Miele S4212 Polaris Galaxy Canister Vacuum Cleaner w/ SBD450-3 Rug and Floor Tool

First, let me just say that prior to buying the Miele Antares, I owned a different (”low-end”) Miele vacuum for 16 years. I ran it all the time, it was totally ahead of its time in terms of performance and style, and I never once serviced it.

However, after 16 years, it needed minor servicing, and though they told me at the shop that it still had some life left in it (the vacuum store told me that Miele motors are built to last for 20 years), I decided to trade in my old Miele and upgrade to the Antares. WOW! This unit is amazing. It’s quiet, it’s lighter, it has variable settings for suction power, and it’s really powerful. I highly recommend investing in the add-on turbo brush ($100), especially if you have pets. (I hate to vacuum, but I do have pets, and the turbo brush literally scrubs the fur out of your carpet.)

But even if you own an old Miele, like my previous one, you could just buy the turbo brush and add it on–the Miele design is consistent enough that often the same components can be used for multiple models, covering a wide span of years (for example, the Antares uses exactly the same vacuum cleaner bags that my 16-year-old Miele used).

I recommend that you don’t waste your time with vacuum cleaners that will only last 3-5 years. Read the user reviews online of other competing products that don’t last nearly as long, and then buy a Miele.
Rating: 5 / 5

It’s not like me to write a rave about a vacuum cleaner, let alone actually use one (except when prompted to by partners or pangs of conscience). However, the minute I Miele’d the rugs, I knew I could never go back to the lackluster performance of cheaper machines. That’s just how superior the Miele is, even this, one of the most affordable in their line. It’s worth the extra $150 or so compared to top models from Eureka, Hoover, and other popular brands. There’s so much going for this model that brevity demands I simply enumerate it’s many advantages.

Power: There are six easily adjustable power levels. The highest is an incredible 1,200 watts–plenty to pick up old debris stubbornly clinging to home base. By attaching the long crevice tool you can wedge the wand between rug and wall and pick up generations of dirt–this is no time to get sentimental. The lower power setting are also useful, witht the duster attachment you can go over framed pictures, curtains, etc. without fear that the pictures will fall down or that the curtains or etc. will wind up sucked inside the hose. There’s high power, but there’s also non-gimmicky variable power.

Mobility: I’m a novice at using a canister vacuum, so I was surprised at how easily the unit followed me the room around like a low-tech robot. You may need to lift it when moving from one room to another, and the Miele is relatively light (compare it to the Dyson, for example) and well-balanced. The standard rectangular head also shows great angular mobility to vacuum hard-to-reach areas. It adds up to a greater effective cleaning area; you’ll get closer to walls and curved objects. It’s the large appliance equivalent of a close shave.

The Other Stuff: I won’t repeat all the information in the product description above except to confirm that the components work (e.g., the filtering system) and the features aren’t mere gimmicks. The bag changes more easily than in other vacuums, the useful tools attach to the telescoping steel wand, the electric cord retracts completely and semi-automatically, and is is much quieter than any other v.c. I’ve used. Yes, the cleaning head doubles as a combo rug/floor cleaner, but unlike the other reviewer, I found that the Miele performed superbly (even with dog fur) on both surfaces without needing rotating brushes. (The head adjusts to floors by retracting some stiff but fairly short non-rotating brushes.) If you need prefer however, you can buy a rotating brush head for about $100 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AMEKHW/ ref=pd_sim_k_2/103-7519344-0327817?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=284507). That costs approximately as much as a model that comes with the “power brush,” so you could experiment without it first. If money is no object, then go ahead and get the other model, and send me one too…

Problems: Not many, although I’ve had it a very short time, and will update this review if it develops any. However, I wish the on/off button were located on the wand rather than on the trailing canister. Furthermore, you’re supposed to control power by stepping on the canister’s large metallic plate, but this proved somewhat clumsy and slippery when not wearing your shoes.

I’m so pleased with the Miele that I’m taking a break from my usual reviews of books and music to recommend it. A Miele can cost over $1,000, but I suspect that most people won’t need these more expensive versions. However, one may want to compare models on the web to find right one for you. I’m actually looking forward to using it tomorrow…the fresher air, cleaner house, and wow factor are worth it.

Rating: 5 / 5

After almost 24 years, my husband and I decided to rid ourselves of the vacuum cleaners we brought to the marrriage. Last year, I bought a huge upright vacuum for heavy cleaning and went through a string of cordless sweepers for day to day operations. None of the latter suited me for heavy cleaning, and they barely functioned on a daily basis after few days of work. Having had a stroke last year I am not as capable as I once was of man-handling a 25-lb or heavier gizmo, and my 76-year old husband, owns a back that “goes out” every time the house needs vacuuming. So, finding the various sweepers insufficient and the upright too heavy, I began to search in earnest for something light-weight that would also perform.

I love the Miele vacuum cleaner S 4000: 1/it weighs 11 lbs and I can manipulate it easily; it meets the standards set for vacuum cleaners by Canada and the EU…..environmentally friendly with a fine filtration system, so I don’t spend the whole time sneezing; 3/ it is a low energy-usage instrument; 4/ the machine is so quiet, I caught my husband going out the front door while I was vacuuming, and I could hear my cell phone ring and answer it and speak with and hear the caller; 5/ the head is so flexible, it goes this way and that under bird cages and across floors and rugs (I have floor cloths and a few Persian scatter rugs). 6/ the wand snaps upright onto the canister for storage and resting while you stop.

Best of all this vacuum sucks like a big upright (it may be better!). I have 14 parrots, a flock of canaries and three poms..talk about feathers, food, and fur..and this little light-weight machine does the trick, however, and leaves the floor clean. It’s so light-weight I will use it for “everyday”.

Rating: 5 / 5