Hi Carmine,
Rexair and Rainbow's biggest problem is that they didn't/don't allow for spontanaity -- thing that helps user develop a liking for a specific machine. If you're rug or floor's looking a little ratty, you can't just walk over to the closet and whip out your Rainbow and put it away again. Not endearing, and certainly not endeariing enough to make either Rexair or Rainbow of nuch interest to the mass market.
Filter Queen is referred to as bagless and it is in the sense that dirt is not collected in a bag of any sort but replacement of a fresh filter cone was required with each emptying. You don't just dump it and walk away. Because of the need for a fresh cellulose cone after each emptying that rates about the same to me, maintence and expense-wise as having a bagged vacuum. The cones worked very, very well but dumping the collection bin was probably not too delightful a duty to many stay at home moms or working women, the predominant users of vacuums since back in the day. The positive side was that FQ has great dirt capacity and you can clean for a good month in the average home befor emptying. Yet again, due to the convenience aspect, here we have a vacuum that has never bowled over the industry in total but has retained a "following".
Long gone Lewyt was "bagless" too but jumped off the bag wangon relatively quickly and made the switch to the "speed-sak."
Over the years, it seems that people minded shaking out Electrolux and/or Hoover bags far less until the disposable dust bag caught on.
The big issue with bagless vacuums today -- like any others -- is convenience, quality and performance. If I have to do extra work to get other work done, I look everywhere for the best ways to get around it. If they can produce a bagless that doesn't require frequent emptying, has collection bin that's easily flushed out and that requires no more than six month filter maintainance under standard cleaning conditions, I could be talked. Unfortunately, I have seen no such machines.
Best,
Venson
Carmine D.
