Alright fellas, aside from the perfect answer to this question "Which ever one my wife is pushing!", what is the opinions on vacuums (I got it, they suck).  We currently have a Roomba which is doing great but I'm moving up in house size and multiple floors.  The only "real" vacuum I have is my circa 1983 Kirby which mama has already designated as not making the move with us.  So are Dyson's or Sharks, Bissels whats the good experiences - NOT USING the hose for pleasurable company

I have had a refurbed dyson animal for 10 years or so.

Been great. Got 5kids a lab and a german shedder.

My only complaint is the hose tears. I think mine is about 5 feet stretched. But i will replace it when i get around to it.

I have a Dyson.

Meh, it's a vacuum.  I don't find it any better than the busted Hoover it replaced.

I have an old Hoover corded vacuum and a Dyson V6 Animal cordless. The cordless is great for quick clean up, especially on the hard kitchen floors. It lacks the suction power that the corded Hoover has for the carpet. It also doesn't have the battery life to vacuum the whole house at once.

We've got a Miele upright.  Household6 did all the research and decided that's what she wanted.  Sure has lasted better than any other vacuum  we have had. 

Dyson Animal Ball here. Look for them to be on sale or at least a 20% off coupon at Bed Bath and Beyond

I'm sure the Dyson / Shark etc work great when it’s new. Whether it will be as efficient in the coming years is another matter. See, these multipurpose vacuums have a number of sealed joints so you can remove the canister, and to run attachments. Over time, the seals will leak, and the suction will decrease.

For regular bare floor and other vacuum chores I have a ProTeam Super CoachVac HEPA Backpack Vacuum. Powered with a two-stage motor that has been in use for decades, the CoachVac is a defining standard for many commercial cleaners who rely on its extreme durability, and exceptional performance.  With nothing to drag behind you, it's possible to move throughout the house, then to the garage or shop to vacuum there.  It's very easy to maneuver while wearing the vacuum and areas that you had to go over two times with a standard vacuum are now clean after one pass.

For carpets, nothing beats a dedicated upright.  Most new vacuums will appear to be quite efficient compared to one’s old, worn-out unit. But if one were to compare a Dyson or Shark against a dedicated carpet vacuum like a Royal upright, they do not fare quite so well.The Royal I bought has a powerful motor housed in an aluminum body. The machine is heavier than the Dyson - - as it should be, as the head unit needs weight to keep the beater bar in contact with the carpet. There are no extraneous tool attachments that leak air. The powerful suction empties directly into a bag. It has a bag, sure - - and the bag needs to be replaced. But the bag is treated against mold & mildew growth. When it’s full, you dispose of the entire bag, not empty a container that can still have mold spores and allergens left after you empty.

In conclusion, the multipurpose carpet/general purpose vacuums {like the Dyson or Shark }sold to consumers are expensive compromises that do not do any job exceptionally well, and have all-too short life spans.

We have gotten great service from our Dysons over the years 

We have a Hoover Wind Tunnel vacuum.  I've been impressed with it.  Second one we've had.  First one lasted about 5 years and we still use it for a backup.  It sucks pretty well.  I've used a few high end vacuums and this one seems to be about as good for a lot less.  I think we paid about $160 or so for this one.  I'd buy another one again.

If you have or will have dog- get the Dyson.  If you rinse it out and some silicone to the rubber seals it will last and act like a beast.  So nice the wife got two- one for each floor.  Costco is sometimes cheaper than a Bed Bath Beyond with a 20% coupon and usually has a few extra accessories.  It only happens a couple times a year, plus their return policy is generous.

Also check locally for service shops for the brand before you buy.  I had to take the oldest Dyson in and it was nice it was close.  The Dyson warranty is excellent and if you call, they will send you the part to do it yourself or have you take it to their local authorized shop in your area.  Parts are never an issue and if it is, Dyson will send you a new machine in the same line.  My brush head cracked and they were back ordered for 4 weeks.  Instantly offered to upgrade my almost 5 year old machine to a brand new one- equilivant to what I had.  Shipped it to my house in 3 days and they paid to ship the old back.  Customer service like that is rare.

Thanks for all the replies!  We do have a fur ball, and stairs, so the advise is well taken.  The backpack thing- just for grins I'd love to see what House06 would do with that bad boy.  Like ghost busters meets the landscaping guy.  Thanks again.  If Clarksville only had a Costco...Nashville it is!

If I had to do it over again, I'd get a Panasonic.

That thing will suck the paint off your house and give you a permanent orange afro.  

I had one for many years, and it was replaced with various Hoovers, Bissells, and now a Shark.  None were as good as the Panasonic.

Wife wanted the Shark, and we got one.  I'm not super happy with it, but it is a vacuum.

I think Shark is the best value for the money. Had one that worked great for 4 years, ditched it in a move. A while back I was responsible for buying (cheap) vacuums for use in dormitories. The only ones that survived a year were Shark brand.

If you don't care about best value, then the guy suggesting commercial-grade vacuums is on the right track.

We went through the same thing time and time again.
Buy major brand vacuum.
After a few years complain it doesn't work very well.
Buy another and  after a few years complain it doesn't work very well.
Repeat....

Got tired of it so went to a vacuum store and was sold on a Miele canister.
I had doen my research before and knew that was the one I thought would be the best.
Years later it still works perfect.
I have to dial down the suction depending on what carpet I'm on so no complaints about function.
Very quiet.  You can have a normal conversation while vacuuming.
Filters out everything.  Other brands seemed to leak more dust than they picked up.
Expensive but I think I would have saved money in the long run buy not having to replace every 2-3 years.
The bags are expensive too but so efficient I think they even filter out carbon dioxide :-)

I replaced a 40 yo Kirby with a Purple Dyson.  Both suck.

I also have a shark.

The dyson wins hands down. It doesn't throw dirt in the air. It picks up fine particulate. I wish the wand was a bit more useful. I use the shark for the hard to reach places.

Many years ago I used to buy whatever consumer reports said was the best buy vacuum.  They would all be in the $200 range and last about 2 years with the abuse I give them.

Back in 2003 I bought a Dyson because it was on sale at Costco.  Even on sale it cost about 2x what I would normally pay for a vacuum.

I am still using that Dyson vacuum today, although it is starting to fall apart.  I have some green 100 mph tape over the canister to seal a hole where I dropped it on the brick stairs.  The hose has separated in a few places, but I just glued those sections together with rubber cement.  The latch that you use to remove the canister has cracked down middle so it is glued back together.  It does, however, still vacuum just about as good at it did when new.

So if I do the math the Dyson has saved me about $800.

Our Dyson was garbage compared to the Miele we have now