Miele vacuums have been popular for decades, and a good example of the quality of their canisters can be found in the S5 series, including the S5281 Callisto. The Callisto is basically the same vacuum as the S5281 Pisces and the S5281 Libra, the only difference is color and the tool each uses to clean carpets. Because the Callisto ships with an upgraded 14"-wide motorized carpet brush, it does an amazing job on all floor types, including medium- to deep-pile carpets. If that's what you're looking for in a vacuum, this one deserves a close look. With more power, durability and maneuverability than the competition, the Callisto will make most buyers very happy.

The good

If you're looking for a canister vacuum, chances are you're aware that the S5281 Callisto is very similar to the Miele Pisces and Libra. No matter how you slice it, the vacuums are identical except for color. So why the difference in price? The difference comes in when you look at the tools. We don't know what floor types you have in your home, but we're out-and-out enamored with how well the Callisto cleans deep-pile carpets. So if that's what you have throughout your house, read on.

Unlike the Libra that comes standard with a 10½"-wide motorized brush, and the Pisces that ships with an air-driven turbobrush, the Callisto features an electrically driven carpet tool with a 14"-wide brush roll.

You'll be surprised, as we were, what a difference brush size makes when cleaning high-pile and plush carpeting. You'll wonder how an extra few inches can make such a difference, and whether Miele makes an even larger powerbrush. No, they don't.

In our testing, the separate motor that powers the ElectroPlus powerbrush delivered a level of oomph to the brush's bar more than sufficient to enable the stiff bristles to dislodge dirt, even from the deepest pile we could find.

All told, it was a remarkably successful test, even when it came to removing pet hair around table and chair legs. Miele provides an electric stainless steel telescopic wand with the Callisto to provide electrical supply to the powerhead, and there's no question that they went to great lengths in order to make the Callisto work as good as it does.

In our testing of the Parquet Twister hard floor tool, the Callisto also did an admirable job on tile, wood and linoleum. We wouldn't say it performed better that the Libra or Pisces, but it did just as well, which is what you would expect from vacuums that are basically the same.

We are really impressed with how easy and clean changing the bag is. Everything said, the Callisto is a powerful, yet quiet, canister, with three on-board attachments, an impressive 33-foot cleaning radius, rubber-coated wheels to protect floor surfaces, an ergonomically designed handle to reduce wrist strain, and an adjustable suction dial with 6 power settings on the canister.

With an Active HEPPA filter standard, the Callisto captures and retains 99.99% of all pollutants as tiny as 0.3 of a micron. So allergy and asthma suffers—as well as anyone else interested in healthy living—should really like this vacuum. It also uses charcoal to absorb odors.

The not so good

If you are budget conscious, or don't have deep-pile or plush carpet throughout your home, you might be better off with the less-expensive Miele Pisces or Libra.

The bottom line

ElectroPlus Powerbrush

The Callisto is all about its 14"-wide ElectroPlus powerbrush. We found you can clean deep-pile carpets incredibly well with this tool. But don't start thinking that the Callisto is just for carpet. The way the Parquet Twister works on hard floors is excellent, as well. Miele vacuums win out against the competition is just about every area. Like the similar Pisces and Libra, the Callisto is a high-performance canister living at the top of the class in every respect, and that's pretty impressive when you consider how high the bar has been set. If you still aren't impressed, the Callisto also ships standard with an Active HEPA filter to insure that tiny lung-damaging particles never leak back into the air you breathe, making this vacuum a very appealing option for health conscious individuals and well as those suffering from a range of respiratory ailments.