Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Hi,

I had some mad money around so I decided to do a little shopping.  To add to my store of  "oldie but goodies" I bought a Kenmore 116.7070, the last and most glorious of the Kenmore "cart" canisters and an also equally glorious G.E. AVF-807 upright.  But you know my motto -- shop 'til you drop.

Though little publicized, I've been very curious about the Black & Decker VN1400P for some time now as I have decided on researching some worthwhile cleaning machinery in the $200 range. B&D claims it can take on pet hair, etc.  However, please note this vacuum has no electric power nozzle.  Oddly, vendors selling this B&D have largely been offering it for sale online only.  I called Black & Decker and learned that Linen n' Things might have the intem on stock in its stores.  I found just one on the shelf and none on display. 

Admittedly, this is merely a bagless machine with a pleated filter enclosed within a plastic shroud but my resolve was so strong to give one a once over that I took on the Newport Mall in Jersey City.  When I disembarked the Path Train there I was thinking New York where you merely come up out of a hole in the ground anywhere in midtown and there's three of everything you want or don't no further than ten paces away.  Well I won't play Jersey cheap.  There's plenty of to be had -- just don't be fool enough to go after it without a car.  But that's another story . . .

The VN1400P was acquired for $199.  Here's what I discovered once I got it home and out of the box.  First, the machine's body and dust container are both made of plastic that's much thicker any than I've seen on any canister vac in recent times.  I find this very encouraging.  The cleaner's suction is quite strong and sound during operation though not exceptionally low is comfortably bearable.

The marketing hook as far as this machine is concerned is the special filter cleaning cycle.  With the motor switched off, you push a button and the pleated filter is set spinning by a separate motor for ten seconds.  As the filter spins two plastic blades cause the pleats to shake off adhering dirt and dust.  How well this works and how well the filter wears has yet to be seen.  This filter may alos be "washed" -- outside portion only -- and replaced once dry.  There is also a very small coarse filter, about 1.5" x 1.5" to deter dirt or debris from entering the airway to the fan chamber when removing or replacing the dust container.  The HEPA filter is claimed usable for life requires a screwdriver for removal.

I am always skeptical of air-powered tools but this is the first vacuum that seems to actually supply enough pulling power to make your effort at least look worth it.  By that I mean, it handles surface cleaning well but I have yet no assessment regarding deep cleaning.  That should not mean points off for this machine as deep cleaning necessity varies household to household thus it may be just perfect for some and not for others.  The bristles on both the brush rolls of its powered rug nozzle and upholstery tool are of no remarkable density or firmness but once set spinning by the VN1400P's slow-start 12 amp motor the action is very firm to the touch.  The 11" turbo nozzle for rugs also has a long velcro strip for dislodging lint and fur plus a plastic blade for use on bare floors. The additional 10" straight suction rug and floor tool has only one row of retaractable bristles up front followed by a stationery plastic lint picker and a plastic blade at the back of the nozzle.  The very simply dusting brush led me to doubt but it, due to the vacuum's strong suction, performs well too. The VN1400P also has a three-section telescopic wand reminiscent of the wand used on the Dyson canister that can also be locked onto the up-ended machine for storage.  I will post a formal review as soon as I've had a while to learn how well the suction output endures after a couple weeks of use.

Best,

Venson

Hi Carmine,

How are you?  The wand I got, though depicted as chromed steel on the box and in ad pieces, is mostly aluminum.  The catches for locking are plastic.  There is a track in two of the wand's three sections with perforated metal strips riveted in.  The middle section of the wand has only to spots for locking it either all the way out or all way in.  The top section has multiple stops to allow for finite height adjustment to suit user taste.  Nice.

The latest news is . . .

Love the sution but though the VN1400P is performing well, the aparatus for the filter cleaning cycle has died after only five or six uses and the foot switch for powering the machine on and off has become ifffy.  No problem in turning it on but switching off may require a couple of pushes with your toe.  Seems like something is sticking. 

The air-powered nozzle for carpeting does well enough on low pile pile -- though slightly hard to push -- but is an absolute loss on deep pile as it slows and stalls as this type of tool usually does.  The straight suction floor tool is pretty good on bare floors and performs decently on low or high pile.  The tool holder, designed to fit snap onto the hose handle, somewhat similar to the set up on the Euro Electrolux 7020A, does not stay attached for long.  Users will find themselves having to retrieve it often during use. Either some sort of locking mechanism is required or the two attachments it carries should be allowed to piggy-back on the canister.

I have not weighed the machine or found stats for its weight but the VN1400P easy to carry.  It was not necessarily designed with stair cleaning in mind but its basket style handle makes it very manageable for the task.  I would note that the dual exhaust vents are placed up front and low on the cleaner.  I noticed as I did my stairs they sent dirt flying if you sit the machine on a stair tread that wasn't first cleaned.  The same result is possible anywhere else.

Dirt capacity is low but cleaner picks up well even when the contents of the dust bin begin to empact and stop the air swirl inside.  I plan to have the local B&D repair center fix the problem with the filter cleaner.

Best,

Venson

Venson wrote:

Hello Venson:

Doing well.  Loving LV. 

THanks for the update.  Sounds like B&D doesn't have the self-cleaning filter working well.  Do you know who makes the vacuum for B&D?

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

Hi Carmine,

The VN1400P is made by someone somewhere in China. 

Venson

Hi,

Latest news regarding my little trooper, the VN1400P, is that Black and Decker will not fix the filter cleaning mechanism.  You have to send or haul everything back to an authorized place of service and the machine will be totally replaced.  Wish they did this with cool stuff like cars. Anyway, I can't be bothered as this appears to be a problem that may well happen again with a replacement machine.  The machine still runs well so I think I'll tuck it away just for nasty work like doing clean-ups for restorations.  Do not buy this machine.

Best,

Venson

Hello Venson:

Thanks for the update.  It begs the quesiton, why not return the defective B&D vacuum to Linens-n-Things for a new product replacement/money back refund?

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

Well Carmine, that was a story I wasn't going to tell but since you asked . . .

I actually took on the Newport Mall in Jersey City without a car.  As I may or may not have mentioned, our office has moved to New Jersey and I now commute by subway, PATH train and foot to get there three days a week. The day I made the decision things seemed quite simple.  I'd ride the two stops toward home on the PATH, walk over to Linens-n-Things, pick the vacuum up and walk back to the train.  Easy as pie.

There was a large pictoral map posted outside the station that is probably the deceitful piece of art ever made.  I looked it over and -- zowwee -- there was Linen-n-Things just inches away from where I stood. . . or so the map seemed to say.  "No hassle here," I thought as I crossed the street and started hoofing it in the direction of the store.  Then I began to notice the more I was walking, the more I was walking AND there was no Linens-n-Things in sight.  The store didn't turn up until I was more than a half-mile from the station.  So much for the map and real perspective.

To make a long story short -- have you ever seen the looks they give when you ask, "Are there taxis available," in a suburban mall?  It's gonna be a while before I go back again.

Yours truly,

Venson 

Venson go get your money back,ask for EXTRA cash due to pain and suffering and mental anquish,you can use Carmine as your lawyer,If you need a ride i would be more than happy to be your personal chaueffer,Do you think parking the LIMO in front of the mall would be showing off..


B.T.W. what ever possesed you to buy this horrible cleaner you must of had a senior moment................

take care

MOLE

mole wrote:

Hiya Mole,

I hope to have a car in a few weeks but, trust me, the help Linens-n-Things doesn't have a grasp of mental anguish.  If they did they'd work somewhere else.

The buy was purely to learn if the self-cleaniing filter idea really worked.  Being it worked only for ten minutes proved it's better to keep your 200 bucks and look elsewhere.  But let me say the vacuum, as far as cleaning ability goes, it has impressive suction and is not all that bad.  The issue is that B&D can't deliver per its selling hook.  As well, I really have no fondness for non-repairable, disposable anything -- so why would I want another one?  "Oh don't worry about it.  They'll give ya a new one," really doesn't wash with me.

What I'd like to know just this moment, since the issue has come up, is if the consumer has a right to be forewarned.  Say I bought one and it lasted for a couple of years but comes the fateful day that ths thing or that breaks down.  Shouldn't there be some mandate that I be informed upon purchase that the item I bought cannot be repaired but will be replaced only as long as it remains on the company's manufacture roster?  You know, I may even stop buying B&D drills.

Best,

Venson

Venson,

You asked a loaded question,Should the consumer be warned in advance about parts availability,refunds,exchanges under warranty,or if the manufactures requires repair before replacing a defective unit,
I know of no such mandates that requires the sales rep to tell the customers before a purchase.I personally tell my customers before they plunk down the money all the good and bad points associated with our products,Being very service oriontated ,i feel it is just telling customers before hand because if something happens to it down the road at least i can face them and not pawn them off to a service rep in another country that barely speaks english,

To put it bluntly there is no integrity in this business anymore[the fish rots from the head down] or the old line is i dont care you cant see it from my house.

The old adage is [BUYER BEWARE],

Did you ever notice when you ask out of the norm questions,most people get defensive and start to scatter...............or go on break..........

regards

MOLE

Hi Venson:

You mentioned the long trek in your post and I thought that might be the reason but I wanted to confirm.  I agree with Mole the product seller doesn't have any legal obligation to advise you of the shortcomings UNLESS you specifically ask.  And then as Mole points out, the product sales people will decide its break time.  It's caveat emptor [buyer beware]. 

For $200 plus the best stores to shop for vacuums are the independent vacuum stores.  Black and Decker has taken its place on that long list of US household appliance makers that have gone the buy/dispose route. 

Carmine D.