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 Venson:

Not redundant.  It is a real issue for the likes of Kirby, Royal, ORECK, Filter Queen, and others who pride themselves on their classic look, feel, and function.  How much change is enough but not too much to rattle/upset your customer base.  Like HOOVER with the WindTunnel and Constellation!  Classics that sell forever.

The Coke case of the 80's is a classic, no pun intended.  In the 80's Coke Classic had to re-invent itself and it went too far.  Their loyal drinking customers shunned it.  In no time, Coke management had to bring back the Classic formula and let it coexist with its new version.  Lesson learned.  Add new products.  Open new markets.  Lower the price.  Change the packaging.  But keep the tried and true trademark product intact.  ORECK has served Dave and his customer base well for over 45 years.  It's passed the test of time in good and bad times.  Why make wholesale changes and risk it all?  Especially in bad economic times like these.

Carmine D.

Hi Venson:

Thanks for the Site.  I like it.  How can one not?  An infant, obviously born with the Kirby gene, and the Kirby intro:

"For over 90 years, the Kirby Company has dedicated itself to perfecting just one product – a home care system based on founder Jim Kirby’s first vacuum cleaner design. Developed and constructed with state-of-the-art technology, our newest model, the SENTRIA™ system, carries on our tradition of Quality, Reliability and Performance."

And from the Sentria page you mentioned:

Cleaning takes on a whole new meaning with Kirby's Sentria® home care system and accessories. Designed to deep clean, protect and maintain the value of your home, a kirby vacuum is a leader in the industry that outlasts the competition every time.

Our own Jim Kirby, who unfortunately no longer reads and posts here, is a descendant of the Kirby founder.  He's pictured on the History page.  Jim favors him too in looks. 

IMHO, not showing the Sentria but talking it up pretty well is a subtle way for Kirby to convince the potential vacuum customer/reader to request a Kirby home demo.  If I do that, I'll buy one.  Kirby never made the move to lightweight plastic, which many in the industry thought it would do.  Kirby has stayed tried and true to the old fashioned die cast aluminum.  Use to be a lovely old lady in the Cleveland OHIO plant who balanced the aluminum fans for the Kirby motors.  Loved her job and Kirby!  BTW, so did the late great Stan Kann.

BTW, did you upgrade your computer?  I was able to click on the Web Site w/o copying and pasting.

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

Hi,

No! The Miele "slimmed down" my computer budget big time.  I just learned to do something new (though it's been htere all the time).. 

If you type in the URL in your post, then highlight it and copy it , then click on the icon of the globe with the linked chain up top -- you get a dialogue box for setting up the link.  (Be sure you keep the URL you've entered highlighted.)  You paste in the URL you copied where shown inside the dialogue box and -- voila -- you've done it.  The link set-up isn't quite like doing the same in Microsoft Word but it only took a minute or two to get the hang of it.  It's easy. 

Anyway. . .  I'm sure you're right about the home demo enticement but personally I like to have some way of eyeballing the product before I commit to having someone in to do a demonstration.  (Gettin' 'em in is easy but gettin' 'em out again is something unbelievable.)

Venson

Venson wrote:
Very true, especially for Kirby!

Venson wrote:

Hey Venson  it is a simple as it has the larger fan that moves a higher volume of air and a more aggresive but safe brushroll, and Carmine just went to the Miele s7 dinner last night  Diamond dealer get there first shipment thanksgiving others in December

Actionvac wrote:

Hello again Actionvac and thank you:

Do you intend to post a review on the MIELE S7 here in the reviews section?

WRT the ORECK vice RICCAR/SIMPLICITY fans and breakage.  Are the latter more prone to breakage than the ORECK due to the larger size?  I've been told this by pros on both sides of these brands.  When HOOVER sourced the Ultra light to RICCAR, HOOVER pros told me fan breakage was a major issue for this model too.  Wondering if that is still the case.  Can you shed some light? 

Carmine D.

Carmine all direct air vacuums have fan breakage as opposed to bypass but are more efficient so a 4amp motor has more cleaning power than most 12 amp bypass type, the Riccar fans have a rubber material impregnated so very strong, at the factory they test with 150 1inch drywall screws and ball bearings, they had 1 batch of bad fans but now they test every batch, yes I will post on Miele vac

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.