Good quality corded vacuum under $500 possible?

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David321

488 posts

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#306489 28-Jul-2023 10:10

Hi all,

My vacuum is on the way out, its many years old and the motor is playing up.

I usually research these sort of purchases quite thoroughly and make a decision based on that, but in the world of vacuums all the online info I can find still makes it hard to draw an obvious conclusion!

So I was curious, is it possible to get a powerful vacuum for under $500? perhaps some people on here have some helpful info or experience to share?

The things we require in a new vacuum:

Power over all else, strong suction is the obvious requirement

Corded, not keen on charging and replacing batteries, we want 100% power all the time and the ability to do the whole house at once.

Bagless

Not sure how to word this, but one that isn't an upright vacuum, we prefer the ones with a hose which you use to pull the vacuum around with, although this is not 100% essential for us.

I thought the obvious option could possibly be a Dyson Big ball or whatever they are called, The Warehouse has them for $449 sometimes, as far as I was aware Dyson made great vacuums but it seems there are a lot of people saying they are over rated now?

Thanks in advance for any info!

_David_

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#3109007 28-Jul-2023 10:19

Edit - I've just noted your requirement the cleaner is bagless; the C3 isn't, but given it's such a decent machine thought I'd not delete the post. Personally, I don't think having to use a bag is a too big an issue, and wouldn't be a deciding factor.

It's hard to go past the classic Miele C3 workhorse; we have had one for years and it still works well; not that it gets much use as we have both robot and stick cleaners now. I'd been checking our Consumer for another thread (on fridges) and so checked out their ratings; I see the C3 Family is the first-ranked cleaner (followed by a further seven Miele models!).

Not too far over your budget, and it does come down under $500 sometimes...

https://www.priceme.co.nz/Miele-Complete-C3-Family-All-Rounder-10797760/p-900400006.aspx

David321

488 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3109023 28-Jul-2023 10:37

jonathan18:

Edit - I've just noted your requirement the cleaner is bagless; the C3 isn't, but given it's such a decent machine thought I'd not delete the post. Personally, I don't think having to use a bag is a too big an issue, and wouldn't be a deciding factor.

It's hard to go past the classic Miele C3 workhorse; we have had one for years and it still works well; not that it gets much use as we have both robot and stick cleaners now. I'd been checking our Consumer for another thread (on fridges) and so checked out their ratings; I see the C3 Family is the first-ranked cleaner (followed by a further seven Miele models!).

Not too far over your budget, and it does come down under $500 sometimes...

https://www.priceme.co.nz/Miele-Complete-C3-Family-All-Rounder-10797760/p-900400006.aspx

Thanks for the reply, yeah after doing my research that does seem to be a highly regarded make and model, I have never been to keen on bags, I just don't like the idea of always buying them. Is there a way to tell when they are full without opening the machine and looking in them to check? id also assume the performace dereases a little bit as the bag fills? (I know that would be the same with a bagless but at least you can see when it is full).

_David_

Handsomedan

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#3109025 28-Jul-2023 10:43

We have one of these: https://sharkclean.co.nz/collections/corded-upright-vacuum-cleaners/products/shark-lift-away-upright

It's been pretty good for the few months we've had it.

It's much better than the far more expensive (but old) Dyson it replaced.

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jonathan18

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#3109026 28-Jul-2023 10:48

David321:

Thanks for the reply, yeah after doing my research that does seem to be a highly regarded make and model, I have never been to keen on bags, I just don't like the idea of always buying them. Is there a way to tell when they are full without opening the machine and looking in them to check? id also assume the performace dereases a little bit as the bag fills? (I know that would be the same with a bagless but at least you can see when it is full).

It really isn't a big deal, whether in terms of cost, hassle, quality of performance... Personally, I hate emptying Dyson bagless stick cleaners, as it's such a palaver.

There's also an indicator on the outside of the cleaner that the bag is getting full.

PsychoSmiley

250 posts

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#3109027 28-Jul-2023 10:51

Even with those Miele vacuums when they're nearly full they still pull hard. I was all for bagless but we obtained a Miele and holy crap they're a beast of a thing.

richms

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#3109029 28-Jul-2023 10:51

IME the performance of the bagless decreases more than the bagged ones, and they hold a lot less than a bagged one as the dust/hair doesnt compact against the side of the bag, but keeps swirling around.

After 2 of my previous cheap vacuums became orphans for bags, I have gone to the cheap ryobis at bunnings. - they say 20l or 30l on the bags, but that isnt the bag capacity but is the tank capacity when using them wet. I can usually get 3-4 weeks of vacuums of the house on the 20l one before the bag needs changing, whereas with my dyson it would fill up 2-3 times per cleaning session and its messy to empty. The cat hair doesnt compact and just keeps swirling around in the seethru cyclone filling it very very quickly. The dyson head does pull up more hair from the carpet, but other things it will just whack accross the floor so I will use the ryobi to get up all the solid stuff and then every few goes run the dyson over it afterwards to pull up more dust, which it is able to have lots of in the cyclone without it filling as it sits at the bottom of it.

Richard rich.ms

mattyb

254 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3109038 28-Jul-2023 11:30

Following this thread - am also in the market for something similar to OP.

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tweake

2397 posts

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#3109055 28-Jul-2023 12:07

i have bagless as well as bagged.

one of the issues with bagless is you spread dust everywhere when you empty it. having bags means you can just dump the whole thing into the bin without spilling stuff or putting dust back into the air.

tchart

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#3109187 28-Jul-2023 14:04

I know you said you don't want an upright but

We have two of the Bissell Powerforce Helix from the Warehouse. Pretty indestructible and worth more than the purchase price IMHO. We've had many more expensive vacuums and this one is way better. It has a power brush head which is a big help. We've only ever had to replace the rubber belt for the powerhead but its 4 or 5 screws and they give you replacements (rather replace a rubber belt than a motor).

David321

488 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3109412 28-Jul-2023 19:54

tchart:
I know you said you don't want an upright but

We have two of the Bissell Powerforce Helix from the Warehouse. Pretty indestructible and worth more than the purchase price IMHO. We've had many more expensive vacuums and this one is way better. It has a power brush head which is a big help. We've only ever had to replace the rubber belt for the powerhead but its 4 or 5 screws and they give you replacements (rather replace a rubber belt than a motor).

Good info thanks, to be honest the only reason I was not keen on an upright was I figure a hollow pipe with a vacuum head on the head is much lighter to push and pull all over the carpet in quick succession, I'm curious though is this much heavier? The thing with a non upright vacuum is you pull the unit close to you then push and pull the pipe and head back and forward with relative ease as its so light, with this you are pushing and pulling the whole unit which i imagine is much heavier?

_David_

Rikkitic

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#3109420 28-Jul-2023 20:20

I had the same issue. I wanted a quality machine and was recommended a Miele, but the model was discontinued as soon as I tried to buy it. I needed something right away and didn't want to spend a lot on something unsuitable so I bought the cheapest thing I could find that seemed adequate as a temporary solution. That was a Living & Co from the Warehouse. I chose it because of its power rating, which is indicative of suction force, though not exact. I think it was 1800 watts, which was significantly higher than any other cheap one. It is a bagged vacuum, but it comes with a reusable bag. It cost $70! It actually works pretty well with great suction and I am still using it.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

eracode

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#3109427 28-Jul-2023 21:06

jonathan18:

I hate emptying Dyson bagless stick cleaners, as it's such a palaver.

Really? AFAIAA emptying bagless stick Dysons is an extremely simple thing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQUxisMy7-o

Other models are similarly simple.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

Rushmere

354 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3109430 28-Jul-2023 21:09

Buy a Numatic Henry.

They’re very simple, old technology, and might cost slightly over $500, but they work and they last for forever.

They’re available here from places like Godfreys, although they’re maybe not so well known in NZ. Back in the UK they’re legendary, and just about every commercial cleaner there uses them because they’re reliable.

fe31nz

1233 posts

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#3109448 28-Jul-2023 23:40

Rikkitic:

I had the same issue. I wanted a quality machine and was recommended a Miele, but the model was discontinued as soon as I tried to buy it. I needed something right away and didn't want to spend a lot on something unsuitable so I bought the cheapest thing I could find that seemed adequate as a temporary solution. That was a Living & Co from the Warehouse. I chose it because of its power rating, which is indicative of suction force, though not exact. I think it was 1800 watts, which was significantly higher than any other cheap one. It is a bagged vacuum, but it comes with a reusable bag. It cost $70! It actually works pretty well with great suction and I am still using it.

In Consumer's testing, it is clear that the power ratings and cleaning performance do not correlate very well. In cheap and nasty vacuums with massive power ratings, all they do is heat the air and spend your electricity dollars at a great rate, rather than clean well.

Rikkitic

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#3109458 29-Jul-2023 08:05

Can't speak for other models but this one does a great job on my carpets. Because it is cheap I expect the bearings or brushes not to last but for $70 it is good value for money.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

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