Because the Miele S5281 Pisces is a full size canister that uses bags that are large and require less changing than smaller models, and because it does an incredible job on both smooth floors and low- to medium-pile carpets, we give it a high mark. We like that the Pisces comes with a HEPA filter that is equally well suited for health conscious people as those suffering from allergies and asthma. Additionally, the Pisces comes with a dusting brush, upholstery nozzle and crevice tool all conveniently stored on-board just a hands reach away. If you don't have deep-pile carpets throughout your home, we think the performance and durability of the Pisces is hard to beat. In addition to floors, it does a superb job on stairs, throw rugs, upholstery, drapes & blinds, and hard-to-reach places like under furniture.

The good

Anyone who has used a vacuum cleaner knows what a mess changing the bag can make. To avoid the task, some folks keep vacuuming when the indicator light turns on or suction becomes low, while others become frustrated and stop vacuuming all together. Thankfully, Miele offers an exclusive AirClean™ system that makes changing the bag easy and mess free. And because the Pisces is a full-size canister that uses bigger bags than some vacuums, you change bags less often.

In our testing of the Pisces, we found changing the bag stunningly easy and clean. We just lifted the lid in front, squeezed the bag connector on both sides and pulled straight back. The bag released and we threw it away. Adding a new bag was equally simple. We just slid it down the bag connector until it clicked, and then tucked the bag into the Pisces and closed the lid. All without a speck of dirt or dust anywhere—except inside the bag we threw away.

We really like that Miele chose to go with a HEPA filter on the Pisces rather than an Air Clean Filter. The HEPA filter is slightly better for those with allergies or asthma.

As far as suction goes, underneath the hood of the Pisces sits a powerful, 1200-watt Miele-made Vortex motor. Six suction settings, from 200 watts to 1200 watts, are conveniently located on the top of the canister. If you know anything about Miele, you know the company cares about its customers. A seven-year warranty on the motor is your proof.

We've been around the block and tested enough vacuums to know that the Pisces is mighty good at what it does. It features both an air-driven Turbo Comfort brush for low- to medium-pile carpets and a Parquet Twister brush for bare floors. We couldn't have been more pleased with how these brushes performed. One area of the carpet we tested was covered with pet hair, and the Pisces managed to suck it up with ease. We should point out that a motorized powerbrush might have loosened and removed the deeply embedded hair a little faster, but still, the results were truly impressive.

Take one step forward if you have ever vacuumed your home only to have dust settle all over everything later. This happens because many competitive vacuums exhaust dust. Fortunately, the Pisces like other Miele models features what is knows as Sealed System construction. This advanced technology ensures that all the air drawn into the vacuum passes through the filters so that dust and other indoor air pollutants don't get blasted back out in the exhausted air. The Active HEPA Filter allows the Pisces to trap dust and other indoor air pollutants far better than the average vacuum, capturing 99.99% of particles down to 0.3 of a micron.

And one other item of note—the Pisces has a lightweight stainless steel telescopic wand that easily extends to full length. We don't know about you, but we think of the idea of vacuuming floors without a wand that adjusts to your height is a tremendously bad idea that puts strain on the back.

The not so good

You are going to find that the air-driven Turbo Comfort brush does a great job on low- to medium-pile carpets, and the Parquet Twister is ideal for bare floor, but without a motorized powerbrush this is not a vacuum for those with deep pile.

The bottom line

Active HEPA Filter

Everything said, we really like the Pisces. It's a high-performance canister living at the top of the class. Because it comes with an air-driven Turbo Comfort brush and a Parquet Twister floor brush, it's ideal for those looking to clean hard floors, low- to medium-pile carpets and area rugs. By featuring HEPA filtration and Sealed System construction, the Pisces eliminates worries about dust settling after you vacuum. For that reason alone it's a smart choice—particularly if you suffer from allergies or asthma. But you should know that fantastic suction alone isn't enough to pull dirt out of deep-pile carpets. For that we recommend checking out the Miele models that come with a motorized powerbrush.