I have been cleaning a USDA building for almost 5 years that also has commercial carpet that is very low profile. I started out with a bagless Hoover T-Series upright that died only a year after I started.Due to someone using it to pick up water after an A/C leak. I always found the base would never get low enough to the carpet and I would have to go over the carpet several times to pick up hole punches that would always scatter around when you passed over them. I assume the bases are the same on the bagged version? Then I started using a Riccar N2100 that I picked up at a thrift store. I really liked it and still use it sometimes and, keep as a backup there. I now use a Hoover Windtunnell Air. Its amazing on the low carpet and I use it to vacuum the tile floor that is also there. I know you wanted a bagged machine but, I like using the Windtunnell Air that I wanted to suggest it as a option. I have not had any problems with filtration or suction on it and have been using it for about 2 years.

Yes, employer should provide each account with vacuums. However, (chuckle) every time we get an issue with a vacuum, and we've had SEVERAL, they send another unit that is SUPPOSED TO have been checked for proper running order but yet ironically they don't run well or have some issues.  We were given one once with a huge hole in red passage way at end of clear Quik Kleen chamber on a Sanitaire SC866!! 5 of 6 of our accounts have a broken or no vacuum currently available from our company. Supposedly some machines are on order!! Meanwhile I have a Hoover Windtunnel Canister S3630 in one building, a Hoover Celebrity Elite IV S3141 with Quadraflex Powermatic from a Dimension 1000 in another account, my Hoover Convertible Elite upright in teal nearly identical to an Estate, which I just acquired from Chris's vacuum store at John Long's last Monster Halloween Bash just broke the other night at a building 2 nights ago. The rear wheel axle bent and height adjuster is completely non-functional. My other Hoover Convertible Elite U4153 with Decade 80 style hood, has a rear wheel issue as well and doesn't rotates wobbly. Every night we take a floater machine for other buidlings cause we're not willing to leave personal machines of mine in certain buildings. Sometimes float machine is my Hoover PowerMax S3603-040 canister, last night we used my brothers Hoover Windtunnel Plus S3639 bagged power head canister.

I'm amazed how many vacuum issues we've had on job sites. I'm the primary one that runs the vacuum too.  I'm always checking to make sure brush rolls are clean, bags and belts are in good shape and treat them decent including cleaning exterior as needed.  As with normal vacuuming some minor wall scuffs occur but my brother nor I abuse our personal vacuums.   Primarily company provided machines are Sanitaire SC866 units. However we've had many with a higher powered motor it seems that stick to rugs so much even height 6 and makes throw rugs nearly impossible to clean.   Some of their machines have performed ok and then we install a new outer bag or thoroughly shake and clean one out and it clears out the vacuum so much that it then restores full power and we run into issues of a vacuum not being able to vacuum many of the rubber backed door mats which every account has a plethora.  We've had cracked bases, loose handles, shot cords, several mold/ musty machines. One time we had an SC866 that would have almost worked better as a leaf blower than a vacuum cleaner!!! I don't know what it's issue was.

So it now comes to us prefering to use one of our own machines that we know is in good repair, and maintained by us and a good performer by our standards. It helps keep our sanity if the equipment is good as its very easy to get frustrated by all of the issues that greet us each day. Working together with someone else you have a lot of faith in, both have excellent end products and have eachothers back when the other is down or not working up to par is very important and works well for us.

The Hoover Professional above, I'll definitely keep in mind. I am curious about other units, possibly with attachments.  . A Riccar or Simplicity machine would be great. Just worried about price when it comes to those.

I've tossed around the idea of a Hoover Windtunnel Supreme style upright. I know they are very powerful and work well. I am worried about that them being a little too powerful and possibly destroying some area rugs?? I used a couple Supreme models years ago that burned through linoleum flooring and disintegrated carpet fiber on some throw rugs, which one building we have has about 40 throw rugs of various textures, and heights.

The Windtunnel air has me stumped as to my being turned off by the bagless concept, appears to be a shorter nozzle, and durability in commercial settings worries me!!

Thanks to all for the help!! I hope I answered the posted questions.  Looking forward to any and all machine suggestions based on user experience of machines.  I have tried a T series Windtunnel and WindtunnelMax over a year ago and I can't remember anything really about either and it wasn't on low profile carpet either.