Cheap? No. Powerful & ergonomic? Yes.

This vacuum is certainly not cheap. But in my opinion its worth the money. Firstly, The vacuum is very quiet, even on full power. This is quite impressive, especially since the motor power on this machine is a whopping 2200w! It has 6 power settings, each clearly labelled for their uses (and more detailed in the manual) so you have the right amount of suction for every job. However, with such power, there is always a drawback. Sometimes its noise (owners of electrolux vacuums will sympathize here!) and sometimes its a powerful jet of air, and sometimes you get a lot of VERY hot air. This miele suffers from a large jet of hot air. It will hit you full in the face whenever you bend over the vacuum while its on. The pick up on carpet and hard floor is excellent, however those with pets will want the S5 cat and dog model, with its air powered turbohead. The S5211 will still pick it up, but it takes a lot of strokes over the same spot to get it. It picks up everything else very well, even fine particles like sand and flour. This vacuum will NOT lose its suction, even if the bag is jammed full. The mechanical bag indicator is very accurate and will only show red if the bag is totally full. The bags are 9-layer microfiber, not paper like the ones used by sebo, so will not tear. This is why such powerful suction can be created by this vacuum. The bags are very expensive though, and cost £12.99 for a box of 4. However, this box will include the motor filter and bog-standard filter found in this product. This is why the Miele is so expensive to run, and I have not listed it as 5* value for money. You need to change the filters every time you finish a box of bags,and these filters are not washable, but the bags will generally last 10-12 months per box.

The floor head is just the right weight to be comfortable, and the telescopic tubes are perfect for people of every height. The hose is very sturdy and reasonably long, and will get you up about 8 stairs. The handle can be detached for blockage removal should you ever need to, unlike on cheaper brands of vacuum. The 3 tools provided are the standard 3 you will get with any vacuum, but they are strong plastic and do their job very well. They are also stored on-board the machine, unlike with the cheaper S2 and S4 series Cylinder vacuums Miele also manufactures. The body of the machine is very sturdy, and will withstand quite a bash (fell down the stairs a few times) but as it is glossy black it will attract a significant amount of scratches and fingerprints very quickly. The hose will swivel where it is attached to the machine, so allows for superior maneuverability. It has 3 rubber coated 360 degree castors on the bottom, so it will move in any direction easily and quickly. It also will not fall over if you jump over something - like the power cord. The machine also stands vertically to sit on stairs.

The cord on this machine is fairly short, at 6.5m, but the hose length should mean you can cover a reasonable area from one socket. The carry handle on the front of the machine is very comfortable, and made it much easier to carry the product. Something like the Sebo D2 had no handle, so it is very awkward to carry.

In conclusion, I think that if you need a basic vacuum, but need quality and ergonomic use, pick the Miele S5211. If you need something cheaper, Try Numatic Henry. It is not as easy to use, but it is much cheaper.

Remember that Miele makes upright vacuums too, so you have a choice of both!