I was already having a bad day when it happened. It was the week the Petite Filet was out of town, we had just rescued Max from the animal shelter and the house was a pit of disaster, destruction and dirt. After all, it was also during a three-day stretch of rain during which this area got more than 3 inches of the much-needed – yet unwelcome-at-the-time – wet stuff.
So I'd gotten the vacuum out and was attempting to restore some sort of order. The Cutlet alternately loves vacs, and hates them. This time he was hatin' them, so I turned to try to calm him down (without shutting it off) and ended up sucking up one of his socks. I had just changed the vac's bag so didn't feel like cutting it open. Turns out the sock didn't end up in the bag, but rather was jammed up in the motor. I found this out when the vacuum no longer worked, and the motor made a high-pitched plea for me to shut it off.
It was time for a new vacuum anyhow – the old one was at least 10 years old.
You know you've gotten older, settled down and turned domestic when you're excited to get a new vacuum cleaner. It's like buying a new car without dealing with pushy salesmen or taking on a small country's worth of debt. I checked Consumer Reports, did some research online and then headed to Sears (which sells most of the vacs in CR's Top 5). The saleswoman recommended one that is No. 5 on that list, because the Kenmores occupying Nos. 1 and 2 are a tad on the heavy side.
Hoover Savvy™ it is, then! So far, so good. The thing really sucks (a good thing) and looks kind of neat. One cool feature (although I haven't figured out exactly why) is it can be converted to a bagless or bagged vac. It has found a place of honor in the entry closet so that it's at the ready, which is about all the time. It also cost a lot less and was rated better than those overpriced, frugly Dysons.
My old vac? Well, after a thorough investigation into the abduction of the Cutlet's sock, it was convicted by the Home Appliance Criminal Court of poor performance, bad language and high crimes against toddler footwear. It was exiled to the curb, whereupon either one of the roaming Trash Gypsies gave it a new home, or the professional trash collectors sent it packing to the dump.
We're about due for a new vacuum cleaner. I'll check into that Hoover you mentioned. I like Hoovers, and I like lower prices. Although, I have no idea what vacuum cleaners cost these days.
Thanks
You sound like me when I'm buying new items. My friends call me the research queen because I have to look up all the reviews and specs about an item before I buy it.
Roaming trash gypsies.
Sock abductions.
Entry closet honors...
Stop. You're killing me.
I have a Kirby that we paid WAY too much money for but I hate the blasted thing. I think it weighs like 35 lbs or something. I've been jonesin for a new one.
Lucky!!
I have my subscriptions sorted by post time and the one immediately following yours is another "sucker":
http://www.shinyshiny.tv/2006/03/ergorapido_2in1.html
Personally we have a Riccar 8955 which is a bit on the dear (expensive) side but I'm hoping we never have to buy another vacuum again...
http://www.shopping.com/xPR-Riccar_8955
Have fun with your new Hoover Savvy!
Congrats on your purchase, although the idea of researching such a foul topic as vacuum cleaners nearly makes me retch. Honestly - while I love the purchase part -- it's a vacuum cleaner... Sorry, it's my LEAST fave household chore...