Miele C3 Calima Canister Vacuum-Corded

Wow, where to begin? This $900 vacuum does not come with a motorized head. It’s also very powerful. The first time I used it (on a single room carpet) I felt as if my arm was being ripped from the socket. I turned the suction down to the lowest suction setting and did see some improvement but it was still not a pleasurable experience to vacuum. I decided to see if I could upgrade to a power head to eliminate the problem. Five customer service calls later (almost every one to a non-native English speaker) and I still didn’t have an answer. I went to a Miele dealership and was told I would not only have to replace the vacuum head but also the stick, the hose and the handle as well. He then hedged his bet and asked me to bring the machine in to see if it was even possible to add a power head to the Calima model. I made one last attempt on the Miele customer service line and I was told to open the vent on the front of the non-power head to release some of the suction. More improvement but my thought is pretty simple: why did I pay $900 for a powerful vacuum and then be forced to decrease the amount of suction it provides in order to vacuum. BOTTOM LINE: This model of the Miele canister is ONLY useful for hardwood floors or area rugs that have no padding underneath. A waste of money if you have padded wall-to-wall carpet.