I need a new Vacuum any advice??

[volsboy1]

I need a new Vacuum cleaner.I used to have a ton of Vacuums I got really lucky once and found a Riccar Radiance for 75 bucks on

Ebay once.She got it as a wedding present and did not know how much it was worth but she also got a Dyson and sold the Riccar.

I bought it and sold it for 700 bucks new in the box a few months ago.I also had a new Cirrus Pet edition Vacuum but I gave it to

my brother because they had a baby and his wife quit working.That left me with a Sharp that died and that sucks I like Sharp

Vacuums.I don't want to spend a fortune on one and I HATE HATE BAGLESS Vacuums.I thought about a Carpet pro from

Tacony there cheap and get good ratings but being a Amputee I want a Vac that is easy to push.I did find a Eurkea 7.5 Amp

Self-propelled Boss with the V-1 Brush but its kinda pricey.They have a old Pansonic on Amazon for 89 bucks it's the old looking

one that has been around for 25 years.I kinda like the Kenmore intuition with the 3-d motor I can get one cheap.I was wondering if

anybody has ever used a Oreck 21 Vacuum.There is a cheap one near me I am not really big on tools I have a old Lux that I use for

that.

 

[danemodsandy]

Sounds Like.....

....You prefer uprights, so I can't give really detailed advice (I'm a canister person), but one general hint I can give you is:

Go vintage. There is very little on the market today that is of real, lasting quality, no matter how much you spend. Even Kirby's new machines have more plastic in them than I'm comfortable with at that price point.

A vintage Kirby might be a great machine for you. If you find one in good shape or restore a rough one, you'll have something that will outlast you.

 

[hydralique]

Yup, hard to beat a Kirby. All Kirbys after the Legend II have their self-propelling system which is called Tech Drive IIRC. This means all machines since the G-3 was introduced about 20 years ago so there are plenty of good used ones floating around. Kirbys are designed to last forever and virtually every vacuum shop can service them, plus parts availability is very good.

 

You might check in at Vacuumland, I noticed a new guy there called knoxfrzb who has a sewing machine and vacuum shop in Maryville TN. I don't know anything about him (or even where Maryville is!) but he posted shots of a huge supply of old vacs in the vintage forum. You might shoot him a message and see what he says if he's at all geographically convenient to you.<span id="one" class="postedby">
</span>

 

[mich]

I love my Dyson

 

[volsboy1]

Yea I did not think about Kirby at all.NO I will never ever post anything again in Vacuum land they all need to be on Thorazine or Lithium 

just asking a question gets you chewed out and I will say something terrible...

 

[danemodsandy]

A Little More Advice:

Wes, Vacuumland is now under the same ownership and management as Automaticwasher.org - in other words, it's now another site of Robert and Fred's.

The atmosphere is a little different over there these days, and some long-lost "key" members are beginning to trickle back to the site. There have been some people warned and some threads closed for various violations of group standards.

You might give the place another try.

 

[yogitunes]

shop around for pricing.....CostCo, Walmart, Sears, BigLots---.com---on line seems to have some of the best pricing....

found these at BigLots....each store is a little different.....for around 99.99...

refurbished...but still with a full warranty....

bagged and self propelled.......

but if you can...choose a Kirby!....

 

[nmassman44]

I have a Miele Ariel canister S5 that I use every day. I have a Dyson Animal upright that doesnt have the suction power of the Miele and a mess to empty..one has to go outside with it or the dust one picked up is all over the house from the trash can.
I know alot of people love their Dysons but I can tell ya its not all that and a bag of chips, loud as hell, tools have alot to be desired and I find when I use the Dyson it takes me longer to get my vacuuming done. I use the floor brush attachment to do my bare floors since the vac itself doesnt fit in the toe area on my cabinets in the kitchen. Carpet cleaning is ok for surface dirt but not for deep cleaning. Every one has their own preferences and opinions and this is mine....

 

[kb0nes]

I agree with your sentiments on the Bagless vacuums. Amazing at how they have taken over.

I'd buy a Riccar. A number of years ago I was doing maintenance at a 60+ table pool hall and I went to the local vacuum shop to buy an upright. I wanted a Panasonic but the guy there wanted me to buy a Riccar. He said try it for a week and if I didn't like it the come back for the Panasonic. Long story short that vacuum performed well for 10+ years going through a minimum of 10 bags per week. I had to replace parts, lots of belts, brush roll brushes and I think I did the motor brushes at least 5 times. It kept running. I shudder to think of how big a pile of broken Dyson plastic parts we would have made during that time...

Unfortunately the Riccar's are pretty expensive when purchased new today. I bought a new 8900 series for my girlfriend a couple years back. They still have the all metal ball-bearing brush roll and I believe they are still made here in the States. Watch CL maybe you can find a deal again!

 

[whirlykenmore78]

I would go with

Sanitaire.  Very good quality, excellent cleaning, easy to fix and simple to clean.  I have 3 model  SC886 units running in my Dad's retail stores.  One of them is 10 years old the others are 7 and 9.  I've never replaced a motor or even brushes on them.  I only have to replace brush strips for the beater bar, fans/fan nuts, belts,  and chamber covers.  All of which can be done with few basic tools and a few minutes.  The shakeout bags last about 3-5 years. 

WK78

 

[revvinkevin]

Just my 1.39 cents.......

 

 

Prior to looking at this thread, I had NEVER heard of a "RICCAR" vacuum.   Looked at the website and yeah, over $1100 for the Radiance model, OUCH.

 

I also agree on the bagless... I would never have one.   I also will never have a Dyson unless someone gave it to me, and then I would probably just turn around and sell it.   I've "test driven" a couple at friends homes and really don't care for them, mostly the high-pitch whine they emmit.

 

Kevin

 

[kb0nes]

...over $1100 for the Radiance model, OUCH.

Kevin,

I agree!! They have got a bit greedy forsure. Especially with the upper models that have feature creep.

The one I bought was $599 which as least starts to get into the range of a Dyson. And in that comparison there isn't one. The Riccar is made in the US for those that worry about that still. Also if you compare just the brush roll the Riccar is a welded steel tube that is supported on each end with replaceable ball bearings. There are four helical molded brushs that slide into slots in the metal tube, you effectively get a brand new brush roll for less then $10. The Dyson brush roll is a molded plastic part that you toss when it wears out, or breaks when you hit something hard.

I am curious why the Riccar models haven't done better in CR testing. I suspect its partly because they really don't look at durability over the long haul. Unfortunately I do see Riccar's latest models getting more plastic bits that seem fragile compared to the one that hooked me on their brand back 15 years ago... Nothing stays the same!

 

[mtn1584]

O R E C K...............

Mike

 

[mrb627]

Simplicity

I purchased a Simplicity vacuum for the durability, warranty, and made in the USA.

 

Malcolm

 

[xraytech]

For a nice easy to maneuver vacuum I am quite fond of the Riccar supralite, and I believe Simplicity has an equivalent model. It weighs the same as an Oreck but the build feels more substansial and I feel it maneuvers much better.

Personally at home I use self-propelled Hoover Concepts and older metal base Hoover Convertibles

 

[supersurgilator]

I just bought a Shark Navigator a month ago and I LOVE it. I am amazed at the suction it has. Out carpet is at least 30 hears old and is a thicker pile, it actually pulls the carpet up from the pad, and the attachments actually have a good amount of airflow going thru them. It is bagless but not that messy to empty. It is the best vacuum I have owned.

 

[alr2903]

Volsboy, check the c list for a Kirby. As you know so many folks are on the hardwood and ceramic tile kick. I usually see 1 or 2 almost every week. alr

 

[kenmore700bill]

Stay away from Oreck...I rotate my vacuums and when it comes time to use the ORECK belt needs to be changed.... I have one and you need a supply of belts they stretch quick..especially if you only use once a month..
ELECTROLUX- Silverado Deluxe.. Best..Still has the original belt in the powerhead....

 

[volsboy1]

I have had a Ton of Vacuums.I loved that Riccar Radiance that I got for 75 bucks but I made a ton of money on that deal.

I will not ever have a bagless vacuum.I know there the in thing with Dyson always telling his lies about how they never lose

suction,well yea it does not have any so therefore it would not lose any in the first place.Ever store I have been to has nothing

but bagless vacs.I don't understand peoples logic or lack there of the thing has to be  emptied out every time you use it and

poof  it's all everything.Taking it outside you still have to clean it out and the dirt,dust mites,etc gets all over you and I do not

like that.I do like the old Sharp twin energy its a basic model and has a cool looking brush that my 5111 model did not have

it had metal everything but that was a T.O.L. mod.I would love Riccar Supralite again I had one years ago but my newphew

took it and stuck in in our trash compacter when I was working on it and well those Broan 5000 pound compactors do work

very well.I am going to look at a Royal ever last today.I have never had one but I have had friends that tell me it will pull

itself across the floor and has loads of power.I like the dirty air Vacuums they seem to clean better that the clean air type.

When I get my house built I am going to put a Drain-Vac in it.My Aunt has a monster twin motor Drain vac in her house

and I have never seen a vac so powerful and I love that I think it's a Seabo power-head and all the other nifty things that

you can have with them.

On another note I know that Robert & Fred run it now that is why will not post anything over there.I have the up most respect

for the work they put in these sites and Robert has always been nothing but nice to me always.When I was active in there  I was belittled and treated like a moron just by asking a tech question.I had one guy ask my if I plugged it in the vacuum that is and that was a theme in there for some reason.If you did not own 1000 Vacuums you are not worthy or something.

I was not mean or anything I just tried asking a question and god forbid I respond on a topic.So I left because I was on the verge

of posting a topic on what I think of everybody in there.I say what ever is on my mind always have and always will there was no

call for that type of hatefullness and no reason.I do hope it does change but I will not be a cause for problems for Robert he works his ass off for these sites so I will watch but will not post.I don't know why there is/was so much of a difference between the sites

it was so strange..