Following the disappointment of my Bosch vacuum cleaner I thought I might try and research a bit more into floorcare appliances and "see where brands are going," where models are concerned and oh how the prices of even the cheap bagless or bagged vacuums have suddenly risen due to the economy! Up until now if you wanted a basic Miele cylinder vacuum with a larger bag you could buy the cheaper Miele S2 series that does away with the robust durability factor that the Miele S5 exudes, not to mention a very handy flush fitting door that releases at the touch of a button revealing three very small cleaning tools that hide on board the vacuum. The S2 doesn't have that, therefore being far cheaper at cost (usually £119 to £132) as opposed to an ill-fitting tool holder that snap locks onto the underside of the hose and often lets tools fly off when the vacuum goes around a corner. The S4 model suffers from this (as well as a smaller 3.5 litre dust bag, but a model I much prefer for being better built, lighter to carry and far more powerful) but the S2's further disappointing plastic quality leads to scratches on the floor head, no protection to the body and the variable suction control dial which bends inwards whenever the bin lid is opened, looking like it may well ping off in later years.


The larger Miele S5 however has been in production since 2000 though and has remained to be the top flagship models also responsible for the popular "Cat and Dog" model, specially built for animal owners. If however there is one downside to any Miele vacuum, it is the cost price but it does pay to shop around and my Miele S5211 came from Redhill Appliances at a cost of £158.00 including VAT. Not even Argos or Comet can beat this price as they charge £170 and John Lewis currently has this on sale for £163.35 which is about the nearest.


The S5211 is Miele's "basic starter" priced S5 and for all that it is the primary model in the S5 range, you wouldn't know it from its soft black function plastic silver painted pedals and accompanying auto cord rewind pedal to wind back 7 metres of cord, oiled precision pre-selected silver variable suction control dial, smooth edges and metallic inserts dotted around. It is beyond the realm of cheap plastic quality than its bargain-market priced rivals. The S5211 weighs around 7.7kg, yet has telescopic metal height adjustable tubes, locking 2 way standard suction-only floor head and a comfortable well made bent angled handle at the top complete with an air outlet slider. Take away the pipes and the floor head and the weight decreases to around 5kg making it super light for cleaning out awkward corners like the car thanks to its lightweight hose and comfortable handle. Don't forget the fact that you have three smaller cleaning tools on hand safely tucked away behind the flush fitting door on board. So handy to grab whenever needed! The hose on this model is slightly smaller at 1.75 metres compared to 1.8 on the S2, but then there's a lot more power cord on this model, which is what I need compared to hopelessly short 4.5 metres which meant constant plug hopping and having to go back to the vacuum each time when the S2 didn't reach other rooms.


Moving from one room to the next, the S5211 moves effortlessly and cleanly along carpets and hard floors thanks to its four built in castors, the long flexible hose which can be used with one hand whilst the other controls the handle and the suction only head that doesn't scratch carpets unlike the Bosch Home Professional. Oh yes, this model even gets four castors as opposed to three castors and makes all the difference when moving along in tighter spaces, also reaffirming protection to delicate floors thanks to their rubberised covering. The Bosch had the same amount of wheels but the Miele doesn't leave unsightly trail marks and flies around hard flooring as a result. The S5211 feels very similar to the SEBO D2 series, and even if they have similar sizes, the Miele S5 feels a bit more compact with a greater degree of access due to the telescopic height adjustable tubes that provide a little more reach on their highest setting. Neck and Neck with the SEBO, the Miele S5211 has 2200 watts of power, which isn't screaming at the top end and remains beautifully quieter than many a bagless vacuum like Dyson or Vax due to the sealed suction system Miele build into every vacuum they sell.


Performance wise, the suction only floor head is really well made with excellent pick up on both sides (edge cleaners) as well as a larger dust intake which speeds dirt pick up. Quality wise, it mirrors a similar floor head I've used before on Miele vacuums, with a proper press down "2 action" flush fitting pedal that moves firmly and stays there. Whilst this basic vacuum lacks a moving beater bar, the actual power from the S5211 motor minimises the need for a beater/turbo brush for hairs and difficult to remove threads that often show the disadvantage of suction only floor heads. This is a most unexpected find because normally when it comes to thread and deep dirt removal I often need to swap over the floor head for a turbo brush. You can buy an additional turbo brush for this model - but BE WARNED - if you buy another brand's turbo brush claiming to fit Miele vacuums, you may be given a difficult to remove adaptor that will always have to be used - plus Miele's standard large turbo brush has a further air slider for different floor heights making it superb to clean on hard flooring for easier gliding and thicker carpet pile.


Everything that the Miele S5211 has been designed to do in terms of dust pick up does the job without the least bit of stress and everything is at hand when you need it. This is why when it comes to cost price, Miele or SEBO German vacuums cost higher, not just down to their bagged and higher filtration systems to keep the dust in. No filters to clean when the Super Air Clean filter lasts for four bags and then you get a free one to replace in the next box of high filter bags - and dust bags on this Miele model last for twice the amount of capacity that a bagless vacuum's bin on average fills to. The bag capacity is around 4.5 litres but this translates to around three to five months usage when vacuuming once every week. I don't mind paying £9-95 for the box of bags against nothing on a bagless vacuum - when it comes to emptying dust, press the well oiled bin release lock, lift the lid and pull out the bag - the blue seal on the GN type bags close up the hole, no dust escapes and no need to go outside your home to get rid of the dust! Like SEBO, the bags are easy to install as well as take out and if you get it wrong, the lid reassures you by not locking down if the bag is fitted wrongly. To be honest, fitting a bag in SEBO's D series is far quicker and their bags have a better cap that just folds over the bag aswell as being a bit larger in capacity. With both German models you can also check the condition of the dust bag to see how full it is really getting even though both have bag full indicators on the body. The other advantage of the SEBO D series is that you can use perfumed capsules or any air freshener (such as a Yankee Candle perfumed sachet powder) which don't ruin the hospital grade filters on board. The standard Miele filter bar the higher filter grades like Active Air Clean and HEPA don't condone the use of any perfumed capsules as they ruin the charcoal that keeps the allergens at bay. The Super Air Clean filter however is the basic material filter that Miele put in the S5211. It copes well with pet hair until maybe the third dust bag is installed, but adding a little bicarbonate of soda powder can neutralise the bag as well as the filter if pet hair odour becomes too much. If you do upgrade the filters, keep the Super Air Clean holder, as Miele will charge a lot of money if you lose it.


Even if you need to clean stairs with the floor head, the beauty of the Miele design means you can take off the floor head and lock it to the handle. No tools to fall off because the handle, pipes and the floor head all have locks at the press of a button. The S5211 is also great on stairs with a side park position for the tubes and floor head to lock onto for storing as well as carrying. The slim body means it sits upright and doesn't fall over whilst the hose is long enough to stretch without constantly lifting the vacuum with you. It is a pity however that as wonderful as the tool door rises to reveal three small cleaning tools such as crevice tool, flat upholstery tool and a newly improved round dusting brush with long uniform bristles that still revolves 360° with angles that can be locked, (thus tools are always ready to hand) the air vent at the top puts out so much hot air, it is impossible to get away from the hot facial when trying to change suction setting. This is also apparent when pressing down the auto cord rewind pedal and you get a warm foot, particularly if like me you do vacuuming in your feet rather than slippers...


All in all, if you are looking for a good quality vacuum cleaner, easy to pull along as well as carry, the Miele S5211 is an excellent all rounder vacuum - but Miele need to change the air vent design as the hot air becomes all too much each time a suction setting has to be changed. If Bosch can fit a similarly rated high suction motor with minimal air blast, Miele can do it too! At the end of the day as a brand, Miele have been awarded design and best buys from many organisations including Which UK consumer magazine and it is easy to see why. Although the Cat and Dog model may appear to be a better bargain with the larger turbo brush added, the humble basic S5211 should not be sneered at and at a later date you can always buy either the larger floor head or mini turbo brush from Miele themselves. For the price and the excellent performance it exudes, the Miele S5211 is a far better purchase long term than any rival from Hoover, Electrolux or Panasonic - where bags and filters are additionally easier to find thanks to Miele's reputation and popularity and the general all round design means you wont be fighting with the vacuum to clean around your home. Thanks for reading! ©Nar2 2011

Questions and Answers

Will the Miele S5 fall over when in use?
- Not unless you purposefully kick it over when it's in the upright position.

What guarantee will I get with the Miele S5211?
- 2 Years guarantee at the moment although some sellers are offering an extra incentive, extra years or Miele's special £30 extra 10 year guarantee.

Do the smaller cleaning tools have locks on them?
- No they fit by friction fit only - but they fit on both the handle and the end of the telescopic height adjustable tubes.

SEBO D2 versus Miele S5 - which one is better?
- S5 is more compact but it lacks a longer cord. The SEBO is a bit more modern with a thicker hose to decrease clogging and has a better and more versatile filter on board with no additional air blast in your face or feet when it comes to using the controls. The extra price difference between S5211 and Sebo's D2 Storm is the larger dust bag capacity, longer cord and hospital grade filter fitted as standard.

Why should I buy a Miele over Panasonic, Hoover or Electrolux?
- Put simply, you pay for quality and you get it. You can also buy optional tools or filters for extended use making the machine a custom build for yourself. No filters to wash even after a year - replaceable and can be upgraded to HEPA standard (£15 on average) or Active Air filtration (£9-95) if you have pets. Miele vacuums second hand also retain a better resale figure.

Which optional cost tools should I consider later on with this vacuum?
- To make the cord longer you could make the hose longer by purchasing the SFS10 Extender (see review) but it will add weight to the back of the handle as well as having to cope with excess hose locked on. The Extender is a great accessory and one you can take off or put on at any time, but it will also exert one hand on the hose and one hand on the handle when in use like normal.

For increased reach from the handle, the long flexi-crevice tool will also suit this model since it can be used on either the pipes or the handle to clean awkward corners or getting under ultra slim appliances like cookers, washing machines etc.

Miele's Turbobrush (full size or mini style) will give you additional pet hair rivalling pick up to the Cat and Dog model. Unlike the mini turbo brush, the full size one can be clipped to the machine when in use and for storage if the machine is stored with the wheels on the carpet or the upright position.