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This Oreck vacuum cleaner only weighs 10 pounds, so it's easy to use and easy to carry. This is especially important in homes with staircases, where the vacuum needs to be hauled from floor to floor. It's got a sleek, slim design so that it is easily put away in a broom closet, while still allowing room for other cleaning implements.

Many vacuum cleaners suck in dirt and spew a superfine layer of dust out the exhaust. That's why the HEPA filtration on this appliance is desirable. It consists of 9 layers of filtration that trap particles that down to 0.3 microns in size. For people who are allergic to dust, it's essential to capture as much of the dust and allergens as possible, and the company claims the vacuum will retain 99.9% of particles. Also, it has microbial protection built in, preventing mold and bacteria from festering in the vacuum bag. And it has a hypo-allergenic seal so that once you've trapped particles in the bag, they won't escape.

The cord is 30 feet long, which keeps from having to plug and unplug the machine as you move around. The vacuum head is wide, so it cleans a broad path in one sweep, and it's equipped with a remarkable 360-degree pivot, which allows for maneuverability around tight edges and corners. It's easy to unhinge by stepping on a lever, allowing it to lie flat while the vacuum head stays on the ground, for cleaning under couches and beds. It re-engages easily when you want the vacuum to stand upright. It is equipped with a bumper guard to prevent damaging baseboards.

The self-adjusting feature is helpful so that you don't have to adjust the machine as it moves from bare floors to carpets. It has two speeds: the high-speed is meant for deep pile carpets, while the low-speed would be for more delicate items, such as area rugs. The handle is slim and easy on the wrists, and the grip makes it easy to hold onto.

The roller brush is designed to sift through pile carpet, picking up deeply embedded debris and pet hair. The suction on this machine is quite powerful, so that dirt is almost always picked up on the first pass. The headlights are a nice feature, too, when you have to vacuum the dark recesses of a room, so that no dust is missed. And it's not as loud as most vacuum cleaners.

At $600, this certainly isn't the least expensive vacuum cleaner on the market, but it comes with a 10-year warranty. The company also offers a 30-day free trial and monthly payments. For many years, the company has also offered a free hand-held vacuum cleaner with purchase. It's a small unit that comes with eight attachments and is quite useful for those jobs that a regular vacuum cleaner can't accomplish, such a cleaning out the car, or vacuuming baseboards, upholstery and hard-to-reach cracks and crevices.