Top honors in Consumer Reports brand-repair surveys and stout metal parts designed to be rebuilt instead of replaced could make the high-scoring, $1,350 Kirby Sentria upright the last vacuum you buy.

The Kirby Sentria upright (shown; model information is available to subscribers) excelled at cleaning carpets and bare floors in our latest tests and rates very good overall.

Last summer, I bought a refurbished Kirby Sentria II off Craigslist for $80 and it instantly changed my life. Yes, it’s heavy and not particularly nimble, ...

Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment.