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                                                                      EXHIBIT 24

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
                               -----------------

                            ROYAL APPLIANCE MFG. CO.
                            ------------------------

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS; that Royal Appliance Mfg. Co. and each
person whose name is signed below hereby constitute and appoint Michael J.
Merriman and Richard G. Vasek, or both of them, their attorney-in-fact and
agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for and on behalf of
Royal Appliance Mfg. Co. and the undersigned Directors and officers of Royal
Appliance Mfg. Co., to sign Royal Appliance Mfg. Co.'s Annual Report on Form
10-K, any or all amendments thereto, and to file the same, with exhibits
thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, granting such attorney-in-fact and agent full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and
necessary in connection with such matters and hereby ratifying and confirming
all that such attorney-in-fact and agent or his substitute or substitutes may
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     This Power of Attorney of Royal Appliance Mfg. Co. and the Directors and
officers of Royal Appliance Mfg. Co. may be executed in multiple counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed an original with respect to the person executing
it.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Power of Attorney has been signed at Cleveland,
Ohio this 13th day of March, 2000.

                   ROYAL APPLIANCE MFG. CO.

                   By:  /s/ Richard G. Vasek
                        -------------------------------------------------------
                        Richard G. Vasek, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

                                   DIRECTORS

/s/ Jack Kahl Jr.                       /s/ Michael J. Merriman
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Jack Kahl Jr.                           Michael J. Merriman

/s/ E. Patrick Nalley                   /s/ Joseph B. Richey, II
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E. Patrick Nalley                       Joseph B. Richey, II

/s/ John P. Rochon                      /s/ R. Louis Schneeberger
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John P. Rochon                          R. Louis Schneeberger