What surfaces do you want it to vacuum? We were only concerned with pet hair, dirt, and dust when we looked, and we have hardwood and tile throughout so it was a bit easier to find an affordable vac. I went with
the iLIFE V3s, which was only $150. It has been fantastic! After 9 months I am still surprised at how well it actually picks everything up. It does well on some low pile rugs we have too.