Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

 Well, we knew that Techtronics Industries received a contract to create vacuum cleaners for Sears' Kenmore line.  Over the summer they started w/the budget Kenmore bagless upright that was often on sale for approx. $69.99.  Now they have gone "full force" and introduced alot more TTI-made machines to Sears.  TTI has made approximately 10 models for Sears.  I have to say that it is sad to see the many new vacuum cleaners and very little of the Matsus h ita-made uprights.

IMHO, these new vacuum cleaners are not like what Sears has had in the past.  You can have a better understanding of what I mean as you touch the vacuum cleaners.  The design of these uprights makes the vacuums look large.  Their "handle weight" is going to be on the heavier side.  There are different bagless configurations, including one using the same dual filtering chambers as the DD Reaction.  There are even bagged versions called Progressive.  I have to say that this series is alittle bit harder to maneuver than the Panasonic-made uprights.  They are also louder, IMHO.  There are a few things that I do like and that is that they do have power.  They were not weak at all.  They will do fine at cleaning carpeting if the vacuum cleaner is maintained.  The rug/floor pedal(on some models) is a big improvement over the design of the Panasonic uprights.  The brushroll stops/starts w/only a simple press of the pedel, whereas the Panasonic requires a quick and steady press of the pedel.  Some owners had difficulty w/the feature, which lead to broken belts.

I have to say that one of the models is interesting.  It is called the Premalite.  It is the most espensive of all the TTI uprights.  It is an interesting design and looks futuristic.  It uses a different filtering system compared to the other machines in the line.  I like the fact that all one needs to do for above the floor cleaning is to release the wand.  There are no hoses to switch, attach, wands to extend, etc.  The Premalite has many "bells & whistles".

I think the Hoover PowerMax, late 80's or early 90s' not the Z  was the first Hoover to have that auto tool conversion regulated by the handle being down or locked in the upright position.  Mine has it

The Kenmore Premalite is a vacuum cleaner that will go far.  This full sized upright is not heavy at all.  What is also important is that there is no "handle weight" when the handle is lowered for carpet cleaning.  Wow!  This upright can be pushed w/one finger.  The "handle weight" can be compared w/Tacony Corps. Riccar Supralite/Simplicity Freedom uprights.  It is so easy to push and pull across the carpeting. 

This upright has a smaller footprint compared to other uprights.  Its largest/widest part is the cleaning head(front).  It helps to give the illusion of a smaller machine.  The Premalite uses a smaller motor to drive the brushroll.  The brushroll and motor are connected by a belt that will not need to be changed for a long time.

The hose fits nicely behind the aluminum wand when stored.  The wand is very comfortable to use, but it may take some getting use to.  I say this, since it is slightly curved.  There is a plastic ring at the bottom of the wand, but this is not a bad thing.  I made mention of the advantages of a plastic end of a wand in the past.  Running a metal wand over some surfaces can scratch.  Having a plastic piece running over some surfaces will do less harm.  Also, having a plastic ring at the end will help the wand to keep its shape.  There are some instances where the end of an aluminum wand can get bent when it is hit against a hard surface.  This does happen, since not everyone babies their vacuum cleaners.  The plastic ring will help w/the problem.

The mini turbo brush attachment does work well on the Premalite.  It was able to clean surfaces w/o slowing down.  The other attachments are not anything special, but the dusting brush/upholstry attachment does have decent bristles though.  I do not believe that there is a floor brush w/this vacuum cleaner.

Kenmore's Premalite will be a vacuum cleaner that people will not mind using.  The introductory price tag is rather high for a "big box" vacuum cleaner, but like I have seen over the decades, the price will fall after a while.  They ALL  do!  The vacuum is already on sale this week.

All of this discussion, particularly about Kenmore, is very helpful and interesting.  I'm going to share it with our local Sears store, which is an independent franchise that carries Dyson, Kenmore, Eureka, and Hoover.  I'm also going to suggest that he click onto the AbbysGuide vacuum cleaner discussions.

Since my name is Jim Kirby, I was interested in the post from Kirby!