I looked for SO long for a stick vac. Hesitated because of such mixed reviews on another site, but finally ordered this. It's so good! Several ppl said it shut off after a few seconds of use. It did that to me too when I first bought it, but after a few days, it no longer does that. It is lightweight, the swivel on it is really helpful. I have a 1200 sf home with small rooms and lots of furniture, so I was really done with navigating with a cord and having to plug it in and out a few times. I can now do my whole house in 15 mins and I'm amazed at how much it picks up. I live alone - no kids or pets, but after a few uses, the canister is nearly full. So easy to empty! Just used handheld yesterday to clean furniture. Just terrific. Highly recommend!