I bought a Roomba from I-Robot and I find that it works very well indeed.  
You can set the thing up to run every day if you want.  The problem with  
this gadget is that you do have to have the place tidy enough for it to  
run without problems.  A nest of cords, a table or chair with projecting  
feet that it can climb up, pieces of paper, and such things can stop it or  
hang it up.  There may be a problem with going from carpets to hard floors  
if there is a lot of that in your place and they are thick.  There are  
other traps and snares, but if you can arrange your place so that it can  
run without getting tangled or trapped it is very good.   It doesn't do  
stairs, but I don't have any.  It is about like a dust buster, but the  
point is that you don't have to run the thing, it runs itself around which  
may take it some time, but doesn't bother you.   I highly recommend it.

Besides, there is a certain cache in saying on the telephone, "Excuse.  
I'll be right back.  The robot is stuck again."

OK, everyone, I'm taking a poll.

I'm relatively sure that my vacume died on me tonight. Major bummer,
but it is about 13 years old, so I guess I can't complain too much.

So, am taking a poll to see what kind of vacume everyone has and how
they like it.

I have an Oreck upright.  I've had more macho vacs, but I love this one.
Thanks to Melinda BTW.

It weighs practically nothing which makes a world of difference when your
body doesn't want to co-operate anymore.  It does the job on both carpet and
bare floors.  I don't know how it would be on deep pile carpets, but since I
can't afford those anyway...

I probably like the fairly long cord more than anything.  It doesn't have
any attachments, which can be a problem.  But that is partly how they get
rid of the weight.  It usually comes with a small canister vac that works
well for all the attachment stuff.

I also have a Dustbuster for small stuff.  But it is the highest power
dustbuster.  It holds a charge longer than some of the weaker ones.  And a
Swiffer dust vac for quick floor clean up and a Swiffer WetJet for muddy
footprints and a Hoover Floormate for scrubbing the tile and lamanate.

What can I say.  I have a Border Collie.  Diane probably understands the
problem as well as anyone.  As well as anyone else with a very active
indoor/outdoor adolescent dog.

Jo

For most of my adult life I had a canister style, but now we have an
upright, and I can't believe how much easier it is to maneuver around!

We have the bagless, wind tunnel style.  It was great at first.

It's the Hoover Wind Tunnel.  Yes, would probably purchase the same type
again because it sucks up enormous amounts of stuff that the old vac never
could get.  But it's a bit of a pain to have to keep emptying it and brush
the accumulated crud off the filter.  We have a lot of clay in the soil,
and the fine dust gets into the carpets.  While the wind tunnel design does
a fabulous job of sucking all that up, it becomes so embedded in the
strangely designed filter that keeping that cleaned out is a real chore.

Suction and maneuver-ability.

The thing that blew me away was that although we save money by not having
to purchase the bags for the old style vacuums we had, the cost for
replacing parts in the new vac more than makes up for that.  And the
constant cleaning of the specially designed filter is getting so annoying,
I'm almost ready to go back to the bag style of vacuum!

Good luck in your search!  I hate shopping for vacuums and appliances,
myself.  There are just way too many different styles to choose from these
days!

--
LadyKitt

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention
of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body,
but rather to slide in broadside, thoroughly used up,
totally worn out, and proclaiming: WOW...WHAT A RIDE!!!"

I'm interested, also.  I like my 25 year old cannister, but it is painful to
use now on carpet laden with Puddin'-hair.  (I carry on about finding puddles
when I get up in the morning!  Why on earth did we have to bond with a hairy
cat?!)   If we continue to live with carpeting (something I hadn't really
done between '81 and '03!) I need a newer, gentler vacuum, esp. with my costo
having settled into being clearly chronic.  I've been preparing Mike for this
expenditure the past couple of months.

My mom has a Kenmore upright.  Even though you have to move the entire
machine to vacuum, I find it much more comfortable to vacuum with hers than
with mine nowadays.  I've always preferred cannisters for their greater
versatility, but it may be time to change.  Anyway, our budget is tight so
affordable recommendations that are cat hair magnets are most welcome!  I
know what Consumer Reports says, but their concerns aren't entirely the same
as ours.  (I do notice that they highly recommend a couple of Kenmore vacs
that periodically are on sale at KMart, making them more affordable, but I
have to move them on carpet to test them.)

Oh, and I need HEPA filtration witth my allergies.  And Donna, I'm thinking
that might be a good feature for you also just to keep things as friendly as
possible to your challenged bod.

I have an Oreck upright, the little Oreck they gave you when you
purchase the big one, and a Roomba.

The Orecks have bags (but I buy them on eBay - they are MUCH cheaper).
The Roomba I have to open and dump.

Yes, I would purchase again as the Oreck does a great job. The Roomba is
OK fo general little cleanups.

Good power...although if I had a choice, I'd get Merry Maids :) Friends
have often asked what is the first thing I'd do if I won the lottery,
and I jokingly say "Call Merry Maids!"

Carole :)

Donna G. wrote and asked:

Hoover, upright, bag type.

Reputation, POWER, long-life (15-20 years).

Oreck sucks (no pun intended).   Over-advertised (which you
pay for), dumb/stupid ads I wouldn't trust.

... Cartoon -- A device used by publications to say what an editor dare not.

I have a Dyson model called "The Animal".  It's specifically made for
pet owners- we have 4 LARGE indoor dogs.  They all have medium to long
hair and track in a fair amount of Missouri clay on their feet.  I
wouldn't give up owning a Dyson (or the dogs!) for anything.  We had
this vacuum cleaner discussion on another ng that I read- two of the
gals went right out and bought Dysons.  They were horrified at the
large amount of "stuff" the Dyson picked up in their homes.... right
after a thorough vacuuming with their previous vacuum.  Check out
www.dyson.com  It will make you a believer!  (If the dust during
emptying is an issue, just dump it into a trash bag with the bag
closed up around the dirt container and shake the contents out.)  Good
luck finding a vac that suits your needs.....

Leslie