Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

The 'Freedom' and 'Slalom' uprights, and the 'Xarion' cylinder cleaner. All employ 'Airvolution' technology.

You'll have to wander about the Argos site yourselves, as I can't be bothered battling with the silly formatting of pictures on this forum, and the website linking didn't work either.

Hello Venson:

Thanks for taking the extra effort to post the URL's.  The HOOVER cann [Xarion] and upright [Slalom] appear to be very worthy and competitive bagless vacuums.  I gleaned the Web Site for the Xarion and User Guide for the Slalom and will go back to both and spend some more time to read and digest.  And looked at the dyson DC25 Support Web Site you posted too.  Thanks for your assistance and efforts.

I like the step by step breakdown of the troubleshooting directions for the Xarion.  Very detailed and explicit yet simple and easy to follow and understand.  Nice aids for the vacuum buyer/consumer.

I'm sure it is strictly coincidental and my own perspective.  The images of the new Slalom put me in mind of the HOOVER Lark stick vacuum from the early 60's.  Do you remember that model?  Especially in the images of the upper [off the ground] part of the vacuum.  A more recent similarity with the Slalom that comes to my mind too is the HOOVER Floormate, especially with the upper part of the vacuum. 

I still haven't seen the new HOOVER TTI Whispertone yet.  And would like to match the two new HOOVER's [USA:Whispertone and UK Slalom] for differences and likenesses. 

Carmine D.

I've seen the New Hoover Freedom Upright in a shop, very heavy to lift on brief inspection it had an info leaflet attached to the handle detailing the 'new' airvolution technology.

I've not seen the Slalom as yet but on first seeing some pictures of it looks very impressive!  It reminds me a bit of the Sebo Felix and the way the cleaning head\nozzle protrudes the cleaning base bit like the Dyson DC18 Slim!  I see you have to call hoover to have the belt changed\replaced on the Slalom!

I noticed no one has found the below links having done some searches myself on the Hoover Slalom a few weeks or so ago, I thought I would post them as they may be of interest to some of you:

Pictures someone has posted (notice the brush bar in one picture!  Look very plastic, not like the normal Hoover Brush Bars! Also note the Airvolution Cyclone pictures where it has been pulled apart to view):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chestermikeuk/sets/72157606427015333/

Link to Video of the Slalom in use on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDL85A06yAU&feature=related

DC18

Thanks again DC18.  The links were great.  My only problem with the You Tube clip is that the guy's house was too darn clean to tell how well it performed.

I notice that the Slalom has no front wheels or rollers of enough size to give it significan support meaning the front end of the cleaner has to "float".   Is it possible that carpeting with deep pile might be a challenge for it?  I don't know what carpeting preferences are like in the UK or Europe.

Best,

Venson

Your welcome Venson.  I know what you mean, least you get to see how it operates to a degree and the sound of it!   Yes I noticed that about the Slalom but it has that air release valve not sure how much help that is to the floating effect!  It will be interesting to see how light this vacuum is compared to the Freedom!  Deep pile could be an issue, the brush bar wasn't much to shout about from the pictures!   As for carpeting preferences in the UK (Europe tends to be hard floors, like tiles with rugs!), back in the 90's and ealry 00's laminate floor was the 'in thing'!  Still is to a degree, with tiled flooring in kitchens and hallways etc..  People still have carpeting, in fact carpeting I believe in the UK is having a bit of a revival!  I would say most carpets in UK homes is of medium pile.  So the Slalom may cope ok!

I noticed the hose on the Freedom comes out from the front, can not see the vacuum moving with the hose very easily!   Simiular to one of the Vax Upright here in the UK (no longer available!)

DC18

Has anyone noticed the Hoover UK has become very 'dyson-ised' ?

The "agitator" is now described as a "brushbar" on the Hoover 'Slalom'.

Vax also has been guilty of calling it a brushbar. What happened to the term "brushroll"?

Trilobite wrote:

Hello Trilobite:

Interesting observation but let's go a step further.  HOOVER coined the terms 'agitator' and 'beater bars' for its brush rolls.  The latter being the metal bars on the agitator that performed the 'beats as it sweeps' part of the famous HOOVER slogan.

Dyson IMHO adapted [read copied] the generic industry term of brush roll with the HOOVER specific term of beater bar to come up with its own term 'brush bar.' 

As already discussed on here, TTI owns both HOOVER [USA] and VAX. 

Carmine D.

I still think "agitator" is the more elegant term.

"Brushbar" really grates on me!

Trilobite wrote:

Hello Trilobite:

I inferred from both posts that you are "agitated."   The best solution when vacuum manufacturers, either by their ego/lack of knowledge, skirt the vacuum vernacular in favor of their own less meaningful terms is to continue to use the accepted and long standing industry ones instead. 

I think 'agitator' has an iconic meaning in the vacuum industry.  Worthy to be kept alive and well forever. 

Carmine D.

The U.K. calls it a brush bar,the U.S.A, calls it a brush roll,or for the old guys a beater bar brush combination.

Shouldnt a vacuum cleaner really be called an electric sweeper?????????

MOLE

mole wrote:

Yes. If it is an Oreck.