Hi- my vacuum pooped out the other day too. I first bought a Dyson after reading the Dyson sale thread the other day but I've never truly got the appeal of dyson's so after I read this thread (man, I've got to stop reading threads) I took it back and bought the Shark. After reading its reviews and features I thought it sounded better. So I can now give you my first post-vacuuming review. I love all the Attachments. Got it at Bed, Bath, and Beyond with a 20% off coupon and their version comes with an extra car cleaning kit. It was a bit heavier than I expected but its doable. This thing sucks, literally. It actually lifts my 8x10 rug up off the floor a bit when I vacuumed it. I was amazed how much dirt it collected. Our old vacuum must have been on its way out for a long time. The lift away feature was super easy for the stairs and the canister vac was good for doing the hardwoods. It was a bit confusing at first, bulky, and will take up a lot of storage space for the canister base but its a small price to pay. So far (after my first attempt at vacuuming) its a thumbs up.