mrcleanjeans
New member
I'd say the V2 Windtunnels,hand-down.
the WORST Hoover of all time
- Thread starter mrcleanjeans
- Start date
Help Support :
myhooverco
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2006
- Messages
- 234
best and worst Hoover
I work at the Hoover Historical Center here in North Canton and I have the privilege to work with many Hoover retirees. These folks not only worked for the company but they built and designed the things. One lady that I worked with has been retired for 5 years and worked for Hoover in the parts and service department for 45 years! She said that hands down the machine over the years that had the most call for parts was the 1100 Dial a Matic. She told me that in her opinion the Windtunnel was their best machine. Not my pics but it is interesting to hear it from the other side for a change.
In my opinion I think that Hoover had several stinkers as far as cleaners go. In the 30's it would be the cheap no adjustment model 305 without the slick tool conversion. In the 40' the model 50 Areodyne was not that great. It is a very cool machine and I have a few but lets face it the Lux XXX was better. In the 50's I think that the Lark 12 and 14 were awful. The materials that they used for the bag were very cheap and the motors were just not strong enough to handle the larger agitator. The switches often just fell off for no reason. Again a very cool looking cleaner but there was better! In the 60's...sorry to say that the DAM was chocked full of flaws like clogging hoses, cracking handles among other things. In the 70's, the change of the convertible to plastic was a huge disappointment. This is the point in vacuum history where I lose interest. This newer stuff is just not for me.
That is just my two cents. Every company has its share of blunders. Hoover is no exception.
I work at the Hoover Historical Center here in North Canton and I have the privilege to work with many Hoover retirees. These folks not only worked for the company but they built and designed the things. One lady that I worked with has been retired for 5 years and worked for Hoover in the parts and service department for 45 years! She said that hands down the machine over the years that had the most call for parts was the 1100 Dial a Matic. She told me that in her opinion the Windtunnel was their best machine. Not my pics but it is interesting to hear it from the other side for a change.
In my opinion I think that Hoover had several stinkers as far as cleaners go. In the 30's it would be the cheap no adjustment model 305 without the slick tool conversion. In the 40' the model 50 Areodyne was not that great. It is a very cool machine and I have a few but lets face it the Lux XXX was better. In the 50's I think that the Lark 12 and 14 were awful. The materials that they used for the bag were very cheap and the motors were just not strong enough to handle the larger agitator. The switches often just fell off for no reason. Again a very cool looking cleaner but there was better! In the 60's...sorry to say that the DAM was chocked full of flaws like clogging hoses, cracking handles among other things. In the 70's, the change of the convertible to plastic was a huge disappointment. This is the point in vacuum history where I lose interest. This newer stuff is just not for me.
That is just my two cents. Every company has its share of blunders. Hoover is no exception.
brettsomers
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2005
- Messages
- 1,993
two cents is not enough...
some folks LOVE Dial-a-Matics. i have no tolerance for their abundance of flaws. the miniature rear wheels, the lack of good secondary filter, the poorly designed handle mounting. QUESTION for vacuum gurus (i love that phrase); any theories why Hoover didnt IMPROVE the dial-a-matic design in the 70's? The Dial-a-matic was soo ahead of its time, and had such potential to be a Great Vacuum. David
some folks LOVE Dial-a-Matics. i have no tolerance for their abundance of flaws. the miniature rear wheels, the lack of good secondary filter, the poorly designed handle mounting. QUESTION for vacuum gurus (i love that phrase); any theories why Hoover didnt IMPROVE the dial-a-matic design in the 70's? The Dial-a-matic was soo ahead of its time, and had such potential to be a Great Vacuum. David
westytoploader
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2004
- Messages
- 4,485
I personally like the Dial-A-Matic machines...IMHO it was a good design and even though the handles are "wobbly" on some (like my 1149), the machines were built very sturdy. Hoover should have, however, invented a better mount for that handle!!
I would have to wonder if its the present Hoover "Z" SUV vacuum-the ad for it is stupid--show it leaping hills and what not like its a SUV car.Pushing the thing is like pushing a wheelbarrow full of bricks-and lifting it--get out your forklift!!Its heavier than the Royal Powercast.think this one will BOMB!!Try it at your local Sears or Best Buy store.
My Mom's '80's (90's?) era Hoover Sport has to be a pretty awful machine. All plastic, including the plastic beater bar. The power switch has failed repeatedly - you never really know which way to push it to get the thing to turn on.
I hoisted a Z vac at Sears a few weeks back. It is a monster. But who knows, maybe all that weight means it will actually last a while. I'll wait for them to hit the bargain bins.
I hoisted a Z vac at Sears a few weeks back. It is a monster. But who knows, maybe all that weight means it will actually last a while. I'll wait for them to hit the bargain bins.
