I just moved from an apartment complex where the stipple ceiling plaster contained 1.5% asbestos. The apartment management was not very fastidious about proper cleaning procedures when the plaster was disturbed during maintenance work. I moved at a time shortly after maintenance was done on lighting fixtures in the hallways, so there were specks of the stuff on the hallway carpets. I'm pretty sure that residual amounts of the stuff got picked by my belongings as I moved out. Since I've unpacked and rummaged through some of my belongings in the new place, I thought it would be wise to vacuum everything with a HEPA vacuum.
HEPA filtered vacuums seem to be made by many manufacturers, but there is no independent testing of their efficacy. In the absence of such information, the only information to go on is anecdotes and reputation that results from anecdotes. According to an air purifier researcher that I know, specialists in asthma and allergies recommend Miele and Dyson. My general impression is that Miele is more known for their HEPA filtered vacuums. There is also Zelmer, but they haven't yet established a reputable track record. Finally, I was also thinking about a HEPA filtered ShopVac.
I thought that I might as well get the vacuum properly decked out with accessories for use as a general vacuum cleaner, beyond just the initial decontamination of my belongings. That comes with a hefty price tag, over $1,000 after taxes. In spite of this extraordinary cost, the driving consideration is still efficacy in filtering for decontamination and ease of use as a general vacuum cleaner. Considering the dearth of indepedent testing info, and the complete reliance on anecdote, I was wondering what people's experiences have been with the HEPA filtered versions of Miele versus ShopVac?