I sold many vacuums for years and what I discovered is that, although water is touted as a great filter, it is NOT.
Try putting a bunch of baby powder on the floor and using the Rainbow to suck it up. The powder will go RIGHT through the water and you will see it puff out of the exhaust! This is how dust goes right through your Rainbow. You may see a lot of dirt when you pour out your water, but it does not do well for people with allergies or who have lots of pets and pet dander.
Changing the water after EVERY use gets quite painstakingly old quickly. It’s messy and often slops water on the floor. You have to rinse out the tank as well which means I want this done in the bathtub or outside.
It is also VERY HEAVY and lugging it around is not good for people with back trouble or who have stairs. It’s very cumbersome to say the least.
What it does have going for it is the many attachments so you can clean areas most vacuums won’t do.
Considering the cost is prohibitive, you would be better off with a cheaper vacuum. (Much cheaper!)
Know that the independent salespeople also can CHANGE the PRICE of the Rainbow. They will lower and lower the price using the ’’I will call my manager to see if I can get a better deal’’ tactic. They tell you ’’This is the last day of the special!’’ Don’t buy into it! Just like used car dealerships, they can raise or lower the price according to what they can CONVINCE you of is a good deal!!