy. I bought this one last fall. It is great, especially for hard to pick up pet hair.
Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered you will never grow. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
amateurnovice
Posts: 168
Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2015 1:56 pm

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by amateurnovice »

I found a Dyson on clearance for $200 at a Kroger - they started selling home furnishings, etc. and this one didn't sell. I don't know the model but it has yellow parts to it. Works great on carpet, rugs, and hard surfaces. Hose attachment works great too. Plus, $200 at Kroger = 200 fuel points.
User avatar
stemikger
Posts: 4950
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 5:02 am

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by stemikger »

After my Electrolux finally bit the dust after 20 years, I bought a commercial Oreck.

I have only had it for a year, but it is very lightweight and very powerful. It is the best vacuum I have ever owned.

http://www.amazon.com/Oreck-Commercial- ... commercial

I work in a large office building and I noticed this is the vacuum they use. I also see it in several large hotels, which tells me they probably last and are used to heavy duty use.
Choose Simplicity ~ Stay the Course!! ~ Press on Regardless!!!
JDot
Posts: 372
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2015 10:15 pm

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by JDot »

For this price range, I also recommend the Shark. I did a good bit of researching. Sorry I don't have the precise model in front of me. One reviewer basically said it did about 95% as well as the ones that cost $400-600. I thought this was a very candid way to put it.
karpems
Posts: 170
Joined: Wed Nov 13, 2013 6:35 am

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by karpems »

We have a shark. Very happy with it. Has a great warranty as well.
Topic Author
montanagirl
Posts: 1805
Joined: Thu Nov 19, 2009 3:55 pm
Location: Montana

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by montanagirl »

camper wrote:We picked up this one at Costco a couple of weeks ago. We primarily got it for use on our stairs. We tried it on the carpet after vacuuming with our Dyson. We were surprised at how much the Dyson had left behind and the Shark picked up. We shall see how long the Shark lasts. It is also on sale.
The link does not work.

Funny, no one has mentioned whether their choice has that removable hose feature. I don't even know what that is called but it's very important to me. The Kirby requires that the whole front end be removed before the hose can be attached.
jeff1949
Posts: 876
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2007 9:43 am
Location: Salem, OR

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by jeff1949 »

Here are a couple of links to the Costco Shark. They are both described the same but get different reviews.....strange:

http://www.costco.com/Shark%c2%ae-Rotat ... 54977.html

http://www.costco.com/.product.10013715 ... loedViewCP
User avatar
sunny_socal
Posts: 2732
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2015 4:22 pm

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by sunny_socal »

We have an Electrolux, no problems.

Had a Dyson at one point, would not buy again:
- Very strong suction, at least initially
- Will lose suction once it fills up, just like any vacuum...
- Plastic parts became brittle after a couple years and developed cracks
- Loud and heavy

YMMV
User avatar
JupiterJones
Posts: 3623
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 3:25 pm
Location: Nashville, TN

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by JupiterJones »

Surprised to see all the positive comments about the Shark. I only know of it from those infomercials, and for some reason I assume that products sold that way are, by default, mediocre. Guess I'll have to rethink that.

Are they fairly quiet? That's my biggest gripe with our current vac--it sounds like a 747 taking off. :shock:
"Stay on target! Stay on target!"
pinhead
Posts: 142
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 8:47 pm

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by pinhead »

Get a refurbished Dyson on ebay from authorized seller. You WONT regret it.
snackypants
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2015 12:37 pm

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by snackypants »

We bought a Shark Navigator to replace a Dyson canister vacuum a couple of years ago, and it was shocking how little the Dyson had been picking up. The Shark was 1/3 the price, is easier to maneuver around, and gets consistently good reviews from Consumer Reports. We have two short-haired dogs and two cats, so there is a fair amount of vacuuming to be done in our house every week.

As a side note, I have learned when making a larger purchase to read the one-star Amazon reviews to see if the gripes are something I could live with, or if they are things that would create buyers remorse. I only learned this after buying the Dyson and then later reading the one-star reviews and realizing just how awful a product it was.
fsrph
Posts: 1610
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2009 7:54 pm
Location: Pa.

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by fsrph »

I'll jump on the Shark bandwagon. Bought one of these http://www.amazon.com/Shark-NV22L-Navig ... B002IPHBNE. Amazing how well it works. My cousin bought the same model and it did a terrific job picking up cat fur. Bought mine at Walmart so it was easily returnable. Amazing how much this vacuum picked up after its first use. That's all what my old vacuum missed.

Francis
"Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get." | Dale Carnegie
User avatar
kenyan
Posts: 3015
Joined: Wed Jan 12, 2011 11:16 pm

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by kenyan »

Another vote for Shark. We have the Navigator Lift-Away Pro, and it is powerful and easy to use. We had one issue with the main rotating brush head swivel joint, but Shark replaced the large head under (5-year) warranty for just the shipping cost. I use it weekly on both our rugs and hardwood floors.
Retirement investing is a marathon.
protagonist
Posts: 9277
Joined: Sun Dec 26, 2010 11:47 am

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by protagonist »

Montana, depending on where you lie on the compulsiveness/fastidiousness spectrum, you might consider a robot, like a Mint/Braava (mops and sweeps) for hard floors or a Neet or Roomba for carpeted floors. Some of these can be found within your budget range, and they free you up from a lot of labor.

I live in a fairly large house for a single guy, and my Mint is perfect....every once in a blue moon I have to get into some place with a broom or mop and I sometimes find a big clump of dust I can pick up by hand in a corner, but I have not pulled out my conventional vacuum or mop in any serious way in two years. And the work gets done while I am having fun. Rather than putting off cleaning until I feel like staying inside and doing it, it gets done regularly, and I have a pretty clean home all the time. Before I went the robot route it sort of vacillated between dirty and spotless. It's even good enough for my fastidious girlfriend (fortunately she does not look under the sofa often). The Mint also gets into some places that a mop or broom wouldn't dare go, like deep under my stove. Works for me.
FandangoDave5010
Posts: 239
Joined: Sun May 03, 2015 7:34 pm

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by FandangoDave5010 »

After couple of years with an Electrolux bag less, self-cleaning dual filter, we ditched it and went back to a good old Kenmore and throw away bags. The worst things about the Electrolux: filters needed constant cleaning and the rewind cord mechanism had the power of a tiny mousetrap so that the cord had to be pushed in by hand inch by inch.

Sears is still good for Craftsman tools, Kenmore appliance and Diehard batteries.
User avatar
camper
Posts: 895
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2008 10:51 pm
Location: My side of the mountain

Re: good vacuum cleaner for up to $200?

Post by camper »

montanagirl wrote:
camper wrote:We picked up this one at Costco a couple of weeks ago. We primarily got it for use on our stairs. We tried it on the carpet after vacuuming with our Dyson. We were surprised at how much the Dyson had left behind and the Shark picked up. We shall see how long the Shark lasts. It is also on sale.
The link does not work.

Funny, no one has mentioned whether their choice has that removable hose feature. I don't even know what that is called but it's very important to me. The Kirby requires that the whole front end be removed before the hose can be attached.
The link works for me.... :? Try this one.http://www.costco.com/Shark%C2%AE-Rocke ... 57172.html
Post Reply