Vacuum for carpet on stairs?

[peggyfromwastate]

So, everything is breaking now... Last weekend it was the fridge, replaced now, and now it seems to be the vacuum. I just tried to vacuum, it wasn't picking up anything, the motor stunk up my bedroom...

This vacuum (it's an Oreck, about 8 years old, JUST past warranty expiration of course) has never done well on stairs. It's just not made for it. There is no attachment or somthing for dealing with the stairs. I was thinking of getting a canister vacuum (the Oreck canister vac that came with the Oreck was a total joke. Piece of crap that DD1 uses to vacuum up ants mostly lol--that's the extent of it's suction). But I'm not seeing a lot of canister vacuums that will work on carpet also? If our upright Oreck completely dies, which I fear it might??

Any suggestions on good vacuums for stairs-- and can they handle carpets as a whole? We have mostly wood floors (pergo actually!)

But I would like a vacuum that can do it all, and maybe hopefully last at least 10 years... Sigh...

[GreyhoundsRUs]

We have a Eureka that has a special attachment with a spinning brush ("The Claw"). Works swimmingly on the stairs!

[spotty_dog]

I'd find an Oreck store first of all. Mine was smelling funny and losing suction at 5 or 6 years old, and all it needed was a tune-up from the Oreck repair people (they claimed there was POOP in the tubes. I think years of grimy decomposing buildup is much more likely, but still...gross!) It was like $30 if memory serves.

And I've always been impressed by the suction on the canister, unless the bag is getting full. Just a few weeks ago I was getting really annoyed with it not working too well, and then it all but quit sucking completely. I finally checked the bag and it was PACKED SOLID with debris! Changed it out and OMG the amount of crap it pulled out of my floor crevices was amazing, LOL. I'd think a repair person could check that out too.

I'd use the Oreck upright on the stairs to be honest, it's so light and easy to carry up and down.

[peggyfromwastate]

It's just too fat at the bottom to go under our handrail for our stairs. The steps never get completely clean.

we've changed the bag on the canister a few times but it just doesn't seem to work... I think getting the upright tuned up will be fine but I still need a good vacuum for the stairs...

[spotty_dog]

I'm such an Oreck fangirl that I haven't even thought about getting a different machine in the past 8 years. But poking around on Amazon for positive reviews of canister vacuums, this one blew me away with all the happy customers, and it's only $80? http://www.amazon.com/Eureka-3670G-M...dp/B001E52VZ2/

[HouseofWool]

My mom bought a Kennmore Progressive canister in March and it is pretty good. It has an attachment for solid surface floors as well one with a powered spinning dohickey. It works wonderfully on carpet. (For some gawdawful reason, she feels that there must be rugs in the kitchen. Not throw rugs, but like, area rugs. Where a toddler eats. *headdesk*

Avoid the Dyson canister like the plague. I'd say it sucks, but it doesn't ... which is the problem. It does the stairs very well, and the lower pile carpeting on the 2nd floor, but my nicer carpeting downstairs always seems woefully neglected.