Following the disappointment of a Bosch vacuum cleaner I purchased last Christmas, I thought I might try and research a bit more into floorcare appliances and "see where brands are going," where models are concerned and oh how the prices of even the cheap bagless or bagged vacuums have suddenly risen due to the economy! Before I even give you reasons to why I think I and hundreds of other buyers are made for choosing dust bags over the bagless vacuum cleaner, ask yourself these questions:
1) Would you prefer a see-through/clear toilet in your home compared to coloured porcelain?
2) Or how about using your kitchen bin without an inner refuse bag so that your main point of throwing out rubbish just mounts up until it needs to be emptied judged by brimming full or by the smell only to be rescued by putting the rubbish into a bag before reaching land fill?
3) Or removing stinky pet hair that clogs up filters if you don't have the money overspent on a Dyson which can't be used at any time in the day due to its noise?
If the answers have provided dust and dirt for thought, then you could be swayed by dust bags because they are a lot healthier to use, even though you do need to buy them to use in a bagged vacuum cleaner. Truth be told, when it also comes to reliability, Miele is at the top when it comes to their cylinder vacuum cleaners whilst no other bagless brand can stake that claim - so not all bagged vacuums are bad - as much as Dyson would have you believe.
* This is a long review based on my experiences with Miele.
Nar2's Quick Skip Product Spec
- Prices range from £158 to £198.
- 4.5 litre dust bag capacity in each bag - can last 3 to 5 months before needing to be changed.
- High Filtration dust bag for allergy sufferers as standard (HyClean, 7 layer) with self-sealing caps built in.
- Twin telescopic height adjustable tubes to an extended maximum height of 113cm.
- Crush proof 1.75 metre rubberised & ribbed hose.
- Standard 2 way suction only floor head with added lint pickers.
- 2200 watt motor with 8 controlled variable settings with quiet modes.
- 3 smaller cleaning tools - that hide away under a flap on top of the body.
- Super Air Clean filter - will not cope with smokers, or pet hair or allergy sufferers unless £10 yearly replaceable Active Air Clean filter is purchased or £20 to £30 HEPA filter is purchased for allergy sufferers.
- 7.9kg weight with built in castors for better gliding and movement.
- Cost optional (£30 extra) 10 year upgradeable guarantee from 2 year standard warranty.
- 6.5 metre cord length.
- Height 22.6cm by width 27.5cm by diameter 48.7cm
- 3 Park positions to the sides and back of the vacuum for easy storage.
- Comes with an additional universal long neck dusting brush (SUB 20).
- Full auto cord rewind and soft press quality pedals and dial.
- Previous best buy awarded from Which?
The Pricing & The Promise
Up until now if you wanted a basic Miele cylinder vacuum with a larger bag you could buy the cheaper Miele S2 series that does away with the robust durability factor that the Miele S5 exudes, not to mention a very handy flush fitting door that releases at the touch of a button revealing three very small cleaning tools that hide on board the vacuum.
The S2 doesn't have that, therefore being far cheaper at cost (usually £119 to £132), so as a buyer you are offered two very different stretches of price consideration. The S2 is built for smaller homes whereas the S5 is build to medium homes. The S2 is Miele's unashamed answer for budget buyers and carries the same dust bag as the flagship series - the S5/S5000. The S4 and its successor, the S6 carries a smaller bag and isn't as universal as the S5 with tools mounted on the hose externally rather than hidden away and a much shorter reach of cord length.
The larger Miele S5 however has been in production since 2000 though and has remained to be the top flagship models also responsible for the popular red painted "Cat and Dog" model, specially built for animal owners because it comes with a special floor head that mimics a traditional upright vacuum"s rolling brush. If however there is one downside to any Miele vacuum, it is the cost price but it does pay to shop around and my Miele S5211 came from Redhill Appliances at a cost of £158.00 including VAT. Not even Argos or Comet can beat this price as they charge £170 and John Lewis currently had this on sale for £163.35 which is about the nearest on pricing. However as 2011 is still recovering from a recession, the price has now been bumped up to £199-95 whilst the Miele Cat and Dog TT 5000 costs £249 from John Lewis, comes with an additional smaller cleaning tool that you can't store on the machine, Active Air Clean filter and an air driven main floor turbo brush to deal with the pet hair issue.
Miele also sell the turbo brush head independently - so in theory you could buy it, plus the Active Air Clean filter to match the Cat and Dog Miele model and benefit from an additional floor head when you don't always require a roller brush for carpets. The beauty of having the suction only floor head on standby means it is apt for DIY pick up (rather than injuring the roller brush), hard floor cleaning and even just doing a once over on your bed mattress or stairs, if the roller brush proves to be too bulky for doing the stairs because of its elevated hood.
Design & Quality
The truth is, that beyond Miele's marketing and from what they would have you believe, for 2011, the best brand where vacuums are concerned has been stolen by Bosch who are now cheaper by price, yet offer similar specifications. This has also been recognised lately by Which and SEBO have also been recognised for their new D series of cylinder vacuums that give the buyer a lot more value for the same kind of pricing. Compared to Bosch though, both the SEBO D and Miele S5 are better built and have several key points on the vacuum where versatility and use has been made easier to rely on long term - unlike the friction fit style of Bosch pipes, hose, handle and tools that are either difficult to remove after being jammed on for a long time, or simply fall off if they haven't been jammed on properly!
Despite the different brands, they all have one aspect in common - they are built, produced and "Made in Germany," a tag that was first promoted by SEBO who remain patriotic to their country and pay homage by using the statement to illustrate quality, engineering and skill when it comes to producing appliances.
Miele have gone on to incorporate the same tag found on many of their appliances, not just their vacuums.
The S5211 is Miele's "basic starter" priced S5 and for all that it is the primary model in the S5 range, you wouldn't know it from its glossy soft black paint to the soft function release plastic silver painted pedals and accompanying auto cord rewind pedal to wind back 6.5 metres of cord, oiled precision pre-selected silver variable suction control dial, smooth edges and metallic inserts dotted around. It is beyond the realm of cheap plastic quality than its bargain-market priced rivals reek of - when the plug is reeled in automatically after use, it doesn't smack off the plastic giving an audible smashing sound - but rather a dull thud.
The S5211 also weighs around 7.7kg, yet has telescopic metal height adjustable tubes, locking 2 way standard suction-only floor head and a comfortable well made bent angled handle at the top complete with an air outlet slider. For most of the time, my S5211 does its job being pulled along the floor rather than constantly carrying, and over my Vax Mach Air upright which is a lot lighter to lift, I prefer the cylinder style for its quality, ease of use and lack of noise! The S5 sits at the top line of cylinder vacuums, so it is a little bulky compared to the compact S4 and S2 models. Take away the pipes and the floor head and the weight decreases to around 5kg making it super light for cleaning out awkward corners like the car thanks to its lightweight hose and comfortable handle, only needing to reach over a little to the main body of the vacuum to press a button and automatically by magic, a rising door lifts up to reveal three well made cleaning tools that you can additionally use. It doesn't get anymore luxurious as this on a Miele vacuum cleaner! The hose on this model is slightly smaller at 1.75 metres compared to 1.8 on the S2, but then there's a lot more power cord on this model, which is what I need compared to hopelessly short 4.5 metres on the S2 which means constant plug hopping and having to go back to the vacuum each time when the S2 didn't reach other rooms.
Power & Performance
The suction from the Miele S5 is extremely strong, not just from the highest setting through the control dial that have helpful decals shown which particularly setting is ideal for each cleaning needs. Moving from one room to the next, the S5211 moves effortlessly and cleanly along carpets and hard floors thanks to its three built in castors, the long flexible hose which can be used with one hand whilst the other controls the handle and the suction only head that doesn't scratch carpets unlike the Bosch Home Professional. The S5211 feels very similar to the SEBO D2 series, and even if they have similar sizes, the Miele S5 feels a bit more compact with a greater degree of access due to the telescopic height adjustable tubes that provide a little more reach on their highest setting. Neck and Neck with the SEBO, the Miele S5211 has 2200 watts of power, which isn't screaming at the top end and remains beautifully quieter than many a bagless vacuum like Dyson or Vax due to the sealed suction system Miele build into every vacuum they sell.
The more recently launched SEBO D2 series does however have a 12 metre long cable, better filtration system as standard at cost, longer hose and 4 castors. The SEBO is the answer if you want it all in a vacuum that can travel around in a larger home. The Miele S5 is just as efficient but let down by a smaller dust bag and smaller amount of cord length, making it more ideal for the medium to large home rather than larger than the latter size.
Performance wise, the Miele suction only floor head is really well made with excellent pick up on both sides (edge cleaners) as well as a larger dust intake which speeds dirt pick up. Quality wise, it mirrors a similar floor head I've used before on Miele vacuums, with a proper press down "2 action" flush fitting pedal that moves firmly and stays there. Whilst this basic vacuum lacks a moving beater bar, the actual power from the S5211 motor minimises the need for a beater/turbo brush for hairs when set to the highest level of suction power and difficult to remove threads that often show the disadvantage of suction only floor heads. This is a most unexpected find because normally when it comes to thread and deep dirt removal I often need to swap over the floor head for a turbo brush.
If you buy the additional turbo brush (£35 to £40 extra) make sure it's a Miele part (model STB 205) as after market ones often come with an adaptor to fit the bottom end of the tube that is either difficult to prise off or slips off. Like the standard suction only floor head you get, Miele's standard large turbo brush has a press button lock that is simple to lock and unlock to the suction tubes and the Miele turbo brush has a further design element of an air slider for different floor heights making it superb to clean on hard flooring for easier gliding and thicker carpet pile.
Dust Capacity, Filtration & Dust Bags
Everything that the Miele S5211 has been designed to do in terms of dust pick up does the job without the least bit of stress and so, everything is at hand when you need it. This is why when it comes to cost price, Miele or SEBO German vacuums cost higher, not just down to their bagged and higher filtration systems to keep the dust in. No filters to clean either when everything just needs to be replaced - and where filters are concerned, the Super Air Clean filter lasts for four bags and then you get a free one to replace in the next box of high filter bags - and dust bags on this Miele model last for twice the amount of capacity that a bagless vacuum's bin on average fills to. The bag capacity is around 4.5 litres but this translates to around three to five months usage when vacuuming once every week. I don't mind paying £9-95 for the box of bags against nothing on a bagless vacuum - when it comes to emptying dust, press the well oiled bin release lock, lift the lid and pull out the bag - the blue seal on the GN type bags close up the hole, no dust escapes and no need to go outside your home to get rid of the dust!
Like SEBO, the bags are easy to install as well as take out and if you get it wrong, the lid reassures you by not locking down if the bag is fitted wrongly.
To be honest, fitting a bag in SEBO's D series is far quicker and their bags have a better cap that just folds over the bag aswell as being a bit larger in capacity. With both German models you can also check the condition of the dust bag to see how full it is really getting even though both have bag full indicators on the body. The other advantage of the SEBO D series is that you can use perfumed capsules or any air freshener (such as a Yankee Candle perfumed sachet powder) which don't ruin the hospital grade filters on board. The standard Miele filter bar the higher filter grades like Active Air Clean and HEPA don't condone the use of any perfumed capsules as they ruin the charcoal that keeps the odours and allergens at bay. The Super Air Clean filter however is the basic material filter that Miele put in the S5211. It copes well with pet hair until maybe the third dust bag is installed, but adding a little bicarbonate of soda powder can neutralise the bag as well as the filter if pet hair odour becomes too much. If you do upgrade the filters, keep the Super Air Clean holder, as Miele will charge a lot of money if you lose it.
Even if you need to clean stairs with the floor head, the beauty of the Miele design means you can take off the floor head and lock it to the handle. No tools to fall off because the handle, pipes and the floor head all have locks at the press of a button. The S5211 is also great on stairs with a side park position for the tubes and floor head to lock onto for storing as well as carrying. The slim body means it sits upright and doesn't fall over whilst the hose is long enough to stretch without constantly lifting the vacuum with you. It is a pity however that as wonderful as the tool door rises to reveal three small cleaning tools such as crevice tool, flat upholstery tool and a newly improved round dusting brush with long uniform bristles that still revolves 360° with angles that can be locked, (thus tools are always ready to hand) the air vent at the top puts out so much hot air, it is impossible to get away from the hot facial when trying to change suction setting. This is also apparent when pressing down the auto cord rewind pedal and you get a warm foot, particularly if like me you do vacuuming in your feet rather than slippers... If you don't want to ingest the dank smell from the dust bag when operating this vacuum, then you would need any one of the cost optional higher grade filter cartridges installed.
Final Thoughts
All in all, if you are looking for a good quality vacuum cleaner, easy to pull along as well as carry, the Miele S5211 is an excellent all rounder vacuum - but Miele need to change the air vent design as the hot air becomes all too much each time a suction setting has to be changed. If Bosch can fit a similarly rated high suction motor with minimal air blast, Miele can do it too and their front exhaust is standard across all of their models.
At the end of the day as a brand, Miele have been awarded design and best buys from many organisations including Which UK consumer magazine and it is easy to see why. Although the Cat and Dog model may appear to be a better bargain with the larger turbo brush added, the humble basic S5211 should not be sneered at and at a later date you can always buy either the larger floor head or mini turbo brush from Miele themselves or for a better bargain on price, seek out EBAY or Amazon for the Genuine branded Miele turbo brush. However, the downside with the S5211 is that it has the power to clean carpets, but owners may feel obliged to constantly pay out for the extra grade filters AND the turbo brush for better performance. This would give the Miele S5211 a higher rating.
For the price and the excellent performance it exudes, the Miele S5211 is a far better purchase long term than any rival from Hoover, Electrolux or Panasonic - where bags and filters are additionally easier to find thanks to Miele's reputation and popularity and the general all round design means you wont be fighting with the vacuum to clean around your home. My previous S5210 has already lasted four years in a rented property I own, and I already have peace and mind that the S5211 will do the same and more - on average and in my experience, Miele vacuums last between 8 and 12 years against Miele's 20 year statistic. They are certainly not the machine of choice when it comes to looking for style and coolness - but rather function the way they are supposed to for the buyer and in this regard, the basic S5211 is still a good bargain if you can't steep the price of the Cat and Dog model. Thanks for reading! ©Nar2 2011
Questions and Answers
* Will the Miele S5 fall over when in use?
- Not unless you purposefully kick it over when it's in the upright position.
* What guarantee will I get with the Miele S5211?
- 2 Years guarantee at the moment although some sellers are offering an extra incentive, extra years or Miele's special £30 extra 10 year guarantee.
* Do the smaller cleaning tools have locks on them?
- No they fit by friction fit only - but they fit on both the handle and the end of the telescopic height adjustable tubes.
* SEBO D2 versus Miele S5 - which one is better?
- The S5 is more compact but it lacks a longer cord and a bigger dust bag. The SEBO is a bit more modern with a thicker hose to decrease clogging and has a better and more versatile filter on board with no additional air blast in your face or feet when it comes to using the controls. The extra price difference between S5211 and Sebo's D2 Storm is the larger dust bag capacity, longer cord and hospital grade filter fitted on offer from SEBO plus you get 5 years warranty with SEBO if the machine is bought brand new.
* Why should I buy a Miele over Panasonic, Hoover or Electrolux?
- A lot of German products are manufactured for longevity and performance rather than style and copying what other brands are doing to reel the buyers in.
Like SEBO, Miele ownership means over time you can also buy optional tools or filters for extended use making the machine a custom build for yourself. You can't do that with most Hoover, Panasonic or Electrolux products whilst bags and filters for Miele are available on a wider scale.
Miele vacuums second hand also retain a better resale figure, so if you hang onto it and either treat it like a second vacuum in the home (handy to have just for the car alone), or wish to sell it, you'd usually get a good price for it if the condition of it has been kept reasonably well - and if the motor on the Miele is intact .
* Which optional cost tools should I consider later on with this vacuum?
- To make the cord longer you could make the hose longer by purchasing the SFS10 Extender (see review) but it will add weight to the back of the handle as well as having to cope with excess hose locked on. The Extender is a great accessory and one you can take off or put on at any time, but it will also exert one hand on the hose and one hand on the handle when in use like normal.
For increased reach from the handle, the long flexi-crevice tool will also suit this model since it can be used on either the pipes or the handle to clean awkward corners or getting under ultra slim appliances like cookers, washing machines etc.
Miele's Turbobrush (full size or mini style) will give you additional pet hair rivalling pick up to the Cat and Dog model. Unlike the mini turbo brush, the full size one can be clipped to the machine when in use and for storage if the machine is stored with the wheels on the carpet or the upright position.
Why Buying "Basic" Is Always The Best! 
