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).

The Dirt Devil Kruz is an 8 pound bagless cordless rechargeable with an MSRP of $99 that competes in the lightweight stick.  On sale it sells for less.  Straight suction with brush strips in a triangular floor nozzle and glider wheels similar to the lightweight uprights.  A fan of quick pick ups on floors.  Women enjoy using, I've note.  Not recommended on rugs.  Generally gets about 15-20 minutes on a charge.  Sleek looking.  2 year guaranty.

An old model in this stick bagless cordless category too with an MSRP of $40 but available for less is the HOOVER slider.  Less than 3 pounds.  About 15-20 minutes.  Revolving brush works well on carpets and pet hair.  One year guaranty.

As with most of the rechargeables, over time the need to charge and overcharge reduces run time.  After 2 years of regualr use, the HOOVER's run time is about half. 

Not sure HOOVER/TTI will intro a Slider with its AccuCharge battery technology.  If it does an d keeps the price at the $50-$75 MSRP, it would be a excellent tool to all household cleaning repertoires.

Carmine D. 

Dirt Devil makes a cordless stick vac with a powered brushroll, and I have seen a version by Hoover in WalMart. Anyone familiar with it? Any comments?

Trebor:

Haven't seen it.  I'll check it out next time at W*M!  Thanks for the heads-up.

Carmine D.

I'm pretty sure that Linx is just the type of battery that it uses, and that the machine is actually called the Hoover Platinum stick vac.... anyone want to correct me if I'm wrong...?

By the way.... I have the Dirt Devil stick vac that can be found at Wal-mart... I found it in the trash at my apartment complex.  Once I got all the hair from around the brushroll, charged it, and washed the filters I used it.  I was pretty impressed for someone who isn't a Dirt Devil fan...  it worked quite well on my thin carpet and kitchen floor.  I can also use it to get cat hair off the ottomon or bed.  The battery only lasts 7 minutes and takes forever to recharge, and the filter does clog if you try to suck up anything like flour or baby powder.  However, for cleaing around the front door and litter box, it just can't be beat, I'm pretty sure it's only like 30 dollars new !  I use it every day almost.

Vacuumfreeeke wrote: Yes, you are right - the vac's box labels it as Hoover Platinum stick vac.
Most of the older stick vacs used NiCad batteries and trickle chargers. NiCad batteries simply don't last unless they are charged with pulse chargers (Dirt Devil's the only Mfr I've found so far using pulse chargers on some of its newer hand vacs).

BTW the Hoover Platinum Stick vac uses a cogged belt to drive its brush. :-)

Here's the Dirt Devil/TTI stick:

The HOOVER Platinum Linx Stick vac with an MSRP for $179 is used by several retailers as a promo for new appliance sales.  Buy $1000 worth of kitchen/household appliances, and receive free.  BEST BUY has used it recently.  I believe other retailers too.

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:
Must not be selling too well at the retail level.

Makes no difference inb this case HS.  Somebody had to buy to gift them away!  Still a sale.

Carmine D.

HARDSELL wrote:

When you bundle a free product with another product and sell for less than the price of the one, you lose a new sell on the giveaway and lose money on the sale too IF IT SELLS!  Reference DC16 and DC27.

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

AND, the bigger issue, you don't get $1000 in new appliance sales to boot.  Get the picture?  Like dyson dib you have to take off your dyson color glasses to see clearly.

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

I already knew the picture that you would paint. 

When your favorite is given away it is for good purpose.  When Dyson is given away they are criticized.

At least Dyson whooped ole Hoover into submission.  Same as they did to you.

HARDSELL wrote:

HS:

As usual you DON'T get it.  Look dyson fan, a DC16 retails for $149-$199.  Same as the HOOVER Platinum Linx cordless stick.  BEST BUY, which has the contract with dyson since April 2002, doesn't gift a DC16.  Doesn't sell them anymore in their stores.  They were the most returned vacuum product it ever sold, not counting DC11, which was discontinued.  BB gifts the HOOVER Stick with purchases of $1000.  If that doesn't say that HOOVER wins, then you are as obtuse as your ID10 T posts.

Carmine D.

Wow... I thought the responses today would be intelligent vacuum discussion, but instead they are still the endless tit for tat and endless dyson banter.  Why am I not surprised!?  Isn't it getting old?

The Hoover Patinum vacuums is better than the Dirt Devil... more powerful, cyclonic technology, better battery...  I've not used one, but I know from what I've seen online it's a better machine.  Don't know if it's enough to justify the price.

Vacuumfreeeke wrote:

It was until a poster here made his usual ID 10 T comments and the person here who should respond and prevent him from doing so never does.   What's wrong with this picture?

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:
You are the first to use the Dysopn word.  AS USUAL.

The last I knew it was still making vacuums albeit crappy ones.  Isn't this Forum about vacuums?  Or is it about bladeless dyson fans and hand driers?  Mike W. it seems HS, an idiot poster here, needs some Forum guidance.  Can you help him out?  Or is it just me you think needs advice?

Carmine D.

Vacuumfreeeke wrote:
Hi VF,

The Hoover Platinum rechargeable stick is a nice idea and serviceable but, fully understanding what it is -- just a rechargeable stick vac -- the price, that of a halfway decent straight suction canister or upright, seems kind of out there. How I'd love to kow what it actually costs to make one.

For the all too many shoppers who make purchase decisions just by the "say-so" on the box, I think many may be assuming they're buying something more merely due to the price.

Venson

Venson wrote:

I agree Venson.  ORECK has HOOVER in its sights when it sell it's Silver Series Upright alo for $199.  Clearly a better choice over the HOOVER linx stick at $179.  No doubt in large part the reason for the giveaway by retailers.

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

You really should not consume alcohol while taking trilafon.

HARDSELL wrote:

As I said HS, in the morning I will no longer be drunk.  But you will still be stupid.

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

wrt dirt devil m083414:

seems like Dirt Devil still using NiCad batteries, though with an improved charging system.
Trouble is, NiCad's don't last.
also, battery's built in, and if you need to run longer than its capacity, it's a 6 hour wait to recharge.
with the Hoover stick, you slap in another charged l-ion battery and are cleaning again.

Granted, that Hoover stick vac's for light duty only - it's not going to get stuff deeply imbedded in my"level 3" rugs.
I get out the heavyweights for weekly or bi-weekly cleaning.
But so far it's keeping the floor dust and rug lint under control.

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.