Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

http://www.appliancist.com/vacuum_cleaners/electrolux-silence-amplified-musical-vacuum-cleaner-ipod-vacuum.html Electrolux have launched a cylinder vacuum cleaner with an Ipod Dock!! Frankly I like the noise of my vacuum. Perhaps this model has a loud motor?! Also: http://www.appliancist.com/vacuum_cleaners/ This model and quite a few "new" European models due to be launched in various parts of Europe soon such as the new "Ease" uprights from Electrolux, only betitled because they are bagless cyclonic uprights fitted with an auto rewinding cable. What will Electrolux think up next? We had auto cord rewinding uprights in the UK back in the 1970s!

Thing is Venson, I dont think the Electrolux ones are destined for the U.S I think they may well appear with a powered nozzle by the time it hits the U.S It is of course a fad and one that Electrolux may well think young people may be the market in which the new Vac iPod is destined to be sold to. Trouble is out of the many students I teach I know they identify well with Dyson because that's what their parents have (or possibly a Miele) or on the opposite side of the pay scale, a Henry canister. And many students I speak to / teach happily adore Henry because his smiley face regardless of the weight/canister design issue. Most students will have their stereos blaring regardless of what vacuum they use. Im not surprised really about Electrolux bringing out an Ipod dock fitted vacuum. They were also one of very few brands who brought out a fridge freezer combo with a television screen set on the fridge door part at the top and that again is a fad - I dont think I know anyone who could sit and watch TV flush fitted onto a fridge/freezer but it isn't such a bad idea if space is at a premium. I welcome quiet vacuums - after all washing machines and dishwashers are becoming quieter all the time so why shouldnt it be any different for floorcare appliances?

vacmanuk wrote:

Hi vacmanuk,

While I was living in Tenerife, I got into a discussion about life here with one of the locals who sort of thought that everyone's life was the same.  So what did she say?  "I know you Americans.  You're all alike.  All of you have TVs in your kitchens."  Well . . .

There are wild ideas I could live with.  I have an LG fridge that I bought specifically because of its narrow width and taller than usual height.  The refrigerator and freezer portions are of equal size.  Despite the resulting increase in height, I would have loved it if they'd built in a microwave oven between the two refridgerated sections.  It would prove very convenient by way of the steps it would save from fridge to microwave.   Even better it would be great to see a fridge  with stackable sections that allowed more diverse placement.  They are offering something similar by way of drawer dishwashers and refrigerators.

LG did put out a fridge here with a television and an ice dispenser but it, at least at BestBuy, seems to have disappeared.  All appliance should operate quietly but I think few are adequately suited for double duty.  If I can I'll look around for the recipes someone developed back the day for cooking in a dishwasher.

Venson

Well.. to be fair most European's assumptions of the U.S back in the 1990s stemmed from knowledge in the 1980s.. I can recall as a child (in Scotland we had a U.S Naval Base) most of the Americans around us had tons of wide cars where the small roads here had to be widened to accomodate them. I'll never forget my experience of travelling in the back of a Cadillac. Dont ask me the model, but it bloody huge and the most comfortable I've ever experienced, and I'm even suggesting that it had better interior space than an old Rolls Royce! In the UK we don't get some appliances that Americans take for granted, such as central vac systems - they do exist in the UK but they're too expensive and not considerably justified for smaller homes. Plus the other gripe I wish the UK had - coffee machines that grind the beans AND then make filter coffee. My aunt in NYC has one and she adores it - so much better to what she was used to back in the UK. Things like that are really handy!!

"...Sure, Dustbusters and other cordless mini vacuum cleaners are useful but they’re horrendously noisy and they only give you 5 minutes of vacuuming on a charge. Enter the Miele Hybrid Vacuum Cleaner (warning very painful Flash site), a home vacuum cleaner that can run on mains or battery power. The cleaner is a bag-filtered, 1,800W cleaner with a 9 levels of air cleaning, and a built-in attachment caddy around the hose base..." (www.redferret.com)


"...The Miele Hybrid is equipped with a special engine that operates on two power sources: mains operation and battery operation. Draw with or without cable Automatic changeover without interruption of engine operation when the battery cable is disconnected with Non Stop Service..." (www.appliancist.com)

"...The lightweight Li-Ion batteries can power the vacuum for 20 minutes (it is 1,800W remember) which Miele reckon is enough to do 100 steps, 80m² or 22 small incidents. The battery recharges whenever the cleaner is plugged in, will fully recharge in 3 hours and are good for 10 years. Sounds perfect for kid-ravaged households and cleaning up the car..." (again, www.appliancist.com)


So the latest from Miele is a standard S4 cylinder with a battery pack underneath. I like the application.

Hi vacmanuk,

At last -- a machine that makes sense.  I read press releases about this machine last year and am glad to learn that its finally on the market.

I can't buy it but I hope it lands on our soil, pardon the pun, as I'm very curious as to how it will go over with American consumers.

Venson

It probably won't be able to accommodate a powerhead.

Lucky1 wrote:

Hi Lucky1,

That hadn't escaped me.  Considering the additional power draw do think Miele might opt for a turbo-nozzle (which I don't particularly like) or the rechargeable nozzle that was offered with the prior Galaxy small canister series.  I don't know how well they went over with the public here first time round.

Then again, it would be suitable as a straight suction machine in homes where there's not a lot of carpet or at least not a lot of heavy traffic issues OR if the price is right, it would make a great second vac if you already have a good upright.

Yet, there's the rub.  If they asked me, I'd say this machine -- creatively priced (as in how much BS can be sold) should cost no more than $600 American being it's made by Miele (snob appeal and all) but still  certainly a useful idea that merits extra bucks for originality first time out on the market.  However, since they're not going to ask me, I'm pretty sure Miele will try to palm this off for more like $800.

Venson

The Miele Hybrid is based on the S4. Now the S4 doesn't have a power head other than a Miele branded battery power back power head available. I'm assuming that therefore this would also be able to fit the same tubes. Other than that you're looking at using their standard Cat n Dog/full size air turbo brush floor head. My own S4 uses the latter and it does a better job than the cheap upright the landlord gave me.

More info on the Miele Hybrid is here but you'll need to brush up on your German!

http://www.miele.de/ex/microsite/de/hybrid/index.html#

and

http://www.miele.de/de/haushalt/produkte/31844_31852.htm#p31846

Also some other notes! I've already had some words with VintageHoover on the YT channel who is responsible for his video (dustfluffgrit.blog) of the Hybrid. It is presently 499 deutschmarks which is not the SAME as £ Sterling. However on the basis that the new Vax Life / Hoover Windtunnel Platinum stick vac is £199 / £200 for this 2 hour charged cordless stick vac, it doesnt surprise me that preliminary suggested pricing for the Miele S4 Hybrid is so expensive.

Upon looking up the word "weight" in German (gewicht) Ive just found another page that states the Hybrid would weigh 4.7kg

http://www.idealo.de/preisvergleich/OffersOfProduct/1866504_-s4-hybrid-miele.html

Oh how wonderful the internet is!

Also if anyone is interested you can download an English version of Miele's corporate magazine (pdf.)

 http://www.miele.de/media/presse/media/Miele_Magazin_E_2009_rz.pdf