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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 12th day of March, 1999.


                                   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
- ---------------------------                ------------------------------
Jack Kahl Jr.                              Michael J. Merriman


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


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