Vacuum cleaner help

[ChesCopPodz]

Our 5 year old, el cheapo Dirt Devil is not doing the job anymore. Im of the opinion that if our $50 Walmart bought Dirt Devil lasted 5 years, $10 a year of service, then I want another like it. It didn't get the floors "deep down clean", but I could live with it.

My wife doesn't agree, she wants a top of the line model. Citing the fact that now that the baby is old enough to have free roam and play on the floor, the level of clean the Dirt Devil was getting doesn't cut it anymore. I have to admit, she's right, although I'd never say so

Now, it just so happened that a Rainbow salesman knocked on our door the other day. He did a demonstration of the vacuum on our floors. I have to say, Im really impressed. It doubles as an air purifier. I also live in the desert in Colorado, very dry and dusty, and our driveway is dirt. Means a lot of dirt gets tracked in. I was amazed at how much dirt the Rainbow pulled up, even after vacuuming the same spot immediately prior with our current vacuum.

What scares me is the price tag. $2500 new, $1300 in a repossessed and completely refurbished. Kind of steep. The $2500 can be financed, the $1300 cannot. Im leaning towards a refurbished one. I was really impressed at the quality, and the air purification part. As an allergy sufferer living where I do, the dust gets to me.

So, anyone ever have a rainbow? If so, recommend it? Any other suggestions?

[Five-0]

If you are going to drop coin on a vacuum, then look at the Dyson and Oreck as well:

Vacuum Cleaners, Air Purifiers, Floor Cleaning Products, Clean Air Products - Oreck

Dyson official site

[Xiphos]

Our Dyson does a great job. You can get a remanufactured one under $300.

I honestly couldn't justify $1000-$2500 on a vacuum unless it cleaned the house by itself and gave your wife back rubs every night.

[Odd]

I was amazed at how much dirt the Rainbow pulled up, even after vacuuming the same spot immediately prior with our current vacuum.

That demonstration never fails. There's just one problem...reserve the scenario where you're following up a $2500 Rainbow with a used brush with a $50 Dirt Devil with a new one and you'll get the same result.

Get a $300 model and another $100 worth of brushes to replace annually and you'll have cleaner floors and more green in your pocket.

[Pudge]

My (yeah, I said my, I wear the friggin apron in this house, I swear) high dollar Eureka puked out a year ago. It did well, but I pulled out an old Orek that was handed down to me when I first moved out on my own and I think it honestly does a better job than some of these newer ones.

[IMGreat101]

I was in janitorial contract management (many federal contracts) for over 11 years, and you do not need to spend $$$$ on a good vacuum.

What is wrong with the dirt devil? Does it need cleaning or maint.? I have had a dirt devil for 12 years ( got it used). We also have many floor types throughout the house. No kids here except a cat and an umbrella cockatoo. We vacuum at a minimum 4x/wk.

We had a rainbow or eureka or whatever they are called salesperson here and they did their demo. W00t, they said the frequency we vacuum made their demo faulty because the floors were already pretty dirt free. I say pooh on the fancy filter stuff, put one of those in your hvac system.

I did buy a shampooer that has a very long hand held upholstery/spot cleaner. It is a dirt devil too.

[MacLean]

I always buy Kenmore cannisters at Sears.

They run about 7 years. The old one is in the garage now for cleaning up cars and stuff.

I'm the type that vacs neat lines into the carpet, and it keeps me happy.

[lewisipso]

Going against the grain, we have a Rainbow and are quite satisfied. Yes, it was expensive but not even close to $2500.

[adroitcuffs]

I love my Dyson, especially since I no longer have to spend $$ on bags like I did on my previous super-pricey (can't recall which brand) vacuum.

[MacLean]

Going against the grain, we have a Rainbow and are quite satisfied. Yes, it was expensive but not even close to $2500.

Is that something you have to buy from a salesman?

[lewisipso]

In our case yes. We were provided as a referral from another customer. Normally I have no patience for such things but in this case we knew what it was. There are retail and repair stores however and ours came with a very decent warranty. It was pricey but what we wanted.

[luckyme]

My parents also have one of the $$ Rainbow's. Got it from a door to door salesperson that they knew and was really down on his luck. Haven't had any problems, got a good warranty, and it does a real good job. They've been real happy with it.

As for myself, we do the $80 - $100 wal-mart specials. They last a couple years. If I could afford it I would like to get a Dyson.

[bayern]

My wife used a RUMBA, and you know, the damn thing works great. Fpr deep deep cleaning, she used a Oreck.

[Jks9199]

I wouldn't be sold on the "air purifier" part... After all, you're only going to run the vacuum part of the time, right? Or is it somehow attached to your HVAC system?

As to the floor cleaning... Don't ask me. When we needed a new one, I took my wife to the store, and paid for what she picked. I'm not even sure where it's sitting now, since she and the kid have been a bit under the weather for a week. I will note that I had a good friend who was a vacuum and sewing machine salesperson for Sears; lots of the "demos" out there are gimmicks. But a $1000 plus vacuum? Better be impressive as hell...

[Sam]

Rainbow's are a waste of money. They do not do any better than a dyson. Don't fall for the hype. Also tell your wife that a little dirt is good for the kid it will help build their immune system~~~

[Sam]

If you really want a rainbow check craigslist there are plenty of people dumping them ~~

[ChesCopPodz]

If you really want a rainbow check craigslist there are plenty of people dumping them ~~

Actually the salesman had a remark about those. He said that the company will not honor the warranty if it's bought third person, and it's likely to be repossessed when it's brought in for service, as most being sold third person are skip pays.

As far as the air purifier part goes, that I saw work with my own two eyes. Basically, if you take off all the attachments, it's an air purifier. It has a high (the same setting to vacuum with), and a low setting that is quiet. He opened the curtain so the sun shined on the dust and crap, and stirred up some more from the carpet, then turned it on. I have no doubts about the air purifier part.

My wife wants an Oreck. So it looks like we're going to go get an Oreck. I was thoroughly impressed with the Rainbow. I really was. I just wasn't $2500 impressed. My in-laws had one for 15 years, and it was abused, not taken care of. For $1300, if I get 15 years out of one, that's worth the money. So it's still not out of the question to buy one used. We'll see.