If you are looking to buy a vacuum cleaner, Miele is a brand you've most likely come across over and over. They are arguably the leading manufacturer of both canister vacuums and uprights. The Polar Ice S5211 Ariel is a stunning machine with more than enough power to handle large areas of smooth flooring and low-pile carpeting. But it brings more than good looks and powerful suction to your home, which is why we give the Ariel a high mark.

The good

What we have here is a vacuum nearly identical in performance to the less expensive Miele Polaris. In fact, we probably wouldn't be reviewing the Ariel if it weren't for two differences. For starters, the Ariel is bigger and, thus, can hold a larger capacity bag. We don't know about you, but fewer bag changes is a real plus for us.

Secondly, three key cleaning tools—a crevice nozzle for hard to reach corners, an upholstery tool that picks up crumbs, and a dusting brush for ceilings and corner cobwebs—are neatly integrated under the hood of the full-sized Ariel. Easily accessible and always on hand, this built-in compartment ensures your tools won't be misplaced. In contrast, the Polaris relies on an accessory clip to store tools.

For the most part, there's not much else to say about the Ariel that we haven't already said about the Polaris. Both succeed in delivering exceptional power and suction via a Miele-made 1200-watt Vortex motor guaranteed for 7 years, all while using an electrostatically charged Air Clean Filter combined with Sealed System™ construction to trap dust and other indoor air pollutants better than the average vacuum, capturing 99.95% of particles down to 0.5 of a micron and 94% down to 0.3 of a micron.

Then there's a stainless steel telescopic wand—a tool that is lightweight and easily adjusted from 24" to 40" via a push button. And a combination carpet/smooth floor brush that will not scratch delicate flooring and which allows you to extend bristles for light agitation with the touch of your toe. It's not a motorized powerbrush, though, and that's a bummer if you have deep-pile wall to wall.

Like all Miele vacuums, the Ariel is made of tough ABS plastic, which we are seriously impressed with, and is a beauty to behold. A second footswitch is located on the base of the Ariel to utilize automatic cord rewind.

If it's not obvious, there's a lot to like about the Ariel—including six suction settings conveniently located, to our delight, on the top of the canister. Equally impressive is the 30-foot operating radius and dustbag change indicator.

The not so good

Motorized floor tools are not compatible with the Ariel. Also, the Ariel provides great filtration but not HEPA filtration.

The bottom line

On-Board Tool Storage

To keep things simple, if you're considering the Ariel, we're going to assume you don't have deep-pile carpets throughout your home. If that's correct, you're probably also considering the Miele S4212 Polaris. With the exception of size and color, the Ariel's performance is barely different from the cute Polaris. But since both vacuums feature a carpet/smooth floor tool, Air Clean Filter and Sealed System™ construction, it's near impossible to avoid comparison. Still, the Ariel retains its own personality, thanks to its size, which allows for the use of larger capacity bags (one of the things we love most about the Ariel) and on-board tool storage. If what you want is a well designed, top-performing full-size vacuum for smooth floors and low-pile carpets, the Ariel is an outstanding choice.