I bought this vacuum because of a positive rating from Consumer Reports. In general, the vacuum does an excellent job of cleaning carpet. They don't come any better. However, there are a variety of trade offs. First, the quality is questionable. The bare floor switch never worked. At first, I thought it was just me not turning it on properly. No, it simply never worked straight from the factory. Second, it is very heavy. If you're petite or a little on the weak side, just beware. Third, the airflow for the attachments is poor. Therefore, don't expect this vacuum to be any good for picking up pet hair on furniture. Fourth, the handle release is very hard to engage. If you're like me and clean house in your bare feet, it's especially hard. Fifth, this machine is incredibly LOUD! Sixth, the bag can be a little tricky to change. Again, it vacuums carpet extremely well. But everything else makes me wish I had made a pass on the machine. It became such a nuisance that I eventually bought an Electrolux Oxygen canister. Electrolux makes Eureka too. That was a mistake. It vacuumed great when it worked. But that machine was of extremely poor quality and prone to wiring problems that kept it in the repair shop. I eventually bought a Kenmore Progressive canister. It's much quieter and does a super job at everything.