Recommendations please?

I would have your friend look at the entry level Riccar Supralite, or, if she prefers pink, go for the Simplicity Freedom Pink Ribbon Girls edition. Have the dealer order a bottom plate from one of the higher end models that has the squeegee built in so she can do bare floors too. Add a nice cheap straight suction canister like a Miele C1, Bissell Zing or Simplicity Jill for doing floors, furniture and any other situation that a hose and tools are needed.

The entry model Supralite and Freedom go for about $300 at most vac shops, maybe $250 at the most. A Simplicity JIll would be $150 I am guessing, so would be around the $500 dollar mark for both, not too bad.

The Supralite, being a 8 lb direct air upright, would be a good, lightweight upright that's a simple, no frills 1 speed upright that would be superior to most entry level clean air uprights at cleaning bare floors, while still competently cleaning bare floors due to the squeegee, and VERY easy to lift - a definite consideration for your friend since it has to be transported to 3 different levels. HEPA Cloth bags are big, can be packed full, should probably be good enough for their allergies, and can be found in bulk in generic form for reasonable prices. It may have a wood brushroll, but if it ever becomes a problem you should be able to replace it with one of the metal brushrolls with replaceable strips for under $100. It may also be worth upgrading it to the metal brushroll, or buying the next model that has it too, since metal brushrolls resist pet hair wrap better than wooden or plastic brushrolls.

Some of the other suggestions here, while good, have some VERY complex designs with possible reliability and repair issues due to their designs. The Kenmore Elite, in particular, would be problematic, and the Riccar R25 series may be good, but has been a mixed bag on overall opinions on it's quality and reliability, and I don't like for the prices they charge that it's made in China and the bags are way too small. Sebo and Lindhaus are very good, and very reliable, but DOUBLE the price of the Riccar R25, Simplicity Allergy and Kenmore Elite, so for those prices they better damn well be reliable! Plus if they ever break down, expect one pricy repair bill from your local shop - parts for those are obscenely expensive. The Simplicity Allergy, while I have heard good things about them, are made in China - something that I consider a bad thing for their price point - plus it seems the quality isn't quite as good as the old familiar Panasonic uprights the design is based upon. And it's nothing special either - it's sold under LOTS of different names. It may be good, but I think you can do a bit better for it's price point.

Tell your friend to get the Riccar Supralite first, try it out, and see if it makes her allergies act up. Then decide which canister to get. She may or may not need the HEPA Filter the Simplicity Jill offers, or she may prefer to have the speed control on the Bissell Zing. Also, if your friend absolutely hates and detests the Riccar Supralite and has to choose something else from the suggestions here, I would look at the Kenmore 31140 or the Sebo X series uprights, preferably one with the Boost mode or the G series with the manual height adjustment. Alex, Panasonicvac's advice, to avoid the Kenmore Elite 31150 and choose the 31140 is bang on. The issue the 31150 has is it has a 3 motor system, 2 for the brushroll and the suction motor, and a very complicated electrical setup to make it all work. They are VERY WELL KNOWN for failing prematurely, it's not a matter of if but when it will have to be repaired. And it's very complex to take it apart at home - not something the average home handyman would want to tackle. The 31140 has the same suction and airflow through the hose, and while the powerhead is only average and as good as any other upright and not as good as the 31150 is, it uses a normal 2 motor system with a wooden brushroll and permanent V belt, will be much more reliable. Both the Sebo and Kenmore uprights have reasonable bag costs if you use generic HEPA Cloth bags, and the Sebo has the advantage of the easy to remove brushroll - something they may appreciate being a pet owner.


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Post# 467873 12/3/2023 at 11:58 by JustJunque (Western MA)
Checkrate/Likes Hi all, I'm sure this has been discussed ad nauseum. But, if you'll indulge me, I'd like to ask again. In another thread, I mentioned a family member who has a Bissell CleanView that's having issues. They're away for a long weekend right now. But, when they get back, I'm going to see if I can help with that. But, I'm thinking a little farther ahead. When a problem developed with the Shark she had previously, she never said a word. She tossed it in the dumpster. I know she's not going to mess around with the Bissell. I'd really appreciate some suggestions for her next vacuum, should she decide to go that route. I'd like to see her go bagged next time, because she obviously doesn't keep up with the additional maintenance required by a bagless. But, it would make sense to consider both. She may not listen to me. LOL. She seems to prefer an upright, but probably with a hose for above the floor stuff. She has a dog, and she has allergies and asthma. So, good filtration would be wonderful. And, cost is a definite consideration. It doesn't have to be Walmart cheap, but it can't be too high priced either. We do have one actual vacuum store in the area, so feel free to recommend brands that you can't just buy at a department store. I really appreciate any help! I trust your real-world experience over just looking up ratings somewhere. Barry

Post# 467874 , Reply# 1 12/3/2023 at 12:41 by Thevacomaticiec (Bathurst New Brunswick Canada )
Checkrate/Likes 2 Id say a good Riccard upright or tristar here would fit well .

Post# 467875 , Reply# 2 12/3/2023 at 13:22 by ilovehoovers (England)
Checkrate/Likes 2 The Simplicity Allergy is a great sub-$300 pick.

Post# 467876 , Reply# 3 12/3/2023 at 13:45 by JustJunque (Western MA)
Checkrate/Likes Thanks guys. I'll put them on the list. Does anyone have any experience with the Riccar 25 series? I know it uses HEPA bags, but I don't know how well sealed it is. Also, I'm still trying to figure out the differences among the models within the series. I'm going on the assumption that she likes an upright, with a hose. But, I'll find out for sure, once she gets home from her trip, and we can talk shop.

Post# 467879 , Reply# 4 12/3/2023 at 16:26 by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada)
Checkrate/Likes 2 If she has lots of carpet, I would recommend a Kenmore Elite upright. If she has no carpet at all, I would recommend a Miele suction-only canister. If she has both, you can actually save a lot of money by buying an Oreck upright for carpet cleaning only, and add a basic Miele canister to clean everything else. Keep weight in mind if she has a lot of levels in her house and if she is not strong enough to carry a heavy vacuum up and down stairs.

Post# 467881 , Reply# 5 12/3/2023 at 16:48 by JustJunque (Western MA)
Checkrate/Likes Thanks again! I checked out a video of that Simplicity Allergy, and I thought that had a lot going for it. The Riccar is quite spendy! Again, some nice features, though. I like that on even the entry level Riccar, you can turn off the brushroll. Not so on the Simplicity. She currently lives in a condo, with really three levels; because the basement is finished. But, she's younger than I am, and in fairly good health. So, unless it's a Kirby or something, I would think she'd be able to carry it. There's at least a few rooms of wall to wall, but I can't remember off hand how deep a pile it is. The kitchen is vinyl, and I forget what the basement is. Like I said, I'm not even sure she's going to be shopping for something else just yet. But, knowing her, it wouldn't surprise me. And, because of her allergies and asthma, I was thinking that good filtration would be important. And, probably not something that she's given a lot of thought.

Post# 467889 , Reply# 6 12/3/2023 at 23:08 by panasonicvac (Northern Utah)
Checkrate/Likes 3 My budget recommendation would be a Hoover Complete either in grey or white. If she has to have something with a brushroll shut off feature, then I'd recommend a Kenmore 31140. DO NOT get the 31150 Elite version because those are problematic. If she is willing to pay top dollar at a vacuum store, I'd recommend either Lindhaus or Sebo. The HealthCare Pro and the Automatic X4 are my favorites. hoover.com/products/complete-per... www.amazon.com/Hoover-Upr... www.amazon.com/Kenmore-Allergy-F...

Post# 467896 , Reply# 7 12/4/2023 at 09:11 by mieles5380leo (Virginia)
Checkrate/Likes 1 The Riccar R25D and R25P have pretty good filtration through and through. Remember though that the online prices/MSRP for the Riccars is not the same as the MAP price and that dealers often charge $100-200 less than online. For example the R17 on Riccar�s website is $999 but the MAP price is $799 which is what we sell it for at my store where I work. Same with the 25 series we charge significantly less in store than what you can buy it for on their website. Have them check out your local vacuum store talk to them about trade-ins and any deals that may be going on. Riccar recently had some pretty good bonuses going for Black Friday. Christmas time is when I see the best deals going that and springtime.

Post# 467935 , Reply# 8 12/6/2023 at 19:43 by JustJunque (Western MA)
Checkrate/Likes Well, the purchase should be on hold, for the short term anyway. I just got to take a look at her Bissell this evening, and found a massive clog in the bottom hose, that continued up into the next hose. I cleared all of that out, and I'm washing some of the parts. Hopefully, that gets her back up and running. But, if she finds that this vacuum clogs easily, she probably will want to replace it. I'll keep a list of all of your recommendations. Thank you!

Post# 468246 , Reply# 11 12/23/2023 at 07:41 by n0oxy (Saint Louis Missouri, United States)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *my suggestion* I would suggest the Sebo Felix. It's an excellent upright but you can remove the power nozzle and attach a hard floor brush for cleaning hard floors. It has the flexibility of a canister in an upright form factor. I think the Lindhaus health care pro also has that design. Mike

Post# 467942 , Reply# 9 12/7/2023 at 14:33 by Durango159 (State College, PA)
Checkrate/Likes 1 My pick: Riccar R25 Simplicity S20EZM Allergy Kenmore bagged upright

Post# 467975 , Reply# 10 12/8/2023 at 23:10 by kirbylux77 (London, Ontario, Canada)
Checkrate/Likes 1 I would have your friend look at the entry level Riccar Supralite, or, if she prefers pink, go for the Simplicity Freedom Pink Ribbon Girls edition. Have the dealer order a bottom plate from one of the higher end models that has the squeegee built in so she can do bare floors too. Add a nice cheap straight suction canister like a Miele C1, Bissell Zing or Simplicity Jill for doing floors, furniture and any other situation that a hose and tools are needed. The entry model Supralite and Freedom go for about $300 at most vac shops, maybe $250 at the most. A Simplicity JIll would be $150 I am guessing, so would be around the $500 dollar mark for both, not too bad. The Supralite, being a 8 lb direct air upright, would be a good, lightweight upright that's a simple, no frills 1 speed upright that would be superior to most entry level clean air uprights at cleaning bare floors, while still competently cleaning bare floors due to the squeegee, and VERY easy to lift - a definite consideration for your friend since it has to be transported to 3 different levels. HEPA Cloth bags are big, can be packed full, should probably be good enough for their allergies, and can be found in bulk in generic form for reasonable prices. It may have a wood brushroll, but if it ever becomes a problem you should be able to replace it with one of the metal brushrolls with replaceable strips for under $100. It may also be worth upgrading it to the metal brushroll, or buying the next model that has it too, since metal brushrolls resist pet hair wrap better than wooden or plastic brushrolls. Some of the other suggestions here, while good, have some VERY complex designs with possible reliability and repair issues due to their designs. The Kenmore Elite, in particular, would be problematic, and the Riccar R25 series may be good, but has been a mixed bag on overall opinions on it's quality and reliability, and I don't like for the prices they charge that it's made in China and the bags are way too small. Sebo and Lindhaus are very good, and very reliable, but DOUBLE the price of the Riccar R25, Simplicity Allergy and Kenmore Elite, so for those prices they better damn well be reliable! Plus if they ever break down, expect one pricy repair bill from your local shop - parts for those are obscenely expensive. The Simplicity Allergy, while I have heard good things about them, are made in China - something that I consider a bad thing for their price point - plus it seems the quality isn't quite as good as the old familiar Panasonic uprights the design is based upon. And it's nothing special either - it's sold under LOTS of different names. It may be good, but I think you can do a bit better for it's price point. Tell your friend to get the Riccar Supralite first, try it out, and see if it makes her allergies act up. Then decide which canister to get. She may or may not need the HEPA Filter the Simplicity Jill offers, or she may prefer to have the speed control on the Bissell Zing. Also, if your friend absolutely hates and detests the Riccar Supralite and has to choose something else from the suggestions here, I would look at the Kenmore 31140 or the Sebo X series uprights, preferably one with the Boost mode or the G series with the manual height adjustment. Alex, Panasonicvac's advice, to avoid the Kenmore Elite 31150 and choose the 31140 is bang on. The issue the 31150 has is it has a 3 motor system, 2 for the brushroll and the suction motor, and a very complicated electrical setup to make it all work. They are VERY WELL KNOWN for failing prematurely, it's not a matter of if but when it will have to be repaired. And it's very complex to take it apart at home - not something the average home handyman would want to tackle. The 31140 has the same suction and airflow through the hose, and while the powerhead is only average and as good as any other upright and not as good as the 31150 is, it uses a normal 2 motor system with a wooden brushroll and permanent V belt, will be much more reliable. Both the Sebo and Kenmore uprights have reasonable bag costs if you use generic HEPA Cloth bags, and the Sebo has the advantage of the easy to remove brushroll - something they may appreciate being a pet owner.

Post# 468254 , Reply# 12 12/23/2023 at 13:37 by panasonicvac (Northern Utah)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *It does* The Lindhaus can also be used as a blower and as a backpack. Both are excellent machines but personally I like the Lindhaus more because they have a S-Class HEPA exhaust filter, the Felix doesn't have that.

Post# 468317 , Reply# 13 12/28/2023 at 07:43 by JustJunque (Western MA)
Checkrate/Likes I haven't heard how the Bissell is working out for her since I unclogged and cleaned it. But, she definitely said she's going to give it another chance. However...her daughter now has a Shark that's no longer picking up. I suspect something similar. I haven't seen it yet, but I'm told it looks like a horror movie, it's so dirty. I'm thinking maybe this individual is a good candidate for a decent quality, bagged upright. I'm going to see if I can clean up the Shark for her. But, it sounds like she's really not into keeping up with the bagless maintenance; probably more so than her mother. So, I'm definitely still paying attention to your suggestions. Thank you.