Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Because of old age, arthritis and a bad back, I am retiring my Hoover which cleans OK but is hard to maneuver and weighs a ton.

Was going to buy Tacony 8 LB which is purported to be the same as the Bissell Prolite. However, there were some negative reviews regarding pet hair on the Prolite so I gave up on that because it seems my dog sheds half of his fur daily :-)

Then I considered the Royal MRY5000 at Amazon but cannot find reviews and Royal's website does not say if it goes from carpet to bare floors. They say the MRY6400 does but does not say the weight on the site.

Next for consideration is the Oreck Oreck XL2100RHB-2. This one has 2 speeds and that is a desirable feature. But I have read some negative things about Orecks so am conflicted while at the same time, seriously considering this machine.

Next, I saw a Hoover Clean and Light but don't know how good that would be either. It is supposed to be 2X the suction power of Oreck. Sounds good but why can't I find this vac on the Hoover site? One review at a seller's site makes me believe this would not be good for my use. For example, I would love to be able to vacuum throw rugs or mats without them being sucked into the cleaner. And I like the idea of going from carpet to bare floors like you can with Oreck.

My dream vac is a Simplicity Freedom F3600 but the price is too steep for the budget ... especially when you add in sales tax.

I don't want a Dyson because the commercials are a little too slick and frankly some reviews of their machines were not all that great. I kinda feel that if it seems to good to be true, it probably is not true.

Any comments on the above mentioned vacs or suggestions would be appreciated.

Chris

Speaking of the Riccar.  I bought the RSL4 last year, my advice is to go see a dealer.   Remember, retail is where you start negotiations.  I looked at the Simplicity and the dealer wasn't too willing to deal.  When I went to the Riccar dealer he gave me everything I wanted and at a good price.

The Riccar does a very good job on pet hair.  It has a stiff bristle double helix brushroll that grooms the carpet very well.  You can read my review in the review section so I won't go into all of it now.    The main differences I saw between the RSL1 that can be purchased for $179 - $199 and the RSL4 that I got for $299 are: the RSL4 has an ergo-handle with two speed motor and switch on the handle.  The RSL1 is a one speed switch on the base with a standard handle.  Motors, bags, brushrolls are the same.

Well, I have not decided anything yet. The plan is to go to the Simplicity store tomorrow.

The responses here lead me to more questions.

Carmine, the HSUS now has the Oreck silver for $199 and free shipping. What do you think of this one? The only issue I have with the consumer model is that - from what I have read - they only have a 20 ' cord. I have a stick vac with a 20' cord and it is an annoyance to have to keep plugging it in to another outlet.

http://www.hsus.org/shop/oreck.html

And this is the 2 speed I was considering.

http://www.livinclean.com/-strse-2436/oreck-lightweight-2100-xl/Detail.bok

The Halo on the Costco website has negative reviews. Your good review of the Oreck is one reason I am strongly considering it.

Mike W, the Simplicity that I would like is the 3600. You disagree with Venson that $400 is an acceptable price? The $569 MSRP is really too high, especially adding in the 7% sales tax. I crossed the Clean and Light off the list because of the reviews I have read by people who actually own it ... very negative. Reviews on the Tacony 8 lb. were not good either.

Just, if I could get the RSL4 for $299 I would think I died and went to vacuum cleaner heaven :-) It is exactly what I want ... the same as the Simplicity 3600.

Chris

Hi Chris,

My advisement regarding the price on the F3600 is based on my having purchased not one, but two Mieles within the last year. In both cases, the purchases were made at my local independent vac shop.

First time round, the Miele Capricorn -- brand new with Miele's best power nozzle was being offered at a great price on eBay. Thinking to myself, why not keep the money in the neighborhood, I printed out the eBay post and took it to my local vac shop and said that I wanted a Capricorn at that price AND I got it. I can't call the Miele Tango I acquired a necessary purchase but I wanted one anyway. I again went back to the same shop and also got the Tango well below suggested retail. Believe me, if they had not come up with a price that was satisfying to me that Tango would still be there waiting for the next customer.

There is also another vac shop a block or two away. The proprietor is a pretty nice guy and very knowledgeable but I don't care much his mark up and he is not flexible. Therefore, I shop elsewhere except that I do stop by every now and then to pick up a small item now and then more as a matter of good will.

The main reason for my suggestion is that although I feel the F3600 is a nice enough machine, I think the price for a lightweight machine is a bit much. Your mention of affordability plus sales tax and the like also concerned me. That is why I also suggested that if you can't land one for around $150.00 or slightly more below suggested retail, save your money and buy something else. Times are tight and even $400.00 is a lot to be spending if you need to keep a very tight budget.

If you can't get the F3600, life will still go on and maybe you can do something really cool with the dough you didn't have to spend. In any event, I hope you fined something you'll really like at a price that is good for budget.

Best,

Venson

ZZZZZ wrote:
Chris;

I did not read that you read reviews, but I read the above.  I do not pay to much attention to  opinion sites like epinions or amazon, but I went to review sites today and see that they speak highly of the HOOVER Clean & Light.  I also recall a vacuum cleaner collector's site where many members speak highly of the machine.  But anything I said in the previous post is based on what I know and my experience. If someone is on a budget, this is a good machine.

If you read my above comment(that has not been edited), I said "TOL".  It is new, so you may get it for $500.00, but not $400.00.  For any vacuum,  I have always said to shop around.  When someone wants a Riccar or Simplicity,  I always say to check for the other brand and see what they can do for you.  This is the only way to do it, since Tacony will not allow the same brand to be sold in two competitive shops, in the same neighborhood.  It is possible to get the lower tiered vacuum cleaner for $400.00, but it depend on the shop.  Some will work for you and some will not.

ZZZZZ wrote:

Hello Chris:

My ORECK Classic resembles the Commercial rated ORECK in your link above.  MIne is the same save the two speed switch and ergonomic handle grip and of course the commercial use warranty.  Note that the ORECK Silver series has a headlight and the ergo handle grip with on-off switch.  My ORECK has the standard industry vacuum grip with the switch on the vacuum housing.  My ORECK does not have a headlight.  I like these features, handle grip with switch and headlight, compared to mine without them.  My ORECK has a 20 foot cord.  Not a big deal for me but can be a deal breaker for some.  My house has alot of outlets and I don't mind changing from room to room.

I have said, like others here, and again now that RICCAR/SIMPLICITY lightweights are a tad bit better than the ORECK-s.  But price is always a factor.  Also, my suggestion of the halo, which is now owned by ORECK, is on the price alone.  At $99 I'm having a hard time not buying one for myself. 

Carmine D.

Frye's Electronics is selling the halo UV-C w/o attachments on board for $99.  Claiming the regular price is $119, for a savings of $20.  Makes the one pictured/sold by COSTCO for $99 WITH OBT an even better buy.

Carmine D.

My vacuum search is over. I bought a Simplicity Freedom 3700 for $460 which includes 6 bags and sales tax. We got something off the original quoted price by paying cash. My husband, who vacuums on those occasions when my back is really bad, is disappointed it does not have an adjustable handle because he is tall and has to hunch over to use any vacuum. I love that the belt never needs changing. Also there is some type of sensor which shuts off the motor if the roller gets jammed ... at least that's my understanding of how it works. It seems a bit loud but we can always use ear plugs or in my case, turn off the darn hearing aids ;-) The gentleman who sold it to us knows more about vacuums than I would ever need to know but overall, it was a pleasant experience ... no high pressure tactics ... a very helpful, friendly shop.

I appreciate all the advice and suggestions on this forum.

When we have used the machine a while, I'll write a review.

Chris

Excellent choice.  $460 is much better than the $700 MSRP.  Yes, it does have a circuit breaker that turns the motor off when it senses a problem.  MADE IN THE USA!

Carmine D.

ZZZZZ wrote:
Hi Chris,

What wonderful news! You not only got the vacuum you wanted at a really sweet price -- the bags alone sell for about $17.00 per pack -- but also have someone around the house to push it. I want luck like that. As for noise, most of the lightweight uprights I've heard of have been considered a little on the loud side.

Good health and enjoy the new machine for a long time to come.

Best,

Venson

Chris;

You actually came home w/a better model than you originally wanted.  This TOL Freedom will clean well.  And yes, changing the belts will not be an issue for you.  If something should happen to the belt, it is covered.  All of the  Freedom uprights have a circuit breaker.  It can come in handy and also save your machine.

I knew that you would not get one for $400.00, but you still received a good price.

"Take care of your vacuum, then your vacuum will take care of you."