Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

. . .  What I'd like to see is LG get on the bandwagon and take a chance on HSN.  . . .

Venson

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

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

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

Not at all!  I have no problems with loose thread, long tresses or pet fur mucking up the works with my vacuums but many do.  Thus maintenance should be simple.  And . . . if an owner hopefully has his or her machine for a good amount of time and feels a brushroll change is in order that should be simple too.  Other than to buy the replacement piece, there should be no need for a run to a vac shop over the matter.

As for the auto-shutoff for brushrolls -- it should be a given in any clean-air upright vacuum.  Long hair, thread, etc., will usually not stop a brushroll.  The unseen sock, kid's toy, fringe on rugs or the edge of a scatter rug will.

Venson

Some brands/models warn users up front not to tackle replacement although they may make access easy.  They advise seeing an authorized dealer.  Other brands/models clearly show users "how to" but may use 4-6 standard screws for the job to get done.  In the final analysis, if the parts are inexpensive and available, and users are so inclined they will go with doing the replacement themselves regardless of the screws, clips, and/or both.  I lean toward the latter for product longevity and usage for the long haul.

Carmine D.