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Looking for Opinions on Miele and Samsung canister vacuum cleaners?
QUESTION: In the past, we've had terrible luck with vacuum cleaners.
All so far have been uprights: Hoover, Eureka, etc., so this time,
we're looking at getting a good canister vacuum that will: (1) do a
reasonble job cleaning, and (2) LAST a long time.
At this point, I've narrowed our choices down to a Samsung Quiet Storm
(VAC-9068G) or a Miele Plus (S251i w/electric brush).
About 50% of our floors are hardwood or tile, and the other 50% is
carpet. The carpet is plush, but not terribly thick.
Both the Samsung and Miele seem to be nearly comparable, feature-by-
feature, but there are some differences in the warranty (1 yr. vs. 1
yr.+5 yr. motor, respectively), and, as I understand it, the Miele uses
a 'grooved' vs. a 'flat' belt in the Samsung.
Another thing that is concern is service, both in-warranty and out-of-
warranty.
What I've been told is that all 'authorized' Miele dealers are
contractually obligated to do warranty repairs, i.e., whoever sells us
the Miele will be able to service it.
With Samsung, on the other hand, the situation seems a little vague. I
called Samsung's 800 # three times, to get the number of the closest
repair center. Each time, I got a different number, further and
further away from our home. We're in Virginia, and I got numbers in
VA, MD, and then PA. Each time I called the number I was given, the
shop said that they didn't service Samsung vacs! I've emailed Samsung
via their website, but at this point, I have no idea where we'd send a
Samsung vac to for service!
After all of this, I am REALLY confused as to which one we should get.
I wouldn't mind paying the higher price for the Miele if it really does
clean well, and if it really is much more reliable than the Samsung.
At the same time, if they're similar, I'm concerned about buying a
machine that we couldn't get service for.
I'd really appreciate some feedback from anyone who owns either of
these, as to the points above, i.e.:
1) How well do they clean carpet and flat surfaces?
2) How reliable are they?
3) Will the Samsung really use up belts faster than the Miele?
4) How's the service for them?
One other question re. the Miele: As mentioned above, we've been
looking primarily at the Plus package (S251i and electric brush). Is
this the right size machine for us (total floorspace is probably about
4000 sq. ft.)? Or, should we be looking at the midsize (Red Star or
Solaris Electric Plus)?
Thanks in advance!
ANSWER: Warranties are mostly marketing BS. What you really want is a product
that's well made. Which would you be happier with, a product that has
a 5-year warranty that requires service four times a year, or one with
a one-year warranty that never breaks?
That aside, I've had very good luck with my local vacuum repair shop.
They're not warranty repair authorized for any manufacturer, but have
always been able to get the job done quickly and inexpensively. If I
were you, I wouldn't get wrapped up in warranty service.
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