Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Vax (UK) is laucnhing some new vacuums and carpet washers. The Vacuums are using the Mach branding/model as used by Hoover US.  Looks like they have some license to use this branding/name in the UK along with the Dual V. 

Use link below and have a look around the floorcare section.  These are not on the offical UK Vax website as yet!

http://www.littlewoodsdirect.com/rf/lxd/navigation/spreadDsbs.do?categoryId=7077516

There is Mach 6, Mach 5 and Mach 3 also Mach 4 appears with the filter kit section.  Also new hand held Cone by Vax which has been seen in the US I do believe?  They also have Dual V carpet washers which are the same\simular as the Hoover US ones!

DC18

DC18 wrote:
Hi DC18,

The Kone hand vac is made by Dirt Devil here, which would make sense since Dirt Devil machines are badged as Vax in the UK.  We had (or still have, though the Vax USA website only shows parts and accessories for them, not the actual machine itself) that Vax X3/X5 bagless upright which is also badged as the Dirt Devil "i", and your Vax Zero is, I believe, the Dirt Devil Spinnergy.  The Mach 6, 5, 4, 3 uprights are identical to our Hoover models, same with the Dual V shampooers.  All because Hoover, Vax, and Dirt Devil are under the same roof now.  Aren't large conglomerates fun? 

-MH

Hi Motorhead

Thanks for the info/insight.  I did think Vax and Hoover where under the same name, wasn't too sure.  We did have the Dirt Devil brand in the UK but it has more or less disappeared now.  Yes they are fun but interesting! 

Vax does seems to be trying to make it's self a name again in the UK, the 2 'once' main brands Electrolux and Hoover (UK) ever since the early 90's have not really pushed themselves in the vacuum market in the UK (my opinion!).  Just knocking out cheap bagless models with no thought gone into them at all or still using  a model from the late 90's and 'flogging' that!

DC18

Looking through the Littlewoods link you gave us, there is a 'new' Hoover (UK) 'Hurricane' model; but it looks like a cheapy Chinese Electrolux knock-off copy.

Quite vile.

I also see that Hoover (UK) has the 'Dustmanager' Purepowers with a new redesigned 'Dustmanager 3' disposal system.

Yes I did notice a 'new' Hoover (UK) model.  It looks 'cheap', very cheap and no thought gone into it.  This is the sort of 'cheap' rubbish Hoover (UK) and Electrolux are knocking out for the UK market.  These 2 company where once the 2 main brands in UK Floorcare but ever since and 'yes' I have to say it Dyson entered the market in the mid 90's they have not produced anything worth looking at let alone buying or unique! 

Hoover (UK) had some very good models on the Market in the 1980's the Turbopower and Turbomaster ranges which where very good sellers back then.  The Turbopower 2 and 3 I don't think where as successful as the original Turbopower which used the 'dirty fan' setup!  So did the Turbomaster the Big Brother of the Turbopower!  Back then this setup was very effective (not the above floor tools - suction was poor!).  The Purepower range has been about now since the mid to late 90's and is still knocking about!  They just repackage this model in all forms of power wattage, and colours and attachments.  So like the 'Dust Manager 3' is another repackage of the Purepower model from Hoover (UK)!  In the past this model would have been replaced but then the 'One' Touch recently (in the last few years) was one idea that hasn't done Hoover (UK) any favours! 

Same goes for Electrolux if you look on that website link they just  look cheap, no thought has gone into them!  These only came about after Dyson made a big impact on the UK Floorcare market with his unique bagless technology they just have not been able to produce anything to match yet!  They probably need to go back to basics!?  People comment on Dyson being expensive but when you look back  and look at what Hoover (UK) and Electrolux and Co where selling there 'bagged' vacs in the 80's and early 90's, some of the models in the ranges from Dyson are not much more!  For example the Turbomaster in it hey day was £130 to £150 or more and Electrolux had a model called the Airstream which sold for £200 in the UK in the ealry 90's and these where bagged models.  Dyson DC01 was £199 average in the mid 90's with the basic DC07 and DC14 models (past models like the DC04) are selling at £150 - £200 now! 

DC18

It is great hearing from the UK.        DIB

DC18 wrote:
TTI is more aggressive at increasing their market share around the world.  They are able to this w/ownership of VAX.  Dirt Devil is falling behind, because TTI does not own Dirt Devil UK.  The company who does own them, seems to have interest in Audio/Visual products.  Dirt Devil UK uses vacuum cleaners from SMC China.

Your Electrolux vacuum cleaners are from our Eureka models.  At one time, we were getting some AB Electrolux stuff, but it has switched.  

Thanks Mike_W for that insight.

DC18 wrote:

I agree, it seems that since Dyson came to the fore, Hoover UK and Electrolux UK have given up the ghost, what with their flimsy offerings from China.

Cleaners we had in our household when I was growing up (not all at the same time!) were:

Hoover Senior 612, Hoover Sensotronic S3128, Hoover Junior 119, Hoover Junior U1104, Hoover Junior 1346, Hoover Powerglide S4256, Electrolux 550, Panasonic MC-E43, Hoover Aquamaster, Hoover Turbopower, Electrolux Airstream.

In a holiday cottage, I got to fiddle with a Hoover Conquest.

Then later on, I tried the following:

Philips cylinder, Hoover Turbopower 2, Vax 3in1, Hoover Alpina Tria 3, Hoover Turbopower 3, Hoover Purepower, Hoover Aria, Panasonic MC-E1010, various Dyson DC01's, Electrolux Powersystem, Dyson DC03, Hoover Triple Vortex, Dyson DC04, Dyson DC07, Panasonic MC-E470, Dyson DC14, Dyson DC15, Dyson DC11.

Add in Granny's cleaners: Hoover Junior 1334, Hoover Junior 375, Hoover Dustette 100, Electrolux 612, Hoover Junior U1426.

My sister-in-law's Dyson DC05.

And not forgetting the robot machines: Electrolux Trilobite ZA1, the original silver Roomba; and sister-in-law's Roomba Discovery.

It has to be said that most of the above mains-operated cleaners are much better built than today's offerings from Hoover UK and Electrolux UK.

Hello Trilobite

I'm glad someone else agrees with me - the UK market has certainly gone downhill since Dyson appeared.  Hoover (UK) and Electrolux (UK) have certainly given up the ghost!!  Apart from Dyson know one else is producing original quality vacuums!

That is one array of vacuums you have used/been aparty too. We had a few but not as many as you!  A few Hoover Juniors then a Hoover Turbopower (original green model) then a Electrolux Airstream in addition a Vax 3 in 1 (Original one - still have this from 1989) used for mainly carpet washing not anymore though!!  Then a original Dyson DC01, then another DC01, DC04 and now a DC18 Slim.

In addition to this another DC04, DC03, DC01 Absolute, DC05, DC07, DC15 Ball and DC16 and Bissell Pro Tech Heat Carpet Washer.  Also a Kirby Hertiage.

A family member had a Electrolux 502 for over 20 years which I maintained for them!  Quality built was this - not like todays from the same manufacturer!

Apart from Dyson the other best machine that I think was very good and still do to this day but we don't have anymore is the Hoover (UK) Turbopower (original range). Compare this machine to what Hoover (UK) have now the quality and originality is not there anymore. 

Interesting with these new Vax machines is that they come with 6 years guarantee one year above Dyson.  Looks like others in the UK are following Dyson, Sebo (UK) offers a full 5 years instead of the previuos 2 years labour and 5 years parts now.   We even have washing machines (LG) now with 10 years guarantee which I don't think we have had before! 

DC18

Hi DC18,

I forgot about the Bissell Protech Heat washer!

All the cleaners mentioned (apart from the Hoover Conquest cylinder and sis-in-law's machines) were owned by me or my parents at one time or another.

As other people have mentioned in the past, no cleaner is perfect - each had its faults, and that is still true today (maybe more so today!).

Do the Vax "Mach" models use the USA Hoover 'Windtunnel' agitator-cavity air-ducts? Or has that not been carried through to the Vax versions? Just curious!

Hi Trilobite

I'm not sure they are not in any shops as yet.  Well known that I've been in.  I've only seen pictures on the web and it catalogues.  They are not even on the Vax website as yet.

Will have to keep any eye out for them!

DC18

The Vax 'Mach' series are now in some UK shops.  I've had a brief first look at them in a shop the Mach 3, 5 and 6.  Looking at the Mach 5 and 6 they have the 'Wind tunnel' on the floor nozzles if my observation was correct.  Still not on the Vax UK website as yet.

The link below shows them on a UK Retail website Vax Mach 2 to 7.

http://www.currys.co.uk/martprd/store/cur_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1975044789.1201961501@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccciadedekjiflgcflgceggdhhmdgmj.0&page=ProductList&category_oid=-30709&fm=5&sm=6&tm=0&show_all=true#VAX:(any):0:300:PageNo_0:SortOrder_DOWN

DC18

Also this link takes you to the new carpet washers Vax have launched, go towards the bottom of the link to see them. 

http://www.currys.co.uk/martprd/store/cur_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1975044789.1201961501@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccciadedekjiflgcflgceggdhhmdgmj.0&page=ProductList&category_oid=-30621&fm=5&sm=6&tm=2&show_all=true#(any):(any):0:350:PageNo_1:SortOrder_DOWN

DC18

Hey Dude, I really dont care about the Junk thats pushed in the U.K. , when the inventor going to reinvent a central vacuum with cyclonic suction?

OH I know he cant steal anyone elses patent ,and claim it .......

You dysoners are a joke.................

And please excuse me for not playing by the rules...................

MOLE

mole wrote:
A central vacuum that uses cyclone separation?  There's one out there already...Vacuflo!  They've been around for a while, I myself saw one for the first time at a home builder's show in January of '96 and I'm pretty sure they had been out for quite a few years even by that time.

But that's been the idea well all along.  Modern central vacuum systems I knew of as early as the 1960s were bagless and used cyclonics, though possibly not referred to as that, for dust collection.  The idea was that the central vacuum could be used without bags -- a selling point -- and required infrequent emptying.  This meant a large dust container. The estimation for emptyiing was usually given as two time or so per year.  If I recall correctly there was usually a conical baffle within the main unit that allowed incoming air to spin and shed most of the dirt it carried before being blasted outdoors.

Changes have been made in recent times because though the idea of a central vacuum system is appealing it may not be easily workable in some situations due feasibilty of exhaust placement.  Thus came the central units we're seeing now that use large bags for dust collection plus exhaust filtration devices.

Please note that though Vacu-Flo produce a "filtered cylonic" system that does not require outside venting, saving on replacement bags, I wonder at the practicality considering the situation.  You'd still have to do either filter clean-up or replacement to maintain the unit.  Check out the links below especialy the PDF bearing the operators manual.

http://www.vacuflo.com/products_filteredcyclonic.html

http://www.vacuflo.com/pdf/FC300.pdf

Venson

mole wrote:

If you don't care, then why the hell did you bother responding to "DC18's" posting?

Inane comments like that we can well do without! 

Hi Trillo,you know something your right,i should have been more friendly to Chris,  since i sell him his parts..........

MOLE