I've wrestled with upright vacuums for the last time! My last upright (which shall remain nameless) felt like it weighed about 200 pounds. It was not inexpensive, and did a "fair" job. So being that I have  previous injuries to my back, the repeated motion of pushing an entire cleaning unit,  as opposed to a single wand, does not make sense to me. Although I was prepared to pay more, for a decent canister, I saw the Shark Roadster for $100 while shopping in Target, and figured I would give it a shot.

Overall, I give  this canister a very good rating. It is small, and light, which makes it easy to store, as well as easy to maneuver. The one drawback that I found with its light weight however, is that it tends to flip over when you're moving along with your cleaning. Also, when it turns over, it will sometimes depress the power button (which is a very large button on top) turning the unit off. Not really a big deal in the scheme of things, as it is designed to turn on and off with your toe.

The suction is really quite strong. When the roadster attachment (for hard surfaces) is attached and I first turn the power on, it forms a suction that is substantial, even to my ceramic tile which is interrupted by grout lines. My upright never did an adequate job of picking up dog hair. It just did not posses near the suction as this Shark canister. The rug attachment is also good. It is not as substantial as some of the rug attachments on more expensive canisters, and would  probably not be super effective on a deep pile or shag (frise) not as much because of the suction,but because the brush bar slows and/or stops with too much pressure. It does a very fine job on lower pile rugs. The dirt collection cup is small (as is the whole unit) but if you are vacuuming every day (as I do, with children and a dog) it should not be an issue. Just be careful when emptying the dust cup, as it fits very snugly against the filter and filter-screen; When you go to pull it out be sure you are over the  trash can as it has a  tendency to spill once it releases. 

My only real complaint abou this unit is that the cord seems on the short side. I need to change outlets a few times, and my  house is not huge.

For daily, maintenance cleaning, I would recommend this vacuum highly. It absolutely beats upright vacuums for bare floor suction, as well as for ease of use in relation to it's light weight (important for any one with a physical limitation  from injury or the elderly)and maneuverability. For a canister vac in the $100. range (retail) it is a  great performer!