ORECK: a review & a giveaway! CLOSED

Our first married fight involved a vacuum cleaner. Things had been tense all day when the evening found us in our bedroom; me, furiously vaccuuming and he, trying to figure out this new wife of his. He stood there in the doorway, arms crossed, irritatingly sweet smile on his face. I'm sure I had an attitude when I asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?" And then, out came the fateful words. "You're doing it wrong." I immediately offered that he take over, but he refused on the basis that I was being ugly about it. And I was. I dropped the vacuum's handle and went outside to cool off. The thing was still on and in the spot in which I'd left it, when I returned a few minutes later.

My husband brought to our marriage a beast of a vacuum that includes gears, attachments, about forty pounds, and over a decade of experience. Apparently, this brand boasts a machine that never dies. This was a bummer for me, as I couldn't rationalize purchasing a new one. But I also couldn't get the thing up the stairs. If I could just learn how to screw on the front correctly and use the gears properly, it would drive itself. Right, Christopher? So over the years, we've compromised. I've promised to never smack-talk the vacuum, and my husband has taken over vacuuming. I think I've used the thing three times in our entire marriage.

Thanks to the folks at Oreck, though, I'm back in the game. We were recently sent a Magnesium vacuum cleaner to review, free of charge! Praise the Lord and thank you, Oreck! We've been using it for about three weeks now, and the whole family is in love. Twelve-year-old Lucas' chore is sweeping, and his domain has increased significantly since we installed the laminate hardwoods. Thanks to this Magnesium, he's able to cover more ground faster. He also loves how light it is and is enamored with the concept that he can lift it with a single finger. When I asked him for constructive criticism, he sheepishly admitted that he prefers the color red over blue. I informed him that blue is the only option, and he perked up. I love that kid.

Our new Oreck does a good job on carpets, which I expected. However, it works exceptionally well on our hard surfaces, which was a nice surprise. The cord is long enough to get through two rooms, and I like that it has only two speed settings. No fuss required, like our old machine! I am in the process of trying to find a good routine for the rugs, as the Magnesium tends to suck up the corners rather easily. The safety feature is great, though, in that the machine blinks and shuts off whenever it catches the rug corners (or its own cord).

Exhibit A: merely one day's worth of dirt, dust, & dog hair.

I haven't had to empty it yet, but the Magnesium came with an easy-to-understand manual. The zipper and HEPA bag seem particularly helpful, and I've noticed zero odors so far. Our old machine had to live in the garage because it got so hot and stinky.

Two thumbs up, Oreck! You have no idea how much you've blessed this family!

And to add to the glee and excitement...

One of you is going to win an Oreck Magnesium of your very own! 

Simply visit Oreck.com and tell me one thing you learned about the Magnesium.

Leave a comment below for your chance to win! I'll draw a winner June 1.

Nitty gritty details:

You must be a resident of the contiguous 48 states to win. Oreck Corporation provided the prize for the sweepstakes but is not the sponsor of the sweepstakes. You don't have to follow my blog or my Twitter account to win, but I sure would appreciate the support. Thanks!