Miele Capri Canister Vacuum

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 Avg. consumer rating = 93/100 

The Miele Capri is the latest addition to the popular S2 series of canister vacuum cleaners.  It is a step up from the more affordable Olympus as it has both carpet and bare floor tools (as opposed to a combination tool) and it gets very good grades from consumers.  Owners praise its powerful suction and also like that it is lightweight and quiet.  However like all of the machines in the S2 series the power cord is a little short. (2017 Update: This is now called the Classic C1 Capri and ratings are still top-notch.)

There are presently four Miele vacuum cleaners in the S2 series. These are listed below from lowest price to highest:

- Olympus
- Capri
- Delphi
- Titan

There are several differences between the above models but probably the most prominent difference is that the Olympus & Capri have a powerhead that uses an air-driven brushbar while the Delphi & Titan have powerheads with a motor-driven brushbar.  A motor driven brushbar allows for better cleaning of thicker carpet (and pet hair removal) than its air-driven counterpart. 

There are also a number of more subtle differences between the Capri and the other S2 vacuums. Comparing the upper end of the S2 spectrum (the Titan) to the Capri, the Titan includes HEPA filtration, a deluxe handle, and a powerhead with motor-driven brushbar.  At the more affordable end of the series, the Olympus comes with a combination carpet and bare-floors tool while the Capri has both a carpet powerhead tool as well as a parquet bare-floors brush. 

With its air-driven powerhead and bare floor tools the Capri is best suited for area rugs, short pile carpet and wood or tile floors.

The original Miele S2 series of vacuums contained only the Olympus, Delphi and Titan and the Capri is actually a recent addition (you can read much more about the original S2 series vacuums in our review of Miele S2 Vacuums).  The Capri can be differentiated from the other S2’s quickly by its color.  It is the only S2 that is gray (lava gray according to Miele).  Consumer ratings for the Capri can be seen in the table below, and are very good.

A review of consumer comments provides the following common vacuum likes and dislikes:

PROS
- Very light
- Uses large vacuum cleaner bags
- Not too noisy
- Powerful suction
- Canister moves well and doesn’t tip
- Long warranty
- Adjustable suction

CONS
- Short hose
- Power cord is a bit short

Miele Capri Suction Control

The Capri has suction controls that can be adjusted by the operator via a rotary dial on the canister.  There are six suction settings from 200 to 1200 watts and these can be used for curtains & lightweight fabrics all the way up to intensive carpet cleaning.  There is also an energy saving setting that minimizes noise.

The Miele Capri includes an “Air Clean” filter which is capable of removing 94% of all particles with a diameter of 0.3 microns or greater. The filter lasts about the length of time it takes to go through 5 vacuum bags.  The “Air Clean” filter is not quite as capable as a HEPA filter which will remove over 99% of all particles with a diameter of 0.3 microns or greater.  However a HEPA filter can be purchased and used in the Capri.  HEPA filtration is standard issue in the Titan.

The vacuum cleaner bags used in the Capri are Type G/N, AirClean bags which have a spring loaded, self-sealing collar that ensures no dust or debris escapes during bag changes.  These bags also provide an additional level of air filtration as they are 9 layers thick and built of electrostatically charged material that helps retain dust particles.  In addition, the vacuum has a dust bag change indicator to tell one when a change is needed.

The S2 series vacuums are advertised as having a 29.5 foot operating radius.  This is determined by the length of the hose and the power cord.  The power cord itself is only 21 feet in length and is frankly a little short in our opinion.  Of course this is a canister vacuum and the hose and tools do provide extra reach.  The vacuum power cord also has automatic rewind (activated via a foot pedal), a feature that many vacuum cleaner owners like.

The Miele S2 Capri is powered by a 1200 watt vortex motor.  The motor is protected with a safety shutoff feature that will activate and turn the motor off should the motor get too hot.  This will ensure that the motor does not burn out if the vacuum encounters a clog or obstruction of some sort.  The Capri motor is also covered by a very lengthy 7-year warranty.

Miele Capri Turbobrush

Miele floor tools include the following:

- STB 205-3 Turbobrush (this is the carpet brush with the air-driven brushbar). The brushbar in this tool is 11 inches wide and the turbobrush head has a protective bumper strip around it to ensure no scuffing or scraping of walls or furniture.

- SBB3 Parquet Floor Tool (this is the hard floors tool).  This tool has genuine horse hair bristles and is best used on wood or tile surfaces.

In addition, the vacuum comes with the following:

- Stainless steel extension wand
- Dusting brush
- Upholstery tool
- Crevice tool

Miele Capri Parquet Floor Tool

The dusting brush, upholstery tool and crevice tool all clip on to the vacuum cleaner for easy access as you are cleaning. It should be noted that the vacuum also has a non-electric hose.  Models that use a motor driven brushbar have an electric hose that allows power to reach the motor in the carpet tool.

Additional vacuum cleaner features include an on/off footswitch on the canister body, sound insulation (to ensure quiet operation), and rubber 360 degree swivel wheels that provide great maneuverability and do not scratch floors.  The Capri canister body is made of ABS plastic and as such weighs a very lightweight 9.5 lbs.  With hose and attachments the whole assembly of course weighs more.  The Miele S2 Capri carries a 7-year warranty on both the motor and casing as well as a 1-year warranty on parts and labor.  Miele states that the vacuum is designed for approximately 20 years of residential use.

The newest version of this vacuum is the known as the Miele Classic C1 Capri.  You can view reviews and pricing on Amazon if you wish.

Vacuum Cleaner Manual
If you want to know more about the Miele Capri and its features and maintenance then check out the vacuum manual.  It is well written and descriptive – worthwhile if you are considering a purchase.