I fell in love with this vacuum cleaner! I've only had cheaper vacuum cleaners before, but I live in a disabled family that has sensory issues and noisy cars are very problematic. Because of the problems, I started sucking less and less due to the inevitable tantrums. However, I would like the house to be cleaner! I decided to explore the possibility of a quieter vacuum, and I was willing to put up with various trappings if it was reasonably priced and really quiet, on the theory that I was reducing the stress of this somewhat small but recurring problem in our lives could. I read the "Best of Lists" and many reviews and basically learned about vacuum noise. Many typical vacuums have a working volume of 70-80+ decibels, and many vacuums advertised as quiet can be as low as 65 dB. This Nacecare James is advertised at 40 dB! The price of $260 seems very expensive to me, but I figured it would be worth it when it really counted. Also, I found out that this company and this line of vacuums are known for their quality and durability, so I finally jumped at the chance and ordered them. It was fun when I first tried it, I thought ok, still sounds like a vacuum cleaner, but then I turned on one after the other, and then another vacuum cleaner and was amazed at how terribly loud the other one was! James, or Little British Blue as we affectionately call him, has a much quieter rumble, almost sounds like someone in the other room is vacuuming or something. While it still makes a decent amount of noise, the sound is much more comfortable on the ears compared to a regular vacuum, which actually causes a slight tremor. And if you're vacuuming in another room with the door ajar, it's really quiet for others in the house now. The real test though is that it doesn't upset my disabled family members! I really can't describe what a gift it was. Also, one can chat to someone through James, which I still had to turn off the vacuum cleaner to say anything more than yes/no. Now for the vacuum itself, it was designed for hardwood floors, but I find it perfectly acceptable for carpets too. It sucks so well, the carpet lifts a bit which makes me feel like I'm actually better than before. I don't like that I have to buy vacuum bags but I like when I suck it up it doesn't come back :). The general setup of a canister and a long hose requires a little space to work with. I feel like I've had to adjust a little but my approach to vacuuming is to work with this device, but once I've done that I'm completely happy with it. I love that the hose screws on and feels like it's attached so I can take it with me while vacuuming. The cable is very long and I can go through several rooms with one plug. I'm also glad the cheapest in the range was blue because I didn't necessarily want a bright red vacuum cleaner, for example. The smile and face are optional but honestly they make me smile and it's like the vacuum cleaner would love to help haha. In conclusion I would highly recommend this vacuum and purchase from this company and through Revain. It's not perfect, but overall a balanced vacuum of attributes, with sound being its best feature! Thank you for improving my life and my family's life.