Way off topic, I know: need your take on older series Miele UPRIGHT vacuums

[panthera]

The nice thing about Miele

Is that you don't lose quality as the price goes down.
At least here in Germany, they don't market cheap trash anywhere in their line-up.

Did I ever mention that the daily drivers I use in the 'States are all older than I am or round abouts? The Blue Moon is on loan to a friend with something like 5,000 sq. ft of carpet to clean.

We need to rethink our approach to building appliances. It is truly a shame that Dyson is so poorly built.

 

[whirlcool]

There really isn't a lot to go wrong with a Miele vac. If you keep the roller brush adjusted and the filters clean you are good to go.

Come to think of it, when our roller brush wore out the performance did suffer. We put in a new roller and it was good as new again. One thing I did notice about the power head on the Mieles, they don't use rubber belts, they use this nylon notched belt, very similar to a timing belt in a car. Even after 6 years, it looks as good as new.

A friend of ours recently bought a Simplicity vac. It cost the same as a Miele would have, but she thought the salesperson was nice, so she bought it. It may look similar to a Miele, but the performance was not nearly as good. I was very surprised with that.

 

[passatdoc]

Your comment (quality remains even as you go down the price line) was the main reason to choose the S183 as the backup machine. Knowing that Miele products currently in production are almost never discounted (the company may offer a "special", I think my Monte Verde was a "special" and was maybe $100 below normal price during a promotion, so basically we got the same features as the next higher up model...but retailers' prices never vary from what the company wants), to get a machine formerly sold at $350-400 for "only" $229 was what sealed the deal.

Maybe I am placing too much blind faith in the brand, based on my good experience of eight years with the Monte Verde, but it seems that even their BOL models work well, within the limits of their design. They simply aren't as convenient as TOL models e.g. the direct-connect wand vs. the steel wands where you have to plug in the cord yourself.

I noted on Best Vacuum's site that they sell a model in red for c. $650 that has a direct-connect wand. That model appears to be the "entry level" direct-connect model. Not as convenient as my machine, since it has the rotary dial control for power instead of the foot-operated + and - switches, but 90% of the time I don't change the power, I only change it when vacuuming a small rug laid on top of carpet or tile. It has the same amps as my current model. If my Monte Verde ever blew up, I'd probably replace it with the red model.

As mentioned above, my parents' new Electrolux Ultra Silencer Green from Lowes is amazing for $300. Has a HEPA filter, and all the basic attachments. Suction excellent. There is a powerhead one can buy for it for I think $150, or there is a model that comes with powerhead (Oxygen model, I believe) for $500. For someone who wanted a good machine but not at Miele prices, I'd recommend the Electrolux. However, for those of us with a significant investment in Miele accessories, a replacement at least with a basic power-connect model would be the way to go.

When my parents bought me the Monte Verde, I had just had some serious surgery on my leg, they were worried about me having to stoop, so they wanted me to have the speed control with the foot switch and not a rotary dial. Actually they wanted to buy the higher model with all controls in the handle, but since the Monte Verde was marked $100 off, they stopped there instead of going whole hog. Had the Monte Verde been full price, my vac probably would have been a Blue Moon.

Mom felt that a non-propelled upright would be too hard to use post-operatively and that a cannister would be easier for me to use. This was a surgery for cancer of the leg, the 50% survival odds of which I beat and am here eight years later (with leg intact), but at the time they were frantic....for the first time in memory, there was a situation they could not control. So money was no object, they were trying to make life as easy as possible for me.

 

[passatdoc]

Update

As stated above, I ordered an S183 for $229 (original price $375-400) from a retailer in NJ that is an Amazon partner. They called today to say that the vacuum had arrived (in NJ) from a Miele distribution center in Florida and was being shipped to me today from NJ. She said it was the LAST S183 left at the Florida distribution center.

One other reassuring point about buying Miele is that they tend to support replacement parts for a good while. So even though the model is just about all sold out in USA, hopefully replacement parts will be available for some time to come.

Per whirlcool's advice, I replaced the grid filter in front of the motor and noticed some improvement in suction. However, I will take the powerbrush along with the main cannister when I bring it for servicing because it seems to be a good idea to have the powerhead checked. If an inexpensive brush change-out would improve performance, why not?

 

[whirlcool]

You did get a deal on the S183. I've never used a Miele upright so you'll have to tell us how you like it.

Another thing I forgot. Keeping the brush roller clean of debris is also important. We have 4 dogs and we have a lot of dog hair that gets picked up. It usually wraps around the brush roller. This degrades the performance as well.
Rumba provides a neat little brush roll comb with their vacs. We used to have a Rumba until if failed. We never really liked it except for doing the kitchen floor. But the brush cleaner from the Rumba works wonders quickly. If you use it every 5-6 times you use your Miele, you'll always have top performance.

The link goes to a page that shows how it works.

http://www.irobot.com/uk/home_robots_use_tips.cfm

 

[passatdoc]

I'm glad I posted the question over here. The Vacuumland people were cordial, but their answers were so obtuse (because of their greater expertise) that I hadn't even heard of half the makes and models they were recommending. No one had had any experience with a Miele upright. I am sort of impatient for it to arrive, so I can bring the cannister for routine servicing.