I was hesitant about purchasing this item because of some negative reviews and because I really wanted a bagless vacuum.  I have only used it once, but WOW!  The suction on this little guy is amazing!  It was very difficult for me to use my upright to vacuum the steep set of carpeted stairs in my home and the little hand-held didn't work well at all, so I decided to give the Mighty Mite a shot.  It was very inexpensive so I figured I'd go for it.  So glad I did!  Got the steps done in no time at all and it was so easy!  The cord is quite long and the hose and extensions have a long reach, as well, so I only had to move the canister (which is very light-weight) a few times to get the job done.  So far so good!