Miele C1 Vacuum Review: A More Affordable Miele

After hours of lab testing, we know the C1 has excellent suction, great handling, and convenient settings that can take on everything from hard floors to delicate drapes. We also know that it's a little bulkier than pricier Mieles, that it's not a great pick for pet owners, and that only the most expensive models come with a powered floor brush.

{{ photo_gallery name="Miele" }}

The Good

Canister vacuums are generally better than uprights if you have a home with multiple kinds of flooring. The C1 Titan model makes things even easier with two main brush heads: a Miele Electrobrush and a parquet brush. Both performed well on their respective surfaces.

We scattered a 100-gram mixture of dirt that ranged from coarse sand to talcum powder on normal and high-pile carpet to test our C1. On normal carpet, the Titan picked up 41% of the dirt in a single pass. On a high-pile carpet with 1/2-inch fibers, that pickup percentage dropped to 20%—which might sound low, but ranks among the best pickup possible without deep cleaning.

That good performance on carpet is all thanks to the Electrobrush, which uses a powered brush head to root matted-down dirt out of the bases of carpet fibers. However, the Titan is the only C1 model that works with an Electrobrush, and it costs $599.

Buy the Miele C1 Titan at Amazon.com for $599

All other C1 models only offer straight suction through a manual brush—which is why we only recommend those vacuums for homes with low-pile carpet and hard floors. The Titan is also distinguished by its HEPA filtration system.

Without the Electrobrush, the C1 still does well on tile and wood. We laid out uncooked macaroni and rice on our test kitchen floor to simulate a spill. Here, the floor brush captured 92% of that debris which, again, is an excellent result.

As with all Mieles, the C1 just feels sturdy. All attachments and hoses fit snugly into place, and its excellent casters help it glide easily across nearly all surfaces. It's not silent—but our testers found its sound less harsh than other canister models we'v tested.

The Bad

{{ amazon name="Miele C1 Titan Vacuum", asin="B00S1AGGTK", align="right" }} Even with the Electrobrush, pet hair tripped up our test C1. The brush head clamps down too tightly on the carpet, so the brush ends up pushing hair out of the way rather than sucking it up. A lower suction setting keeps the brush from sticking, but isn't powerful enough to capture fur.

Buy the Miele C1 Olympus at Amazon.com for $329

The C1 is also pretty large compared to the next tier of in the Miele lineup, the Compact C2 Series. In fact, the C2 Topaz is more powerful than the Titan, but weighs two pounds less.

{{ photo_gallery name="Storage" }}

Should You Buy it?

As canisters go, the C1 Titan is a good choice. However, the elephant in the room is price: It sells for a whopping $599, and doesn't perform much better than the more affordable Kenmore 81614. Though the Kenmore may be louder and less refined, it's also better for pet owners.

If you buy a cheaper C1, you lose out on carpet cleaning. But if you live in a home with mostly hardwood floors and want a well-built, quiet vacuum, the entry-level C1 is a good choice.