Good idea, Ian :o)
I finally made a video and got around to writing some general thoughts about all three of my high end clean air machines...
Comparison between Miele S7, Simplicity 7 Series, and Windsor Sensor S12/Sebo automatic X...
Similarities... all very powerful, all metal handles, all fingertip switches, all metal sole plates, all solid quality builds, all clean air machines with on board tools
Best brushroll... all good, but Simplicity wins hands down. Thick, heavy, metal brushroll with stiff, replaceable brush strips make it the winner. The Miele and Sebo/Windsor have plastic brushrolls and the entire assembly must be replaced when the brushes wear.
Hose... Miele wins because the hose doesn't fight the user during operation and it is anchored low on the machine so the machine follows instead of falls. However, the wand is easier to remove and insert on the Windsor/Sebo.... both the Simplicity and Windsor/Sebo have the hoses anchored high and it is is best to lay the machine flat on the floor when using the hose to prevent it falling down. The hose is longest on the Miele.
Ability to adjust power... Miele wins. The motor speed is adjustable at the touch of a dial. The Simplicity has a suction relief valve which is not very effective (even when it is open all the way, the suction is still tremendous)... The Sebo/Windsor completely lacks any control over the suction.
The bag.... Toss up... Windsor/Sebo and Miele both have latches for the bag door that make it easy to open... the Miele bag door is hinged and swings down making it easy to open and close.. you don't have to worry about lining up the bottom (something that I struggle with on the Windsor/Sebo). The Simplicity requires the user to press a button while at the same time pulling the bag door in the opposite direction, awful design. However, the Simplicity bag is easier to change because it doesn't require sliding it onto a little holder like the other two machines do... you simply push the bag collar over the suction port and are done. Too easy. They all feature a bag check indicator... the Simplicity wins again here. It has a bright red light in a prominent spot, but the machine will still run even with a full bag. The Miele has an airflow gauge instead of a light and it almost blends in with the background of the bag door... not obvious at all. The Windsor/Sebo has a small red light at the nozzle that will flash when the bag is full. After a few minutes, the Windsor/Sebo will stop running if the bag is full and that is annoying if you just have a bit more vacuuming to do and the bag is full, or if you are out of bags and have to keep using the cleaner until more bags arrive. The Miele and Windsor utilize true top fill bags, allowing them to be filled fuller than the Simplicity. All the bags seem to filter well, but the Miele bags are the thickest (and most expensive at 18 dollars for 4 bags).
Filtration... Miele wins hands down. It registers zero on particle counters and is the only major brand to do so. The HEPA filter is the final filter, so even the carbon dust from the motor is filtered. The Simplicity lacks a HEPA filter completely, though it does have simple pre and post motor filters. The Sebo/Windsor has the HEPA filter in the bag chamber and just a simple paper filter at the exhaust so carbon dust isn't filtered by a HEPA filter. However, all three machines have very good bags and no dust gathers inside the bag chamber as it does on cheaper brands.
Comfort of handle... I personally prefer the straight/open handles to the loop style handles because I find loop style handles too restrictive, so the Windsor/Sebo wins here. The other two machines have loop style handles... both beefy and solid, but I think the Simplicity wins because the handle is contoured to fit the users hand. The Miele's handle appears to have been designed more for aesthetics than comfort.
Cord storage.... Miele wins. Both upper and lower cord hooks on the Miele are high up on the machine, so the user doesn't have to bend over to wrap the cord. Both Miele and Windsor/Sebo have have the bottom cord hook as the quick release, while the Simplicity has the the more traditional top quick release. Both Miele and Windsor/Sebo have the cord coming out at the top near the handle so that eliminates the need for a cord clip... while the Simplicity has the cord coming out of the middle of the machine, the cord clip in the upper cord hook is very effective at keeping the cord in place.
Quality of attachments... Toss up between Miele and Windsor/Sebo. The Miele and Windsor/Sebo have an upholstery tool with brushes/lint strips, while the Simplicitys upholstery tool is all plastic with no brushes at all. The Miele and Sebo/Windsor also have a much longer crevice tool. The dusting brushes are awful on all three... the one for the Miele is too small, the one for the Simplicity has bristles that aren't long enough, and the one for the Sebo/Windsor is an awkward triangular shape and isn't even stored in the machine body, but instead on an auxiliary clip (mounted on the handle) that seems like an afterthought... it gets in the way and falls off incessantly. The Miele has the best wands... both telescopic and metal. The Simplicity's wands are plastic, and though also telescopic, extending them is finicky at best. Quite often, I have to completely remove the plastic collars to get them to separate. The Windsor/Sebo has a nice thick, rigid plastic wand, but only one, so it has the shortest reach of any machine in this comparison. The Miele and Windsor/Sebo both have auxiliary handles for the hose that make them more comfortable to use, but sometimes get in the way. The Windsor/Sebo hose can be separated from the hand grip since it is part of the wand on that machine which is nice for tight spaces.
Belts... The Miele and Windsor/Sebo win here... They both have geared lifetime belts and a protection system that engages and turns off the the brush (or the entire machine) if there is an obstruction. The Simplicity uses a flat rubber belt that is not geared and stretches over time.
Edge cleaning... I've never met an upright that does well with cleaning edges with the side of the nozzle. However, the Miele and Simplicity do well when approaching dirt from the front of the nozzle. The most effective edge cleaning is done with the on board hoses, so Miele and Windsor/Sebo win here with their quick draw wands and longer crevice tools.
Bare floor cleaning. All the machines have rubber or rubber coated wheels making them resistant to scratching and quiet on a bare floor. The Windsor/Sebo completely lacks a brushroll way to turn the brushroll off. However, it does have a squeegee (as does the Miele) to counteract the dirt being kicked back by the brushroll. While the Miele and Simplicity both feature a setting to turn the brushroll off, but the Miele is easier to use because it is a fingertip located rocker switch. The Simplicity has a slider on the bottom of the machine, requiring the user to bend over each time a change in floor surface time is needed. All three machines have tremendous suction and will pick dirt up from a bare floor. All three machines also have a nozzle with a low profile, enabling the machine to get under toe kicks.
Maneuverability... The Miele, while very heavy at 21 pounds, is the best in this category because of the swivel neck. The front wheels of the Miele are also 360 degree swivel casters which aid in maneuverability. Of the three, the Simplicity is the widest (if we are comparing it to the standard 12 inch Windsor/Sebo... the Miele and Simplicity only come in one size), and that is good for covering a lot of carpet at once, but a lot of it's width is taken up by an inanely wide belt path. The 12 inch Widsor/Sebo is more agile/nimble than the other two machines and easier to get between tight chair legs or any other tight spaces one might encounter. The back wheels on the Simplicity and Miele are set inside the frame of the machine, while the Sebo/Windsor has them placed on the outside. This makes tipping the machine up on the back wheels to transport it from room to room much easier on the Sebo/Windsor.
Handle release... Toss up... All three machines have the traditional pedal activated handle release. The Windsor/Sebo is the simplest and easiest to use, but it is really narrow and easy to slip off of. It is also on the wrong (right instead of left) side of the machine. The Miele and Sebo have nice large pedals that are located on the left (ie correct) side of the machine. The Mieles is a bit finicky, but it works once you get the hang of it.
Height adjust.... The height adjust on all three machines is automatic (or can be... Windsor/Sebo offers models with automatic and manual height adjust, so it depends on which machine it is), but they accomplish this in very different ways. The Miele has fixed wheels and a spring loaded "floating" brushroll that self adjusts to the floor surface. The Simplicity has a fixed brushroll, but the front wheels are spring loaded "floating" wheels that self adjust to the floor surface. The Windsor/Simplicity has one front wheel in the middle of the machine that adjust the height automatically via a motor specifically dedicated to that purpose, or a rotary dial on the side of the machine base for the manual models. They all seem to do a fine job of keeping the brush in contact with the floor, but none of them can be set high enough to do well on shag.
Headlights... The Windsor/Sebo lacks a headlight (Miele also offers models with no headlight, but like Dyson, it is not even an option with Windsor/Sebo) . Sometimes this is a non-issue as most people don't vacuum in the dark, there are no bulbs to go out, and many vacuums that do have lights have bad ones that are poorly placed and shine on the cleaner itself instead of the floor. Both the Miele and Simplicty have headlights and they are placed right where they should be on the front of vacuum nozzle. The Simplicity has separated, dual headlights and uses 2 standard incandescent, bayonet style bulbs. Not the easiest bulbs in the world to access for changing (bottom plate and front wheel assembly have to be removed, along with two screws and plastic holders for each bulb which are finicky and clumsy at best) , but that isn't something that is required often. The Simplicitys lights work well, but cast a yellow light. The Miele has 8 LED bulbs that in theory should last the life of the machine. The hue is almost blue or purple and very bright and even.. Miele wins hands down.
Placement of exhaust. The Miele and Windsor/Sebo win here. The exhaust on both of those machines is on the base of the machine and points straight up so it doesn't blow dirt out of the way as it approaches. The Simplicity has the exhaust right under the bag door, on the cleaner body instead of the base and it points straight out... it blows lighter dirt all over the room as the cleaner approaches.
Each machine has it's own strengths and weaknesses. Personally, if you just need raw power and have only carpet, and a lot of it, I would recommend the Simplicity. However, if a more versatile, more maneuverable machine is needed for various surfaces and above the floor use, and and the ability to get in and out of tight places, Miele and Windsor/Sebo would serve better. I don't think any of these remarkably powerful, quality machines would disappoint.
Comes to the Rescue!
