Bought the Vax because my previous Vax lasted for 19 years (and still works well). I found this one a bit complicated to undo and put together, the flex is not as long as the old model and the pipes/brush head are plastic rather than metal so it felt 'cheaper'. The brush head has only one line of brush and then a plastic fin descends if you adjust it for hard floor cleaning. It took time to get used to replacing the hand tools correctly but I like having them to hand and use them a lot as a result. The cleaner has a powerful suction and a relativley quiet motor though the brush head can squeal a bit (maybe because of the strong suction). This is the first time I have used a bagless cleaner and I still can't empty this without spilling dust that then has to be hoovered up again. The filters take at least 24 hours to dry when washed which puts you off rinsing them (not so bad on a sunny day but more of a nuisance in winter)and puts the cleaner out of use in the meantime. The bad news is my machine broke down after 7 months (was it those filters?). I returned it under the 6 year guarantee, prompt service but still inconvenient. Two weeks later I had no word about it and contacted Vax with my tracking number. The machine seemed to have gone missing in transit but I was sent a new one immediately. (Fortunately my trusty 19 year old Vax did good service in the meantime). I feel these new models are delicate compared with the robust old one. I have retired now so have time to clean out dust chambers, wash and wait for filters to dry but if I was still working and if other family members were using it constantly, I don't know how long it would survive.