I am going through the same thing. I hate my bagless. My sister just bought an orek and she loves it. They are pretty expensive so she found a lightly used one on OKorder and it works great. It's really quiet and light. She has a two year old that was pretrified by vacuums but this one is so quiet, she doesn't mind it.
Sears was rated number one,but I have and like the Riccar for the last 15 years. The suction is excellent and you can get the Hepa filter bags that do a good job of not spreading the dust back into the room. They should have a Web-Site.
I have a purple Hoover wind tunnel bagged cleaner. I highly recommend it. I like the fact that the bags are made of a hepa type fabric, so it's like a new hepa filter everytime change the bag. Microfiltration I beleive they call it. The filter bags are a little expensive at about $8 for two. Type Y filter bags I beleive. The filter bags have to be changed when they are about half full, but sometimes I find tha the suction so effective that the bags are pretty well plugged when I realize that they need to be changed. Once I loaned my neighbour my Hoover because she had a vacum cleaner that was not working the facum of my cleaner was strong enough to pack the filter bag completely! Sometimes there is a smell when I use it, but again it means that the bag needs to be changed again. From my research, I would only get a really good bagged cleanter or a dyson. Those cheaper bagless vacum clenaers with 'hepa' filter are hopeless. As a bonus, my purple vacum clenaer can probably be had for less than $80 these days. Get a hoover with a type y filter bag and you'll be good.
