Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

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

(Below: Oreck 1979 to 2008)

  < yr. 1979  < yr. 5/2008

Hello MOLE:

Wasn't it an Englishman named Hubert Cecil Booth who first coined the word vacuum after his invention and his company.  In fact he went from house to house with his horse drawn street vacuum where the residents inside would hold "vacuum tea parties."  The muckety mucks would sip tea while the hoses from the street vacuum were shuffled into the open windows to do the house vacuuming.  Fast forward one hundred years and ORECK owners hold ORECK parties.  History repeating itself.

The Booth contraption was called a Puffing Billy.  About the turn of the 20 Century.  Then Spangler came along in 1907 in the USA with his portable version.   Boss Hoover marketed it for $75.  Should have called it "spangling" rather "hoovering."

Carmine D. 

When I had a minor repair done on my Royal upright, the manager told me that they have discontinued doing warranty work for many of the big box vacuums due to problems getting reimbursed.   They also have a lot of problems getting parts from big box vacuum companies.  He then sang the praises of dealing with Oreck.   Oreck stands by their products and supports the dealers, at least according to this guy.  

CarmineD wrote:

I'll bet those Oreck parties are a blast.  I have visions of all those folks at the nursing home sitting around drinking Geratol and swallowing pills while the janitor vacuums with the Oreck.

Those are not ORECK parties,there clinics on vacuum cleaning usage,sort of like physical therapy,if you can change the belt and brushroll in less than 3 hours,then a party is thrown in your honor,
Then you are known as the vacuum KING or QUEEN.

Then if you can change the fan and fan case,you are on the board of directors,and in charge of research and development.[Sorry H.S. your not qualified]

HAPPY $#%*MING

MOLE

I'm back, after a long and much-needed break.  Seems Carmine is at it again as usual

This thread has taken quite an interesting turn.  As anti-Oreck as I am (overpriced electric broom combined with a useless handheld, what a great combination) I have also mentioned before that the Oreck stores *are* clean, organized, and well-managed, with the attendants being very friendly.  Of course what has not been said is there is a reason for that...they don't get any business!  The few times I have gone into Oreck stores, I was always the only visitor there, and when I acted interested I was shown every machine they had.  You could tell they were laying it on thick too, they must be desperate for sales the way they seem to kiss the customer's @$$ so much.

The problem I have, and the reason I'm anti-Oreck, is that they do not have to produce vacuums this way, they CHOOSE to.  They could EASILY improve the design for performance (dare I say it could use its own tools, but then they wouldn't be profiting off of that hand vac).  I don't see how the diameter of the fan and fan chamber couldn't be increased while still keeping the current low-profile housing (after all it is the handle pivot that is the fan chamber), and a lifetime geared or serpentine belt added while keeping the current motor so as not to compromise size or weight too much.  Eureka showed us that you can have a small low-amperage motor and a regular-size fan with no problems and decent performance, and Tacony showed us that you can have a lifetime belt on a single-motor lightweight upright (throwing the claim of "Oh it only has one motor, a lifetime belt won't work" out the window).  I don't see why Oreck can't keep up with the times and update. 

-MH

Motorhead wrote:

Missed you Motor, welcome back.  I recall you did, but didn't want to say.  Since I consider myself at least at one time as anti-ORECK as you.  And HS only asked for one.  JUST made the same comment too about the ORECK store he visited.  If I recall, he got a great deal on a RICCAR and bought it. 

The ORECK XL-21 Titanium has a bigger fan, more powerful motor, and uses less electricity than the smaller ORECK motors.  Also has a more aggressive brush roll.  All the other ORECK-s use the same motor.

Carmine D.

I think that ORECK has entrenched itself in the upright for the carpet cleaning and the portable canister for the other stuff,very old school selling technique.The upright is their market,the dealers tend to shy away from the dutch tech powerteam and the orbiter,the air cleaning stuff is also a sideline.Its more or less a window dressing.The XL series uprights are only profitable for the dealers in the top end stuff [ like the XL21 titanium,the internet and orecks own web site kills the high end machines. I would really be pushing the customer out the door at 799.00, the dealers are real gun shy on quoting this machine,because its the same response from the customer[thank you for your time and can i have a brochure].

ORECKS BEST DEAL IS THE CHEAPO 299.00 PACKAGE WITH THE GIVE AWAYS.

MOLE

MOLE:

I got 4 at $150 each without the giveaways.  Paid the shipping of $20 per.  And a one year warranty rather than the 3 years.  Tho I hear the cordless iron is a decent product.

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:
There seems to be a little controversy on this,Was the whirlwind in the mid or late 1800's,the first suction machine?. Royal at the time known as the P.A. Geier company started in 1905, Kirby claims 1906,

And the OHIO TUECK, dont know the date,

I really dont know BOOTH got the credit?

mole

CarmineD wrote:
Were you wearing a mask and carrying the 44 magnum.


MOLE