Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

ORECK - The business, the history, the machine, the man and related.

(Below: Oreck 1979 to 2008)

  < yr. 1979  < yr. 5/2008

My dear Wife picked up a quarter with the ORECK blindly vacuuming under the  hanging clothes in her closet.  She opined that the quarter fell out of her pants pockets when she hung up.  She heard it but didn't see it.  No damage to either.  I retrieved.  2 bits is 2 bits.

Looking forward to reading your S7 review.

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

I got an ORECK mailer for preferred customers.  Actually my dear Wife.  I guess that's what you are after buying 4 new XL Classics.  The deal is this: New XL Silver for $225 with 8 bags [one-year's supply] and free shipping.  Limit of one.  The MSRP on this model is $449 [plus all the giveaways save the bags].  Not bad.  I'll stop by the ORECK HOME CLEANING Center with the offer in hand, my XL Classic, and see what they say and can do.  I paid $150 for my XL Classic in April 2007 and use every day. 

About the differences:  My XL Classic has the old fashion handle grip and the on/off switch on the vacuum housing.  The XL Silver has the ergonomic handle grip with the on/off switch on the grip.   AND FWIW, the new XL SIlver ORECK mailer has the CRI Green Label prominently displayed.  For those who asked if ORECK was certified by the CRI as approved by the carpet industry.  It is.

Carmine D.

I posted this on another thread in response to a post and realized after doing so, it is best suited for here.

Quite true that the direct suction design is decades old.  But this 'technology" puts 102 mph hurricane force wind between the floor/rug and 2 inches into the ORECK vacuum.  ORECK weighs about 9 pounds and is the lightweight of choice for hotels, motels, and households for over 45 years.  ORECK has an industry reputation for reliability.  Some of the practical features include:  Extra long edge cleaners, a brush roll that revolves at 6500 RPM [twice as fast as most], 8 filter system [with no user maintenance save a bag change every 4-6 weeks], patented intellashield technology, picks up pet hair in one sweep, 5 quart dirt bag; easy and fun to use by all ages, low profile for vacuuming under beds and furniture w/o attachments, easy to store, and built to last.  With prices from $199 to $750.  And recently awarded the highest green label certification of approval from the Carpet and Rug Industry for usage on all rugs and floors.  The first in the vacuum industry to receive the Green Label Gold Seal.  Just the usual 'practical" attributes vacuum users want and expect in their upright vacuums.  With a total of 30 components, ORECK's uniqueness is its simplicity of design and operation.  Matching and beating the performance of the best vacuum brands on the market that are 3 and 4 times the weight and mass.  While using 4 amps to the competitions' 12.  Pretty ingenious upright vacuum for the money.  With over 500 ORECK Clean Home Centers nationwide for service and parts.  BTW, Consumer Reports rates ORECK in the top 10 uprights in October 2008,  ORECK is made in the USA, and always has been, by ORECK employees.

ORECK may not be the best for all.  To each.......... his/her own.   But........it's a classic.

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

So is the Motel T and the kerosene lantern.  However they were replaced with better and more productive items in their class.

Like it or not,DYSON took away ORECKS play book and did the same type advertising and HYPE campain,lets face it it worked,Orecks still around and Dyson is still around,

Where else but in the U.S.A. can you sell a 50 dollar vacuum for 5 and 6 hundred,NO WONDER WHY DAVID ORECK AND DYSON ALWAYS HAVE A SMILE ON THEIR FACES.

SO LONG SUCKERS................

MOLE

Dyson used science and ingenuity to build his filtration.  And ingenuity to build his hose/wand for uprights and many other elements too.  That are now copied by the richest and biggest manufacturers.  Compared to the Oreck, which most of this appliance could be made by going to the plumbing store and using used vac parts.  Where is the proprietary break-thru science on the Oreck?  There is none.  And when I walk the isles of the biggest American retailers or view the biggest retailers online and globally, one will see Sir James Dyson’s and his fellow inventors (his engineers) handiwork on competing manufacturers vacuums, not so with Oreck.

Mole, perhaps if all manufacturers who have reversed engineered Dyson’s science, ingenuity and/or popularizing components (HEPA, modular filtration unit, bottom drop door, clear bin, fine dust collector, etc.) - if these manufacturers paid the guy a royalty on each unit sold maybe Dyson would not be forced to spend up to $50m annually educating the public of his work.  He cannot stand back and watch the leaches take the market he created. 

Mole, not sure of your complaints of the Dyson pricing...  the high retail price of many Euro vacuums provide nice margins that dealers enjoy.  By comparison, Dyson's do not have (often times) anywhere near the profit margins as many of the Euro vacuums.  Euro vac makers save money on advertising only to pass on higher margins to dealers.


DIB

DysonInventsBig wrote:

DIB,

As everyone knows I have always been pro Dyson.  I will repeat that I feel it is priced too high.  I also think there are lesser vacs that are way overpriced.  If an Oreck is worth $800 the Dyson is worth $2000. I think the Dyson is worth as much as Miele, Kirby and other over priced brands.  Again they are all over priced.

I could say that if JD gave up on his other projects he could reduce the price of his vacuum.  On the other hand he does invest his money to help others whereas the other brands simply pocket the profits.

So what if JD goes busted.  Look at how he gave others a job and contributed to the economy.  At least he contributed.  What has Oreck offered?  Maybe winimum wage and a paid holiday for its employees while the family lives in luxury.  What have the other brands given in return?

Most any vac costing over $200 is over priced IMHO.

Hello MOLE:

ORECK ramped it up with the 30 day free in home trial with no obligation and giveaways.  Plus, with the vacuum comes a network of of 500 ORECK Clean Home Centers.   Both are smart business moves that have done well for Dave and passed the test of time.

Carmine D.

HARDSELL wrote:

Hello Big Guy:

The flaw in your logic is that this statement is not a hypothetical for ORECK.  ORECK actually sells for $735/$750 all the time.  Has for years.  And guess what:  Consumer Reports rates this $750 model in the top 10 uprights.  Contrarily, how many of your fave brand are bought/sold for $2000?  NONE [with and without giveaways]! 

A product my friend is worth whatever willing buyers and sellers agree in a bona fide business transaction.  If ORECK buyers/users are happy with their $750 ORECK purchases, they keep them.  If not, they do what you did: Return them at no cost and expense.  Simple, easy and it works.  Just like the ORECK-s.

Carmine D.

HARDSELL wrote:

Were they?  Certainly, there are newer and more expensive alternatives.  But replaced?  With better and more productive items, no less?  Who said, you said!  Beauty my friend is in the eyes of the beholder.   My Wife and I saw a driver in a black model T Ford on the strip in Vegas this past weekend.  He and it were the envy of everyone in sight.  Everyone watched him/and the Model T pass.

People haven't stopped walking, using public transportation, buying/using candles, and/or kerosene.  Not in over 100 years.  Not ever.

Classics never die.   They live, are loved and are sought after forever.  You don't change the classics.  You embrace them.  They make us proud.  At least most of us!  There are always exceptions. 

Carmine D.