I needed a replacement for my self propelled Hoover. It was a great vacuum but extremely heavy. I'm in my 60's now so needed something lighter to lift. I no longer have carpet so didn't need a self propelled model again. This one fits the bill. There's plenty of suction. It's very lightweight. The extension handle and extra hose lets me easily reach my 9' ceilings without getting up on a ladder. I don't have to buy bags. It's just about perfect. The only flaw is there's no height adjustment. I have a very thick area rug. I can barely pull the vacuum across it. However the suction is what makes it such a great vacuum for hardwood and tile. If they would just put an adjustment or one of those sliding vent options to allow you to vacuum thick rugs it would be perfect. Also I wish the brush attachment was thicker. It's pretty cheap but that's minor. This is a great vacuum that I highly recommend.