I purchased this vacuum for home use to replace an Oreck that just didn't hold up. For a next vacuum I wanted something that would last. After considering Dyson, Kirby, Miele, and other (expensive!) home vacuums, I hit upon the idea of buying a commercial machine.

This thing is stout, with nearly all-metal construction. The suction is more than adequate, and the beater bar does a better job grooming the nap on our carpets than the Oreck did. The dual speeds come in handy for small rugs. The noise level is good - it's much quieter than our Oreck, probably owing in part to a larger fan turning at lower RPM. My favorite thing about this vacuum is that pretty much all the parts are cheap (replacement fans are $4!) and user-replaceable (janitorial departments don't take vacuums to the shop, I'm thinking). The crazy long cord means we only have to plug it in once per floor, which in my book more than outweighs the minor hassle of coiling it. And no pointless accessories to store. About the only downside compared to our Oreck is the weight, and it's still manageable, even on stairs.

Long story short, if you just want a simple vacuum that gets your carpets clean and will probably last forever with the occasional part replacement I think this is a great way to go. The retro 1980s good-looks are just a bonus! Will update if I experience any issues in the near future.

This is my second Sanitaire upright. The first one was great and why I purchased another. The 889A feels like I'm moving an anchor compared to my last Sanitaire. It feels much heavier than 21 pounds and will make you want to NOT vacuum. The cords it way, way to thick and stiff and has no business on a vacuum. I think much of it is the hard, thick plastic on the outside. It is not user friendly and also difficult to rewind.

For some reason the height adjustment on this one is different too. I am either too low, really working the motor or too high and mostly missing the carpet. Last unit was just right. Also, this probably has something to do with the lower section of the vac becoming covered in dust very quickly.

If I had it to do over again, I would choose another model.

This is my third (and last) Sanitaire. Motor seized up after 10 weeks. Covered under warranty, but the customer service from corporate is indifferent at best. It's been in the shop for a week, but they haven't gotten the new motor yet and can't tell me when it will come. Sanitaire customer service can't really tell me either: 'check back with the shop in a week and see if they have a better idea then'. Hey, thanks for the great warranty coverage. If I didn't need a vacuum, would I have bought one? And,I thought my old one ate belts because it was old, but no. The new one didn't miss a beat, 3 belts in 10 weeks.

Arrived as expected. Packing was loose but no damage. Base of bag had two screws to insert and the pole had two joints. Motor is strong with excellent suction. Two power levels to use, but the low setting is significantly more quiet than the high mode. Bought this because of the reliable motor. Expect to use for 12-15 yrs. Power cord is heavy gauge and has a pigtail connection at the handle that can be unplugged for easy replacement if needed. Suction comes from the center which avoids a weak side/strong side effect. This machine is not light and is built to do one job for a long time.

This is a well built upright with a very strong motor, an accurate, very
usable height adjustment, robust wheels, and a very long heavily insulated cord. It is essentially a near copy of a very good old Hoover commercial unit we used for 42 years, nearly without failure, for its entire life. I use it for carpeted stairs too and this is where the design detail fails since as compared to the ancient Hoover, which had a "U" shaped yoke at the pivot point of the handle/hinge location to facilitate a very convenient "handle" for vacuuming stairs. I've designed a simple yet effective handle to accommodate this "lost" feature. It's still hard to beat the combination of a very strong vacuum along with the rotating brush and bar for pulling everything out of the carpet.