Kirby vs. Hoover

[abcomatic]

HI, I have a question. I have a Kirby classic and a Hoover Dimension. When I vacuum, the Hoover pulls the nap of the carpet up better, it seems than the Kirby. The Kirby was $740 new in 1979 and the Hoover was maybe $80 about 10 years ago. Is the Hoover cleaning better then, or am I out of mind? Scratching my head? Gary

 

[brettsomers]

im having a hard time remembering which is the Dimension right now. price, of course, means nothing when it comes to cleaning.

 

[hooverwheelaway]

Dimension...

Is this the plastic, Dimension (Elite) uprght? Or the Dimension 1000 Canister? I'm assuming it's the Dimension upright...

It's hard to compare the machines. In my opinion--if the Kirby had a new brushroll, belt, and spotless bag on it, they would probably clean comparably to one another. Those little Hoovers were quite the workhorses, and did a great job. Kirbys, however, (especially the older ones)don't tend to "vibrate" the carpet, and get the sand to the surface. Thus leaving the carpet dirty. THe Hoover also has firm bristles on its agitator--thats why its grooming your carpet nicely.

The one advantage the Kirby has over the Hoover is center suction.

 

[bobbyderegis]

If it's a Hoover Dimension canister w/ power head, the cleaning is probably the best there is. High suction and the quadriflex agitator in the power head are a winning combination. Kirby Classics are pretty and fun, but not so hot at deep cleaning, IMHO.
Bobby in Boston

 

[petek]

I'd say they're pretty close to the Hoovers and Eureka vibra groomers. Surprisingly my old Singer/Sears uprights are tops at restoring the nap on my now flattened carpeting. I believe a vac can have all the suction in the world but if the carpet nap isn't lifted to allow the dirt/grit particles underneath a clear escape route up into the vac it ain't going anywhere. If the vac can at least brush and lift the carpet fibers up mechanically with the brushroll it doesn't take all that much suction to actually propell the dirt up into the vac as advertising would have you believe.

 

[abcomatic]

Hi, Sorry, the Hoover dimension is the upright model. Center suction, I guess I forgot that. Thanks, Gary

 

[brettsomers]

Hoover had it right the first time. vibration of the carpet is undervalued for its ability to get the buried dirt. of course, very heavy carpets are hard to lift enough, with suction, to create vibration. brushing is important, yes. but without enough suction/airflow, lots of brushing will simply brush dirt INTO the carpet. the old Oreck design is an example of a machine that can under some circumstances grind dirt deeper into the carpet. the ideal vacuum design has enough airflow to lift the rug SLIGHTLY, enough to allow the agitator vibrate it. too bad, some of the best carpet cleaners are considered hard-to-push, due to the way they engage the carpet.

 

[hoover1060]

Hugging the rug

Older Kirbys were notorious for this, and cutting off the airflow.
Now add a 4 row brush to the Kirby, and turn the adjusting screws all the way down, and you have a whole new ball game.

The old Hoover Elite had a good brushroll in it, it did bring the nap up nicely, and deep cleaned well too. Its downside was side suction, which did not spread the width of the nozzle as on the Kirby.
Like that fuzz wad that always collects on the front of an Elite's motor, by the light socket. Thats the stuff kicked up by the brush that the Elite's side suction can't get...

 

[petek]

Is the Classic III the only Kirby that had the suction release doo-hickey under the light hood or was it also on some previous models? I can't remember if it's on my Dual 80 and I've put it away in storage

 

[hoover1060]

suction relief

On all models up to the Tradition.....and on some early Traditions

 

[hooverwheelaway]

Hehehe...

*fuzz wad*

I'm gonna have to remember that. Those appear on just about every Elite I take apart!

 

[urarachu]

"Like that fuzz wad that always collects on the front of an Elite's motor, by the light socket. Thats the stuff kicked up by the brush that the Elite's side suction can't get..."

Is that why that happens?

 

[hoover1060]

thats why that happens....

The earliest Elites had much bigger vents on the Motor front, an that would allow all that crap right into the motor...hence the little screen like vent on the motors now

 

[brettsomers]

this talk has me in the mood for an Elite!... im not supposed to WANT an Elite...

 

[urarachu]

LOL trust me David...you don't. It was the beginning of the end for Hoover

Ugh they're so loud. At least the Concept was LOUD with quality! It's really funny to look at some of the first Elites and examine all the things they did to make it less expensive.

 

[compactc9]

Have you ever had anyone ask you about the "filter" that goes on the Elites motor?

 

[tolivac]

I think a big problem with the Kirby Classic is the wide floor-carpet nozzle-its just too wide for the machines motor.I do have a Classic where the "Lo" upright speed dosen't work-it has been "Hotwired" to run at "hi" with either the hose or nozzle-It works much better with the nozzle at "hi".I feel Kirby should have stuck to its smaller nozzles-like the predecessers to the Classic.The small nozzle machines perform better.what Kirby really should have done with the Classic is offer the customer a choice of the narrow floor nozzle or the wide one-when you use the small nozzle it would run at lo speed-If you put on the wide one-it would go to hi.This would have been better.