Dyson, all the way. When we moved into our new house we used our Dyson on the floors that had very obviously been cleaned already....and were amazed at what we got up. (Eww)

After moaning and groaning over the price of the Dyson.... even my husband admits that it is one of our best purchases!

I purchased a Royal at Lawrence Sewing and Vacuum about 8 years ago. The cost was about the same as a Dyson. I know the Dyson commercials are cool but who do you think is paying for it. You are the consumer. The parts are all cheap injection molded plastic that snaps together. It is like a Hoover on steroids. It does a great lob on cleaning your carpet, but when it needs service (and it will) where do you take it? If you find a person who will consider fixing it, then will they be able to find parts? You can call Dyson and ship it to a service center and wait weeks for them to fix it. My Royal needed a new brush roller after about 7 years of weekly service in a mostly carpet 2 story home. I just walked in their store and $21 later I have a just like new vacuum. I don’t know where you would get a Dyson serviced (belt changed, new brush roller, new power switch etc).

I just had a relative take their Bissell with a "lifetime belt"(lifetime is only implied not guaranteed by a warranty) to get the belt replaced after it broke (they spent $220 on it 2 years ago). The repair guy in Shawnee told them it will cost-$65 for labor $14 for the parts $12 for rush delivery of the parts (non rush delivery takes 5-6 weeks for the belt to get delivered from the Bissell parts warehouse. The vacuum does do a good job. They are happy with it and don't plan on getting a new one any time soon.

I know it must seem like I don’t like Dyson but I do. I think it is a very powerful vacuum cleaner. My Royal is just as powerful. I have a friend who owns one and they love it. It is only a year old and still works like new. I tried to talk them out of it but the commercials sucked them in. I just don’t like products that say they are the latest and greatest but service sucks. If you don’t believe what you are reading, Go to Dysons website and try looking for anything that has to do with service or a warranty. Royal may not the best choice if you don't have service center in your area. If you live in or around Lawrence Royal is the best choice.

Dont spend $400 - $500 with out doing research. Check out things like life expectancy, ease of repair, parts availability and functionality. All of these will help you determine your average annual cost of your vaccum. Choose the brand that works the best for you.

Thanks for reading LB

I bought a Dyson about 2 months ago (the cannister style) and the box has been sitting in the kitchen ever since--waiting for me to decide whether I am actually going to keep the vacuum or return it. My dilemma: 1. It cleans wonderfully--I have an area rug that always looks new after I use the Dyson. 2. It is without a doubt the most awkward, unwieldy machine I've ever used.

With regard to #2--I've always used cannister vacs so I'm used to pulling them around but this one flips over regularly. And it's almost impossible to store. With previous units, I would just take the hose off of the body and store the vac in a cupboard and the hose in a drawer. Not with a Dyson! The hose is (for some unfathomable reason) permanently attached to the body of the vacuum which adds about 2-3 feet to the depth needed in a closet to store the thing. I think if there was some way to take the hose off, I might finally decide to keep it and get rid of the boxes. But that's not possible.

And while that see-through dirt collector shows you how much your Dyson has picked up, I challenge anyone to empty it without ending up with dirt all over the floor (which you then have to vacuum up). I can't help but think there is a better vacuum out there. When I was reading reviews, several said that Consumer Reports says the Dirt Devil (about $100) is the best upright you can buy! Now if only they made a cannister vac.