Name: hyperbolium
Location: Earth, USA
Date: 2009-11-17
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Terrific lower-priced additions to the Miele canister vacuum line
Comment: Miele is a family-owned German manufacturer of home appliances. The company's philosophy of continuous improvement ("Immer Besser") has made them a favorite throughout the world. Their products don't have bargain prices, but provide value in high quality design and manufacturing that results in superior performance and durability. Miele was founded in 1899 and began producing vacuum cleaners in 1927; their vacuums have become favorites of professionals worldwide, including many top-end hotel staffs.
The Miele S2 line of canister vacuums is new for 2009, offering the quality and many of Miele's standard features at a lower price. There are three S2 models, all sharing the same 1200-watt base vacuum. The canister has six power settings and a standard air filter that catches 94% of particles down to 0.3 microns. The Olympus model is the lowest priced of the three, and features a floor/carpet combo head (SBD350-3), non-electric hose and a telescoping wand. The Delphi model substitutes a power head (SEB217-3), electric hose (SES116) and electric telescoping wand (SET220). The Titan model retains the power components of the Delphi and adds a parquet floor brush (SBB-3) and active HEPA filter.
Note that all three models can support the power hose and brush, but only the Delphi and Titan include it as part of the package. Similarly, all three models support the active HEPA filter, but only the Titan includes it in its package. If you don't currently need a power head you can buy the Olympus and add the power components later; you'll pay more in the end, but you won't have to buy power components now that you may not need for a few years. The non-electric combo head works well on smooth flooring, is usable on short-pile carpet, and is difficult to use on deeper-pile carpet.
Like all Miele vacuum cleaners, the S2 is well designed and manufactured in Germany. The vacuum has a range of 29.5 feet from the end of the self-retracting power cord to the tip of the brush. The unit is light (under 10 lbs), nicely balanced and moves easily in any direction on its casters. The top-exhaust design allows you to vacuum easily with the canister standing up, such as on steps. The motor is surprisingly quiet, particularly at the lower power levels. The six power levels allow you to switch from floors and carpets to shelves and tabletops without accidentally grabbing objects or papers instead of dirt or dust.
The S2 cleans very well and is a pleasure to use. The base has notches in which the hose can be parked, one for when the base is on its wheels, one for when the base is standing. This is a great touch, useful for temporarily standing the hose while you move a piece of furniture, and helpful for storing the vacuum in a closet without breaking down the hose and wand. Perhaps the only weakness of the S2 is the "varioclip" for tool storage, which rides somewhat uncomfortably on the hose rather than more naturally on the base. Changing the filter and bag are each a snap, and an indicator tells you when the bag is full.
Finally, what compromises does the S2 line make from the more expensive S4 and S5 lines? The most obvious changes are to external components: a few parts, such as the bumper strip that surrounds the canister, are made from hard plastic rather than softer rubber. The operating radius is a few feet shorter (due to a shorter power cord), and the accessory brushes use some lower-cost materials (nylon versus natural bristle brush, plastic instead of metal). Inside, the S2 canister uses Miele's "CleanAir System" construction, while the S4 and S5 canister use its "Sealed System." Miele doesn't offer a detailed comparison of the two, but one might assume the latter system provides an extra measure of dust capture that may be more appropriate for those with allergic sensitivities.
The changes made to lower the price of the S2 line will make small differences in daily use, but shouldn't compromise the vacuum's core ability to clean. Those who are especially sensitive to dust should consider the HEPA-equipped Titan model, or stepping up to the S4 or S5; those with less stringent needs will find the S2 a terrific entry point to the Miele line of high quality vacuums. If budget is no issue, look at the S5 line, but if value-per-dollar is a major consideration, the S2 line will bring you Miele's engineering and manufacturing prowess at a more affordable price. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]
Name: Aderyn
Location: Small-Town Michigan, USA
Date: 2010-02-24
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Terrific vacuum!
Comment: I needed a new vacuum cleaner for over a year, so I had a long time to read up and do my research before I finally decided on a Miele, although not without hesitation; I mean, seriously, look at those price tags! However, I am fed up with having to buy a new vacuum cleaner every few years, so I really wanted solid construction and reliability. I thought about which features I needed, such as a power head for carpet, and arrived at the S2 line. Just as Miele advertises, I think the vacuums in this line strike a good balance between features and price.
After a couple weeks of using the Titan, I realized that part of the reason I always disliked vacuuming was because no matter how thoroughly I did it, it always had to be done again so soon. My house literally stays cleaner longer after I vacuum now. That may sound like an exaggeration, but it makes me realize just how much dust, dirt, and pet hair (dog and two cats) my old vacuums either failed to capture or blew back out. After vacuuming now, my house is cleaner and it even smells better, since the Titan's filtration makes it almost like taking an air purifier around from room to room. I also have no more aching back and shoulders from dragging around a heavy, unwieldy vacuum and moving every piece of furniture; the Titan is very lightweight and maneuverable, and the power head is designed in a way that enables it to fit around and under nearly everything. It's amazingly quiet, as well.
There are some drawbacks. Because of the canister's small, lightweight design, there isn't a lot of room for the cord, so it's short. The advertised 29-foot cleaning radius sounds like a lot, but it's not, and I use an extension cord. Also because it's small, the tools travel in a little clip on top rather than under the cover. It works okay, but to make it work, they had to keep the tools small, too, so the crevice tool is a shorty and the upholstery and dusting tools don't cover much ground in a single swipe. However, the vac's power makes up for that, because everything gets caught the first time through (in fact, it's the first vacuum I've had that actually does a really good job of dusting -- as good as dusting by hand). And, once again, there's the price, not only initially but also for the supplies. The bags, for example, are almost $4 each (BIG, though), and Miele-branded accessories are similarly pricey. Now that I've seen it dust, I really want the big, soft furniture brush that sells for a ridiculous $35+.
If I get the kind of use I'm hoping for from this vacuum, though, I think I'll end up money ahead in the end. And in the meantime, I sure resent vacuuming a LOT less!
Name: JmL
Location:
Date: 2010-03-06
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Titan does it all
Comment: Switching on the Titan is like starting up a BMW. Refined, hushed, intelligent. What a great vacuum. I owned an Electrolux canister for many years and it was excellent, but this is a step up. The canister is lightweight and easy to move around. The suction is strong and can be adjusted. The exhaust comes out the top, which makes sense - why would you blow exhaust out the side or back when you're wanting to suck up dust? They've done it right. The knob to select the setting of suction is easy to use, the handle is comfortable and at the perfect angle - it's a pleasure to use. In fact, I've vacuumed everyday since I got it, it's so much fun to pick up dust that's been lying around for a long time.
Name: Ruth F.
Location: Connecticut, USA
Date: 2010-03-12
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Wish I'd heard of Miele earlier....
Comment: I have owned my share of vacuums over the years. And like strollers, I kept trying to find the "one" that would be all I needed. I think I finally found it! About a month ago, I decided to put my Eureka Boss out to pasture and begin the search for a new vacuum. My FIL had a new Dyson vacuum that he seemed to like, so I started my research there. Boy, am I glad other reviewers recommended in their reviews to check out the Miele vacuums instead!
I live in a four story Colonial (basement is "unfinished", but we have rugs down where the washing machine is) and our walk-up attic was just refinished with wall-to-wall carpeting. On the other two "main" floors, it's mostly hardwood/tile and area rugs. So, we have many different floor surfaces requiring different maintenance needs! The more I researched Miele, the more I knew a canister vacuum was for me. I couldn't fathom trying to carry a heavy upright up and down all the different levels in my house. I found a local appliance store that sold Mieles and went to look at them myself. We bought one soon after through Amazon.
Here's what I like most about the Miele:
1. The retractable cord. It's a pet-peeve of mine that more appliances don't have this feature! And although the cord isn't super long, it's enough to do a room (at least in my house) and then unplug it to do another room.
2. The quietness. I just had a second baby and was worried about how I was going to keep the house clean with coordinating TWO nap and sleep schedules. The Titan (and I'm sure most other Mieles) resolve this issue by making it very quiet to use. I even used it in the room with my sleeping newborn and it didn't wake him!
3. The lightness. I can easily move this vacuum up and down the stairs with one hand. Don't know exactly what it weighs, but it's pretty light.
4. The different brushes and "heads" that attach to the hose. My Eureka had some of them, but they were such a pain to use. Switching out the brushes on the Titan is easy and quick. I never thought about vacuuming the top of the trim with my Eureka, but do all the time now with the Titan.
5. The powerbrush. This Miele comes with a powerbrush, which was essential for our house, because we have carpet, and some of it "thick pile". This powerbrush makes it easy to use on carpet and then by just pushing a switch on the handle, you can turn off the power (but not the suction) to the powerbrush and continue to vacuum the hardwood or tile floor. It's not as great as the hardfloor brush (which is also included), but it definitely works better to suck up dust and hairballs better than my Eureka ever did on hardfloor.
6. The filters. This model came with a HEPA filter, but we haven't even used it and the air quality (at least while vacuuming) seemed better! We don't have allergies (at least not indoor ones) though so I'm probably not the best person to believe.
7. The suction. It has six different levels of suction and even at the lowest suction end, it still managed to suck up more dirt than my Eureka ever could! (there's a piece of molding missing around a part on our floor and dirt falls in there like it's the grand canyon....the Titan removed it all, on the LOWEST suction setting!). The most amazing thing is that even with the brush attachments, it doesn't kick the dirt backwards, to be scattered across the floor again. It actually picks up the dirt on hard floor surfaces!
Things that could improve:
1. I wish there were a "handle" on the top of the unit, when it's on its three caster wheels. It would be nice to just pick it up as is and move it over a really high threshold or all the baby-gates we have in our house, without putting it on its "feet" first.
2. A place to store the "parquet floorbrush" on the vacuum itself. It's the only adapter/brush that doesn't have a "home" on the Titan.
3. Might also be nice to "retract" the hose that attaches the canister with the brush attachments, for storage. There seems to be a lot of hose to figure out how to wind around the handle before putting it away. Maybe they could figure out how to make the hose shorter sometimes and longer when you need it.
Overall, I'm EXTREMELY satisfied with this vacuum. And it's even gotten my husband (who NEVER vacuums) to vacuum once in a while! I'd definitely recommend this to my friends and family.
Name: Kristen Pursley
Location: Fayetteville, AR
Date: 2010-07-01
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Best vacuum
Comment: This is an amazing vacuum! I have 2 cats and a dog, which means a lot of pet hair, but it is no match for this vacuum. It picks up everything and is so easy to move around. I am not sure why one person said it was heavy and difficult, this vacuum is so light and moves nicely. I was apprehensive at first about spending this kind of money on a vacuum, but after buying a 2000 sq ft home I knew it would be worth it. This is a great vacuum!
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