community to request consumer goods advice?

Is there a good community to request advice on consumer goods? I'm in the market for a new vacuum cleaner. I'm also in the USA.

The old one is a 20-year-old Dyson and it's fine, just a tad loud and the plug gets warmer than I'd like. Good suckage.

I'm distrustful of online review sites because they all sound like paid vacuum cleaner salesfolk.

5 comments

Stuff from two decades ago is far higher quality than anything produced now. If the plug is getting hot, you can replace the cord or simply start by using a wire brush to remove any oxide or dirt from the terminals of the plug.
The power is likely 1400 watts and if so, it is typical for a cord to get a little warm with continuous use. You will find the same cord warmness from toasters, portable heaters, window air conditioners, and microwaves.
- Thanks, that makes sense. What we might settle on is a lighter one for doing stairs and the upstairs, and the older, heavy one for downstairs (20 lbs is a tad unwieldy and makes me yearn for a whole house vacuum system). I've found a vacuum repair place nearby with good reviews, so I can take the older one in for service.

I recently did a broad search to find a good quality vacuum at a modest budget, and most results pointed me to bagged canisters, particularly the Kenmore 200 series. A little retro in the form factor, but it does its job quite well.