Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

... Not sure if Americans realize Hoover is no longer an American brand.  Our jobs have gone to China, our manufacturing has gone to China, our dollars are wired to China and our brands are going over to China.  Hoover USA celebrated their 100th year in business...  in China.

CarmineD wrote: Carmine,

There is no switching, save the brushes turning off.

I’ve actually watched the Floormate demoed on HSN in the past.  It's one of the few Hoover demos given by their rep, Julie Truster where she is not flat out lying to sell.  Hoover does not have to lie whey they innovate products people want to buy (I have not used the product, but have heard the scrubbing was weak).

DIB

Strange that Oreck an american company can open the clean home stores, yet TTI at the same time closes Hoover Service Centers with I'm assuming now lower production costs. Mexican and Chinese made products VS. American. I guess one way to think about this is to use the same old 30 year design that is extreme simplicity to increase production and lower the time to piece, or to increase the complexity and effectiveness through technology while lowering labor costs (overseas) (TTI). The result a similar market approach.  Funny I think we / they are all in the same bed... Capitalism.. Yet if Oreck can maintain till 2010, it has great positioning.  Going to read Marx now bye..

(perhaps not perfectly stated but close.)

CarmineD wrote:
Carmine,

Maybe I was using to broad-a-brush in describing “Americans”.  Many do care, [it looks like] most do not.  Certainly those that don’t care are getting an education during these economic and jobless times.


DIB

Hello HOOVERGROOVER:

The Oreck business model is essentially the original HOOVER business model.  Make products in the USA with a network of sanctioned stores owned, operated, and/or licensed by the maker to sell, service and carry genuine replacement parts for the brand's products.  ORECK is also a "niche" vacuum brand with the lightweight upright market.  It has expanded into other floorcare venues with canisters, sticks, hand vacuums, waxers, and rug cleaners but only as an accomodation to ORECK buyers/customers.  Not to mass market. 

ORECK has literally weathered bad economic times in the past, most recently Katrina [August 2005] which was a direct hit on it's New Orleans plant.  ORECK's ability to maintain normal operations without stumbling and relocating operations to Tennessee so quickly are testaments to its business model.  It will have a tough time in the current economic environment and Dave is getting old.  2010 is not that far away and his family members have/will take over the bulk of the day to day business.  But the business was Dave's and his youngins may not feel the same way about business as he does.

The weakness with the ORECK business model [or its strength depending on your perspective] is the limitations of a "niche" product maker for sales and profits.  Dave and his family members are not billionaires.  They're successful business people living simple comfortable lives.

Carmine D. 

DysonInventsBig wrote:

Hello DIB:

WRT education for those that do care, and the China HOOVER connection, you might recall [maybe not] that HOOVER contracted with TTI in 2004/2005 to produce the FUSION and FUSION Plus bagless uprights for $100-$130.  These were VERY popular sellers among the retailers who carried them.  Even displacing more expensive bagless brands and models for shelf space and future sales.   It was a reason in part that one poster here opined that TTI might be a likely suitor for HOOVER.  To his credit, he was "spot on" as they say in the UK.  In 2007, after Whirlpool acquired HOOVER with its MAYTAG buyout, WP decided to divest vacuums from its venue.  WP sold HOOVER to TTI which already owned the VAX, DIRT DEVIL and ROYAL vacuum brands. 

BTW, DIB, do you know what country produces the all metal ROYAL-s?  Is it China or the USA?

Carmine D.

DysonInventsBig wrote:

Hello DIB:

As opposed to what?  A bucket and mop?  Swiffer? 

It's a misconception to judge the Floormate solely on scrubbing alone.  It's a floor washer and dryer.  It comes with two sets of brushes, one slightly more aggressive than the other.  And with my particular Floormate model, a hose, extension wands and array of brush attachments for hard to reach areas.  The brush attachments are not revolving brushes.  Just straight suction tools with bristles.  The cleaning power comes as much from the cleaning solutions as the scrub brushes.  IMHO. 

I have mohawk sealed ceramic tiles that cover about 75 percent of my home.  I use the softest brushes with warm tap water and no solutions.  Works great especially in the tile seams which maintain their original new luster w/o yellowing and discoloration from dirt build up.  A testament to the HOOVER Floormate's cleaning performance since I have an English yellow lab and 3 grand daughters who like to scuff and mark the floors.

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:
Carmine,

This vac uses air driven brushes with little down force, does it not?  This wet/vac has a fan base for sure, but there are those who have textured floors and/or grout lines that complain in their reviews.

I like the vac (I think).  Your sealed tile and grout is the primary reason your floors release stains as good as they do.

DIB

Hello DIB:

Correct on both accounts:  Air driven brushes and my tile is sealed.  But, I sealed the floors and granite counter tops before moving in per the contractor's instructions.  I have neighbors who sealed the floors too, but don't have/use the Floormate regularly like me.  Their tiles and grout seams have discolored in just a few years.  Looks terrible. 

My only criticism of the Floormate product is the vacuum's weak suction in the dry cleaning mode.  Inevitably, if I use the dry cleaning feature for vacuuming, there is some dust and debris [like pet hair] in the dirty wet tank pick up.  If I use my ORECK to vacuum the floors first before using the Floormate for washing/drying, nothing is in the wet dirty tank except liquid!

The Floormate IMHO is an amazing floorcare product.  All houses with substantial hard floor coverings should have and use one.

Carmine D.