Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

I have been reading the various forums here this morning and they are so helpful.

I know what I don't want, so now I am having difficulty deciding between what appear to be 2 very good machines.

After pushing several of the previously mentioned machines around in the store, I might have a slight prefernce for the Riccar.  I like the fact that it won't need belts, and will turn off when I accidently suck up something I shouldn't.  I also prefer the hand held vac that comes with the Riccar, but I think that may be mostly cosmetic.

I believe I would choose the Pilot over the Gold, but I did not consider or really know about  the Edge I see talked about on here.  When it comes to the Oreck, it is hard to overlook the great 6 or 10+ year service plan, not to mention the 30 day money back guarantee.

Now, I am just going around and around in circles.

Does anyone here have some information that might help me move on?

Are we talking about the Boss Smart Vac?  I know that CR rated them highly along with the S/P WindTunnel.  I have both, and much prefer the WindTunnel.  Having sold both for Sears back in 2002, I know well of the durability issues with the Eureka.  The Hoover is an overall better machine, except for the hose fighting and the machine falling over when the hose is used....  Since I am a collector (I tend to prefer modern vacs though, lately my 60 dollar Kirby Sentria and my Dyson DC 14 have been the daily drivers), I baby my machines, so I hope not to have any issues with the Eureka. 

Yes, the Boss Smart Vac is the one I am referring to.  Even my 6'3" husband finds it hard to handle.  I don't remember what CR said in terms of management. At any rate, at the time I was wanting another vac so that I did not have to haul my Windtunnel up and down the stairs.  I was fairly used to a heavy vac, so it didn't seem to be a huge issue at the time.  The first problem that came up right away, was that the hose would not stay in it's cradle and would flop around when I vacuumed.  What was a good advantage when using the attachments, turned out to be a problem when not in use.  For awhile I tried to duct tape it and later used velcro to keep it in place.  That didn't work too well and I eventually learned to anchor it around the extenders on the side of the vac.  Then the release petel stopped working right and I had to kick it back in to hold the vac upright...I could go on....

I will send the Boss packing and keep the older Hoover.

I am not out to disrespect CR in general...just saying I have been disappointed.

The next time they send me a "we want you back" email...I might reconsider.  If it is really cheap.

petal....Is there a spell check on here?

Vacuumfreeeke wrote:

Hi VF,

Sometimes it the machine and sometimes its the user.  Most of the repair people have stories about bad machinery AND dumb users.

I have owned some of what I thought were the sturdiest vacuums known to man.  I gifted one, a well cared fro, almost new Filter Queen to a cousin and it was a shambles in less than six months. Looked liked she'd taken u Sumo wrestling.

Also I gifted a Kenmore can, not touted by many as durable, to a friend and now, some time later, he's still happy with it and it is doing well.  Note, I am not speaking of a person who particularly pays a lot of attention to his vacuum.  Prior, he'd owned only a Eureka Mighty Mite for ten years that carried him through a large loft space and two apartments before it had to be replaced. I on the other hand, no matter how careful I thought I was being, managed to snag and break the locking clip on a Kenmore can hose at least two or three times.

The Boss for its price should prove a decent enough machine but for its price -- $170 approx. -- I wouldn't get all het up about sturdiness.  Times have changed but . . .  you shouldn't have to baby a vacuum cleaner but you also should not abandon common sense regarding its handling and use.

Venson

tbstbs wrote:

Yes....pedal. 

Carmine D.

PS: The technical industry term is "handle release."

CarmineD wrote:

phhht! 

tbstbs wrote:

Charm trumps spell check.

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

Sure but my returns are superlow, everyone loves the RSL Riccar line

Venson wrote:

Consumer reports is in the subsription magazine business, they are hardly experts at anything but that

Actionvac wrote:

So show me.  I strongly disagree as CR is a tried and true shopping tool that has kept me a happy camper for years.  My first use of it was back in the "stereo age" -- the mid-70s -- when I bought a pair of Marantz audio speakers it recommended -- without audition.  They proved to be wonderful but were given to a friend when I headed off to Europe 20 years ago.  He still has them.

However, I in no way recommend the same for others.  Inform yourselves to what is available and suitable for your purpose and use.  Few salespersons show helpfulness in that area and neither are manufacturers.  So where do I go?  Do I knock on all the doors up and down my block to find out what food mixer they like or don't like when I need one?  Do I stop and ask every driver I see just why they chose their particular automobile?  Not likely.

Any vacuums that I have bought by way of CR have been what they were claimed BUT I'd read the whole text per item AND thought about it.  The problem is that many of us are not willing to make trade-offs or are too fast to jump to buy due to one rating issue.  Rating says, "Excellent for carpets," "Highest suction of all tested," and someone goes running off to store for it.  Ratings like "good" indicating a machine that may well prove more than satisfactory for many I think get passed by.

High-end Miele S7 uprights did get great scores for everything except handling.  CR didn't influence this buy as I got mine well before testing was done but I'm happy although that does not mean that someone else should be equally as pleased as I.  As well, I have seldom seen a Miele canister canister rate above good for carpet cleaning but I have one and am happy with it too.

But it's not all about premium priced vacs.  The el-cheapo Hoover Tempo continues to bring in good scores and is an easily affordable, worthwhile buy.  That kind of information I also thank CR for.

As for durability, in reality feel CR tests can show no more than I can learn at home.  There's no way of knowing what your vacuum's made of until after a couple of years of bangs and knocks plus the degradation of plasticizers have occured.  As well, common sense has never allowed me to expect much from bargain models and to take eveyday of use as a blessing -- not a given.  In 1959 a "deluxe" model vacuum that cleaned well and was durable could be had for $90.00.  You may have to pay as much as ten times that for a current equivalent to meet the same expectations.  But should everyone go out and buy 900 buck vacuums.  Heck no!  They should however seek to get the best in their price bracket.

My feeling, which you are surely free to take or leave, is that CR has been a help to lots of shoppers for all sorts of items and services and if not it would have run out of subscribers by now.  Thus it can be its own lawyer and plad its case by way of demand.  Until it has been proved to falsify tests and cater to manufacture and business interests, I'll continue to use it.

Venson