I have own many vacuum . I seem to be pretty tough on they , but then again ... if you have a family of eight with five out of those eight have waist-length hair , you do end up vacuum quite a bit , generally every day . - I own a Kirby ; it be awesome but the bag be so expensive and hard to get , and the attatchment be a pain to use . - I own a Dyson Animal . ugh . never again . I can not believe that piece of junk cost as much as it do . horrible construction , the attatchment never work properly , and bagless vacuum be just so disgusting . not very many thing will make I gag , but clean out a bagless vacuum do . just ... no. . no. . never . - I have own several Dirt Devils . they be pretty good , but flimsy . but , they be generally inexpensive , so the flimsiness be forgivable . -lrb- a Dirt Devil be what I be get next after this one ... -rrb- - this vacuum be okay as far as suction , but it have so much suction that it become a liability . it literally walk across my carpet by itself on the highest setting , and it be all I can do to pull it back . however , you would think that amount of suction would leave you carpet really clean . not so . with mine , it actually seem to push everything down -lrb- instead of fluff it up -rrb- and small crumb would just fly everywhere vs. be pick up in the vacuum . I think perhaps the lift mechanism be not work ... that perhaps I have it set for high carpet but it actually be not any higher than it would have be for low one . but no. . . when I take it in on a flat surface I could definitely tell a difference in the high and low setting . it be just not high enough for my carpet , I guess . and this be not any 1970 's shag carpet ! it be just a plain pile carpet we buy from Lowes three year ago ! so ... I be go to keep this vacuum as a backup I guess . since I have use it three time , I be not sure if I can return it , and at worst I suppose we can use it in the garage\/shop for sawdust , etc. . as for what I be go to use in the house , I just order another Dirt Devil for $ 44 , and so what if I have to replace it every year ... at least it will clean my carpet and not pull my arm off in the process !