Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Howdy all,

Per a New York Times story,  Halo ( http://www.gethalo.com ), the upright vacuum with the bug and germ killing UV light, as of last week has committed to a 20 million dollar advertising push over the next year in behalf of the new UV-ST model.  This is a little less than half of what Hoover shells out in the same time window.  The Halo UV-ST -- a fan-in-dirt- stream upright -- is priced at $499. 

The interesting part of the effort is that this may well be merely word play. Phil Smith who is president of BooneOakley, the firm devising the add campaign, states that, "Any vacuum, by Dyson, Hoover, Bissell, can't kill germs while it vacuums.  We're not going after any maker or model.  We don't see any competition."  An ambitious approach but to the best of my knowledge, though UV technology is used for disinfecting water and for sterilization, Halo has not put forth bona fide test results as to how well its product actually works in regard to rug cleaning or disinfecting.

Here's the link to the story but please note that you may have to apply for a free subscription to view it -- http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/26/business/media/26adco.html    Interested consumers may also call 866-638-4256 and request an owners manual.

Best,

Venson

 Hello,

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"Science or Spin”? -  View the Halo Vacuum press release here.  The Halo PR video seems a bit deceiving with their self produced "News Update".  This "fake news update" as well as some other claims (science or spin?) and/or play on words has made me loose respect and support for an American startup and their innovation (however large or small this innovation may be).        DIB

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Note:  Halo says they are spending $20m on marketing and they want to grow to be a $200m company.

Hi DIB,

Great, interesting article, I never knew that the brush action of the vacuum would kill fleas.  I always heard that there was some possibility of the fleas being alive in the bag (and worse, reproducing!).  Glad to know that's not true, at least for motorized-brush machines anyway.  Now I wonder about the possible effects UV light has on fleas? 

Hi Mole,

You bring up an good point about fan-first machines.  I've heard stories before about picking up objects with disastrous results, one in particular stands out, told to me by someone who has a cleaning business.  He was vacuuming a client's house with an 80's Eureka Widetrack upright, and didn't notice the penny on the floor.  Not only did it break the fan, but the sheer force caused it to go all the way through the plastic fan chamber and out the headlight lens, breaking the headlight bulb in the process!  It's a miracle it didn't fly out any other direction and hit him, which it could have very well done, knowing how powerful those 7-amp Eurekas (or Sanitaires) are.  According to what he told me, all of a sudden there was a loud "BANG!" and the machine stopped dead in its tracks.  Looking closer he noticed the hole in the headlight lens and the penny on the ground...and you can see where it went from there ;-)

So it seems there's always the possibility of picking up a hard object with the Halo and having it hit "just right"...it could very well take out the UV lights underneath!


Take care all,
Motorhead

Re the flea beating article it should be mentioned that Dr. Glen Needham --  named in the article -- is one of the guys who gave his "professional" view on the Halo website.  Had this article come from anywhere else I might buy into it. 

Here is the link to the video page at Halo -- http://www.gethalo.com/science/

Venson

Hi all,

The Halo people are indeed forging ahead.  I checked out the Sears website today and, yep indeedy, Sears is now carrying the new improved Halo at standard price, $499.99. I'm not only surprised but a little bit impressed.  Gotta give 'em an "E" for effort.

Best,

Venson

Venson wrote:

Hello Venson et al:

Also are available at Bed Bath and Beyond and Best Buy.  The mantra is "Hello Halo, Goodbye Germs."   Claims to be the "World's only germ-killing vacuum."   The trade name is in small letters, copying dyson, with a "halo" over the O [nice touch].   The halo vacuum is pictured in ads with a dark background and the machine is tilted back and up off the ground.  This angle shows the underside of the vacuum.  Prominently displayed is the ultraviolet blue light wich casts a light and shadow of the vacuum on a dark mirrored floor surface [also a nice touch].  Interestingly, halo went with a paper bag rather than a bagless dirt container.   Telephone: 1.877.TRY.HALO and Web Site is gethalo.com

Halo advertises in specialty magazines like REAL SIMPLE-life made easy-.  A magazine that reviews best buys, smartest, most useful products for :  Home; Fashion; Cooking; Beauty; and Health.  The January 2008 edition is on US magazine stands for $4.50.  Web Site: www.realsimple.com

Carmine D.

Yes Halo is at Best  Buy  (my part time job there lets me keep track of it).  So far, very few have sold.  The price is very high compared to other vacs on the BB shelves and the Halo feels downright cheap compared to the other models Best Buy carries.    Also, how long does the UV light have to shine on the critters it's supposed to kill?  If it needs several seconds to do its work, what will that do to the carpet?  Will the user enjoy vacuuming ----v---e----r----y-----------s----l----o----w----l-----y so the light can do its job?

vacomatic wrote:

Unfortunately, halo is marketing its vacuums following dyson's lead.  High prices and big box retailer sales venue.  This marketing strategy served dyson well over the last 5 years because of remarkable timing.  And BEST BUY which convinced jaydee to make the plunge in the USA market before he was ready. 

The economy today is not what it was in 2002 when the housing market was experiencing the beginnings of an upside growth which continued for several years.  Thanks to the subprime slime.  Halo could not have chosen a worse time to launch in terms of the economy, housing market, and credit market.  Halo will sell as a niche vacuum to "germaphobics."  I find it very telling and insightful that the halo, a vacuum which kills and captures germs by use of a UV light, uses a bag dirt containment system not bagless bin.  I'm sure Consumer Reports will make mention of this.

In today's economy all the high priced vacuum products in the big box retailers will suffer sales declines.  Not just halo.  If halo is resigned to a niche market it should do okay.  High priced vacuum sales in the big box stores have already declined and the 2007 Holiday sales season was the tip off.  Most retailers are culling their vacuum inventories especially the older out-of-date high cost models in favor of cheaper brands.  Why?  They sell quicker.  And, the expense for returns and refunds is not as ominous with the most expensive brands.

Carmine D.

At one SEARS store in North Las Vegas, not one halo upright vacuum has been sold in a month, despite the fact that the manufacturer offers a $25 commission for each one a sales person sells.  It does get the end cap position too along with the Sears Permalite.

I noticed that I had a tendency to shut the halo off during use.  Why?  The on-off switch is located on the front outside bottom of the ergonomic handle grip.  The trigger switch to activate the UVC light is behind the on-off switch where your hand's fingers clutch the handle grip during use.  As you push and pull the vacuum during use, if you place your thumb straight down pointing toward the the vacuum [the usual position of your thumb and your hand during use], it will engage the on-off switch.  

No turbo tool.  For the price, it should have one on-board.  

Carmine D.

Hi Carmione,do you feel the price has anything to do with it?. Or is the public finally catching on?

MOLE

Hi Mole:

Good question.  The problem, based on talking with the SEARS vacuum products' specialists, is too high a price.  I would agree.  My sense is that halo will up the commissions in hope of jump starting sales and/or aggressively advertising.  When that fails and it will, halo will lower the price.  It's not worth $400-$500, even with the on-board tools.  It might sell better at the $200-$300 range.  But Consumer Reports may have nailed the coffin shut on it by its recent review.  Apparently, the vacuum can't do what vacuums do:  Pick up dirt.  It's destined to be a niche product [IMHO] for germaphobes, if the company can improve its vacuum performance and when the price comes down.

This is a bad time for a high price big box vacuums like halo.  Why?  Recession fears by retailers and consumers.  High unemployment numbers.  Credit crunch.  Sub prime slime effects with huge number of house foreclosures.  Poor 2007 Holiday season retailers' sales with predictions of poor sales through 2008.  All working against halo.

Carmine D.