Miele Quickstep S194 Stick Vacuum

 

Avg. consumer rating = 83/100 

The Miele Quickstep S194 is Miele’'s latest stick vacuum and while consumer ratings are few, those that are available indicate a respectable level of satisfaction.  Owners praise the Quickstep'’s power, quiet operation and ability to pull up pet hair.  Some do find the vacuum a bit on the heavy side however.  It should also be noted that this stick vacuum is best for hard floors and low pile carpet.  Like most stick vacs it is not intended for deep pile or plush carpet cleaning.

When this vacuum was first on the market we only found 17 consumer ratings.  We have now revisited this in January 2016 and have found 59 owner ratings.  The table below has therefore been updated as has the vacuum's score which is now 83/100.

There is also a newer version of this on the market with the name "New Miele Swing H1 Quick Step Universal Upright Vacuum".  It appears to be the same as the S194 and some retail sites even merge the two names.  You can see the latest one here .

Consumer likes and dislikes are compiled below:

PROS
- Great for quick clean ups
- Very effective on bare floors
- Can use some of the attachments designed for other Miele vacuums
- Quiet
- Powerful
- Does a good job on pet hair and doesn’t clog
- Air filter ensures clean, fresh exhaust

CONS
- Heavy
- Some folks would like a longer power cord (although many feel it is sufficiently long)
- Dust compartment door can be a little difficult to close

The Quickstep S194 essentially replaces Miele’s earlier stick vacuum models; namely the S163 and S168.  The S194 is powered by an 8 amp, 1000 watt vortex motor (manufactured by Miele).  A number of owners have reported that the suction power of the machine is substantial and the S194 also features suction power controls.  There is a switch on the vacuum handle that lets you set the machine to maximum or minimum suction.  Being able to “dial down” the suction can be useful when attempting to vacuum delicate item such as curtains, lamp shades or soft furnishings.  [REF Miele Vacuum Reviews]

 

This is a bagged vacuum and it uses type K vacuum cleaner bags that have a 2.6 quart capacity.  These bags are rather advanced and they have a self-sealing collar that ensures no dust leakage when the bag is removed.  They are also triple layered limiting any chance of a puncture, and they are electrostatically charged which helps them better retain dust/debris/contaminants.  The S194 bags are made with environmentally friendly materials to minimize the impact when they are discarded.  The Quickstep features a bag change indicator to let you know when bag replacement is required.

The vacuum comes standard with Miele’s “Air Clean Filter”.  This filter will remove 94% of all particles with a diameter of 0.3 microns or greater.  For comparison purposes a HEPA filter removes 99.97% of all particles with a diameter of 0.3 microns or greater.   The “Air Clean Filter” will last for about 5 vacuum bags before replacement is necessary.  There are also a few optional filters that can be purchased for the Miele S194.  These include the “Active Air Clean filter” and the “Active HEPA filter”. Both filters have an “active” component that uses generally activated charcoal which helps to eliminate odors, and both filters have a lifetime of about 50 hours of vacuuming.  The S194 has no filter change indicator.

The vacuum includes several attachments and tools:
- Combination Floor Tool FiberTeQ (SBD 470-3).  This is the main floor nozzle and it has a rocker switch on top that allows one to switch between carpet and bare floors (see image to right).  This tool is best on bare floors and low-pile carpet.  The nozzle has a swivel neck that allows for better maneuverability. 
- Socket for powerbrush
- Stainless steel telescopic wand.  The wand provides 10 inches of cleaning reach.
- Upholstery Brush
- Crevice Tool

Both the upholstery brush and the crevice tool store on a caddy that is attached to the stainless steel telescopic wand.  Also, the tools “click” into place as opposed to simply being friction fit.

In the above list of tools and attachments there is a socket for a powerbrush.  This socket allows one to attach a brush with an air-driven brushbar or a brush with a powered brushbar.  These optional brushes do not come standard with the S194 and must be purchased separately.  Depending on the brush the vacuum will be capable of cleaning medium and even high-pile carpet.  Popular brushes include the following:

- Miele SEB 217-3 Electro Comfort Powerbrush
- Miele SEB 228 ElectroPlus Powerbrush
- Miele SEB 236-3 Electro Premium Powerbrush
- Miele STB 205-3 Turbo Plus Power Nozzle

The Quickstep is actually a two-in-one vacuum (although surprisingly this is not prominently featured in marketing literature).  One simply removes the wand and handle and the vacuum converts to a handheld unit.  Also the handle of the stick vac can be adjusted to match the vacuumer’s height to help ensure a more comfortable vacuuming experience.

The S194 weighs about 9 lbs and while this is lighter than your average upright it is a little heavy for a stick vacuum.  As a matter of fact a number of owners cite this as one of the machine’s few drawbacks.  It is about the same weight as the Miele S163 and it is lighter than the Miele S168 which weighs in at 10.5 lbs.

Other features include a casing constructed of ABS, a common but tough thermoplastic, thermal overload protection that shuts the machine off should the motor begin to overheat, and a respectably long 26 foot power cord (long for a stick vac).

The Miele S194 is CSA certified. The CSA is a group that tests products to ensure they meet US and Canadian standards.  The vacuum carries a 7-year warranty on the motor and casing, and a 1-year warranty on parts and labor.

Vacuum Cleaner Manual
Sylvane provide a copy of the Miele Quickstep S194 manual and you can view it here.