I'm looking for a vacuum cleaner to use to clean my 3 bedroom apartment (rooms are carpeted; livinng and dining are hard wood). I have no much knowledge about cleaning carpets (we didnt have carpets back home). What brand/make would you recommend? How do I shampoo carpets?

Don't spend alot of money on a vacuum cleaner, you can go to the library and check out Consumer Reports if you are so inclined. Rent a carpet cleaner when you need it.

rug doctor is the way to go with the carpet cleaner, and you can rent them!

I just started out doing research on vacuum cleaners. There are three kinds, bags, bag-less, water.

The bags have tiny air holes otherwise the bag would explode right. But this also lets the dust particles and germs out of the vacuum. Also the most you use the vacuum the more the bags fill, the more the bags fill the less it works. (ever notice how good the vacuum works when you put in a new bag?) (Hoover, Kirby..ect...)

Wind tunnel or bag-less clog easily and suction declines, filters can trap allot of what is left however, you will have to clean the filters daily for optimum performance. (dirt devil, hoover...)

Water vacuum cleaners are the best. There was a story in the Saturday Evening Post which confirmed this. The air is blown into the unit, and has to go through water, trapping the dust and dirt and nasties in the water. Clean air is exhausted. There are also attachments in which it turns into a rug cleaner, bare floor cleaner ect... But even this vacuum does not do 100% on ashes and talcum powder...odd I know (rainbow)



Wendy

but then you have to clean the mud out of the vacuum, and IMO, that's just way too much work. And its gross.

If I could afford it, I'd go for a Kirby any day (the bag fills from the top, not bottom like other bag machines). And the rental Rug Doctors actually just ruin your rugs and floors underneath because most vacuums don't clean out all the dirt, the Rug Doctor soaks it and makes mud and stretches the nap of the carpet, making wrinkles and bubbles. Surface shampooers are better than steamers IMO, because they don't soak all the way through to the floor.

I haven't used a Dyson, but I've heard good and bad about them.

My mother just purchased a Dyson and loves it. They have 2 cats (soon to be 3) and 2 dogs, and she syas it does a great job. Not sure which model she has.

Years ago I cleaned about 8 houses a week all with different vacuum cleaners. My personal ruling lol....

Oreck- suck (or is it don't suck)

Kirby- extremely heavy they do have the self propel on them which can get away from you causing the vacuum to go hurdling into your furniture (not a feature I would recommend on any vacuum cleaner).

Hoovers, Eureka, Dirt Devils- work good the first month or so then you will discover you have waisted your money.

Electrolux- are very good machines I suggest an upright unless you enjoy lugging around a tank, hose, power brush etc.

Rainbow- you can tell you are getting the dirt because when you are done the water is Mud pain in the butt because it takes you more time to clean the vacuum out than it does to vacuum an entire house and again you are lugging around various parts.

Dyson- nothing but good things to say about these machines well worth the money if you can afford one.

We have a regular vacumm cleanre i bought ohhh 5-6 years ago. I think it is a hover. It does the job well.
Then we call pro carpet cleaners whenever we want a deep cleaning done.

Daniel

I had an Electrolux in Canada, and I LOVED it. It was a canister type. Gene has an upright Hoover. I'm partial to canister vacuums, however the Hoover does do a wonderful job as well.

Carla

I'm a Dyson girl all the way. But they are expensive!

oh, and a roomba girl too...that thing is the shiznit

I want a Dyson!

I see there's a little bit cheaper model now ($399). I wonder what the difference would be between it and the $499 one?

100 bucks

Check out the latest issue of Consumer Reports (March '07).

They have a review of vacuums.

Have the Dyson DC14 and love it!

I want a Dyson But i must say the Hoover i have is awesome. My dad bought it for me like 12yrs ago and he paid alot at the time, i think they were made better then, then how they are now.

Some would suggest a Rainbow or a Filter Queen.

The Rainbow has more powerful suction, though the Queen can pick up a spent .45 cartridge with no hesitation (and it won't bust the motor).

Both are bagless: Rainbow through water (which turns muddy) and Queen with conical ultrafine paper cyclone filter (not a bag).

anything in a cannister vacuum isn't going to clean as well as an upright IMO. The further away the cleaning tool is from the motor, the less the cleaning power.

I think most vacuum cleaners do at least an ok job. probably more important is the frequency of cleaning. I vacuum our condo at least 3 times a week, due to 1 cat (soon to be 2) and a dog

Ouch!
Those are terrible prices for Dysons. I bought a reconditioned Dyson here in the UK 2 years ago. It only cost me £25 and is fantastic. I wish I could bring it with me.

A rebuilt Queen (a NEW one has a "lifetime warranty", but has a 4-digit price) could cost you around $200-300.

e-bay has lots of stuff there. And flea markets. And small town shops who recondition vacuums. Just make sure you get all the parts from whoever you buy it from!

I have a Bissel Upright and a Bissel Steam Cleaner. Both are fabulous.

I love my DYSON!!The best!

i have a pair of bagless hoover uprights with a hepa filter. they work great, just gotta clean the filter frequently and do a monthly cleaning on the agitator. i've had them for about 4 years now.