LG PetCare Canister Vac LCV900B

This is positive review!--but I want to begin by saying that I carefully read every review here (and others elsewhere) before buying this vacuum. I'm a handy guy, two counts that help overcome this or that around-the-house snafu (having read several comments from similar guys about quickly fixing electrical connection problems at either hose end helped me feel more confident about buying this on the off-chance I'd experience that problem, especially given the admittedly nightmare scenario sound of LG vacuum product support. I have vacuumed my 1800 square foot townhome (two berber carpet floors, one low pile floor) once with the LcV900B. Here's my report: The LG LcV00B replaces a 2008 Kenmore Progressive canister with a power head. My immediate need was lower back problems; I wanted a lighter device, specifically the nozzle. I looked long and hard at the Dyson DC39 (totally lightweight nozzle) and then the Sharp lift-off models after seeing them very highly rated in Consumer Reports. I easily deduced that the DC39 with turbo (non-motorized) nozzle would likely not clean as well, and the Sharp lift-offs are very cleverly designed and flexible but do not a canister model make, esp. when using the fully retracted wand to do my 2 sets of switchback stairs. Suction/control: This vacuum is beyond a different class than the old Kenmore (a Consumer Reports best when I bought it). It's amazing to hear the motor assume a turbo quality tone when switching from low to high suction. And yes: this LG is a powerhouse. About the machine having too much suction for small items: assuming that you use the powerhead on floor mode to clean hard floors, and for when encountering throw rugs or door mats on carpeting: to overcome too much suction on small items (and even large bulk like Imprint kitchen floor mats) all you have to do is to raise the nozzle's head to medium or high. It's easy! Power nozzle: especially on max power the nozzle runs itself forward (and thus requires real effort when pulling it backwards). I like that it's a touch narrower than the old Kenmore; gets more places. Rotates more and more easily, too. Despite the enormous power, both the nozzle and canister motors are delightfully quiet, with the power nozzle making somewhat more noise than the canister. Hose: unlike others I have no criticisms so far. It rotates 360º at the base/insertion into the canister, and not at all at the wand handle. The old progressive rotated only on one end also. The hose is stiffly flexible, it does not contract or expand. Power cable/retractor: the retractor on my specimen is flawless. Yes, I agree that the cable ought to be longer; it's a few feet shorter than the old Kenmore. Cleaning: wow and a half, this thing picks up. Time will tell and I am assuming that I had to empty the tank after only ~800 sq. ft. worth of cleaning because it was getting so much more up than the old machine. Then, with a newly-emptied tank, something interesting: I vacuumed under the bed headboard where I hadn't for a year. Lickety split the empty tank light came on (and the vac shut off). I surmise that the amount of loose fine dust entering the chamber suddenly was the cause of that shutdown. I wonder, too, if occasionally rolling the canister into standing position might cause the sensors, where and whatever they are, to trip. I wondered, but didn't test, if the powerhead might have additionally agitated the dust entering the tank in any way. I was able to just press the off button and on button to get it going again until it turned off again; emptying the tank immediately solved the issue. Only time will tell, but unless you have a 4000 square foot home I suspect that after a thorough initial cleaning that this machine will a do modestly-sized dwelling without needing emptying midway through. [[After 2nd vacuuming, more dust tank thoughts: this time the tank full light came on repeatedly, turning off the machine. After a lot of observation I think I've identified one cause of the problem. I'll first say that it may really be the sensor--whatever and wherever it is (LG frontline support doesn't know or won't say). Here's what I've learned: apparently if the dust level goes above the tank full marks it'll shut down. But note this: since the dust tank sits at an angle, it doesn't take much accumulation for the level to exceed the full line even though the tank has barely got any dust in it. It particularly easy to exceed the level if the dust you're sucking in is "fluffy" (as from under a bed that hasn't been vacuumed in a year!). Part of me wonders if adding horizontal flaps to the rotating kompressor might help keep the dust from going high in the tank when compressed but I really don't know. I can say that in many instances when the full light flashed and the vac shut off that removing the dust tank and tapping the bottom on my hand or some surface to compact the dust downwards would almost always allow the vac to start up again.]] Backsaver: both the power nozzle and canister are smaller and lighter than my old Kenmore's (and significantly lighter than I remember the Miele line being in a store last week). The nozzle is only 1/4 lb lighter than the old Kenmore's but is more compact, about 15% less footprint (representing a more concentrated, controllable mass rotating around the end of the wand). The LG canister weighs 13 lbs compared to 14.5 for the old Kenmore for a 10% weight savings. The wand extension/retraction control is high up on the wand (no more bending over for that) and the wand can be removed from the nozzle without bending over (so *that's* what that strange square-ish shape is that's visible in all the product pictures--a foot release!). Portability: on my berber and low pile floors this machine doesn't roll as easily as the Kenmore and I suspect not as easily as a Dyson canister, and if your carpet is high pile or shag (does shag still exist?) that you may encounter real rolling resistance. I have no idea how this machine's rollability compares to other current brands/models. Maintenance: the Kompressor wiper to compress dust debris is brilliant, a work of genius. Because of this and the lift-off bin cap emptying is far easier than with a Dyson canister and rinsing is a cinch. Filters access is a piece of cake. Adapters: yeah, the crevice tool is short but I don't see that as much if any detriment. Yes, the hard floor nozzle uses an adapter--and the reason is that this adapter attaches to two different tube ends: the wand handle and the wand end. Now I'm a curious guy but whether and how this might've been engineered differently isn't important enough for me to look into.