Miele S2180 Titan Canister Vacuum – Chili Red

4 Comments

1. hyperbolium says:

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   Miele is a family-owned German manufacturer of home appliances. The company’s philosophy of continuous improvement (“Immer Besser”) has made them a favorite throughout the world. Their products don’t have bargain prices, but provide value in high quality design and manufacturing that results in superior performance and durability. Miele was founded in 1899 and started producing vacuum cleaners in 1927; their vacuums have become favorites of professionals worldwide, including many top-end hotel staffs.

   The Miele S2 line of canister vacuums is new for 2009, offering the quality and many of Miele’s standard features at a lower price. There are three S2 models, all sharing the same 1200-watt base vacuum. The canister has six power settings and a standard air filter that catches 94% of particles down to 0.3 microns. The Olympus model is the lowest priced of the three, and features a floor/carpet combo head (SBD350-3), non-electric hose and a telescoping wand. The Delphi model substitutes a power head (SEB217-3), electric hose (SES116) and electric telescoping wand (SET220). The Titan model retains the power components of the Delphi and adds a parquet floor brush (SBB-3) and active HEPA filter.

   Note that all three models can support the power hose and brush, but only the Delphi and Titan include it as part of the package. Similarly, all three models support the active HEPA filter, but only the Titan includes it in its package. If you don’t currently need a power head you can buy the Olympus and add the power components later; you’ll pay more in the end, but you won’t have to buy power components now that you may not need for a few years. The non-electric combo head works well on smooth flooring, is usable on small-pile carpet, and is hard to use on deeper-pile carpet.

   Like all Miele vacuum cleaners, the S2 is well designed and manufactured in Germany. The vacuum has a range of 29.5 feet from the end of the self-retracting power cord to the tip of the brush. The unit is light (under 10 lbs), nicely balanced and moves easily in any direction on its casters. The top-exhaust design allows you to vacuum easily with the canister standing up, such as on steps. The motor is surprisingly silent, particularly at the lower power levels. The six power levels allow you to switch from floors and carpets to shelves and tabletops without accidentally grabbing objects or papers instead of dirt or dust.

   The S2 cleans very well and is a pleasure to use. The base has notches in which the hose can be parked, one for when the base is on its wheels, one for when the base is standing. This is a fantastic touch, useful for temporarily standing the hose while you go a piece of furniture, and helpful for storing the vacuum in a closet without breaking down the hose and wand. Perhaps the only weakness of the S2 is the “varioclip” for tool storage, which rides somewhat uncomfortably on the hose rather than more naturally on the base. Changing the filter and bag are each a snap, and an indicator tells you when the bag is full.

   Finally, what compromises does the S2 line make from the more expensive S4 and S5 lines? The most obvious changes are to external components: a few parts, such as the bumper strip that surrounds the canister, are made from hard plastic rather than softer rubber. The operating radius is a few feet shorter (due to a shorter power cord), and the accessory brushes use some lower-cost materials (nylon versus natural bristle brush, plastic instead of metal). Inside, the S2 canister uses Miele’s “CleanAir System” construction, while the S4 and S5 canister use its “Sealed System.” Miele doesn’t offer a detailed comparison of the two, but one might assume the latter system provides an extra measure of dust capture that may be more appropriate for those with allergic sensitivities.

   The changes made to lower the price of the S2 line will make small differences in daily use, but shouldn’t compromise the vacuum’s core ability to clean. Those who are especially sensitive to dust should consider the HEPA-equipped Titan model, or stepping up to the S4 or S5; those with less stringent needs will find the S2 a terrific entry point to the Miele line of high quality vacuums. If budget is no issue, look at the S5 line, but if value-per-dollar is a major consideration, the S2 line will bring you Miele’s engineering and manufacturing prowess at a more affordable price. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]
2. Aderyn says:

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   I needed a new vacuum cleaner for over a year, so I had a long time to read up and do my research before I finally chose on a Miele, although not without hesitation; I mean, seriously, look at those price tags! But, I am fed up with having to buy a new vacuum cleaner every few years, so I really wanted solid construction and reliability. I thought about which features I needed, such as a power head for carpet, and arrived at the S2 line. Just as Miele advertises, I reckon the vacuums in this line strike a excellent balance between features and price.

   After a couple weeks of using the Titan, I realized that part of the reason I always disliked vacuuming was because no matter how thoroughly I did it, it always had to be done again so soon. My house literally stays cleaner longer after I vacuum now. That may sound like an exaggeration, but it makes me realize just how much dust, dirt, and pet hair (dog and two cats) my ancient vacuums either failed to capture or blew back out. After vacuuming now, my house is cleaner and it even smells better, since the Titan’s filtration makes it nearly like taking an air purifier around from room to room. I also have no more aching back and shoulders from dragging around a heavy, unwieldy vacuum and moving every piece of furniture; the Titan is very lightweight and maneuverable, and the power head is designed in a way that enables it to fit around and under nearly everything. It’s amazingly silent, as well.

   There are some drawbacks. Because of the canister’s small, lightweight design, there isn’t a lot of room for the cord, so it’s small. The advertised 29-foot cleaning radius sounds like a lot, but it’s not, and I use an extension cord. Also because it’s small, the tools travel in a small clip on top rather than under the cover. It works okay, but to make it work, they had to keep the tools small, too, so the crevice tool is a shorty and the upholstery and dusting tools don’t cover much ground in a single swipe. But, the vac’s power makes up for that, because everything gets caught the first time through (in fact, it’s the first vacuum I’ve had that really does a really excellent job of dusting — as excellent as dusting by hand). And, once again, there’s the price, not only initially but also for the supplies. The bags, for example, are nearly $4 each (BIG, though), and Miele-branded accessories are similarly pricey. Now that I’ve seen it dust, I really want the huge, soft furniture brush that sells for a ridiculous $35+.

   If I get the kind of use I’m hoping for from this vacuum, though, I reckon I’ll end up money ahead in the end. And in the meantime, I sure resent vacuuming a LOT less!
3. JmL says:

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   Switching on the Titan is like starting up a BMW. Refined, hushed, intelligent. What a fantastic vacuum. I owned an Electrolux canister for many years and it was brilliant, but this is a step up. The canister is lightweight and simple to go around. The suction is strong and can be adjusted. The exhaust comes out the top, which makes sense – why would you blow exhaust out the side or back when you’re wanting to suck up dust? They’ve done it right. The knob to select the setting of suction is simple to use, the handle is comfortable and at the perfect angle – it’s a pleasure to use. In fact, I’ve vacuumed everyday since I got it, it’s so much fun to pick up dust that’s been lying around for a long time.
4. VSH says:

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   I’ve had a Dyson for the past 5 years. After owning my Miele for a week I’ve been shocked about how much dirt the Dyson had been leaving behind. My hardwood floors and area rugs have never looked cleaner… and that’s saying something as I’m a clean freak with 3 kids and I vacuum everyday. The powerbrush feature is a must. Without it it’s not worth having. It made one of my ancient rugs look groundbreaking new and the brush head itself works fantastic on hardwood floors (with the powerbrush function turned to off for floors). The other attachments are also fantastic for cleaning curtains, ceilings, baseboards, etc. If your home is mostly hardwood floors and you’ve owned an upright previously you’ll wish you’d bought a canister vacuum long ago.

   This vacuum didn’t get 5 stars from me because of the cord length. It boasts and extra long cord which makes me wonder what on earth the regular cord must be like. I had to unplug and replug my Dyson 2-3 times to clean the downstairs floor of my house. I have to unplug and replug the Miele 7-8 times! I find this so irritating that I took off a star, and nearly took of 2 stars.

   I honestly don’t know if it is worth $600 or the heart attack my husband had when he opened up my Amex bill. Not having had a chance to compare it to a less expensive machine I can’t be sure. I am but a vacuum cleaner fanatic and in my experience you get what you pay for.