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Miele Canister Vacuum Buying Guide
Note: This buying guide is very long. It needs to be in order to give you all the information you need to select the right Miele Vacuum for you. If you have any questions fell free to give us a call. We are here to help.
Miele Vacuums do not fall into an easy hierarchial structure that makes for one simple comparison among the vacuums. When deciding what vacuum is best for you there will be several choices you will have to make to lead you to the best vacuum. Before breaking down the differences between the vacuums we want to take a moment to go over the similarities among all the vacuums.
Constant Powerful Suction: The hallmark of all Miele Canister vacuums is the Miele made and proprietary Vortex motor. In comparrison to some of the nations best selling brands we have found that the Miele Canister vacuum will have as much power at their mid level setting as their popular competitors have at their highest setting. All Miele motors have a seven year warranty when used for residential purposes.
Quality German Engirneering: Miele vacuums are renowned for the longevity and durability and the vacuums are tested and expected to last more than a decade.
Quiet Performance: Miele canister vacuums are exceptionally quiet. This is no small accomplishment considering their powerful suction and the reaction to customers in our store when we go from one of our louder machines to the Miele is profound. You really can hear the phone ring.
Superior Filtration: The majority of Miele vacuums include a HEPA filter and provide particular filtration that is better than the majority of air purifiers on the market today. In fact, Miele vacuums with a HEPA filter are certified HEPA vacuums making them ideal for allergy sufferers or anyone concerned about the quality of the air they breathe.
While all of the Miele canisters share these great common features you will need to make some choices based on the floor tools and added features to find the best vacuum for you. The easiest way to start is to determine the appropriate floor tool that will do the best job on your home's surfaces.
Right now there are five floor tools to choose from.
Combo Tool: This tool allows for the easy transition between hard floor surfaces and extremely light carpeting. This tool is perfect for people that have a home with mostly hard surfaces and either commercial grade carpeting or light area rugs.
Parkett Tool: This tool is only effective on hard floor surfaces. With soft but durable bristles, full swivel motion and counter notched openings this is a high quality floor tool that will not harm any of your hard floor surfaces.
Air Turbobrush STB205: The brushbar on this floor tool is powered by the powerful suction of Miele Vortex motor. This floor tool is ideal for light to medium nap carpeting.
SEB217 Electric Floor Tool: This motor driven floor tool provides deep cleaning for any carpet surface. For anyone with pet hair or problematic areas you will experience excellent carpet cleaning.
SEB236 Electric Floor Tool: The SEB236 provides a feature driven alternative to the SEB217. The only difference in regards to cleaning is the SEB236 bristles on the brushbar are closer together providing a more throrough cleaning. The SEB236 also has a light on the front, an extra bumper strip, a height adjustment, a self parking feature and a quick release lever.
Based on just the floor tool you can start to narrow down the appropriate vacuum for you:
|
|
Combo Tool |
Parquet Tool |
STB205 |
SEB217 |
SEB236 |
|
S4 Carina |
Included |
Separate |
Separate |
----- |
----- |
|
S4 Antares |
Separate |
Included |
Included |
----- |
----- |
|
S4 Sirius |
Separate |
Included |
Separate |
----- |
----- |
|
S4 Luna |
Separate |
Included |
Separate |
----- |
----- |
|
S4 Orion |
Separate |
Included |
Separate |
----- |
----- |
|
Miele Plus |
Separate |
Separate |
Separate |
Included |
----- |
|
Red Electro |
Separate |
Separate |
Separate |
Included |
----- |
|
Cat & Dog |
Included |
Separate |
Separate |
Included |
----- |
|
S5 Pisces |
Separate |
Included |
Included |
Separate |
Separate |
|
S5 Callisto |
Separate |
Included |
Separate |
Included |
Separate |
|
S5 Aquarius |
Separate |
Included |
Separate |
Included |
$100 More |
|
S5 Capricorn |
Separate |
Included |
Separate |
Included |
$100 More |
Once you decide which floor tool is best you will than have to select which model you want to purchase based on the additional features that are available. You can take a look at the S4 models, S5 models, the other alternative models, and than mack some more comparisons so you can make the best choice possible.
Miele S4 Vacuums: There are currently five models to choose from. Here is an easy chart to see how they compare to each other:
| S4 Vacuums |
Carina |
Sirius |
Antares |
Luna |
Orion |
|
Combo Tool |
Included |
Separate |
Separate |
Separate |
Separate |
|
Parket Tool |
Separate |
Included |
Included |
Included |
Included |
|
STB205 Air Turbo Brush |
Separate |
Separate |
Included |
Separate |
Separate |
|
Dial Controls |
Included |
Included |
Included |
------- |
------- |
|
Step Controls |
------- |
------- |
------- |
Included |
------- |
|
Controls on the Handle |
------- |
------- |
------- |
------- |
Included |
|
Hepa Filter |
Separate |
Included |
Separate |
Included |
Included |
| Deluxe Handle |
Separate |
Separate |
Separate |
Included |
Included |
| Longer Wand |
Separate |
Separate |
Separate |
Included |
Included |
|
Price |
$389 |
$429 |
$489 |
$549 |
$619 |
|
Price with HEPA Filter |
$438.95 |
$429 |
$539.95 |
$549 |
$619 |
|
Price with STB205 |
$508 |
$548 |
$489 |
$668 |
$738 |
|
Price with STB205 and HEPA |
$557.95 |
$548 |
$538.95 |
$668 |
$738 |
As you can see from our comparison charts the main difference between the models is the floor tools the come with, where the controls are, and the Deluxe Handle and the longer wand. Let's look closer at the differences that we have not already addressed.
Control Position: With the Dial Controls you will have to go to the machine and adjust the power setting by turning the dial. With the Luna you have step controls and can adjust the power with your foot. With the Orion the controls are on the handle and you do not need to return to the machine to adjust the power. If you have many different cleaning surfaces, drapes, and furniture to clean having the controls at your fingertips can be a nice feature.
Deluxe Handle: The ergonomically designed Deluxe Handle allows for a nicer grip design while you vacuum. This design is also better for people with arthritis.
Wand Length: You will gain roughly nine additional inches with the tri-scoping longer wands. This can prove useful for getting that extra reach for tall ceilings.
Selling Rank: Here is how our 2007 customers have purchased within the S4 Series. This is not to say that the #1 vacuum is the one for you. This is just to give you an indication of what our past customers have purchased.
Miele S5 Vacuums: There are currently four models to choose from. Here is an easy chart to see how they compare to each other in regards to the major features:
| S5 Vacuums |
Pisces |
Callisto |
Aqaurius |
Capricorn |
| STB205 Air Turbobrush |
Included |
Separate |
Separate |
Separate |
| SEB217 Electric Floor Tool |
Separate |
Included |
Included |
Included |
| SEB236 Electric Floor Tool |
Separate |
Separate |
Separate |
Separate |
| Dial Controls |
Included |
Included |
------- |
------- |
| Step Controls |
------- |
------- |
Included |
------- |
| Controls on Handles |
------- |
------- |
------- |
Included |
| Auto Power Setting |
------- |
------- |
Included |
------- |
| Deluxe Handle |
Separate |
Included |
Included |
Included |
| Accepts Powered Floor Tools |
Upgradeable |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Price |
$649 |
$799 |
$959 |
$1059 |
Just like the S4 Vacuums the main difference between the models is the floor tools the come with, the deluxe handle, and where the controls are. Lets look closer at the differences that we have not already addressed.
Controls: The Pisces and Callisto have the dial controls on the machine. The Aquarius has step controls where you can adjust the power without bending over and the Capricorn has the controls on the handle of the vacuum for easily suction changes without having to go back to the vacuum.
Auto Power Setting: The Aqaurius has a seventh power setting called auto select. When on this setting the Aquarius will try and select the best power setting for the task at hand.
Powered Floor Tool: The Pisces is the only S5 vacuum that does not support a powered floor tool out of the box. You can upgrade it to accept a powered floor tool at a later date but its expensive as you need a new floor tool, new wand and a new hose.
Selling Rank: Here is how our 2007 customers have purchased within the S5 Series. This is not to say that the #1 vacuum will be the best for your needs but this is to give you an example of how our customers made their buying decisions.
S5 Marketing Note: As you have seen above the main differences between the S5 Vacuums is in regards to the controls. Some websites will claim that the Capricorn is the best cleaning vacuum and they may award it their "highest ranking". With the same floor tool the Capricorn, Aquarius and the Callisto all clean the same.
Comparing the S4 and S5 Vacuums: Sometimes you may want to consider the S4 or S5 series not based on the floor tools but on the other features they offer. For a graphical comparison view our S4 vs S5 Chart.
| Feature |
S4 |
S5 |
Result |
|
Double Sealed |
No |
Yes |
Quieter Performance |
|
Bag Size |
No |
Yes |
25% More Capacity |
|
Hidden Attachments |
No |
Yes |
Attachments are Hidden on Board |
Lets look at how this works from a cost factor with two vacuums that are very similar, The S4 Antares and the S5 Pisces. (You can view a graphical comparison here)
Both of these vacuums have the same motor and the same floor tool so the floor cleaning will be the same. However, the Pisces costs $160 more than the Antares. $50 of that is made up in the HEPA filter that is included with the Pisces. What do you get for the remaining $110? You receive quieter performance, hidden attachments, and vacuum bags with 25% more capacity. You also have the option of upgrading to a motorized floor tool at a later date, albiet at an expensive cost. Is that enough to consider upgrading? That is up to you.
Alternative Miele Vacuums: Miele has three other canister vacuums that you might want to consider before you make your decision.
Miele Plus: The Miele Plus is a heavy duty vacuum that comes with a motorized floor tool at the reasonable price of $549. The Miele plus has the following disadvantages versus the regular S5 Miele Vacuum:
1. The cord that powers the floor tool is exposed and clips on to the wand.
2. The Miele Plus can not accept a HEPA Filter.
3. The Miele Plus takes the smaller bags.
4. The Vacuum is louder as it is not double sealed.
5. It does not come with the Stair Tool.
6. It lacks any advanced features that specific S5 vacuums might have such as controls on the handles, park and pause, and ability to accept the SEB236.
Where the Miele Plus excels is in commercial applications. We do not recommend it for allergy sufferers as it can not accept a HEPA filter.
Red Electro: This models offers $140 in savings over the S5 Callisto. Here is what you lose compared to the Callisto if you select the Red Electro:
1. Does not come with a Parquet hard floor tool. ($50 Value)
2. Does not come with a HEPA filter. ($50 Value)
3. Vacuum is louder as it is not double sealed.
4. Vacuum bag size is smaller costing more over time.
To monetize the difference if you upgrade to the Callisto and include the cost of the Parquet and HEPA filter you are paying $40 more for a quieter vacuum with larger vacuum bags that is based on the new S5 tooling.
Cat & Dog: This vacuum costs the same as the Callisto or $160 less than the Aquarius. Lets compare the models and see which is the best choice:
1. The Cat & Dog comes with the combo tool and not the parquet tool like the S5 Vacuums.
2. The Cat & Dog is not double sealed and is louder than S5 vacuums.
3. The Cat & Dog includes the Handheld turbobrush (a $70 value)
4. The Cat and Dog has a carbon filter for odor control.
5. The S5 Vacuums come with a HEPA filter for particle control ($15 value compared to the Carbon Filter).
6. The Cat and Dog takes the smaller vacuum bags.
To compare from a cost standpoint you can upgrade to the Callisto with the hand held turbobrush for a total of $869 ($799 + $70) and it will cost you only $70 more. You would receive a quieter machine based on the new tooling that takes a larger bag. Also you would get a HEPA filter worth $15 more than the carbon filter making the real difference only $55.
Our feeling for residential applications most people will be best served buy buying within the S5 range if they are looking for a Miele Vacuum with a motorized floor tool.
Now hopefully you have a good grasp of the Miele Canister Vacuums and which one might be best for you. However if you still have any questions or just want to affirm your own feelings please give us a call and we will be happy to help.
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The content of this buying guide is our work and does not reflect or represent the opinion of Miele.
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