UPDATE MAY 2019: OK, the Eureka is history and I bought yet another Simpli Stik in May of 2016, which is still running. Three years. That could be a record. It’s had a rough life, but everything works, even though I neglected emptying it out after every use and it fell over hundreds of times. It still works just fine. So why buy a new one? Well, when I read the features of this new one, I was drawn. Let’s face it, I was sold. Why? Simply put (pardon the pun): 1 - It really stands up by itself. Really and truly. No overbalancing to make it fall over and trip up the user, as the old one does. 2 - Disconnecting the bottom dust cup for emptying is easier, as the button works well, and it is easy to click back on, unlike the old one, which tends to fight you. 3 - The power of this unit is shocking on the first use. It is indeed powerful. To me, it felt a bit like the kick of the first gun you ever fired. Hang onto it. My cat hates it, because it makes a lot more noise than the old one. I guess she’ll get used to it. 4 - The suction picks up nearly everything it gets near, so be warned. (Paper Towel: now you see it, now you don't.) There's no going over and over a spot, making the task take too long, as the old one does. 5 - Removing the rod, to use as a hand-held, is not a life and death battle. The snap button works like a dream, and you don’t lose all kinds of time fighting with it, as with the old one. 6 - It doesn't have a terrible odor wafting off during operation, only as you'd expect from an electric motor. Not overpowering. Those are good selling points for a reasonably priced, well designed cheap vacuum. Just a few sore spots: 1 - It does make lots of noise. You can’t use it while anyone is sleeping. Trust me. 2 - The motor gets sorta hot in continuous use. Short breaks help. The strength of the motor would seem to be the likely reason. No smoke noticed yet. 3 - As others have said, the crevice tool, although it works very well, just won’t stay where the manufacturer planned for it to be kept. It falls. And falls. If anyone has come up with a way to keep it snapped onto the rod, please - PLEASE let me know. If I should think of something, I will try to pass on the idea here. Hmmm, maybe heavy duty velcro? Worth a shot. Pending..... OK, that’s it. Good little appliance. I like it a lot. And it didn’t break the bank. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx have a Eureka that I bought in 2011 that is still kicking. That makes it almost 6 years old. The crevice tool; is cracked and patched with duck tape. The top and bottom sections are held together by duck tape because the little snap thing wore out. It's noisier than the Dirt Devil. It's also heavier. But it works. Say no more. UPDATE MAY 2019: OK, the Eureka is history and I bought yet another Simpli Stik in May of 2016, which is still running. Three years. That could be a record. It’s had a rough life, but everything works, even though I neglected emptying it out after every use and it fell over hundreds of times. It still works just fine. So why buy a new one? Well, when I read the features of this new one, I was drawn. Let’s face it, I was sold. Why? Simply put (pardon the pun): 1 - It really stands up by itself. Really and truly. No overbalancing to make it fall over and trip up the user, as the old one does. 2 - Disconnecting the bottom dust cup for emptying is easier, as the button works well, and it is easy to click back on, unlike the old one, which tends to fight you. 3 - The power of this unit is shocking on the first use. It is indeed powerful. To me, it felt a bit like the kick of the first gun you ever fired. Hang onto it. My cat hates it, because it makes a lot more noise than the old one. I guess she’ll get used to it. 4 - The suction picks up nearly everything it gets near, so be warned. (Paper Towel: now you see it, now you don't.) There's no going over and over a spot, making the task take too long, as the old one does. 5 - Removing the rod, to use as a hand-held, is not a life and death battle. The snap button works like a dream, and you don’t lose all kinds of time fighting with it, as with the old one. 6 - It doesn't have a terrible odor wafting off during operation, only as you'd expect from an electric motor. Not overpowering. Those are good selling points for a reasonably priced, well designed cheap vacuum. Just a few sore spots: 1 - It does make lots of noise. You can’t use it while anyone is sleeping. Trust me. 2 - The motor gets sorta hot in continuous use. Short breaks help. The strength of the motor would seem to be the likely reason. No smoke noticed yet. 3 - As others have said, the crevice tool, although it works very well, just won’t stay where the manufacturer planned for it to be kept. It falls. And falls. If anyone has come up with a way to keep it snapped onto the rod, please - PLEASE let me know. If I should think of something, I will try to pass on the idea here. Hmmm, maybe heavy duty velcro? Worth a shot. Pending..... OK, that’s it. Good little appliance. I like it a lot. And it didn’t break the bank. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx UPDATE MAY 2019: OK, the Eureka is history and I bought yet another Simpli Stik in May of 2016, which is still running. Three years. That could be a record. It’s had a rough life, but everything works, even though I neglected emptying it out after every use and it fell over hundreds of times. It still works just fine. So why buy a new one? Well, when I read the features of this new one, I was drawn. Let’s face it, I was sold. Why? Simply put (pardon the pun): 1 - It really stands up by itself. Really and truly. No overbalancing to make it fall over and trip up the user, as the old one does. 2 - Disconnecting the bottom dust cup for emptying is easier, as the button works well, and it is easy to click back on, unlike the old one, which tends to fight you. 3 - The power of this unit is shocking on the first use. It is indeed powerful. To me, it felt a bit like the kick of the first gun you ever fired. Hang onto it. My cat hates it, because it makes a lot more noise than the old one. I guess she’ll get used to it. 4 - The suction picks up nearly everything it gets near, so be warned. (Paper Towel: now you see it, now you don't.) There's no going over and over a spot, making the task take too long, as the old one does. 5 - Removing the rod, to use as a hand-held, is not a life and death battle. The snap button works like a dream, and you don’t lose all kinds of time fighting with it, as with the old one. 6 - It doesn't have a terrible odor wafting off during operation, only as you'd expect from an electric motor. Not overpowering. Those are good selling points for a reasonably priced, well designed cheap vacuum. Just a few sore spots: 1 - It does make lots of noise. You can’t use it while anyone is sleeping. Trust me. 2 - The motor gets sorta hot in continuous use. Short breaks help. The strength of the motor would seem to be the likely reason. No smoke noticed yet. 3 - As others have said, the crevice tool, although it works very well, just won’t stay where the manufacturer planned for it to be kept. It falls. And falls. If anyone has come up with a way to keep it snapped onto the rod, please - PLEASE let me know. If I should think of something, I will try to pass on the idea here. Hmmm, maybe heavy duty velcro? Worth a shot. Pending..... OK, that’s it. Good little appliance. I like it a lot. And it didn’t break the bank. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx UPDATE MAY 2019: OK, the Eureka is history and I bought yet another Simpli Stik in May of 2016, which is still running. Three years. That could be a record. It’s had a rough life, but everything works, even though I neglected emptying it out after every use and it fell over hundreds of times. It still works just fine. So why buy a new one? Well, when I read the features o
