Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Hoover (TTI) introduced a new vac a few months ago called the Linx.
And Electrolux has had the Pronto around a while (Costco's version uses a 12 volt battery .vs. 9.6 volt version in most retail outlets)

As it was getting tiring lugging the Miele/Bosch/Sebo up and down the stairs of my townhouse, I picked these up for various cleaning duties.

The Linx claims to be a Windtunnel design and actually did a pretty decent job on rugs and bare floors. 
It's relatively light weight, uses a simple Cyclone that so far seems to handle fine dust without immediately clogging its secondary filter.

The Pronto is either stick or handheld.  It uses a dust cone which is a pain to clean (pull a tab out and release, whack whack whack until no more dust comes out of the screened enclosure).

Both these vacs run for around 15 minutes per charge.  Linx uses exchangable Lithium Ion pack that pulse-charges in 3 hours, Pronto an enclosed NiCad taking all night to trickle-charge.

....and while I have seen the Dyson handheld, it really didn't fit this as it has no floor capability, uses up battery really fast (new versions supposedly do better), and has a shrieking motor (the Linx and Pronto,
while noisy, are bearable).

I'm not sold on the cordless idea - even for a lightweight vacuum.   It's not like a cordless drill that might be used high up on a ladder, outside, or far away from a power outlet.  With a corded lightweight, I can use a higher voltage motor and I don't have to care about the battery.   I can wrap the cord on my vacuum in less than 30 seconds, so it just isn't a big deal to me. 

If Dyson develops a full size  120 volt cordless vacuum that runs on water, hydrogen peroxide, or urine, perhaps I will reconsider. 

Coming from a person who owns a food processor, a mini food processor and a hand blender, I think the rechargeable lightweight vacuum issue has a lot to do with our sense of extravagance or the easy way it can be played upon by people looking for money. While in Europe, at least in countries where electricity came at high price, I saw many vacuums in many places but in the larger part of the homes where I saw them -- it appeared one was enough.

During my childhood the "one is enough" theory seemed to hold although the Regina Electrik Broom was readily available. However, I seldom saw them used as supplemental machines. People were buying them for general floor care duty.

There were two vac households, one for upstairs and one for downstairs or an upright and a canister for obvious reasons. Their owners were considered well off. The "lightweight" was usually the little handheld straight suction or revolving brush vacs.

Now that supplemental devices can either be cheaply made and/or easily acquired by manufacturers it appears that the sky's the limit as far as the market and the consumer is concerned. However, "convenience" at 40 bucks or so is one thing but above the hundred dollar mark is totally another for most of us.

An inexpensive, corded device would serve me well enough and as to-date I have no little rechargeable wonders about the house save for a rechargeable Euro-Pro sweeper. I stopped using it for the hallway and stairs ages ago. My neighbor and I are in and out all the time but traffic is not a big issue. I keep a large, heavy rug down at the entry door. It catches just about everything and the stairs keep quite well until the one or two times a week I bring out a regular vacuum.

Venson

Severus wrote:

Hello Severus:

How about that.........crappy vacuums that run on urine.  I like that scatological symbolism.  Very appropros.

Carmine D.

Well said Venson. In Europe (NOT the UK however) most countries are offered mains power stick vacs and are often used for kitchen dirt pick up and from time to time anything that the cordless sweepers or uprights claim to do. In most cases most homes which are smaller than the U.S will make do with one large vacuum cleaner and may have a cordless or mains powered stick vac to do minimum dirt pick up.

In the UK though we seem to be a market who don't like mains powered stick vacs and less so for the cordless ones. Currently Hoover have their dirt devil based stick vac ( I think Carmine put a link up here showing one in previous posts which is the same one we have here in the UK) and Hoover also have a new Linx derived design which is far too expensive (close to £100 cost price). Electrolux did try with their Ergorapido. I quite liked that design despite being low on power, the most useful element was its pop out hand held dust buster.
In this case it was its versatility that won it for me rather than its actual pick up performance in upright mode which wasn't really good unless it was used on hard floors.

CarmineD wrote:

The symbolism wasn't actually intended, although I was certainly being flippant. What could be better than a device that could use as fuel waste from another process - it would be the ultimate green product? Certainly it would be difficult to create a device that could handle the variability inherent in this natural "fuel". I guess I was thinking about the dishwasher that could use hydrogen peroxide as a detergent, and taking it to the next level. My apologies to anyone offended by my comment.

Severus wrote:
Severus,

Don't worry about it. You're doin' alright.

Venson

Severus wrote:
No need for one to be offended.  

Brief update on the Hoover Linx...  as time has progressed its battery is holding less of a charge. 
It used to be able to run for about 15 minutes but as of late barely makes 10. 
The secondary foam filter also severely restricts airflow even when cleaned.
I may swap out that secondary for a couple layers of Miele superfilter just to see how well that works.

As for actual cleaning Linx picks up lint and light stuff, but anything requiring serious cleaning means hauling the old Miele Bluemoon and its powerheads.

Oh yes...the Linx is LOUD...have to wear earplugs when using it for more than a few minutes.

vacomatic wrote:

Hi vacomatic,

There's a two-year waranty on the battery I believe.  If that's so, I'd get Hoover on the phone and see about getting a replacement.  Take a look at the following link as well.  You'll find a paragraph that suggests a full discharge of the battery may cause the digital circuitry to reset.  However, be advised that lithium rechargeable battery do not react in kind as regards NiCad ones.

http://batteryuniversity.com/partone-12.htm

As for cleaning -- no stickvac beyond a few corded AND even more expensive models is expected or meant to do more than yours does.  That's why I don't get the pricing on this one.  You can buy a regular upright for the 150 to 200 bucks this machines sells for.  If you want stick style and high power you'll be best served by either Miele or Emer.  For those who still just have to have the Hoover Linx, try waiting a while.  I was surprise to find it at Costco for only $145.00 and think prices may lower more in a couple of months there and at other stores.

Good luck,

Venson

Similarly the Vax Linx model (or LIfe as it called here) is around £199 and far too expensive for me to consider.