Dyson DC17 Animal
RAVE: Dyson DC17
I have owned many cheap vacuums, but after using a friend's DC07 Dyson I had to get one. The amount of dirt and hair it pulls up makes me feel dirty. I just built this house last October, and the amount of sand it gets out of my carpets is amazing. We don't allow anyone to wear shoes past the front door, but it still pulls dirt from somewhere.
If you own pets I would recommend this vacuum.
I don't know how it compares to other expensive brand vacuums, but I know it works very well.