oh I love my Dyson.  Have you tried using the attachments connected straight to the hose and not through the wand?

I loved my Dyson at first but now I have a lot of issues with the filter and cleaning it out etc.  It's still better than the other vacuums I have used in the past.

I'm keeping a watch on the reviews that are posted.    

I had a tri-star previous to the dyson - it really did work great and the attachments were wonderful.    I wanted a bagless though - I like being able to empty it out after each use.

njchicaa - I have tried that, but it's so cumbersome to use - that hose is stiff.   ETA - I just tried it again - thank you for that hint - it's been a long time since I tried it and I didn't like it at first, but it is much better without the stiff wand.

CrystaBush - do you have problems with the attachments too?

I have used Kenmores for years, for the price, they are great. I also have a Dyson... it is great for some surfaces, but a lot of dust escapes from the bagless cannister. Now I own a Rainbow. in a class of its own, this beast is a workhorse. I did add some skinny wire shower hooks to the top of it so I could caddy around the attachments (round brush, narrow space suction, upholstery brush) by just hooking the attachments through the open shower hooks. Works great. It cleans totally clean, does not release dust into the air, and you can add scents to the water to give yourself a scented working environment as well as temporary nice smell to your home.  I do, however, hate throwing out the water with all the hair, dust, fur, threads, and other material I have vacuumed up. You have to clean the tank (just empty and rinse) each time you use it or it will STINK!

there's a review on my page of my vacuum. it's a bissell clean view II. i adore it. i have avoided getting another vacuum because i love mine so dearly. i also find it strange that i feel so strongly about a vacuum, but there it is anyway. and it's nowhere near as expensive as the dyson. although i do wish it had a ball like the dyson, i imagine that's pretty cool.