This vacuum is replacing a 10-year old Dyson that finally quit working.  Using that as a comparison, here are my observations after a month of ownership.  First, the auto empty function is fantastic, I didn't realize how convenient that was until using.  The LED light on the vacuum head is also useful at lighting up dark areas to ensure you aren't missing any crumbs or dust on hardwood floors.  The vacuum seems reasonably well constructed and seems to work as well as an older Dyson at a lower price point.  Negatives that I've noticed are the brush roller is quite loud, and the angle at which the vacuum head locks against the shaft is fairly shallow, so if you aren't careful it will lock into storage position which can be bothersome when vacuuming in tight areas.  Battery life could be better (have been averaging about 20 minutes of use in non-ECO mode per charge).  Overall a good value and we are happy with the performance.