Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

For all the reasons you describe [I excerpted a few above], I have never subscribed to CR and never will.  I was in the vacuum cleaner business all my life [and I am long in the tooth].  I must say over the years the CR ratings and rankings always gave me a good laugh on occasions.  Being in the business, I had to know what CR was saying in order to respond to customers' comments and questions about the CR vacuum information.

I can justify the expense of an occasional monthly CR magazine whether for vacuums and/or vehicles [as I recently did to assist with a new car purchase].  However, I never would waste my hard earned money on a long term CR subscription.  This is especially the case now with the wealth of information available on the internet free for the asking. 

Carmine D.

Though I don't consider it the ultimate word, I relied on CR now and then and got a good result.  Back in the '70s a dear friend of mine had moved into an apartment in Manhattan and happened to show me the new Hoover Swingette she'd just bought.  I looked and her and said,"Uh-uh."  I explained, for the size of her place, the choice was just not worthwhile.  CR at the time recommended the Sunbeam 635 (I believe) as a "best buy" and after my explaining the downside, it's noise level, she didn't mind and got one and had it for years.  The rating offered a very clear picture of the item planned to be bought thus there were no surprises.

I also bought a set of Marantz speakers, absolutely without audition, on CR's recommendation and positively loved them.  I had them for about eight or nine years before I left the country and the friend I gave them to had them another four or five and loved them too until they just got too old to use.  The periodicals assessment of food processors, food mixers and even wall paint proved beneficial to me too.

If I have a problem with CR today maybe it's because there's a whole new crew of research people whose values I can't quite align myself with.  Reflecting our very busy, on the move society CR seems to have changed its prior view of the acceptable allowed for shortcuts.  In past it might well have made note that an upright either had or lacked tools for bare floor cleaning but today freeely give the okay to use an upright on bare flooring sans attachments -- a method I'd only suggest for quick, light duty manuevers around the house.  Issues re the bag size of bagged vacuums no longer seem of consequence and no particular fuss is made over lack of cord length. I guess what I'm trying to convey is that in past CR seemed to offer a little less condensed opinion with clearer whys and wherefores that lent to ones confidence to trust the judgements it set forth.

Regards,

Venson

Hello Venson:

A recent episode for a product and industry wide evaluation/review that CR was on top of:  Air cleaners/purifiers and in particular the Ionic Breeze.  Despite threats and actual lawsuits by the manufacturer, CR took the product head on criticizing it for performance, safety, and making false claims.  CR was right on the money all the way up and down.  Ionic Breeze was slapped with a class action lawsuit and finally settled by paying out money to all the buyers. 

Wins like this for CR enhance its stature and credibility among readers.

Carmine D.

Hello Chris:

I was at the local Wal*Mart today and scoping out the vacuums.  The HOOVER Cann S3755 was on display and in stock on the shelves.  The retail price marked is $258. 

I never really took a close look [bagless are not by bag] but your comment made me curious.  I looked more carefully.  I agree with you.  It's not worth $258 and I have my doubts about $158.  Why?  The canister is cheaply made and assembled.  I had difficulty with the dirt bin removal and reinstalling.   I had to really slam it in to seal the bin in the machine well.  All the parts were there.  The automatic winder worked well.  The wands, hose and power head, especially the brush roll, were decent.  Add the cann, and it loses its appeal.  Unless the display model was faulty, I would say Consumer Reports doesn't get this pick right.  Even for $158 retail.

On the contrary, next to the HOOVER S3755 Cann was the "old" GE canister [made by Eureka with the GE name exclusively for Wal*mart].  It's been around the industry for over 6 years.  Bagged.  And for $140.  In comparison the GE is much better, although now superceded by a new version which is a coppertone color.  This particular Wal*Mart store was sold out of these.  Not even a display.   I didn't ask if more were due in, but it looked like many of the vacuums were out of stock.  Except the two dyson models which were stacked full in all the space provided.  The DC07 Original for $378 and the DC 07/14 Animal.  I'm not sure which model.  I didn't look closely and there was no display model and price except for the DC07 Original.  

While I was there a couple selected the EUREKA BOSS Smart Vac upright for purchase.  It was located right next to the dyson.  I overheard the man's comments about some of the bagless vacuums on display.  I can't repeat them here.  The comments would be censored.  He was quite satisfied with the Eureka Boss Upright and he put it in their cart.  He told his Wife [I presume she was] that the Eureka was the best....AFTER he made sure there were replacement paper bags available for sale.  There were.

Carmine D. 

Carmine D.

Missing from the CR cann reviews are the new and/or old GE canns sold exclusively by Wal*mart and made by Eureka.  The old GE cann, around about 6 years, was consistently rated high by CR.  This and the latest version are bagged canisters and in my opinion worth the $150, if you are so inclined to want to buy a cann in that price range.

Carmine D.

COSTCO stores which recently added the Blue model EUREKA Boss Vac, now also has the Red model.  Both priced at about $140.  With 2008 being a Presidential election year, we need to have both a Democrat and Republican model!

Financial markets are in a free fall in the USA.  Stalwart financial institutions are going belly up daily.  The US housing market is decimated.  Literally hundreds of thousands of people have lost their jobs [and homes] on Wall Street and Main Street since January of this year.   Not to mention ripple effects in London and around the globe.  And Wal*Mart stock price [which typically was priced on par with BEST BUY] is up 30 percent this year to $63 a share while BB stock price is down the same percentage at $42.  Any wonder too both colors of the EUREKA BOSS Smart Vac are being offered by COSTCO.  A $150 upright is a very desirable commodity to market right now. 

Also, the COSTCO Web Site prominently shows that the Red model EUREKA BOSS SMART Vac is rated a number one Consumers Digest Best Buy.

Carmine D.