Finding a Good Vacuum

My third broken Eureka Boss vacuum

My vacuum cleaner really sucks—in both good and bad ways. Last week, the hose on my third Eureka vacuum broke, so I can’t use the hose or its tools for cleaning items, like my family room’s sofa. I owned three Eureka  vacuums in a period of about eight years.

I keep buying the Eureka because it is cheap (you can get a Eureka for only about $100 on Amazon) and it has really good suction. In fact, the suction is so good that when I first got a Eureka, family and friends commented how clean my home’s wall-to-wall carpeting looked. (Sadly, my home is swimming in carpeting!) I would love to replace them with beautiful hardwood floors, such as those by Bruce or Mercier.

Additionally, shortly after getting the vacuum, I accidentally ripped a curtain rod (along with the curtains) right off the wall because the vacuum so forcefully sucked in the curtains!!

With vacuum repair generally costing more than $100, I figured that buying a cheaper machine was more cost-effective (and less of a hassle) in the long run. (However, I don’t know what to do with the broken vacuums in my home’s basement!)

Best Vacuum for Stairs
Now, I am debating what to do. The floor suction on my vacuum still works, so I don’t know whether to get a new vacuum or not. I can still use the vacuum for most of my home (which has carpet in most rooms, except the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry room), but I really do need something for the stairs. That’s where the hose comes in – I usually use the hose and the Eureka power claw attachment for vacuuming the stairs because the vacuum is so heavy and can be cumbersome to carry. (I once nearly fell down the stairs while vacuuming when the handle to the vacuum came free and knocked me on the head.) I guess the hose to the Eureka isn’t made to stand up to such frequent use – perhaps it’s only intended for light housekeeping.

The broken hose on my Eureka Boss vacuum

I do have a hand vac that I can use on the stairs, but it doesn’t quite do the job I’d like on the stairs, and the exhaust from the machine isn’t too pleasant.

So, I’ve been hoping to find a durable vacuum with a long hose that I can use on the stairs – and that can serve as a backup should my Eureka vacuum stop working. I’ve looked at the Hoover Rewind Vacuum  because it has good reviews, but I am not sure how well it will perform on the stairs.

Friends of mine have suggested a Dyson vacuum (like the Dyson Animal, which I’d love, but it costs nearly $450), but I can’t imagine spending that much on a vacuum—at least right now. Also, with an Amazon Basics vacuum only costing about $53, I am not sure if the Dyson is worth the cost.

2026 update: I finally did buy that Dyson! It works great and has lasted me several years so far with no complaints! And sadly, my home still has wall-to-wall carpeting—my husband loves it! So it looks like I will continue to need a good vacuum to keep my home clean.