I’ve owned two Miele vacuums in my life and both of them are still going strong. When I bought my second Miele I was so sure that I wanted another one that when I left the shop (after precisely five minutes), the salesman told me it was the easiest sale he ever made!
My first Miele is over twenty years old and the second one is about twelve. I recall my second son was a toddler when I purchased it and he is now fourteen. Both vacuums are showing no signs of wearing out apart from some scratches on the outside. I have to say I rather like the scratches because it shows how well used they are.
I’m basing my answer to the question of how long do Miele vacuums last on my own experience of owning a Miele bagged canister vacuum for twenty years and counting. The stick vacuums with batteries are a different story because batteries don’t last as long as the vacuum itself will. Expect to replace the battery after about three years depending on how well you care for it.
The executive summary is as follows:
Miele canister vacuums can have long lives of at least twenty years. Look after them by checking and switching out the bags and filters. Don’t use your vacuum for anything other than household dust and never suck up water. Keep the brushes clear of hair. Store your vacuum safely and don’t carry it by the power cord.
Read on for my advice on how to ensure your Miele lives a very long life:
Heads up: I sometimes use affiliate links. When you click these links and make a purchase, I may get a small commission. It won't cost you anything but it helps me to run this site.
How long do Miele vacuum cleaners last?
As long as you are prepared to look after your Miele vacuum it will last for decades. I still have the original Miele I purchased twenty years ago and it works perfectly well. Miele vacuums are easy to care for.
What I find especially reassuring is the fact that spares are readily available for this machine. In this day and age of needing to protect our planet, the more things we can repair and avoid landfills, the better.
Related reading:
- How Long Do Dyson Vacuums Last?
- How Long Do Shark Vacuums Last?
- Can I Use My Vacuum Without The HEPA Filter?
Are Miele vacuums worth the money?
Anything with the Miele label on it is never going to be a cheap item. Miele is a German company and is well known for its high-quality, durable products with a price tag to match.
If you are wondering whether Miele vacuums are worth it, having bought two in my life I can safely say from experience that yes they are.
Why Miele vacuums are expensive but worth it
- Miele vacuums clean up extremely effectively. The suction level is high. The different attachments make cleaning different kinds of flooring a breeze.
- They clean the air as well as the floor. When you buy a Miele with a HEPA filter, you can be confident that the air you breathe after you vacuum is more than likely cleaner than before you started.
- Great for pet owners. If you have pets then you have your perfect cleaning partner in a Miele. The Miele Powerhead attachment picks up hair in an instant and the HEPA filter deals with allergens.
- Parts can be replaced. I would much rather buy a machine that you can repair. We are a family that like to fix rather than replace. Genuine Miele replacement parts are readily available to buy online.
- The warranty period is long. Miele usually provides a seven-year guarantee on the machine and one year on parts. Some warranties are for three years.
- Miele vacuums last a long time. You won’t need to buy a replacement vacuum for a very long time.
- Parts are readily available. If your Miele needs a replacement part you can buy genuine parts online without having to shell out for a brand new vacuum cleaner.
A couple of things I don’t like about my Miele vacuum
I have to include reasons why I don’t like my Miele vacuum because it wouldn’t be fair to sing its praises without addressing the negatives too.
There are a couple of things I need to mention:
- It’s quite heavy. The weight of the Miele vacuum isn’t such an issue until you need to take it upstairs. It is a bit cumbersome to carry. I find it a little unwieldy for vacuuming the stairs. I prefer my Shark vacuum for that.
- The bags and filters are expensive. If you don’t use the Miele bags the warranty becomes void. Like the rest of the machine, the bags are very high quality as are the replacement filters.
If you are concerned about ongoing costs I recommend going for a bagless model with a washable filter as below.
What is so great about the Miele HEPA filter?
Studies have shown that standard vacuums without any kind of extra filtering can increase the number of allergens in the air. Instead of taking microscopic particles from the floor and sucking them up into the bag, they can end up in the air you breathe. Which is bad news if you have allergies.
For people with allergies, having a good quality filter in your vacuum is a must. All Miele vacuums come with the AirClean filtration system. The models designed for pet owners have HEPA filters which is a filtration standard capable of trapping and containing up to 99.97% of allergens as small as 0.1 microns.
How to look after a Miele vacuum cleaner and make it last longer
The great news is that Miele vacuums don’t actually need a huge amount of care. All you need to do is check and replace the filters and bags when needed and use your vacuum sensibly.
If you are worried about your vacuum getting ruined by pet smells, the great news is that switching out the HEPA filter is very effective at removing the smell. Here’s more on how to get pet smells out of your vacuum cleaner.
Let’s have a look at the best ways to care for your Miele vacuum:
Change the filters
The type of filters you have depends on your particular model. Always check the manual and change the filters according to what is advised.
On my Cat and Dog vacuum, I have a HEPA filter that slips out very easily when it needs to be changed. If I’m not sure when to change the filter there is a handy gauge on the front to let me know.
Inside the machine, there is a pre-motor filter which I also need to check and replace when it clogs up. You should get a couple of these along with your replacement bags.
Change the bag and use the right bag
Keep an eye on the dust bag. Several models have indicators on the front that let you know when a bag change is required or the dust cup needs to be emptied.
Remember that if you want to keep hold of the guarantee you should use genuine Miele bags and filters because they have special porous qualities that can retain and hold dust whilst letting air through. Bad quality generic bags can damage the motor.
Either the GN or FJM type of bags can be used in a Miele canister vacuum.
I have found that my Miele is working and lasting well on good quality generic bags. I always go for the thick bags with high filtration and they work brilliantly and don’t appear to have damaged the machine.
Look after the motor
Changing the filters and bags or emptying dust cups at the appropriate times will protect the motor of your Miele vacuum.
You can protect the power cord by being careful not to stretch the cable and avoid treading on it or snagging it under doors. Don’t use the cable as a carry handle, and wind it in when not in use.
Keep the brushes clear
If your Miele has a brush head designed for picking up hair, it is important to check it regularly and clear out the hair that tends to wind around the brush. If the brush becomes too clogged it will stop spinning and won’t pick up.
Miele makes it easy to take apart the brush head. You can remove the brush itself for easier cleaning. Then you can grab and pull out the hairs. You can use scissors if you have some stubborn debris.
Only use your Miele for dry household cleaning
When I bought my very first Miele vacuum, the salesman told me that in his career only one customer had ever bought a Miele back to his shop. The customer admitted that he had used the vacuum to clean up builders rubble.
I took that as a warning not to ever use my Miele for anything other than for normal household cleaning!
Added to that, you should also be careful not to use it to vacuum up water! I have to admit I have sometimes vacuumed over water by mistake. Thankfully no damage was done, but I try not to make a habit of doing it.
Do’s and don’ts when caring for your Miele vacuum cleaner
- Do check and change filters.
- Do use the correct bags and filters (genuine Miele or good quality copies).
- Do check and untangle the brush head.
- Don’t use your Miele for cleaning anything other than normal and dry household dirt.
- Don’t pull the vacuum along by its power cord or use the power cord to carry it.
Which Miele vacuum is best?
My favourite Miele vacuum is the one I have โ Cat & Dog. At the time I bought my first Miele vacuum we had three cats, so I needed a vacuum that could pick up hair well.
When I bought my second Miele it was also a Cat & Dog even though by that time we had no pets. I still went for it anyway because I knew how well it picked up, plus it is great for allergies due to the filtering technology (HEPA). We now have our dog Xena who sheds hair constantly, so it has been a godsend.
So my vote is for any of the Cat and Dog models, even though you might not have pets. The vacuums meant for pets have revolving brush heads which are perfect for picking up any kind of hair, either pet or human. They also have HEPA filters which means the air that comes out of the vacuum is clean air and should not make you sneeze.
In summary here is what I recommend:
- Any of the Cat & Dog models.
- Check it has the revolving brush head because it’s great on all surfaces and picks up any kind of hair (Miele calls it the Powerhead).
- Check what kind of filter it has. If you have allergies go for one with a HEPA filter.
The particular model I have is no longer available, as you would expect after all these years. Here is an equivalent model that I would buy today without hesitation:
Frequently asked questions
How to store a Miele vacuum?
My Miele vacuum has a convenient hook on the side to attach the pole so that is the way I have always stored it and I’ve never had any issues at all. However, I’ve read that it is safest to disconnect the hose from the handle to protect it from damage.
Fortunately, the canister models have retractable cables so there is nothing to wind up around the machine.
When I’ve finished vacuuming I press the button to wind in the cable, turn it upright, pull in the pole so it is the shortest it can be, and then wind the hose around the pole and hook it on the side. After twenty years this method of storing it has caused no damage.
>
Do Miele vacuums come with bags?
My Miele came with a box of bags but it depends on where you buy it. In my case, the salesman threw a box of bags in with the sale as a sweetener, but that might not be the case if you bought yours online. However, you should get at least one genuine bag with your new vacuum cleaner.
Miele canister vacuums fit either FJM or GN bags. The GN bags are larger so you will get more value from using them.
How long is the Miele vacuum warranty?
Miele vacuums are normally guaranteed for seven years but sometimes it is three, so do always check before you buy.
In my experience, once you can get past the first year of owning one it should easily get to twenty with the right care. It’s manufacturing errors that you are covered for, and those should come to light pretty soon. A well-made vacuum without any manufacturing issues is going to last you a long time. It’s good to know there is a warranty and that Miele shows us it is confident that their products are guaranteed to last.