Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

CarmineD wrote:

Hi Carmine,

That about covers it.  I haven't elaborated much on the "Dual Force" airways in the brush chamber as I have not seen them in action.  The claim is that they enhance edge cleaning. 

Maintenance for the belt and brushroll is quite easy.  You simply flip the cleaner and undo the six screws that hold the base plate in place.

Venson

Venson wrote:
A brush plate that requires 6 screws to be undone to get into it isn't easy in my book!

vacmanuk wrote:

Hi vacmanuk,

It's a new world unfortunately.  Many vacuum manufacturers to all appearance don't want us doing anything that they coupd perfectly well charge us for. 

Personally, I'd love to see the clips and levers used in many older American upright vacs like the Hoover Convertibles and Dial-A-Matics come back.  Belt and brush roll maintenance was a breeze as no tools were required.  Yet, I suspect that such convenience is considered too costly to provide by current makers.  (Also, i have a sneaking suspicion they don't want end-users being too self-sufficient.)

I had often bragged that I could knock down and reassemble any vacuum made since 1952 but the thought in regard to my S7 sets me shaking in my shoes.  You can't just go to your kitchen drawer and pull out a screwdriver for slotted or Phillips head screws.  A "special" screwdriver is needed that most of us don't know where to locate or buy.  That's why I see LG's six screws with ordinary heads easy to deal with. 

Best,

Venson

vacmanuk wrote:

Hi vacmanuk,

It's a new world unfortunately.  Many vacuum manufacturers to all appearance don't want us doing anything that they coupd perfectly well charge us for. 

Personally, I'd love to see the clips and levers used in many older American upright vacs like the Hoover Convertibles and Dial-A-Matics come back.  Belt and brush roll maintenance was a breeze as no tools were required.  Yet, I suspect that such convenience is considered too costly to provide by current makers.  (Also, i have a sneaking suspicion they don't want end-users being too self-sufficient.)

I had often bragged that I could knock down and reassemble any vacuum made since 1952 but the thought in regard to my S7 sets me shaking in my shoes.  You can't just go to your kitchen drawer and pull out a screwdriver for slotted or Phillips head screws.  A "special" screwdriver is needed that most of us don't know where to locate or buy.  That's why I see LG's six screws with ordinary heads easy to deal with. 

Best,

Venson

Venson wrote:

Thanks for the info Venson.  Recapping: Bagless with 1/3 less bin dumps, washable cyclones and filters [both pre-post motor], user friendly belt and brush roll service [if you don't mind time/trouble of using a standard household screwdriver].  3 level motor sucton controls.  $250-$350 price range for least to best.

One more question:  Comparing LG Kompressor to dyson DC28 [$599] and what do you think?  A run for the money?

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

Hi Carmine,

That's really a hard one.  LG is a new kid on the block when it comes to vacuums in the U.S.  Though I am not a fan of Dyson, it has the obvious advantage of longer, larger press and market exposure and certainly way more word of mouth.  Bagless vacs are now of growing interest to shoppers.  LG's advantage is the offering of two somewhat less expensive bagless uprights with potentially useful features and longer than usual warranties for non-niche vac brands.  I've been speaking to folks here and there and lot of them have a hard time wrapping their heads around the idea of three-, four- or five-hundred dollars for a vacuum cleaner.

Maybe it's due to locale.  I'm not up on what costs are like beyond my immediate area.  In New York City, everything is expensive.  If you're keeping a car, premium gas is about $3.10 a gallon while across the river in New Jersey it runs as low as $2.69.  If you're walking, the subway's $2.25 a trip and  I won't even get into rent, food and clothing prices. Oh yeah -- sales tax is 8.875 percent.  With all that in mind, launching two new vacuums in the $300 to $400 range could prove a daunting task. 

What I'd like to see is LG get on the bandwagon and take a chance on HSN.  They'd get to sell and advertise nationwide in one fell swoop.  However, since HSN demos, sells and spotlights product, what are the gains and losses of the manufacturers making use of it?

Venson

Venson wrote:

My error -- the LuV300 is on HSN at standard $399 price.

Venson

Venson wrote:
Well I dont think every manufacturer is doing that though Venson. I think some brands are looking at similar ways to SEBO or Dyson to remove stuff from floor heads. Certainly Vax have the right idea on their Mach Air lightweight vacuum, one of the better functions on it for example is that the floor head cover just comes off via two plastic clips when the roller brush requires cleaning.

Venson wrote:

Hi Venson:

I'm not surprised to learn HSN is selling the latest LG upright.  Tho I've not seen it debut on the air/demoed by HSN.  I suspect it will once the LG vacuums are more pervasive in the big box retailers in the USA. 

You've touched on a number of cogent points with regard to LG and dyson.  LG is in my view looking not just for the new bagless customers but those disenchanted with existing bagged and bagless vacuums including dyson.  Hence, the additional LG selling features, like cord winder, motor suction controls, and dirt bin compression to reduce trips to the trash can.  With a price, tho high by BBR standards, competitive with the competition.

WRT LG name recognition for vacuums.  A smart seller will say LG makes and brands bagless vacuums for SEARS and has for quite sometime.  LG is a huge presence in large  household appliances and electronics worldwide while most vacuum makers are just limited to vacuums.  This has sales appeal to most buyers especially those with LG appliances already who are happy with them. 

Have to wait and see if indies become interested in the LG bagless. 

Carmine D.

vacmanuk wrote:

Hi vacmanuk,

Nice idea but not much of an answer to my desires.  My S7 can easily be flipped over and the scissor guides (thank you Lucky1) on the body of the brushroll to make cutting away thread and hair easy enough without removal of the base plate.  Nonetheless, the brushrolls and belts are not removable for maintenance or replacement by users regarding the Miele S7 or Vax's Mach Air series.  (See the link to the Mach Air manual.) If problems arise, I have to call Miele and Vax owners have to get in touch with Vax.  That's not my idea of convenient.

http://www.vax.co.uk/downloads/pdf/u90-u91-ma_series_user_guide.pdf

Please see page 7.  Vax goes so far as to say "IMPORTANT: for your safety, never try to access / replace brushbar drive belt."  This to me is just another way of making procedures that should literally be no-brainers for users overly complicated, inconvenient and of unnecessary cost even if we're merely speaking of the a drive to an authorized place of repair. 

Venson