the only two i have used that work to an awesome standard are miele and dyson.

I have and love my dyson. it is now 10 years old and going strong. I clean the filter out every 6 months or so and it comes up new. It's weird that yours didnt have the power?! we have had ours when we had 2 cats, and a dog and toddlers and carpet lol...it was fabulous! i hope that it's not that the quality is going out the window now that they are super popular...noooo!