Because a friend purchased a different vacuum last week, I feel a responsibility to inform you of the only brand of vacuum you should buy in the US:
Miele S4212 Polaris Canister Vacuum Cleaner
It’s a beautiful, quiet, powerful, reliable workhorse of an appliance. Your department-store Kenmore, Hoover, Eureka and whatnot aren’t even in the same category. Dyson won’t save you either - theoe are all built to be loud and fast, demo-friendly, beefy impressive. But motor speed and power does not make a good vacuum cleaner and more than a fast CPU makes an eMachines PC a good computer.
I have never heard of a dissatisfied Miele customer.
P.S. The Polaris is the basic, one-pet model. Add a dog and kids, and you’ll want something beefier.
