With the release of the new Miele S7 upright vacuum cleaners, our Miele experts have been fielding questions from fans about the benefits of the Miele canister vacuums versus the new upright vacuums. Traditionally, the distinction between canister vacuum cleaners and upright vacuum cleaners has been clear. There are a myriad of other factors to consider before purchasing a canister or upright, but we have generally recommended upright vacuum cleaners for consumers with more carpeting in their homes. Uprights generally work better on medium to deep pile carpeting. If you needed a cleaner for hard surfaces, we recommended a canister vacuum.

Miele’s introduction of the innovative S7 series has blurred the distinction between these two types of vacuum cleaners. In an attempt to bridge the gap between canisters and uprights, Miele canisters have been adapted to better handle all cleaning situations; at the same time, with the new S7, Miele has addressed the weaknesses of traditional uprights and has turned them into strengths. This article breaks down some of the differences between the Miele canisters and S7 uprights.