Side by Side Comparison of: Panasonic vs Crucial Vacuum

I purchased this Panasonic vac as a replacement for a 2yr old Dyson DC39 that was was accidentally "killed" by an electrical surge so a replacement was in order. After using a "bag-less" vac for two years I was ready to return to a bagged vacuum due to their higher suction rate and "no mess" emptying. I spent a week researching bagged canisters and settled on this model due to it's good reviews over various sites.

So far I am extremely impressed with this vacuum's cleaning power/suction and ease of use.

PROS:
very strong suction! It even lifted my carpet up slightly! Very Impressed with this over the Dyson..it was not that strong
easy to maneuver -a little more so than the Dyson DC39
long cord that retracts easily
love the Air turbine brush and it's "caddy" that fits so snugly on the wand that would take effort to knock it off
easy on/off/bare floor/carpet switch located on the handle [no more bending down to turn it on/off]
on board "tools" are within easy reach inside the top of the machine
very easy to remove/replace bag
even though most of my floors are tile or wood, I do have some carpet and switching from the power head/carpet to the hard floor tool is easy. You can use the bare floor/carpet head but I like to use the bare floor only tool so that's personal preference
easy to carry and store as the telescopic wand fits on the back of the canister in an upright position

CON:
its not too heavy but it isn't feather light either...but then anything with a "motor" is going to have some weight so I'd say its about the same weight as a Dyson DC39
The only change I'd make is in the hard floor tool [not the one with the beater bar]..here Dyson beats Panasonic. The Dyson "trigger-head" hard floor tool rotates in every direction making it very easy to maneuver around/under while the Panasonic hard floor tool does not rotate making harder to get under and around table legs, etc. NOTE: please see my review of the Axis Hard Floor Tool as a great replacement tool for the disfunctional hard floor tool that comes with this vacuum.

Final Thoughts: for those of us who like a bagged vacuum the Panasonic is a great choice and I didn't have to spend a small fortune!
If I experience any problems in the future with this vacuum I will revisit this review.

I have had this vacuum since February 2015 and have been very pleased. I also own the red Kenmore Progressive canister and I can say that the Panasonic definitely has better suction, likely because of the opti-flow design. I also believe the Panasonic seems more sturdy and has a better build quality than the Kenmore. The tools function very well and there is not a lot of bulk on the wand or handle, so it can get into tight spaces.

It does a great job on carpets and does well on bare floors when using the bare floor tool. The power head with the brush roll turned off can also be used to clean bare floors, but it will leave behind the fine dust particles, so use the floor brush for a more thorough clean. The dusting brush probably has the longest and softest bristles of any vacuum I've seen before, which is great for dusting furniture and electronics. I do like that it is bagged so that all the dirt is trapped inside and you don't have a mess emptying it or constantly cleaning filters. I use the thick HEPA bags, which are the same as the Kenmore Q bags that you can pick up at Sears. I wish this model had the electronic suction control because there are times when the suction is so strong you need to dial it down, but there is a manual suction control you can adjust on the wand which eases up the suction just a bit. Also, the vacuum takes standard 1.25 inch attachments, so you can buy additional attachments from other vendors if you want. I bought a combination floor tool that I use for bare floors since it is a bit larger and maneuvers a bit Better than the one that comes with the machine, All in all, a great value considering everything you get.

So far I'm very happy with this purchase. It arrived intact and assembly was easy! I like the extension pole and the long, retractable cord. At first I was disappointed with the results on my carpet, that is, until I discovered the floor/carpet button - what a difference. My carpet looks new again! and it works equally well on my floors, so I'm thrilled. It's a little larger and heavier than I had anticipated but that's due to my own lack of consideration to this-mainly the size since my closet space is scarce. It is exactly how described, however, and I've made room for it, standing it up and flattening out the sweeper to stand next to it. The main sweeper is much wider than I'm used to though it's not a complaint, just will take some getting used to. I love having all of the attachments in one convenient place! The last time I spent this much on a vacuum cleaner, it lasted 16 years, with a few minor repairs in between. This one is a sturdy, powerful machine and I expect it will last for at least that long,

I finally did it. Treated myself to that long awaited vacuum. Despite needing one for a very long time, either the price or poor quality has delayed my purchasing one up until now... I was finally too desperate to wait any longer. I admit, I was worried about going with a brand I have never even considered to be a home vacuum (sound or visual electronics sure), yet I am so glad that I chose this one! It so far completely surpasses any Kenmore, Hoover, Bissell (and I love my Bissell, which in it's own right is worth 5 stars for a dust vac), Dirt Devil, or any other brand I have owned or even considered prior to purchasing this one. And as a die-hard fan and previous owner of Kenmore brand vacuums, this was a difficult decision for me to make, then ultimately make the change. I chose this particular vacuum because of the price, the high reviews given on other websites and of the Pet Hair feature. Then kicked myself for choosing this particular model, as I really liked the burgundy color of the model one below this one. Yet, there is only highlights of green and mainly black in color. Once I used the "Pet Hair" feature, I soon realized that I am happy that I made the plunge and bought the Pet Hair feature, as I am finally enjoying a Pet Hair free home as this feature has turned out to be truly AMAZING! To date, with every feature this vacuum has to offer, it FAR SURPASSES any other vacuum I have viewed, considered or owned. I also was concerned about aluminum versus steal. Don't need to sorry about this feature as this does not remove any of the quality this vacuum has to offer; as the high quality of the aluminum makes this a strong competitor, that is light weight providing a very nice length to reach the higher ceiling places (I'm 5'3"). The Hepa bags assure you will not be re-distributing the same dust that was just vacuumed, which is a great feature that I never realized I wanted up until it came with the vacuum. This vacuum is Great in quality, Great in every aspect it offers, as this vacuum holds true to the glowing performance ratings and recommendations that have been given by popular websites that rate these kinds of appliances. Pretty quiet, the floor feature quieter than the carpet; wide vacuum base that covers a wider portion of floor that allows finishing the job faster; long plug extension which allows covering a larger portion of area before looking for the next closer outlet; long hose ; nice area that holds tools; easy to use. Delivery quick, prompt and completely undamaged in every way (box to appliance perfect). A welcomed addition to any household (especially mine) and I would recommend this to my mother as well as to my friends...

My wife and I test drove this Panasonic canister vacuum along side a couple of different Electrolux cansisters, and while we ended up going with one of the Electrolux models based on some preferred features, it was really a tough choice against this Panasonic! In fact, when I eventually returned the Optiflow, it was not without some hesitation as to whether or not I was making the right choice -- the decision was that close.

However, from our time testing the Optiflow out, I made some observations that may help others decide if it's right for them.

Pros:
-Excellent price, in my opinion, for all the included features and accessories.
-Large, high quality dust bag. I haven't been able to find exactly what the capacity is, but it seemed twice as large as the Electrolux canister models we were comparing it to. And on top of that, the bag seems to be made of a cloth-like material.
-Great suction. We actually received and tested one of the Electrolux vacuums (the Jetmaxx) first, but after hitting up a lot of the same spots with the Optiflow, it already seemed to have quite a bit more dirt and pet hairs in the bag.
-Optimal selection of tools included and storabable onboard: Air turbine pet hair brush, upholstery tool, crevice tool, hard floor tool, and dusting brush.
-Overall pretty quiet operation compared to the Eureka Boss upright we were getting rid of. Of course, it's louder with the power nozzle turned on, but still overall fairly quiet. Dogs being less frightened of a vacuum is a good thing.
-HEPA filtration.
-24' retractable power cord.
-Canister has parking slot to store power nozzle. We found this to be a very convenient feature.
-6' hose is sturdy and very flexible. The Optiflow has what's known as a wire-reinforced type hose and it's way more flexible than the "crush-proof" type hoses most higher end vacuums have. "Crush-proof" sounds like a nice way to market your vacuum parts, but seriously, how many times have you had to worry about your vacuum hose being crushed? I would say I have average adult male strength and the Optiflow's hose is extremely rigid when you try to apply pressure directly down on one of the wire rings, yet at the same time more flexible when maneuvering through standard vacuum motions.
-In addition to a flexible hose design, the wand handle is well-placed above, not in-line, with the wand and hose connection. We found this made pushing the power nozzle around way easier on the wrist and just plain more nimble.
-Canister has a rubber bumper strip around the whole unit.
-Air turbine brush can be opened to clean out the insides. Also has a geared belt to reduce slippage you might experience with a flat belt.

Cons:
-The Optiflow has HEPA filtration, but it is not a sealed unit. There are already several layers of filtration on this vacuum and being sealed just means the HEPA filter and the lid would have rubber gaskets, so that added layer of sealing may not be a big deal to you.
-No bag full indicator.
-The height indicator on the power nozzle is difficult to see.
-Warranty is only 1 year.
-The included air turbine brush is less efficient that a similar motorized brush, which just means you'll need to do an extra swipe or two. And yes, this brush is air-driven, meaning it will stop if you apply too much pressure to it on your stairs or furniture. I can confirm this brush DOES work when applying it to a surface with a light enough touch to keep the brush roll spinning. It's not necessary to muscle the brush firmly against a surface...let it glide over the surface lightly and it'll get that pet hair!

If you're like me, researching a good vacuum cleaner online is kind of a nightmare, as you have so many conflicting reviews for a given product. It'll drive you mad when you look through reviews and read "Best vacuum ever!" immediately followed by "Worst vacuum ever!".

If we hadn't decided that we preferred a sealed HEPA vacuum cleaner and a motorized pet hair brush, we would have gone with this Panasonic Optiflow. If those two factors aren't a concern to you AND you prefer to spend less money, I would go with this unit in a second. There was one hitch, however. At one point the power nozzle height adjustment pedal seemed broken. Before I was ready to pack it up and send it back, I opened up the power nozzle per the instructions for changing the belt so I could take a closer look. I discovered nothing was actually broken, but one of the parts related to the height adjustment had somehow slipped out of alignment and I was able to put it back with a screw driver. I reassembled the power nozzle and it never happened again while I still had the vacuum.

You can see more comparison details between this vacuum and an Electrolux model by looking up "Panasonic Optiflow Canister Vacuum Vs. Electrolux Ultrasilencer Delux Canister Vacuum" on my YouTube video.

Good bags. Increasingly hard to find

"The 'Panasonic MC-V295H Type C-19 Canister HEPA Cloth Allergen Bags' (2-to-a-pack), arrived promptly and as promised. These original equipment Panasonic vacuum bags (made in China/packaged in Mexico) are obviously perfect for our new Panasonic MC-CG917 'OptiFlow' bag canister vacuum, but we found very pricey at about '$10.00+' per bag. As an inexpensive alternative (at: '$12.99'), we also purchased: '9-Kenmore Type C-5055 HEPA Style Cloth Allergen Bags' (3-to-a-pack/by Crucial Vacuum). They seem a bit thinner, but works in the vacuum nicely. I guess time will tell. Thanks! Enjoy!"

These are by far the best vacuum cleaner bags I have ever used. They are expensive but for someone with allergies and sinus problems well worth it. I love my Panasonic vacuum cleaner as well. These vs/ paper ones are a hands down winner.

Am very happy with these. We have a cleaning lady who vacuums all of our carpets (every room except the kitchen is carpeted). These bags last about 6 months. Some of that is due to their high capacity, but some is also due to the fact that in the 2 weeks before each cleaning, the carpets incur very little traffic (there are only 2 of us in a 2800 sq. ft. home, and some rooms are rarely used).

Most vacuum bags, labeled "HEPA" are NOT. These are in fact HEPA. These say, "capture 99.97% of all airborne allergens as small as .3 microns in size." They are promising to remove that much. This is a huge percentage of the dust. I can smell the difference. My allergies can tell the difference.Other bags say, "removes UP TO 100% of dust..." which is promising nothing. If they remove no dust at all they are removing up to 100%.You get what you pay for. Buy the best. Buy these.

When we bought a new Pansonic Vaccum through Amazon, we ordered both paper and HEPA bags - Panasonic brand.To give the new vac. the best chance to show its stuff, I put in the HEPA type. First one worked so well, we continued with another, rather than try the obviously thinner paper ones. I accidentally sucked up what I thought was a USB memory stick, and took a pair of scissors to the HEPA bag to retrieve it. What a marvel! Two inner filter layers are part of their secret, along with the very substantial cloth outer cover. The outside of the bag was still absolutely lily-white, while the inner layers had captured pounds of fine dust and yecch. I seriously doubt I'll even bother with the paper ones when I've seen how completely the HEPA bags keep dust &c. so completely contained. Clean is good!

This unit is very much like my old Hoover Dimension which I liked but reached the end of its time. Vacuums have not been my favorite appliance for many reasons--cost, capability, quality, and longevity. I prefer canister models over upright for their ability to get under furniture and are more lightweight. I also like the canisters with power heads for their ability to power those brushes and fluff up carpet pile. This unit so far is doing well. I have hardwoods, carpeting which is a mid-pile dense type and pets. The wider head is very effective at cleaning larger areas at a time. It even does a decent job of getting the edges which even on a good day is not possible for most vacuums. It has a longer cord which is also helpful with good rewind feature and the on-board tools are useful for getting into those annoying smaller areas. It is easy enough to use--the controls are designed to avoid accidental turn off..The canister is not overly heavy and moves around pretty effortlessly. You can pick it up and move it around without throwing your back out. There is a lot of plastic but it seems heavy enough to do the job. The wand height is adjustable so if you are tall you can clean without being hunched over. It is not overly expensive but if you shop around you can likely pick one up on a sale. I am looking forward to this one being around for a while.

I bought this vacuum cleaner to replace my Hoover progressive, which stopped working after 15+ years! It is a great little vacuum cleaner with lots of power but I gave it only 4 stars for a few reasons.
Pros
-Manuevers easily
-Onboard tools are easily accessible
-The air turbine attachment works great on picking up cat hair off of furniture

Cons
-I've used this Panasonic 4 times and, like other reviewers, I agree that it does have an oder when first turned on. It's not nearly as bad as the first use.
-The telesoping wand is a nice feature but makes the wand bulky to get underneath some furniture, especially if the air turbine tool caddy is attached. It would be better to be able to store this attachment along with the other tools.

Overall, I like it and would recommend it.

This vacuum replaced our 7 year old kenmore cannister which had a defective hose. Replacement cost for new hose was approximately $125 to $150, I was never sure of the exact replacement. The panasonic vacuum is very similiar to our old kenmore, probably was manufactured by them, and performs in like manner. It has great suction, good powercord length, and an awesome cord rewind. The HEPA filter is an improvement since the exhaust air smells very clean. We use this vacuum primarily for wood and tile surfaces. Very happy with purchase since this machine was only $100 over the cost to repair our old kenmore.

This vacuum cleaner will not blow your mind with design or technology. This is essentially the same vacuum as my old Kenmore. They use the same Kenmore C-style bag, they have the same levers in the same places. I even switched hoses from my dying Kenmore to verify that they are interchangeable. The overall impression, however, is of higher quality and better performance.

The motor and turbine noise is lower than the noise of air rushing through the hose and nozzle. Not exactly silent, but reasonably quiet. Much better than the old Kenmore. Suction is good, extendable wand is great - I no longer need to bend during vacuuming. Power cord rewind is strong and reliable. The best thing is the wheels. Finally a vacuum that rolls easily and follows me without pulling back and hitting all walls and corners. This vacuum is heavy. Not an issue until you need to carry it.

During the after-holidays cleanup this vacuum picked up all dust, tree needles, glitter, dog hair, and even small debris like pistachio shells. It pulled dog hair out of rugs. Generally did a great job.

The things I do not like: the accessory cover is meant to pop when you press the release buton. It does not, you have to lift it which requires both hands. The power cord is shorter than in other vacuums I used. This make it necessary for me to switch outlets more frequently. The hole in the standard nozzle is not straight but at an angle. Very annoying when cleaning stairs. I had to drill another hole right in the center.

I do not get the dust bag basket. It does nothing for me. Neither good nor bad.

Some reviews here complain about damaged hardwood floors. Guys, the power brush is for carpets and rugs, not for hardwood or linoleum. Also, the power head has adjustable height. Use XLO for bare floors to maximize dirt pickup. Use MED for low or medium pile rugs and carpets.

This vacuum was just about what I expected. It has all of the features that I wanted in a unit, and it is REALLY powerful. It is my first canister vacuum to purchase (but I do have an ancient high end Electrolux canister vac that is really nice that was given to me, but one that is bulky to store and with its old power-head having a short in the hose making it hard to keep it spinning, etc). This Panasonic has probably twice the suction of my older Hoover upright, and probably a little more than even the old Electrolux, all at half (or less) of the noise level than either of the two. Considering the lowered buying power of today's dollar, having gotten this unit on Amazon for $200 was a song in comparison to my last vacuum purchase (my old Hoover upright, purchased from Sears in late 1994 for $130).

Some of the features on this unit, as I expected, are really delicate, so I do expect to have to handle this thing with kid gloves in order to prevent having to buy parts and make repairs - in the long term, but even my mother in law's Miele is equally as delicate. After I ordered this unit I asked my mother in law to let me see her vacuum, which I remembered being a well over $400, my having ordered it for her. The first thing she said was, "You have to be very careful with it. It is very easy to break. It is very delicate." Her Miele is notably quieter than this vacuum, but this unit is not, by any means, a loud machine. It is probably the first vacuum I have ever owned that I could use and still hear my television, and not miss my show.

If there was a way to rate this unit four and a half stars, that is what I would rate it, realistically. I believe that the features are high end enough to merit a five star, also considering its power, air filtering system and reduced noise. My only REAL negative is that it could have been made a little tougher, as far as the plastic parts are concerned. Some of the plastic just seems soft enough that it is sure to be easy to break. For the dollars spent, however, I'd rate this a five over a Miere that I'd rate four at best, for its also being fragile but at such an elevated price (unless, of course, the motor gives out on this one and not my mother in law's Miele, which has yet to be seen by me).

Pros

Very powerful unit. Pulls debris out of crevices at which my Hoover upright with hose attachment just snarled.

Plenty of attachments for any kind of cleaning that you could need to tackle. Most store inside the unit under the hood.

On/Off switch in the perfect place on the hose for easy control

Canister follows behind the operator just fine. Does not stray into the legs of the furniture or into walls.

Nice long power cord that winds back into the unit at the press of a bar that is on the unit for foot press.

Hose/power-head has a foot release making it easy to detach and swab out those hard to reach areas.

Telescoping wand!

Although not as quiet as my mother in law's Miele, this unit is on the quiet side, especially in comparison to my older vacuums.

This unit has an adequately large bag. I have read reviews on some vacuums where bag size was an issue, being too small.

Filtering system works! Unit, hands down, LEAVES NO SMELL OF DUST, where my Hoover upright left the house smelling dusty.

Aesthetics are nice. This is a really sharp looking black unit with green trim.

Cons

Headlight is not bright enough.

Power-head does not edge as well as I expected. I'm not certain, but I think my Hoover upright actually edges a little better.

Some of the components and/or controls are very delicate and would be very easy to break.

It is a little larger than I thought it would be, making it a little harder to store, but still easier to store than my ancient Electrolux.

For some reason, I get at least 2 requests for each item I buy???I already reported that the bags appear to fit well, but the packaging does not match the original, despite looking authentic.

The bags are not quite as pictured, in that they are not shaped to fit the opening of the canister, but are instead...large square bags. I am using one of them now, and so far, it seems to be ok.

I try to be careful on reviews for items I consider pricey. I received one of these bags with my Opti-Flow purchase. If you have allergies, a bagless vacuum is a trial to clean. Bags, while more costly, have everything pretty well contained and you can just toss them out when full and move on. I tried this one. It is much thicker than the traditional vacuum bag and it does seem to reduce dust outflow you always get with a vacuum cleaner no matter how efficient it is. They are expensive for 2 bags in a pack and I would suggest you shop around for the best deal you can get. Each person knows their sensitivity level best so you will need to judge the value for yourself. As effective as they are, I gave it four stars for price

Expensive vacuum cleaner bag. Large bag thus holding more dirt than those I have used with other vacuums. Bag is lined and made of a white material than prevents any type of dust or other partials from leaking through. Four stars are due to the that they are expensive to me, but I am pleased with the way they function and will be ordering more.

I have really bad allergies and needed a vacuum cleaner that didn't spew dust everywhere. These HEPA bags make a real difference. There is no odor or dust after vacuuming my house. I only wish they were not so expensive.

What can I say about vacuum cleaner bags? It's the standard bag for the vacuum cleaner I have. I wish it were cheaper, but it is what it is. Does the job. I like the convenience of ordering it online and having it shipped to my home. Shopping in a brick and mortar store for vacuum bags would be depressing.

The hose is annoying short. Can't reach a mid-level shelf without hoisting vacuum somehow. No brake for use on stairs--it will just wheel itself right back down unless held in place by foot or brute strength. The "press button to open" button to get to the on-board tools (like the crevice tool) is rather picky about when it chooses to open--can't press it too hard nor too softly. The small rug tool is useless--it only uses the airflow to turn the mini beater bar. The tubing ("wand") is too short (when combined with hose) to reach an 8' ceiling. Suction is good--almost too good, so if crevice tool is used in a small space (closet, small bath) WEAR HEARING PROTECTION.

I prefer canister vacs like this one, but boy, was I spoiled by my previous Kenmore (which, by appearances, was a Panasonic). Now I know what to check.

Actually purchased this a few years ago. Our 3rd canister. Other 2 were from Sears but made by Panasonic. Measuring only the hose, not the ends, the Sear's hose is 6'10". This Panasonic hose is about an inch less than 5'. This is a HUGE difference when vacuuming, as the hose is constantly hitting your leg when vacuuming, even if the canister is inches away from your foot. My spouse hates this short hose. Unfortunately the hose is not interchangeable from the Sears hose. The suction is good; wish the bare floor attachment that is housed in the canister was wider.

After an initial problem with the electrical and a trip to the (far away and rude!) service center, the unit worked ok for about 3 years. Today the motor failed big time, I'm out of warranty and now off to buy another canister vacuum that will perhaps last longer. So disappointed with Panasonic - won't buy anything else from them again.

It's OK. There is a strange "burning plastic" smell after using it. I hope that's because it is new and it eventually goes away. The vacuum stick does not stay upright if you have to move something while vacuuming, and falls over - this totally and completely makes the thing horrible. It does pick up long air in the carpet (human) with one go. That is nice. The roller does not come out unless you do some massive unscrewing and taking apart - this makes clearing those long hairs out of the roller difficult. Came with two vacuum cleaner bags and one in the machine - that's good. Feels heavy and clumsy when trying to vacuum with this thing - both how hard it is to push it around the floor, and dragging the canister around. very heavy to use. not light. The foot controls to change the roller height (low, medium, or deep carpet) and the control to remove the stick from the upright position are too close together and feel flimsy. Poorly thought out. Who designed this thing? It's kind of crappy design when actually using it. There is this brush you can mount near the handle but don't - it just gets in the way. Rubber bumpers on the canister but will still ding the crap out of your furniture and walls. Why can't there be a removable washable cushioned cover for the bumpers? Hello?

I purchased this vacuum to replace my thirteen year old Kenmore. As other reviewers have mentioned this model is very close to the Kenmore and the bottom of the canister is obviously the same mold. The good news is the suction is strong and the newer wheels allow it to roll much easier. The vacuum is also reasonably quiet and my old Kenmore motorized stair attachment works with the new handle. I paid more for the Kenmore and I can see where they cut corners on this new model to make it cheaper. The plastic in general seems cheaper and not as sturdy. The handle on the new on has a seam that is actually uncomfortable to use for long period where the old Kenmore had a well manufactured and comfortable grip. The rubber around the edge of the canister is thinner than the old vacuum and doesn't look like it will hold up as well. The attachments on the new vacuum are also much lower quality but I can still use the old so it's not a problem for me. Overall in use it is a form fit replacement and I am content with that, but I don't see this one lasting as long as my previous Kenmore.

OK

The bags fit well, are relatively large and work well. My only complaint about them is that they are very expensive compared to bags for other canister vacuum cleaners.

I love these vacuum bags. My question is: why did it take two months to get it when I had Prime at the time. Panasonic is not some small foreign company!

A good product--but NOTORIOUSLY difficult to get. Panasonic needs to correct the supply issue.

I just can not understand how 2 bags can cost $15. i can not afford to buy these, (once again, great bags) at this price. If you can you will find the bags a truly wonderful investment. If you cannot there are cheaper bags out there.

This filter is nice for people who have allergies. It does the job, but nothing exceptional. I do find these bags more expensive.

I bought this vacuum a year and a half ago on Amazon for $212. The carpet function stopped working recently. I took it apart to check the belt, which was fine. So the issue must be a blown fuse or the motor. I just thought instead of fixing it, I would just buy a new one. Well I pretty much had a heart attack when I saw what it is selling for today on Amazon--$900!!!! How can this be? The warranty is only good for 1 year. This vacuum lasted me a year and a half with intermittent use. I did not run this vacuum into the ground, I used it on mostly tile floor and not that often because I actually like to sweep. So what the heck!!! No way am I gonna pay $900 for a new one, and I recommend you don't either.

Good until it needs to be repaired. This vacuum had everything I wanted -- bagged canister style, on board tools, retractable cord, actual beater brush. Supposedly the build quality was good. The reviews mention Kenmores a lot, which I've never used. I was thinking more of my dad's old TriStar canister vacuum. That thing was a beast and all metal. I'm pretty sure my dad took it apart to repair it several times. However, it seems if you want anything quality and metal anymore you have to pay 5 times more than this vacuum, which I am still unwilling to do. While this thing was working, I remember thinking the build quality was just fine even though it was mostly plastic.

You absolutely CANNOT take this thing apart whatsoever to try to fix it. You can access a segregated area for the bag and HEPA filter, and a separate area for the tools and that is it. Other than disconnecting the hose, there is literally no way to disassemble any other areas if you have a problem. There are some very, very deep inset screws, but for the life of us, we could not unscrew a single one.

After owning this for 1 year nine months, suction was bare minimum and a "beating" sound could be hear where I assume the motor is and it would get very hot very quickly. Even things it apparently would suck up would drop out once the vacuum was powered down, so I don;t think anything at all was reaching the bag. There wasn't anything in the hose; there is very obviously something wrong in an area we can't access. If it had been within a year, it would have been covered by either Amazon's warranty or Panasonic's. I am currently trying, for the first time ever, to use the extended warranty my credit card offers to get it repaired. Try checking for the nearest official repair center right now. I live in Chicago and there is only one repair center within 50 miles. We took it there and they said they couldn't even repair it. They had to ship it off to Panasonic. Still waiting to see if this is "repairable" and what my warranty will cover.

UPDATE: Their site now says there is no shop within a 200 mile radius. I wonder if their website wasn't updated an my "repair" has sparked removal of them from their database. Even more reason not to buy a new Panasonic -- there are literally ZERO places to have it repaired!

This makes me wonder if a regular repair shop (the repair shop had to be Panasonic approved for the warranty) would ever be able to repair it if I come across another problem (assuming they decide to repair the one I have). Is the unopenable design of these "cheap" vacuums Panasonic's insurance that we will buy a new one as soon as something minor goes wrong? I find this new trend where the consumer isn't allowed to access the "dangerous" areas of the very product they purchased extremely frustrating. You see this more and more with electronics and it's pretty upsetting.

If I have to replace this vacuum, I don't know if I will even be able to find once that is user-serviceable. Maybe it would be more worth my time to find one of those expensive metal beasts newly repaired/gently used. At least I would be able to GET them repaired in my own city, I hope, even if I cannot open the machine myself. I will DEFINITELY be looking into the approved repair centers in my area and it WILL NOT be a Panasonic of any stripe.

I don't know how to fairly rate this in stars. While it worked, I would have given it a "4" for my minor gripes, but overall I thought it was a great vacuum for a fantastic price and it seemed all my "research" supported this. However, the fact that the repair process is so bungled and this is obviously meant to be a disposable (?) appliance, I can't help but regret the purchase entirely. I'm just hoping it gets repaired at near-no cost (had to pay shipping to Panasonic from their repair place) to offer another near-two years of service and then I guess it would be best to get a new one (?). I regret this purchase now and currently would rate it a "1". A small part of me feels that is unfair, because I really don't (and can't!) know what is wrong with it. Was it my fault somehow? I feel like something just came a little loose and if only I were allowed to peek inside I could fix this minor problem and be on my merry way. Instead this idiotic protection against accessing the internals of this machine I OWN makes the whole thing USELESS.

Here's what I wrote to Panasonic back in January of '16:

“This (the vacuum shutting down/shorting out) happened right out of the box when the hose connection to the canister would occasionally turn the wrong way and/or angle and the vacuum would cut out for a second. I lived with it until now, when I changed the bag. Now the vacuum will cut out and stay off more often and longer than when it is on. The connection design is clearly flawed. The hose end does not make a solid connection to the canister, and, now that I have changed the bag, I can see how the edge of the hose meets the rubber ring that holds the bag very off center and there's nothing I can do to correct that misalignment. I purchased the vacuum from Amazon on 3/18/15. It was sold and fulfilled by Amazon.”

I used some WD-40 300083 Specialist Electrical Contact Cleaner Spray on the three prong contacts, both on the hose and inside the canister, as well as along the edge where the flexible hose enters the collar of the connector to the canister. After a few hours to allow the spray to work in, I tested the vacuum and nothing had changed."

"I would appreciate being kept up to date on the status of the return, as the warranty has only two more months. Since I know from speaking with the Parts Dept. at Panasonic that complete hose replacement assemblies are unavailable anywhere in the U.S., not even at Panasonic, and are not expected at Panasonic until the end of the month. That means I will likely lose a month of use out of my last two months under warranty, something I am not at all pleased with."

I had been told I had to ship my vacuum to the nearest service center in Harrison, AR. I had to ship it. If I personally delivered it, Panasonic would not pay return shipping. Huh?

My wife and I debated about spending the money to fix it. A new hose would be over $100, plus the service cost and shipping cost would be make the repair cost close to what I paid for the unit new, with only the repair having any sort of warranty once it was returned.

We ultimately decided to get rid of the Panasonic, bite the bullet and buy a Miele Home Care Plus. The Miele is sold and serviced locally, the people there know their product and will quickly get an answer to any questions they cannot answer themselves. It's an investment. Thus far, with a $6 adapter and the Dyson stiff bristle brush added (for stairs carpet nap), the Miele has worked flawlessly. I have even managed to contort the hose in ways the Panasonic hose could never accomplish and the Miele hose returns to normal as if nothing ever happened.

Maybe my Panasonic was a lemon. Reviews by others here lead me to wonder if it was. However, it's not only the hose. There are engineering flaws with the vacuum head: pile height pedal way too hard to adjust, the handle release pedal is cheap plastic and almost guaranteed to break and the tool storage only has one hinge and awkward to open. It hasn't completely soured me from buying lesser cost Panasonic products in the future. However, I can no longer recommend Panasonic canister vacuums.

I have owned this vacuum for a year. My wife desperately wanted to get a cannister vacuum that would be easy to take around the house. We have 2 kids and 2 cats, so there's always something to vacuum!

First 6 months:
Amazing performance! The vacuum was easy to take around the house and outperformed any other vacuum we've owned. The attachments snapped in easily and the bag was simple to swap out.

6-12 months in:
The main attachment / vacuum head started to crack. It still clicked into place, but was getting loose. Still great suction.

1 year in:
The main vacuum attachment has broken, but still attaches long enough to vacuum. It detaches every once in awhile ( which is annoying ).

15 months in:
Unusable. The main attachment broke. It won't vacuum anymore, and I have yet to find a replacement part.

Summary:
It worked perfectly for a few months. A steady decline killed it before 2 years. Hence the rare 2 stars review.

I've always liked Panasonic goods and chose this vacuum in part based upon that. The vacuum worked well until 10 months in when the height adjuster on the carpet attachment got stuck on high and the telescoping wand no longer locked in place. With a 1 year parts and labor warranty, I figured I was covered. No such luck. I called Panasonic and was told that if I drove the vacuum to Syracuse, over an hour away, they would fix the height adjuster switch under warranty but not the wand as that is "an accessory and accessories are not covered." The written warranty is very clear on what is not covered. The list includes bags, light bulbs, belts and bristles. The word accessory is not used anywhere and besides, how is the piece which gets dirt from the floor to the canister not considered part of the vacuum? How else would the dirt get there? Now looking for a vacuum that lasts more than ten months and has a real warranty.

Posting detail is not clear. Makes you feel you are getting more but only has six bags total.

These bags work but they are horrendously overpriced.

Vacuum has worked well- until hood release broke and after being redirected to a least 5 call centers and 4 people on phone and attempts to find part on-line- have have come to realize that panasonic does not support their vacuums-they offered finially only for me to take the vacuum to the closest service center which is at least 60 miles away for a simple part that I could snap into place. This is the closest service center- and no parts can be shippled to me per the last customer service rep. I live in a heavily populated area of Florida- makes no sense to have to drive half way across the state to get a vacuum cleaner part. Also attempted Sears parts- so far unable to locate.

Bought this vacuum several months ago. It had good cleaning power and liked the unit except for 1 thing. It emitted a smell from the exhaust that lingered in the room you used it. Called Panasonic and they requested that I send the unit to them because they could find no service for the unit within 100 miles of the Cincinnati area. They paid for shipping to them. Waited a few days and called the Panasonic rep who was handling my problem. She told me they were running test to see what was causing the issue and they would get right back with me. 3 days later I called them again, this time telling them I bought the vac to use for our home, not for them to keep testing it. For god sake send me a replacement if you're going to keep the vac. I got irate with the rep because she talked down to me like I was taking up her time. She finally offered to refund me what I paid for the unit from Amazon, but I had to sign a form releasing them from having to tell me what they found wrong. I accepted the refund and swore I would never buy anything made by Panasonic again. Their customer service is non existent and before you buy one, check and see if there is a service department somewhere close if you have a problem.

The suction and cleaning ability of this vacuum is good. However when the dust bag gets half full cleaning performance goes down considerably, even with the so touted Panasonic Optiflow. This problem is especially true when using the Panasonic Hepa Dust Bag. Additional problems with the Panasonic Optiflow, it will pull on dust bag causing hole to miss align at the canister hose opening causing dirt dust and debris to enter throughout the vacuum eventually destroying the motor. This is what happened to me, after two months of ownership of MC-CG917, about four hrs. use per week the vacuum would start to overheat, shut down and eventually not start at all. So I removed the hose from the canister and noticed the dust bag hole was no longer aligned the way I installed it. So I opened the canister hood, the whole vacuum dust bag area was loaded with crud plastered to the walls and both dust filters were in-cased. So I cleaned out the dust bag canister area replaced the filters, dust bag, and the vacuum would still not start. So then I went through the Panasonic warranty process and they refused to repair or replace this defective product saying I caused water damage when I cleaned it. I asked how much it would cost if I payed for repair. The Panasonic repair outlet told me they don't do component repairs and I should buy another one. Another one! I only had this Panasonic vac for two months and you want me to buy another one because you won't honor the service warranty contract.
l previously had ownership of two other non-Panasonic vacs in my lifetime, both lasted more than ten years with out any major repairs.
I will say if you buy this vac be ready for repairs and a possible negative response from Panasonic to be able correct any problems. After this experience I would not recommend Panasonic to my worst enemy!

The vacuum itself is good, I have no complaints. But less than 6 months after purchase, the telescoping mechanism on the floor cleaning attachment just broke.It wasn't dropped or treated roughly at all, I was just pushing it over a wood floor (no resistance whatsoever) and it just snapped, and now it only telescopes. This renders the device useless- as soon as you move it, it just slides up and down.
I emailed Panasonic, and they wrote back and told me to call parts. I called parts, and they told me to go to Kentucky or Illinois (I live in Indiana). I said that was not acceptable, it is a portable vacuum cleaner, there must be someplace I can take it locally, and they said they'd arrange that, and call me back within 24 -48 hours. They did not call back. I called again, and they said I'd never called, although they knew the model and serial number I was calling about (I only gave that to them in my phone call). Then they told me I have to send it to Illinois at my expense, not just the attachment BUT THE ENTIRE VACUUM CLEANER. This machine was used for less than 4 months, since I ordered it for a house I hadn't moved into yet, and it broke with very little wear. Essentially none. To ship the entire thing to Illinois will cost me as much as I paid for the vacuum. My experience sounds almost identical to Eric's in June. The call center people clearly don't know the difference between Indiana and Illinois or Kentucky- although they told me there was a place in Kentucky (different from Eric). That's hundreds of miles from here. The machine probably needs an entirely new wand, which is a major part, but it will probably cost less than shipping the entire vacuum to Illinois. Maybe that's Panasonic's stategy.
I would agree with Eric, don't buy this machine if you are not in a MAJOR metropolitan area (really- Indianapolis isn't really Mayberry). The warranty only matters when it does. The part that broke on my machine is plastic.Vacuum cleaners are tools. I would expect it to withstand way more use (*not abuse) than it got here, and it's not usable now.

This is a nice vacuum except for one glaring flaw: it emits a powerful, room-filling plastic chemical smell when it is used. I thought that the smell would wear off, but it has been a few months now and the smell is as strong as ever. I wish now I had returned the unit while I had the chance.

The smell is so strong and so unpleasant, I have to open doors and windows to bring in fresh air after using this vacuum, and as a result I don't use it as much as I'd like to. It is not just the ordinary 'new' plastic smell that other new plastic products often have. This is a really strong eye-watering stench.

Its really too bad, because except for the smell, this is a nice vacuum. It is powerful, comfortable to use, and the HEPA filter does a great job preventing dust from escaping.

Another minor flaw is that the "optiflow" feature reduces the capacity of the bag-containing area considerably, so that the vacuum bag has to be changed when it is less than halfway filled. I could live with this, though, if the vacuum didn't smell so strongly.

I don't know whether all units smell this bad or whether I got one that was made from a bad batch of plastic, but I would not recommend this vacuum unless you don't mind breathing strong plastic fumes or have no sense of smell.

Product is NOT a Panasonic product as advertised. What I received was generic non-HEPA low quality bag. Luckily I had kept one new Panasonic brand bag from a previous order. Upon comparing the original Panasonic bag against this one it's obvious these are a cheap knock-off. DO NOT BUY UNLESS IT"S IN THE PANASONIC BLUE BAG !!!!!!!!!!! JUNK !!!!!!!! RIP-OFF !!!!!! SCAM !!!!!!!!!!! NEVER AGAIN !!!!

NO STARS!! This is not a panasonic product.I thought it was or I would not have bought it.These are smaller and not as well made.AND to top it off I will have to pay for shipping to return these.These should clearly say, "fits panasonic but not manufactured by panasonic". Super irritating.

Bags recieved were not the bags pictured in vendor's ad. Instead of the larger panasonic bags (9" x 15") pictured in packaging by panasonic,which I have purchased before, I recieved two smaller (6" x 10") generic bags shipped loose. Inferior in quality and size to those pictured.

Great bag... stupid price. You can get these for $ 9.99 from Panasonic. Geez