If you want a buy-it-for-life vacuum, you’ve probably considered buying a Miele. While you’ll spend more on a Miele canister than you will on most options at your local box stores, you’ll also get to enjoy cleaning with one for decades longer without it breaking down or losing suction. We’re pretty sure of this, as we’ve reviewed dozens of them over the years. However, to get the most from a Miele, you need to pair it with the proper cleaning heads.

If you live somewhere with only bare floors like hardwood and tile, all you need is a Miele with a Parquet head; buy the C1 Limited Edition or the Complete C2 Hard Floor and call it a day. But if you’re dealing with bare floors as well as carpets, and soft, plush, and high-pile carpets in particular, you’re going to want an electric brush head to tackle them.

With Miele, there are three options: the SEB 217-3 Electro Comfort Mid-Size Electrobrush, which we wouldn’t recommend, the SEB 228 Electro Plus Full-Size Electrobrush, which we love, and the Miele SEB 236 Electro Premium Full-Size Electrobrush, which we’re going to review today. We’ll also compare it to the SEB 228, share all current Mieles compatible with it, and show you each Miele that includes it or the 228. To summarize our thoughts in ten seconds, we’d buy the SEB 236 if you want LED lights and buy the SEB 228 for just as much cleaning power, a wider cleaning head, and a more durable design. Our full review is below, and you can buy the SEB 236 here.

Pros, cons, and key features of the Miele SEB 236 Electro Premium Full-Size Electrobrush

The SEB 236 electrobrush is the current flagship powered brush head in Miele’s canister vacuum line. Made in Germany, it’s designed to be an upgrade to the venerable SEB 228. It includes a five-step height adjustment pedal to allow you to clean every flooring surface from bare floors to high-pile and soft carpets.

Level 1 is the lowest setting and is designed for hardwood, tile, and other bare floors. Levels 2, 3, and 4 are tuned for low-pile, medium-pile, and high-pile carpets, while Level 5, the highest setting, is best for soft and plush carpets. You can change levels by stepping on the right foot pedal; unfortunately, it’s made from fragile plastic and is likely to break or get stuck over time. The left pedal releases the cleaning wand. The cleaning head is 13-3/8 inches wide and includes LED lights to make cleaning beneath beds and furniture easier. The brush head can be turned on and off to allow for quieter cleaning on bare floors, where air suction is enough to remove dirt, pet hair, and other messes.

What’s the difference between the SEB 236 and SEB 228?

There are two main differences to be aware of between the SEB 236 and the SEB 228. First, the 236 includes LED lights. We found them neat but not particularly necessary for cleaning, but we know there are many people who enjoy having lit cleaning paths (we see it as one of the reasons for Shark’s popularity with vacuums like the APEX). The second difference is that the 228 has a much more robust foot pedal for height adjustments. We’ve unfortunately come across a number of reports of the plastic pedal on the 236 becoming stuck or breaking off after a few years of use, resulting in a need to ship it to Miele for repairs. Considering the fact that the 228 cleans with just as much power and has a better designed foot pedal, we’d think carefully about buying the 236 over the time-tested 228.

Which current Miele canisters include the SEB 236 or the SEB 228?

The SEB 236 is only currently available on Miele’s two most expensive canister vacuums, the Complete C3 Marin and Complete C3 Brilliant. The 228, in contrast, is available on several more models, the cheapest of which is the Compact C2 Electro+. If you prefer higher-end canisters, you’ll find the SEB 228 on the Classic C1 Cat & Dog, the Complete C3 Soft Carpet, the Complete C3 Kona, and the Complete C3 Cat & Dog.

Which Miele canister vacuums are compatible with the SEB 236 electrobrush?

All of the vacuums listed above are compatible with the SEB 236, 228, or 217-3; the main requirement is that the vacuum originally came with an electric brush. As long as it did, it will have the necessary electric connectors to power any other electric brush head. However, vacuums that didn’t include such heads from the start (e.g., the Complete C3 Alize), won’t ever be able to power an electric head. This used to be different; several years ago, Miele included electric connectors with most of their canisters, making it simple to upgrade from combination tools and turbo heads to electric heads. However, they got rid of that option several years ago and are unlikely to bring it back. The good news is that if you own a Miele that originally came with the SEB 217-3 head like the Classic C1 Titan, the Classic C1 Delphi, and the Compact C2 Topaz, you can easily rejuvenate it by adding the SEB 236 or 228 without needing to buy a brand new vacuum.

Why buy the SEB 236?

In conclusion, while the SEB 236 is a worthy attempt at a successor to the SEB 228, we’d advise most buyers to stick with the SEB 228 if they already have it or to buy it as an upgrade to the SEB 217-3 or SEB 236. It offers just as much cleaning power as the SEB 236 without the liabilities of an inferior foot switch, making it a better investment over the long term. Our additional recommendation would be to consider Miele canisters that ship directly with the SEB 228 instead of buying it separately and then upgrading canisters later. The cheapest options are the Electro+ and C1 Cat & Dog, while our favorite all-around Miele canister is the C3 Cat & Dog.

You can buy the Miele SEB 236 here on Amazon, but we’d recommend buying the Miele SEB 228 electrobrush here instead. The cheapest Miele canisters that ship with it or an equivalent powered brush are the Miele Compact C2 Electro+ and the Miele Classic C1 Cat & Dog. The best all-around Miele is likely the Complete C3 Cat & Dog.

Canadians can buy the Miele SEB 236 here on Amazon, but we’d suggest skipping it and choosing  the Miele SEB 228 electrobrush here instead. To buy it bundled with a canister, the cheapest options are the Miele Compact C2 Electro+  and the Miele Classic C1 Cat & Dog. For a high-end do-everything Miele, we’d recommend the Complete C3 Cat & Dog.

If you find our research on PMC helpful, you can follow our efforts to keep maniacally reviewing home cleaning tools by shopping through our links above. We promise to keep fighting the good fight against every horror children, animals, and grown, yet messy humans can inflict upon a clean home.