Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Hi everybody... Today I bought a Miele S2 Delphi, the model with the SEB-217 powerbrush. I considered buying it online--lots of places offered free overnight and no sales tax, but I wanted it today. Plus, it felt good supporting the city of Chandler, AZ with 43 dollars of sales tax and supporting a local business...

Anyway, I can post pics and a review of the machine if anyone would like it. It's very similar to other Miele canisters, with the 1200 watt 'Vortex' motor, crushproof hose, quality German construction, and virtually silent operation. Seriously--the 217 powerhead doesn't make a peep. I had to check a few times to make sure it was on. Quite the contrast from the Kenmore powernozzles that will rattle ones eyeballs out of their sockets.

One question, however: The manual states that the indicator on the SEB217 should glow green for normal operation, and red for abnormal. Mine does neither: it glows orange, but purrs quietly, grooms the carpet beautifully, and makes no extraneous noises. For anyone else with a recent Miele, is orange a normal color? Or, for anyone that owns a vac store, I'd be indebted to you if you get the chance to check on your display.

I have wanted a Miele powerteam for a long time, and the S2 series finally makes it semi-reasonable: 543 dollars out the door for a 7+1 year warranty, friendly local service, and a free package of GN bags--I thought that was very nice, considering you pay the same for a Miele no matter where you go, and these bags are 20 dollars a box. I've gone to some vac shops that won't even throw in a pack of generic paper bags when purchasing a Panasonic Platinum upright.

Trav

Here's a review of the Delphi I did today. I apologize for the narrow viewing window, this was the first time I did a YouTube video with my new iPhone 4. (The process couldn't be easier, though--just one click and it's uploaded wirelessly to YouTube!).

I love this machine, my carpets look noticeably cleaner. At the hospital where I work (I'm an RN), I've converted 3 people to this machine--sight unseen. All three have returned to report that they will never, ever go back to their Dyson upright (2) or Kenmore canister (1).

The video is a little long in the tooth, but it does showcase the features of the S2, it's power and refinement, and overall cleaning prowess. I hope you like it-let me know what you think, and please keep the thread on topic by taking argument elsewhere.

Click to visit my (tttravs) review of the Miele S2

Lovely video and a lovely machine! We just dont have these models in the UK. Buyers have the option of using a rechargeable pack floor head instead which I've tried and didn't like that much. The noise of the motor on yours is great but the small opening on the roller bar would just annoy me. I had the Vario tool clip on my new S4212 Miele but its really annoying when I pass by furniture and one of the tools gets knocked off. SEBO's ET-1 may be noisier but it has a much larger roller brush in this respect. Good luck with your new Miele!

Thank you for the video of the MIELE S2 Delphi.  Looks like a wonderful vacuum for your needs and decent price.  One question for you to consider:  As you use the power nozzle with the metal wands and hose, do the plastic connections [from the hose end and power nozzle neck] ever come loose from the metal wands?  Thank you again.

Carmine D.

Thank you, Vacman and Carmine.  Vacman, one of the biggest reservations I had prior to purchasing this machine was the floor nozzle, as I said in the video, I was concerned it's small size and soft bristles would be ineffective in cleaning the carpet.  I have found that for my needs, it works fine--if I had carpet any plusher, however, I would definitely opt for the SEB 236.  I do like the Sebo, but I'd be buying it without ever seeing one as I don't have any dealers nearby.  I'll also admit that I've always had a thing for the sound the Miele makes.

Carmine, I have yet to have a disconnect between plastic handle/metal wands or the power brush on any Miele I've had.  My S4 is now 4 years old and is used everyday-the connection between the wands and hose still engage with an audible "click" and don't disconnect until the release button is pressed.  Have you noticed that being an issue on other machines?

travstyles wrote:

Thank you.  SEBO dealers, brick and mortar, are hard and scarce to find.

No, never a problem with MIELE's as you said due to the excellent lock ons.

Enjoy your new MIELE Delphi canister for many, many years.

Carmine D. 

Yes, to answer your question where the attachments [hose and wands and tools] twist/turn on to lock.  The difference in the metal and plastic, primarily the weight, causes loosening of the connections and falling off. 

The connector has never fallen off on my Miele's, Carmine. It's the tools. I know that Miele tried to experiment here with a better holder than the clip on one equipped with my original S4210 and that was a particular pain in the neck even though it could be clipped to the handle before the hose as well as the main metal pipes.

When my Miele S4212 gets around a corner for example the wall that it gets stuck behind before moving into the next room is naturally obstructed. Sometimes when the machine is then pulled out of the corner, the vacuum will move out of the way and a tool falls off in the process.

In this respect SEBO's K series which only has a single clip on the tubes for its dusting brush is better thought out; all the other tools sit within the machine's design. Miele are evidently concerned about weight and price/model line ups which is why they probably added the newer lock on tool holder by the main hose connection on the machine. Still not as effective as the bigger S5 models or older S500/S300 models with the push button tool door and the tools inside.

I've always felt onboard tools are the ticket for both canisters and uprghts and I have felt that way since an ill-fated experience with an Electrolux 7020A.  It's hose grip was designed to allow for clipping on often-used tools but they continually kept falling off while I worked.  That ain't my idea of "handy".

The whole affair with tool clips on wands and vacuum hoses is merely about being cheap albeit the idea serves best with central vacuum systems as there is no unit to store tools on. 

This is just another "dumb-down" to make the public pay more but get less.  Speaking on behalf of Kenmore, at least in this inbstance, its models cost somewhat less than Miele and other brand cans but thngs that matter like onboard tools storage and swivel hose connections with integrally designed electrical connection are good thng -- not bad.   But, excuse me, it costs so much more to deliver quality Miele says.

Venson

Venson wrote:



Right on Venson, it is a way of "cheapening" things. Hoover have one, as pictured on here on their Chinese made Freemotion cylinders. The idea is that there's a slider underneath where the round part is that pushes out the brushes, reverse it and it becomes a flat upholstery tool. In other words Hoover have copied Electrolux here with their excellent "butterfly," style combo tool. But even at that, as it sits underneath the smooth tube, the tool connector does sometimes come off, no matter how fancy or flush Hoover make it. One thing I do like about clip on tools at the top is that they are generally easier to get to rather than having to bend down to get smaller cleaning tools all the time.

vacmanuk wrote:

Do you own one of these vacuums Vacmanuk? Just curious buddy. If so, what's the quality like compared to a Miele and/or SEBO?

Nope I have never bought a Hoover Freemotion and reason being since I'm a member of UK group Hooverland, one member on there has bought a Freemotion and found it below par and I'd go with his thinking and reasoning behind it. It looks really well designed, very organic and the 2 way standard suction only floor head has a Miele copied pivotal neck that allows the floor head to go side ways. Pity Hoover didn't incorporate a similar neck on their main floor head air turbo brush. The Freemotion is also noisier than the German vacs and very expensive, bits have broken off, thus the plastic build is poor and although I like the handle design and the way the tubes can be moved from the top, I'm led to believe the adjuster for it has snapped off far too many times. One novel feature that it has (but it doesn't impress me) is that the air filter exhaust automatically rises up when the machine is switched on. It is of course a fad that doesn't offer anything new to the owner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Z0OC-GmnFM