totally worth it: miele vacuums
I can’t tell you how long I’ve been thinking about buying a Miele vacuum cleaner. They have an amazing reputation for being well built, long-lasting, lightweight, quiet and, most importantly, GREAT for allergy sufferers. Well, this clogged-head finally bit the pricey bullet on Saturday and laid out nearly $500 for the lovely number you see above. Believe me, it was a not an easy decision, but now that I’ve brought her home I can tell you – it was worth it. I never thought I would get excited about vacuuming, but there really is no comparison between this one and my old, cheap Dirt Devil. What clinched the deal for me was this particular model, a Medivac, was first made for use in nursing homes. This means they come equipped with a special Hepa filter, so clean air spews forth while you vacuum. It also came with at turbo brush attachment that works like a charm on both hardwood floors and shag carpets. Not to mention it’s darn cute, with a little green cross on the front. They’re hard to find (mine was the last model at Gracious Home and was marked down by $200). If you want something similar, I highly recommend the Red Star for around the same price. Have you bought something pricey for your home that is “totally worth it?” We’d love to hear about it!– Angela M.
May 9th, 2006 at 2:21 pm
Our Miele vacuum cleaner motor died after 2 1/2 years. Contrast that with my mother’s 25 year old Hoover upright.
May 9th, 2006 at 2:24 pm
The most expensive (well, in terms of cost-to-material) item I’ve bought for my home was a lime green “Until Dawn” curtain panel. You know, the design-y laser-cut birds and flowers paper number? It was a relative splurge, but worth it for the joy it brings!
May 9th, 2006 at 8:15 pm
We splurged out and bought an Asko washing machine - a front loader. I love it so much I even named it Sven and pat it after each load. I had no idea how filthy our clothes were until I started washing them in Sven - I realised our old, rather agricultural, top loading monster had just been playing around. Sven really cleans and is well worth the money. What’s more, our water consumption has gone down, so Sven is green too.
May 10th, 2006 at 6:16 am
Does anyone who has used both know how it compares with the Dyson? Our Dyson DC05 is almost 3 years old and gets used pretty much twice a day so its lacking a bit of oomph now. I’m thinking of replacing it but I’m not sure if I should stay with this brand.
May 11th, 2006 at 3:54 pm
I bought the Miele silver moon vacuum about four years ago and still think it was the best purchase decision I’ve ever made. It’s really quiet, does a fantastic job of getting the long cats hairs off our rugs, and has helped my allergies a lot. I strongly believe that buying better quality means buying less frequently and, in the end, saving money while putting fewing things into landfills. And fortunately quality doesn’t always mean spending more money.
May 13th, 2006 at 2:57 pm
7 years ago we bought a Serta Perfect Sleeper mattress. I daydream about that bed while I’m at work - its so amazingly comfortable. It was the best $1000 I’ve ever spent, hands down.
May 15th, 2006 at 6:40 pm
A few months ago, we bought a Select Comfort mattress (yeah, the sleep number kind). When I say we, I mean my wife. She researched it, found a wood platform with a finish we both liked, and when the bed arrived, she had it mostly assembled before I got home.
I was skeptical, but it has definitely helped my intermittent backaches. We also moved up from queen- to king-size. There were a number of options that we declined, so we don’t have the digital readout or memory pre-sets or the foam top.
Given that we were already on the hook for a new mattress and probably box spring, it was definitely worth it.
May 16th, 2006 at 7:34 am
I see someone already beat me to listing their Asko washer & dryer!
I got my Asko 10505 washer & 9005 dryer in 1999. The pair was $1500, marked down because they were floor models. They’re worth the cost, too. Washing a load of clothes on six gallons of water is fantastic. And the 205-degree “hot wash” gets dish towels and other linens so clean it’s scary.
I also splurged and bought an entire set of Henckels Five-Star Professional knives once upon a time. At $500 for six knives, I wondered about my own sanity. But they were worth every penny! A good knife saves TONS of time in the kitchen because you don’t have to work so hard at chopping things up.
June 23rd, 2006 at 4:18 am
I have a similar love for the workhorse Electrolux vacuums, like the Legacy. I purchased the snazzy new-ish Electrolux Pronto Stick Vac (about $80 on Amazon). I love it for its convenience (it charges upright in a little base), and works really well for all the pet fur on my hardwood and tile floors. Like most stick vacs, it doesn’t really do that well on carpets.
January 3rd, 2007 at 6:33 pm
[...] Random thought I had the other day: I can’t remember the last time I used a broom. No, it’s not that our floors are dirty, but since the magic of Swiffers have entered our lives — not to mention our fabulous Miele vacuum cleaner, we don’t need to sweep anymore. If something spills — like coffee grounds or broken glass — we run for the vacuum. Sure, we keep a handbroom and dustpan handy, but don’t use them often. So what do you think: Are brooms dead? Or do you still sweep your floors? — Angela M. [...]
February 6th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
Hey Ash, I would definitly get rid of that Dyson for something better but wouldnt recomend a Miele. You can get alot better for alot cheaper, look into a sanitaire system pro, or lindhaus aria. SimplyVacuums.com
August 26th, 2007 at 4:14 am
Sanitaire is just Eureka, as is Electolux (in the US).
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:02 am
[...] we must invest in a quality machine and am thinking this little guy will do the trick. But, I am a Miele devotee at heart. Thoughts? — Angela M. [...]