Filter Queen Vacuum

[jaxsunst]

I always consult this group before buying anything. I am not a fan of canister vacuums, I tend to get tangled up in them. I love my Kirby for vacuuming, but I need the hose for stairs and up high. The Kirby "canister mode" works great, but is a pain to deal with.

I may have an opportunity to get a Filter Queen vacuum cheap. I have never heard of them, it looks pretty new (it's blue with chrome power head). What can you guys tell me about it?

 

[pulltostart]

Personal Experience

I'm not going to claim to be any kind of an expert, only pass along my personal experience with a Filter Queen. The good: my parents bought a FQ before I was born (September 1951) and they still have it. Although it is not their daily driver, it does still run, and it has always had excellent suction! The bad: the Filter Queens do not use a dust bag. The canister itself is the dust container. They do have a triple filtration system that does a great job of removing dust particles before discharging the air back into the room, but the only way to empty the canister (and the dirt) is to take it outside and turn it upside down on a cloth or a newspaper, and stand back and be prepared to deal with a dust cloud.

Others care to add their 2-cents worth?

Lawrence

 

[petek]

They're great vacuums, very overpriced new, but have probably the strongest suction bar none and they last forever but like Lawrence says dealing with disposal is the main drawback. If that doesn't bother you go for it. How much is cheap?

 

[iheartmaytag]

Filter Queens are very good reliable, expensive machines

If you get the chance to get one on the cheap, go for it. I would suggest you pop over to the sister site, Vacuumland and look over some of the Filter Queen posts.

Be aware that FQ's are good at filtering when you vacuum, however they are more like a shop vac when you empty. It is best to take them outside to the dumpster to empty.

I am a big Kirby fan myself, but I have other vacs around the house for special jobs. I think you will like the Filter Queen, I think the blue machine is the Majestic, one of the newer models retails for around $3,000-$3,500 new.

 

[xraytech]

I have a Filter Queen Majestic from around 1991, they sold for around $1700 then, now they retail from $2500-$3500 depending on the area. This was the first vacuum in my vac collection, it has great filtration and is super quiet, also has great suction. Though I prefer my Kirbys and Hoover uprights.
Only problem is they are really messy to dump, I am lucky to be in a rural area and I just dump mine right on the ground in the woods where my ash pile is.As stated above it is like emptying a shop vac.

So if it is cheap and the messy emptying dosent bother you go for it.
If not here are a few suggestions of things I would chose, a nice used tri star(great suction, simple build, has great filtration and has disposable bags) or you can always get another used Kirby and leave it set up in canister mode, that is what I do.

 

[goatfarmer]

My mom still has her Filter Queen, circa 1960 or so.

 

[yogitunes]

I will count myself as the expert here for this one....my best friend sells them...they retail very high as noted...thats why they give customers high trade in on their old vacuum...and they really only cost the salesman around $500.00 anything they make higher than that is pure profit for the salesman...i am not kidding....but they are great machines...have very high suction...you should see a demonstration of one of these...you think it gets all the dirt out of the carpet.....but vacuum the same area a few hours later and you'll pull out more dirt that it missed but this is true for any vacuum..but they make it seem like it gets it all the first time...for a used one you shouldn't pay anymore than $150.00to $300.00 if its in great shape with all the attachments....anymore questions let me know...
they are great vacuums but you shouldn't get charged a high retail for one of these...my buddy didn't pay that amount for his brand new out of the box...

 

[gansky1]

I've had a couple of these over the years and as others have said, they are good, strong cleaners with good filtration. The one huge drawback for me is that they can only be used with their own attachments because of the way the hose is configured. This is too limiting for me as I like my own specific dusting brush, stair & upholstery tool and floor tool. I found the FQ tools only barely adequate for most tasks, the floor tool was shameful for a high-end vacuum.

If you can try out the tools and will be happy with them, then you might have a good cleaner if the price is right.

 

[jdinstl]

I don't own an FQ (yet)...but for stair and overhead wor

...I use my backpack vac.

But canister wise, what I would suggest (and myself will probably do) is get a hose from a vac shop long enough that I can leave the canister (my beloved Royal Pony Vac) at the botton of the stairs, and be able to vacuum to the top.

For overhead work, which I've done in the past for areas like the celing of the stairwell, is a clamp and broomstick at the handle area. Raising this assembly with the dusting brush at the opposite end took care of corner cobwebs.

Just a thought...

John

 

[animasinsulinpu]

adapter

There is an adapter that I got at my vac store for $1.50 that fits into the FQ hose and you can use ANY vac attachment with it. I need to get another one for my Silver-King because it is proprietary also. Check Ebay.....Bill in Az....

 

[petek]

More attachments

For hair drying

 

[countryguy]

My mom had 2 Filter Queens and both are still running today although they are with my sister now since my mom has died. The first one was from the 50s and the 2nd is early 70s and has the power nozzle with the older style curved wand and straight handle hose instead of the newer clumsy handle. It also has a separate non powered hose and separate wands to use with the rug nozzle and felt duster pad. The FQ is quiet, and much easier to manoeuvre in tight places than is a Tristar, Compact or Electrolux (because of their body length plus the fixed portion of the hose on the Tristar). Because of the large container they don't have to be emptied as frequently. I never found emptying them to be messy. Just remove the motor unit, place 3-4 pages of newspaper over the top, hold down tight and flip everything over and place on the floor. Leave that way for a few seconds to let the dust settle and then slowly remove the container. Fold the edges of the newspaper over the pile of dirt and throw in the garbage.

Gary

 

[jaxsunst]

Thanks for the info. It is part of a friend's relative's estate. I offered them $200 for it. He said that if no one in the family wants it, it's mine. I should know in a few days.

Now I have vacuum fever, so there is probably a new (to me) vacuum for me in the near future.

 

[jdinstl]

Yay for vacuum fever!

It's always good to have an additional vacuum...you never know when one is going to throw a belt (and you don't have another in stock) or a brushroll need to be replaced -- and it will take a week to get and you have guests coming over this evening.

For that very reason, I keep an extra 1...well extra 35 or so, on hand. Heh!

Enjoy the Filter Queen, and do tell us about it

John

 

[gansky1]

I'll have to check for the adapter - didn't know they made one! I have one for the Hoover machines, I only like one of their attachments - the upholstery tool with the rubber "fingers" brush, love that one!

 

[jetcone]

O M G! PETE

i split my sides when I came to your Grand PooBah picture!

OMG!
And what is that dizzy little gold thing you are holding up???

 

[xraytech]

That pic is not of Pete, that is of Dave from over at Vacuumland, and I do belive he is holding the Filter Queen massage unit which went on the end of the hose and it vibrated and you would put the hose around tha part(s) you wanted to massage.

 

[petek]

Here I am enjoying the Filter Queen massage adaptor. It's a little gadget fits on the end of the hose. Inside is a diaphram that causes the hose to vibrate albeit noisily which sort of ruins the experience.
BTW that's an early Filter Queen vacuum in the pic from the 40's and still working like a charm.
Toggles stop looking for the tan line on my legs