Miele Vacuum Cleaners – Reviewing the S4212

My Review of the Miele S4212 Vacuum Cleaner

Miele Vacuum Cleaners – I use to think that choosing a vacuum was mostly a matter of purchasing one that suited my budget and I’m sure that for many people that is exactly how they make that decision. However, the most savvy consumers will always do at least a little research before putting their hard earned money at risk.

The fact that you are reading this Miele S4212 Review not only shows which group you are in, but also shows that you are an intelligent consumer. Here’s what you need to know about the Miele S4212 vacuum in order to make an educated decision.

Miele Vacuum Cleaners – What to Look for When Buying a Vacuum

It didn’t take me long to realize that there are a few very important things to keep in mind when buying a vacuum. These are:

the suction power

the motor

the weight of the vacuum

its maneuverability

the operating radius (how far can you go before needing another outlet)

If you just buy the first vacuum based on price alone then you are destined for trouble, particularly if you are going to be using the vacuum on a frequent basis. So stick with me here as I will be explaining each of these in relation to the Miele S4212 Neptune Canister vacuum.

How Much Power?

This Miele has a high-output 1200 watt Vortex Motor System that is Miele made. Not only is that plenty of power for any household, but it also has a rotary dial with 6 power settings that allow you to adjust the settings down when the full power would be overkill. For example, when you want to vacuum a small area rug. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had vacuums in the past that were too powerful for those small area rugs and would create problems whenever I came close to the edges. I’m sure most people reading this know what I’m talking about.

The Miele S4212 vacuum is not only powerful but gives you additional control over that power that most other vacuums do not and will make your vacuum experience more efficient and satisfying.

It’s all about the motor…

This vacuum uses a Vortex Motor system and if you know anything at all about German engineering then you already know that their ingenuity is respected world wide. This motor has a 7 year warranty, is developed and manufactured in the Miele factories in Germany and results in a great cleaning performance with superior dust intake.

Is the Miele S4212 Heavy?

The Miele S4212 weighs only 14 pounds and the dimensions direct from the manufacturer’s website show a height of 8.25 inches, a width of 10 inches and a length of 19 inches. The color is turquoise as seen in the image pictured above.

Does it move around easily?

What’s even more impressive than its lightweight is its maneuverability. It has such a low center-of-gravity that negotiating obstacles are guaranteed by its 3 point steering. In order not to damage your floor, the castor wheels feature strong steel axles, and are covered with a soft protective coating.

The Operating Radius

The length of the cord or cable is almost 30 feet (29.5′) which will enable the vacuumer to clean large areas without having to change to another power outlet. What I haven’t mentioned yet is that Miele vacuums have a reputation of lasting around 20 years due in part to a very aggressive quality assurance process which includes some rather rigorous testing. For instance, as part of Miele’s approval process the cable is pulled out and retracted over 10,000 times as a part of Miele’s approval process. With this assurance, you can be sure your cord reel will function reliably and safely for many years.

Here are a few more details about how Miele tests these parts:

The Floor Test

Miele floor tools and accessory cleaning brushes are inspected just as thoroughly as the vacuums themselves.

They are tested on miles and miles of different flooring, and must tolerate a fall test, in which the floor tools drop from a height of nearly three feet over and over again.

Only when the floor tools endure and pass this test, are they approved for production.

The Hose Test

Miele vacuum hoses are among the best in the world! Each production lot is subjected to countless bend and stretch tests in our laboratories. To test the endurance of the hose, a vacuum cleaner, plus an additional 5kg weight, (that’s over 11 pounds) is stretched thousands of times. The hose must pass undamaged before being approved for inclusion in a Miele vacuum cleaner box.

The Longevity Test

Miele vacuum cleaners are tested to last 20 years.* This is only possible because of the critical Miele-made component of the vacuum cleaner: its motor.

All Miele Vacuum Cleaners

The S4, and all Miele vacuum cleaners, feature a high-output, Miele-made Vortex Motor System. The motor is capable of consistently providing top performance for 1,000 hours.

*Based on average usage of 45 minutes per week at maximum output

How Much Should You Expect to Pay?

The Miele S4212 List price is $599 but you really shouldn’t be paying any more than $549 for this vacuum. The cheapest I have seen it is on Amazon who consistently sell this vacuum for under $500, currently $499 with Free shipping!

What’s Included

STB 205 Turbo Brush

Parquet 300-3 Bare Floor Brush

Stainless steel telescopic wand

Non-electric hose

Extra-long cord with automatic rewind

Natural bristle dusting brush

Upholstery nozzle

Crevice tool

Does it include a Warranty?

Yes, the Miele S4212 includes a 7-year motor warranty

What Others Are Saying

This vacuum has received rave reviews from most consumers on the net with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars from most reviewers on Amazon.

Here are some of the comments to date:

“Excellent, well designed, high quality product”

“I have never owned a vacuum that has setting controls… I cleaned the velvet drapes in room on the lowest setting, works like a charm.”

“I love this vacuum.”

“A compact, quiet, powerful vacuum.”

“It saved me the $90/month I paid for a cleaning Lady”

“I like it!”

“I rate this vacuum 5 stars as I could not be critical of a light weight, quiet, multi-mode vacuum.”

Any complaints?

I found very few complaints for this vacuum on consumer sites around the internet. One consumer did express concern about the cord being too short to reach across the living room. As I stated earlier it is almost 30 feet long (29.5 feet operating radius). If you feel this is too short for you, perhaps you should factor that issue into your decision. You may also want to factor in the number of outlets in your home.

Where Can You Buy the Miele S4212 Neptune Canister Vacuum Cleaner?

You can buy this Miele Vacuum Cleaner from Amazon. At the moment they include free shipping and from what I can tell when comparing prices with other online merchants, Amazon do currently have the best deal especially with the free shipping option.