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09-08-2011, 03:52 PM
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#1
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Administrator
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 40,580
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Vacuum cleaner
I need a new vacuum cleaner. The two belts on the Hoover upright POS I use now keep burning up and breaking, and I'm fed up. Consumer reports isn't much help. I went to Sears and Abt electronics but was not motivated to buy anything. My needs include carpet, rugs (with fringe), carpeted stairs and wood floor, so it needs to have tools. Portable because of the stairs, so cannister. The sears most expensive model is at the top of the list but it is heavy and not easy to maneuver.
Anybody have a vacuum they think is well designed and would do well with these tasks?
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09-08-2011, 04:27 PM
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#2
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: May 2011
Location: South Eastern USA
Posts: 1,068
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I have owned Hoover, Kenmore, Oreck, and Dyson vacuum cleaners. The one that has been the best was the Oreck. It is a lightweight (8 lbs) upright good for floors an carpets. When i got it, it came with a separate handheld for stairs. I currently have a Dyson I bought with airline miles. Next one will be Oreck again. The one I had lasted well over 10 years, plus you can buy parts as they wear out i have always found the Hoovers to be heavy and not as effective.
Dyson vacuums are overpriced and not worth it IMHO.
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09-08-2011, 04:29 PM
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#3
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,994
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Michael B ...I use a Rainbow and have for 20 years. I've had 2 in that time period. Comes with a nozzle for hardwood floors, a power nozzle for rugs, nozzles for furniture and some nice nozzles for cleaning your car and/or getting into small spaces. Everything it sucks up is trapped by water. My stairs are not carpeted...so...I clean them with the hardwood floor nozzle as far as it will reach..and then either carry the cannister up the stairs to do the rest or simply wipe the rest off with a cloth.
They can be pricey....like $1500 dollars...but I would not use anything else. We have animals....and the water trap system works well for getting rid of cat hair and all the stuff the dogs bring into the house. Great for people with allergies...which we have.
You might be able to get a refurbished one much cheaper.
Rainbow® Cleaning System
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09-08-2011, 04:35 PM
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#4
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,610
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We have that CR Kenmore you mentioned. Works fine, seems to be reliable, but as you note--it is heavy and a bit clumsy.
All in all, I think we'd buy it again.
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09-08-2011, 04:35 PM
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#5
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2004
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 14,404
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We have a Sears canister ("Progressive") which has been well behaved and caused us no trouble in 10 years. It cleans well. DW thinks it is fine, and I suppose it is--for a canister.
Consider getting more than one vacuum. You'll have 'em for years, and maybe getting a small canister or hand-vac just for the stairs makes sense if lets you use an upright for any bigger expanses of carpet, etc.
We've got one of those "as seen on TV" little rechargeable floor sweepers that is great for bare floors. It's quick, gets under everything, and it stores in any broom closet. Now I get the monster vac out much less frequently.
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09-08-2011, 06:01 PM
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#6
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 6,499
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My 40 year old Electrolux is still hard at work. Though DW is clamoring for a new one. The new ones are a LOT lighter to lug up and down stairs. All five of them.
__________________
There must be moderation in everything, including moderation.
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09-08-2011, 06:03 PM
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#7
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,328
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You could pick up a used Kirby off Craigslist. They are tanks, but last forever. You might even get one with the knife sharpening and sewer rooting attachments.
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09-08-2011, 06:11 PM
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#8
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Independence
Posts: 7,280
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Sister had/has an Oreck - I found it very light but it didn't work well for me going off the ends of fringed rugs - normally I'd just push the handle down as I went off, lifting the brush - with the Oreck the handle would pretty much lay flat on the floor, so I had to pick the whole thing up as I neared the edge. When I borrowed the Oreck from Sis it didn't work - suction and dirt goes through the small diameter handle, which is quite efficient, but also plugs up really well and is kinda a pain to dismantle and clean out.
Just about all our vacuums come from next to the dumpsters at various rental places. A belt or cleaning the brush of lots of long hair and/or yarn is normally what I pay. Long as they suck they are good enough for me.
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09-08-2011, 06:32 PM
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#9
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 880
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MichaelB
I need a new vacuum cleaner. The two belts on the Hoover upright POS I use now keep burning up and breaking, and I'm fed up. Consumer reports isn't much help. I went to Sears and Abt electronics but was not motivated to buy anything. My needs include carpet, rugs (with fringe), carpeted stairs and wood floor, so it needs to have tools. Portable because of the stairs, so cannister. The sears most expensive model is at the top of the list but it is heavy and not easy to maneuver.
Anybody have a vacuum they think is well designed and would do well with these tasks?
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Just bought a "Panasonic" canister. Old Sears Kenmore canister died. Used
Consumer Reports recommendations.
Did some research. Was told Kenmore's are really "Panasonics". Needed canister to vacuum cat hair off the bed. (also, discovered, unused Kenmore
canister vacuum bags, can be used in the my Panasonic).
One thing I did notice, newer vacuums, have better filters. This Panasonic
has "2", exhaust much cleaner. No dust smell.
This canister, has the rug, attachment. OK, not great. As mentioned earlier,
would be better to have "2" vacuums. Upright, for rugs. Canister for everything else.
Oh, Purchased the Panasonic on "Amazon". Here, in California, saved on the
"sales tax" 8.25%, also qualified for "free shipping". So price wise, good deal.
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09-08-2011, 11:23 PM
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#10
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,684
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+1
Have known Kirby users as long as I can remember -- and some with very old Kirby's -- grandmother (passed many years ago) mother (also passed) and aunts and sister. Kirby's clean very well, and they just keep going and going and going. Can't say anything about the current Kirby models, though, but they might be very good. We own a few cheapola non-Kirby vac's (that do not work very well, but are adequate), mostly for the hardwood and tile flooring, which is easy on the vac . . . as we have little carpeting.
Not generally applicable, but most true "commercial" products are of superior quality. Determining "true" is the issue.
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09-09-2011, 08:34 AM
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#11
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Administrator
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 40,580
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Lots of helpful recommendations. I'll be busy for the next few days looking into these.
Quote:
Originally Posted by samclem
Consider getting more than one vacuum. You'll have 'em for years, and maybe getting a small canister or hand-vac just for the stairs makes sense if lets you use an upright for any bigger expanses of carpet, etc.
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That's something I hadn't considered but it a very good suggestion. It may not even cost more, as the ones that do everything are pretty pricey.
Thanks to all who have responded so far.
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09-09-2011, 08:47 AM
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#12
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 12,894
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We have an Electrolux canister that works great for vacuuming tile floors and for small dusting jobs (like vacuuming curtains, upholstery and lamp shades). We use a Dyson upright for the carpets and the carpeted stairs (for the stairs, I leave the cleaner either at the top or the bottom of the stairs and use the hose and brush attachment - No need to precariously hold the cleaner while vacuuming the stairs). We are happy with both and they both have a role. The Dyson is the best carpet cleaner I have ever owned - it pulls an incredible amount of dirt out of the carpet. It has really helped with my allergies. The Electrolux is not powerful or heavy enough to do a good job on carpets, IMO.
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09-09-2011, 11:19 AM
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#13
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gone traveling
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: DFW
Posts: 7,586
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We have had good reliability and performance from our Miele. Its over 15 years old, but is not a canister and its not cheap.
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Shark Navigator Lift Away
09-09-2011, 12:19 PM
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#14
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 317
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Shark Navigator Lift Away
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09-09-2011, 12:22 PM
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#15
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 317
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09-09-2011, 12:26 PM
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#16
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 21,200
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We've had Hoover, Eureka, Kenmore and Oreck. All of them broke down quickly, most in less than a year despite warranty repairs. The Oreck was the worst, even though the store folks assured us it could handle dog hair no problem. We didn't want to spend the $500 for a Dyson but after wasting money on lesser brands at about $200 each, we sprung for a Dyson. It works well, and we've had it for more than 5 years, so it has been worth it. HOWEVER, we have two long haired dogs, and there is no question they present a big challenge to normal vacuums. We were always unwrapping dog hair from rollers and other rotating parts. Best of luck.
We looked at a Kirby but they weigh a ton and a refurbished Kirby was $800 when we looked, I think a new one was $1500 and the dealer told us he didn't sell many, that's why he offered up a refurb right off the bat.
__________________
No one agrees with other people's opinions; they merely agree with their own opinions -- expressed by somebody else. Sydney Tremayne
Retired Jun 2011 at age 57
Target AA: 50% equity funds / 45% bonds / 5% cash
Target WR: Approx 1.5% Approx 20% SI (secure income, SS only)
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09-09-2011, 12:28 PM
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#17
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 317
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We also own a Kirby Sentria which runs great, but it got to be too heavy to drag upstairs all the time..
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09-09-2011, 12:55 PM
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#18
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Administrator
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Pacific NW
Posts: 6,164
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Consider looking at commercial vacuums. They often have metal housing and stronger motors - built for endurance but not flexibility. The downside is very few on board tools, but (in my case) after the novelty of the tools wears off I rarely use them. What I really want is to have my carpets sucked - hard. Royal makes some nice ones and mine is holding up well.
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09-09-2011, 01:09 PM
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#19
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Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Flyover country
Posts: 25,197
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Our last house came with a central vacuum system, made by Nutone. Its performance was infinitely superior to anything else we've ever owned, and it was much easier to use as a bonus.
When we moved to our current house, DW missed the central vac so much that I bought one online and installed it myself (not that hard to do, even in this 1979-built house).
I installed the central unit in the basement, with four powered outlets. It's important to measure carefully before installing it. The hose is 30 feet long, and you want to be able to reach every part of every floor.
__________________
I thought growing old would take longer.
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09-09-2011, 01:20 PM
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#20
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 47,472
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I wouldn't recommend my present vacuum, a Hoover Windtunnel. It sucks the carpet really hard compared with other vacuums that I have seen, and it was just right for me when I bought it. However, as I get older I find that it is heavier than I would like so I don't like it.
The only other vacuum that I have ever owned was another Hoover that I had which lasted for 30-35 years without needing repairs. So, I expect that this one will be my last, unless I decide to sell a perfectly good vacuum just to get one that is lighter in weight.
__________________
Already we are boldly launched upon the deep; but soon we shall be lost in its unshored, harbourless immensities. - - H. Melville, 1851.
Happily retired since 2009, at age 61. Best years of my life by far!
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