What's the best vacuum?

Hey everyone.

My christmas present this year is a new vacuum. Lucky girl, I know. I just wanted to know if anyone could recommend a good quality vacuum that will easily pick up litter, has lots of power and is relatively quiet. I will be shopping around tomorrow and would appreciate any input. Thanks.

I have a Eureka Whirlwind vacuum cleaner that I paid about $150 for and really like. This is a bagless vacuum with three replaceable filters. The most expensive filter to replace is the hempa filter, the other two are very reasonably priced. It has very good suction, and the noise level is about average.

I love my Kirby but it may only be an Australian brand, I'm not sure.
They're also a very expensive vacuum cleaner so it may depend on your spending budget.

I have the Dirt Devil Vision, bagless version.

Love it! Great attachments all on board too.

I have tried every vacuum made at one time or another, I think!
Now I am using the Phantom Thunder........pics up a LOT of crud and cat hair and dog hair!

To be honest, I am so rough on a vacuum, I have stopped buying the $200.00 models because even those may only last me a year. I have always had good luck with the Eureka brand. The few things I have learned over the years and I look for in a vacuum is this. Think about how much you use the attachements, if you don't, you may be paying a whole lot extra for them. If it's hair on carpet you need to pick up, make sure it has a nice rotating brush. If you have hardwood, or tile floors, the small vacuum's made for these floors are the only ones that won't spit the litter out the other end, or you need to find one that has a switch that will turn the brush off and tells you the setting is for hardwood or tile. Last, the power is what's going to tell you how well it's going to pick heavy items out of the carpet.
Ken and I spent a whole day at a few stores, we wrote down the prices, the features and the power. We came home and went through all of them to find one that would best suite our needs.

Kirby is an excellent brand, expensive but well worth it, especially if you or someone in your hosue has allergies.

I have a Dyson. It's red and purple and yellow. Not only does this preoduct remove the hassle of bags, it looked darned good and sucks like a demon

I love my Eureka. But I no longer need mine because I have pulled up all carpeting and put hardwood flooring down.

I fell out with my Dyson, despite the pretty colours - it kept getting clogged with hair (mine and the cats'). It was too big to get under the sofa. The attachments would never stay on the machine and would fly out of the "holders" when least expected (I think the one for doing curtains in still behind the sofa). It stopped sucking up litter but would just keep it in the brush bit to be deposited further round the house. Rant! Rant! Yes, I HATED the Dyson!

I have an ancient Henry (light-industrial type with stuck-on eyes above the hose) for litter and big messes (all around where the chap sits) and a Vax for the rest of the house.

Thanks everyone! I'm still looking. My parents are buying me one for Xmas since I've gone thru two vacuums in two years. I really want a hefty duty one that will suck up all the litter and not spit it out on the sides. Thanks for all your help.

I was using a reallly good Dirt Devil, I don't remember the name of it, but it broke. I am using the Shark Vac now. It's a really good vacuum, and it's pretty cheap to