Miele S5981 Capricorn Luna silver S5 Series canister vacuum

The inside scoop on Capricorn

There is some history behind your vacuum's name "Capricorn". Way back in 1890, this family-owned company in Germany sold cream separators and butter churners. Talk about wholesome roots! Fast forward to present day. The company's changed their name, spiffed up their products, and is still family-run. And they have fun naming their products. Like your new vacuum, the S5 Series Capricorn S5981. Typical traits include hard-working. Dependable. Focused. Competent. On bad days, Capricorns can be obsessed with rules and overly controlling, so if your vacuum starts telling your broomstick how to do its job, you may have to step in.

Anything else is a compromise

That's Miele's slogan. At first I thought, yeah yeah, another super duper dirt sucker . . . but as I researched this vacuum, I began to see why anything else (like my current 80 pound behemoth of a vacuum) is a compromise. Like any Capricorn, this vacuum makes a dependable — and considerate — house mate. For instance, the adjustable wand is good news for your back. Corner-dwelling dust bunny colonies are finally sucked away thanks to the 90° brush rotation. And while you motor from the carpet to the wood floor, simply push a level and/or speed adjustment button on the ergonomically shaped comfort handle. Or, if you really want to fly auto pilot, choose the Intelligent Automatic Setting. The power level adjusts automatically to suit the floor surface.

Kickstand and bumpers

I know what you're thinking. Kickstands and bumpers are for babies! Not so, my friend. As you know, your Capricorn is part of the goat family. It's got a hard head, which makes more than one glass vase cringe as you motor around the living room. The Miele family wouldn't send this cleaning machine into your home without a couple of safety tools. First, three smooth-running 360° castor wheels mounted on steel axles ensure maximum stability and maneuverability while you're cruising around from room to room. Second, the convenient park system (or kickstand, as I like to call it) is located on the back of the canister. Just park the wand and floor tool into the system if you need to answer the phone or jot down a poem.

Make it an IntensiveClean Plus&trade day

It doesn't surprise me that Miele's dust bag design takes after their innovative vacuum design. But of course, why not equip an already robust vacuum with good dirt bags? They're the ones that hold all the pet dander, crumbs, dust bunnies, etc. The Miele Air Clean-Filter system is made up of the IntensiveClean Plus® dustbag, the motor filter, and an air filter. Together this means: Longer suction performance. Fifteen percent improved filtration. Impact foil preventing sharp-edged objects, such as pine needles, glass, and sand from penetrating the bag. Automatic dustbag closure makes for hygienic removal and disposal. See, these dirt bags are keepers.