While uprights have been the dominant form of home vacuum in the US for decades, canister vacuums continue to enjoy dominance in Europe and have a small but persistent following in the United States. And when it comes to the best canister vacuums in the US, we’ve yet to come across a more consistent set of glowing reviews (and a more dedicated set of aficionados) than those tied to the Miele brand. Miele is a small German company that’s quietly been making some of the best canister vacuums on Earth for close to 100 years, and our team uses a number of them in our own homes. Today we’ll take a look at two of their cheapest models: the Classic C1 Olympus and the S2121 Olympus to figure out the best entry-level canister.

Pros, Cons, and Key Features of the Miele Classic C1 Olympus Canister Vacuum Cleaner, Lotus White – Corded

The Classic C1 Olympus is a well-loved entry-level Miele canister that carries many of the features found in much higher-tier (and proportionally more expensive) Mieles. Let’s go over the basics first and then go into some details of what it’s like to actually use one.

Like very Miele canister, it comes with a 1,200 watt motor with six power settings via rotary dial. It also features a telescoping wand that gives you close to 30 feet of cleaning space around the vacuum. It includes a dusting brush, a crevice tool, and an upholstery tool, and is rated for hard floors and low pile carpeting, but unlike its higher-end counterparts (e.g., the Classic C1 Delphi or Titan), it is not designed for medium pile carpeting. It also doesn’t include a HEPA filter, although it does include a  basic filter and vacuum bag. At a hair under 13 pounds, it’s one of the lightest canister vacuums on the market, and the non-marking rubber wheels turn in every direction, making it a breeze to push and pull. The electric power cord can be automatically rewound and a rocker switch is included on the standard floor tool (called a FiberTeQ) to facilitate transitioning between smooth and carpeted surfaces.

When it came to using the Classic C1 Olympus, we enjoyed the focused, effective simplicity it gave us. We could easily adjust power from flooring to low pile carpet with a turn of the power knob. Those of us with experience with higher-end Miels missed the greater level of air filtering (you can buy a better filter but we prefer such things out of the box) as well as the motor silencing technology featured in the C2 and C3. That said, those of us who’d never used the higher-end models didn’t miss these features and we were all pleased with how quiet and light the C1 was compared to most uprights. And Miele claims their AirClean filtration system is designed to clear and hold 99.9% of particles with the capacity to damage lungs, which suggests at least sub-micron-level filtering.

Something important to explain about the C1 and all Mieles is that they use bags. While there are certainly many advantages to bagless vacuums, many of us prefer the bagged variety due to not having to bother with internal filter replacement or the need to clean dirt cups. The C1’s bags are big enough that you’d be unlikely to need to replace them before vacuuming dozens of times, and when you do, it’s a simple process of throwing out the bag and installing a fresh one.

In terms of cleaning ability, we were rather satisfied as long as we used the C1 as intended. It’s hard to repeat enough for people used to regular uprights that the C1 isn’t designed for any kinds of carpets besides the lowest pile kinds (including area rugs). If you have higher carpets, you absolutely need a C1 Delphi or Titan or a C2 or C3, which come with electric powered heads. Our Classic C1 Olympus was happiest with bare floors and was willing to tolerate very low carpet, and those of us who used it most successfully entered with this mindset. Those of us who tried to use it on anything but the lowest pile carpet were less than pleased.

Finally, while we were only able to bring a couple of years of testing to the table with this particular model, as that’s as long as any of our team members had owned one, Miele claims they’re tested in house to simulate 20 years of average use without performance degredation, and based on the oldest Miels we have in service (one is indeed 25 years old and still working), we wouldn’t be surprised to find this Miele outlasting most of the uprights in our collection.

Pros, Cons, and Key Features of the Miele S2121 Olympus Canister Vacuum Cleaner

Looking at the image beside this sentence probably makes it clear that there are many similarities between the S2121 Olympus and the Classic C1 Olympus. In fact, we’ll save you a lot of time trying to figure out the differences and cut to the chase: they’re the same in nearly every way besides the name. There are a few minor differences, yes: the Classic C1 Olympus was released later, so it includes a few bug fixes in the S2121, such as the occasional power outage due to loose connections in internal components. The C1 also has simpler and slightly redesigned packaging. Additionally, there used to be an electrical outlet on the S2121 to add a powered motor-driven head to it, but this connection was removed in the C1. However, besides that, it’s the same vacuum. In other words, if you get the chance to save a significant amount of money by buying the S2121, it’s worth considering.

Which is the Better Starter Miele Between the Classic C1 Olympus and S2121 Olympus?

In our books, both machines are well worth buying. However, if pressed to choose between the two, we’d pick the Classic C1 Olympus, as it features ever-so-slightly newer electronics than those in the S2121 due to production beginning after the S2121. However, seeing as there isn’t any functional difference between the two, we’d ultimately recommend going with whichever you find for slightly less when you’re ready to buy. You won’t regret either.

You can buy the Classic C1 Olympus here on Amazon and the S2121 Olympus here.

Canadians can buy the Pure Suction here as an alternative to the Olympus, which, unfortunately, is no longer available.

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.