Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Hey good friend Carmine -- whether or not it stills beats as it sweeps as cleans the name Hoover still carries a little clout. I believe this is the vacuum being included in VIP gift bags for the upcoming awards. Per the the article, end of the line at the following link, the recession plus the writer's strike has put the kabosh on the fancier and much, much more expensive items usually given in past.

Click on the photos and the vacuum in mention -- it looks like the Hoover Platinum upright -- should come up.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/02/17/gifting.lounges/index.html?section=cnn_latest

Venson

The cordless stick with tools on board and WT technology.  MSRP $179.  Good choice for a gift.  The future of the vacuum industry. 

Carmine D.

Hello Venson:

Mea culpa.  Not the stick.  Full size HOOVER WT upright bagless vacuum with MSRP of $449. 

http://www.hoover.com/product.aspx?model=UH70015&ds=false#

I thought and saw at one point that it was going to be the cordless power stick for $179.  But, apparently HOOVER had a change of heart and topped it for the Oscars with the best of the firstlings [6 Platinum floorcare products].

Carmine D.

Speaking about the ORECK halo TV ad, as Venson did, HOOVER/TTI had its own Platinum Collection TV ad on the OSCARs and then the next day on ABC's morning talk show for women The View.  HOOVER/TTI has also been advertizing the Platinum Collection on the ABC Web Site.

This week's People Edition [date March 9, 2009] which has an OSCAR Extra of 33 pages inside, with the lovely First Lady Michelle Obama on the cover, has 3 full pages devoted to the HOOVER Platinum Collection inside the OSCAR pages.

Obviously, the advantages of HOOVER being owned by TTI Floorcare of North America, a multi-national company with several floorcare brands vice a white appliance Maytag, is already reaping benefits for the iconic HOOVER vacuum name.  A sign, perhaps, of more good things to come for the storied and starried vacuum maker in the months and years ahead.

Carmine D.

Hi Carmine,

I think Hoover's going to have it for a long time. It's a brand that's huge. So huge in fact that numerous numbers of shoppers still trust it and nearly consider the purchase a no-brainer. A lovely spot to be in.

The average person knows nothing about turnover to TTI. So the good thing is that TTI still has chances to make a few mistakes as as long as those mistakes are balanced by enough good product being put on the market. I think it takes a while to kill a name as big.

I can't track down the list but were the all the things offered offered in the goody bags this year presumably all American brands?

Venson

Venson wrote:

Hi Venson:

I agree.  HOOVER's got THE "magic" name in household vacuums and floorcare products.  TTI wasn't really much for non-vacuum floorcare until it acquired HOOVER.  It wasn't much for vacuums for that matter either.  HOOVER is its premier brand.  TTI should and most probably will capitalize on it.   DIRT DEVIL floorcare products have gotten a tad bit better IMHO since the TTI parenting.  I'm guardedly optimistic that HOOVER will finally get its well deserved day in the sun [after some last years of MAYTAG neglect].  Synthesizing several name brands across an industry [as is the TTI Floorcare mission/mantra] has quality performance benefits for the entire venue of products while achieving economies of scale. 

Good question on the American made VIP goody Gift Bag.   I don't know.  My gut feeling is "no".  But, I can very well be wrong.  I say no due to politics which permeates the OSCARS.  Initially, with the government's stimulus package to the Detroit auto makers, there was a small undercurrent for "Made in the USA."  Especially when it was learned that $1 B went to Brazil to sure up a GM plant located there.  The small chorus of resentment quickly died down when the harsh reality set in.  Fears of economic backlash.  We are sadly all in this economic sunami together.    We rise and/or fall together.

Carmine D. 

Hi Venson:

Had an opportunity to see the HOOVER TTI Platinum WT bagless.  Very nice vacuum.  Made in Mexico just like all the HOOVER MAYTAG WT's.  Uses some of the design features on the HOOVER Z:  Like the finger tip electronic controls for rug height adjustments and the low flat brush head nozzle.  The machine's brush head profile allows further vacuuming clearance under furniture and beds.  Appears very lightweight too for a full size upright.  All in all a decent looker.  Couldn't use it due to the circumstances so the performance tests will have to come at another time.

Carmine D.

Thanks Carmine.

Venson

After its debut at the 2009 OSCARS, HOOVER TTI followed up with a media campaign including TV commercials on prime time, PEOPLE magazine, and of course the number one spot in Consumer Reports and 7 of the top 20 spots.

The song that plays in the background of HOOVER's Platinum Collection TV ad is "At last............."

Which is the perfect segue for the debut of the HOOVER Platinum Collection [6 new floorcare products] nationwide at BEST BUY stores this week, including 4 [5 counting the 12 pound portable canister which comes with the new Lightweight bagged] of the new lineup.  If you are your local BB store, scope out the vacuum aisles, particularly the end cap positions.

Carmine D. 

CarmineD wrote:
Good morning Carmine,

I know the song well -- "At last, my Hoover's come along . . ." I wonder if Mack Gordon, Harry Warren, the writers, plus Glen Miller should have hooked up with Hoover back in 1942. If nothing, it would have been interesting.

I was thinking about checking out Best Buy today. My local branch as always appears to be run by a bunch of johnny-come-latelies so it will also be interesting to see if they've brought in anything new.

Best,

Venson

When you do Venson, let us know.  Hopefully, the store will have displayed and ready for customers to use and peruse.

Carmine D. 

CarmineD wrote:
Well . . . I did get to BestBuy today as I had to do some odds and ends grocery shopping anyway and the store is just a block away from the market.

As usual, my local BestBuy never gives me the impression that anyone there of significant station is really trying. As you approach the vacuum aisle, the Bissell upright with the detachable canister is still on display outside at the front end sitting beside the Bissell upright for per hair. The aisle itself is basically loaded with display models of various brands (more Bissell, Eureka, Dyson, Dirt Devil and the odd Hoover) jammed together side by side. AND yes all had obviously been used at one time or another for cleaning not demoing.

The Platinum series (bagless upright and lightweight upright plus portable canister) is displayed just past the end of that aisle. (Rechargeable stick vac is not there.) Why? Though an inconspicuous spot, it's the only place in the near vicinity of BB's vac aisle that has an easily accessible outlet. The vac aisle itself does not have outlets. In that sense I lucked out.

The lightweight Platinum upright and canister set was the first I tried ($399.00 for the set). Recalling my post in reply to lazaruspup earlier today, I have to say the brushroll is not wussy at all. The bristles are quite firm. What I noticed was that the cleaning head did not seem to go all the way down to the floor. The carpeting in the store is that same very, low tight carpet tile you see in many places and I had no sense by way of sound or pull of the brushroll making contact. I switched on the portable canister to find that though the suction it produces is decent I hated the noise level.

The bagless upright ($449.00) is another story however. As I took it down from its perch (BB stores all models above floor level) it felt a little weighty but nothing out of the ordinary. It also felt relatively solid.

Once placed on the floor height adjustment proved to be a breeze. It is executed by merely pressing the up or down arrow of a switch situated just below the on-off button at the handle grip. I just took a quick feel of the open wand while the cleaner was running in attachment mode and suction delivery for tool use was very good. Contact with the rug was no problem here. A couple hits on the down button brought the cleaning head all the way down and a quick, strong forward pull from the machine happened immediately.

The Platinum Bagless of course was easy to push as the carpet pile was so low. The dirt signal, red for dirty and green for clean, seemed to function well. This vacuum had plenty of fine dust in the bin but its suction did not appeared to be hampered.

Venson

Thanks for the update Venson.  The WT cordless stick are out of stock and on back order.  The sales in stores and on-line are exceeding the consumer demand that was expected and anticipated.  

I suspect when the HOOVER rep makes his rounds to this BB store, the display will be spruced up.  

Carmine D. 

CarmineD wrote:
Guess that means it will be a while before the price drops some. All things considered, I'd like the Platinum stick vac better at the $120.00 mark as this is a back-up tool not a major cleaning device.

Venson

Venson wrote:

Maybe $120.  Little too small of a dirt bin for $179 IMHO.  Now with the accucharge battery technology getting better for cordless powering, a larger bin capacity will soon come.

Carmine D.

This week TARGET stores nationwide are launching 3 of the HOOVER Platinum series collection.  [4 counting the compact canister with the lightweight].  The Lynx cordless stick.  The lightweight with canister companion.  And the full size upright.  All feature windtunnel technology.

HOOVER also is advertising on TV.  The lightweight with compact canister for 5 payments of $89 each.  Both come with a year's supply of bags.  Looks like it has ORECK in its sights.

Carmine D.