Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Good afternoon everybody! I was hoping for some help.  I am a little torn between buy an Oreck Edge and a Kirby Sentria.  I have wanted a Kirby for a very long time, and I know how heavy it is (which seems to be the major critism everybody makes) as I used one growing up.  I believe the Kirby will keep my carpets very clean and that it will last a long time.  I would buy used/refurbished and therefore there would be no (or a very minor) warrenty.

However, today I decided to stop by an Oreck store and was very impressed with the Oreck Edge, which is the only Oreck that would work on my deep pile carpeting.  I am not convinced that it would do as well of a job and since it's a newer "edition" it doesn't appear yet on with a Seal of Approval on the Carpet and Rug Institute webpage (although many other Orecks do).  A Seal of Approval would be very important to me because I feel like they don't have a vested interest in what I buy.  (Consumer Reports doesn't seem to rate the higher end vacuums, which is disapointing).

Has anybody had experience with a deep cut-pile carpeting and what vacuum would work best? (I also glanced at a Riccar, but didn't fall in love). Anything you can do to sway me one was or the other would be helpful.  Please don't tell me the Kirby is heavy, I doubt the current version can be any heavier than the 1970s version I grew up pushing with no self propelling feature.

10lees wrote:

Hi,

It would appear that you're trying to talk yourself out of buying the Kirby you want. I may or may not be able to help you. Since you've stated your Kirby need not be new, let's not talk weight, let's talk money. A used G series Kirby, preferably anything from a Model G5 up can be found on eBay (check feedback to assure yourself of a given seller's reputation) at far lower prices than you'd have to pay for the very current Oreck Edge. The latter G series models will clean well and last with reasonable care.

The Oreck Edge, new on the market, comes with a matched portable canister but when new the set can command over $700.

Kirby uses old-school pile height adjustment which I like better but on the other hand its a pain to convert to attachment mode on cleaning day. There are people who think otherwise but I think they they are more inclined to want to play than clean. I believe it's all about getting the job done and moving on.

Kirby is surely good but, by today's standards, frivolous cleaning mechanism. (I own one.) The Edge and its companion vac is handy but expensive. If its the Edge idea that turns you on, also consider Hoover's Platinum bagged vac with companion canister. You'll get the same or better compared to the Edge and have it for a lot less money. Think of all the extra toys you'll be able to buy.

Venson

PS -- If "higher end vacuum" means costly vacuum, CR shouldn't be rating them. They are now priced well above what most money conscious shoppers can afford. Faced with laying out 1,600 bucks or more for a Kirby or feeding kids for a month or two, what would you choose?

By 'higher-end' I meant any of the ones I have seen at independent stores VS big box stores.  When I checked out Consumer Reports it mostly was Kenmore/Hoover/Dyson (I currently own a Dyson Animal which doesn't work on my new carpeting).  I hadn't heard about Electrolux, Riccar, Royal, Kirby and I believe there is only a few Orecks in the report - essentially none of the Gold Standard from Carpet & Rug Institute were listed.  I just wish they would test a wider variety though I understand most people will buy Hoovers from Walmart.

You're probably correct that I'm trying to talk myself out of the Kirby - the Oreck is enticing as it is on sale (599 for both) and has a 10 year warrenty.

Definitely the ORECK Edge.  If the lack of the CRI Seal is troublesome, it shouldn't be.  ORECK's have earned the seal as long as it has been awarded.  In fact the first vacuum brand to do so and continue every year since the CRI has been awarded.  I suspect, as I've mentioned here before, when a concern was raised that ORECK's had not earned the revised CRI seal that it was just a matter of time.  Be patient, the newest ORECK models are probably in the CRI queue awaiting testing and reporting.  Sure enough ORECK was there again with the revised CRI seal.  Same for the latest ORECK Edge. 

I would recommend if you haven't already taking a sample of your home carpet to the ORECK Clean Home Center store and testing before you buy.  $599 with a 10 year warranty...and you know ORECK will be business nationwide to stand behind it with parts and service. 

Carmine D.

 

The ORECK Edge upright and companion Edge Canister MSRP $799. 

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:
Does $599 include the canister?

I have owned Kirby Sentria, Oreck XL and now a Hoover Platinum.

Scrub the Oreck.  It may not damage the carpet as it vacuums.  It may, however damage the carpet over time as it fails to deep clean.

Kirby has excellent cleaning ability.  Height adjustment is the best that I have seen.  The brush can be turned off so no need for a canister on non carpeted surfaces.  If you liked the transformer toys that were so popular a few years back you will love the Kirby.  Attaching the hose / brush head is similar to playing with the Transformers.

The Platinum does a fantastic job of cleaning.  I prefer to use the canister for non carpeted surfaces because no brush turn off.  The upright is so light and easy to maneuver.  A few negatives.  Bags are difficult to impossible to find locally and they are expensive.  This is true for canister and upright.  The canister exhaust is very strong and will blow things off the table or whatever.  It is also noisy.  So is the Oreck.

Good luck.

Online it is listed as $799 for both the Oreck Edge Upright & Canister, but at my local store it is $599 for BOTH the Oreck Edge Upright & Canister.

Does anybody have an opinion on the Kirby Ultimate G Diamond Edition (dual speed) versus the newer Kirby Sentria?

This was posted in an on-line review about the ORECK Edge and may be of interest to you.  Enjoy.  Yes, that's right.  A 3 year old is doing the vacuuming. 

Carmine D.

Some features I absolutely love:

• It is more powerful than any other upright Oreck.  There is no need to keep running it over the same spot multiple times. It picks up everything in a single pass, including the hair of my two dogs.
• It doesn’t feel bulky, and its maneuverability makes it effortless to use.  Other units just seem heavy after using an Oreck.  Since it lies down flat while maintaining suction power, you can even use it to clean under beds.
• The Versa-Glide true floating head makes moving from surface to surface seamless.  Since I don’t use brooms, every floor in our house gets vacuumed.  Having this feature has been priceless.
• With variable speed control, you can set it on high for carpets or low for bare floors (or several speeds in-between).
• There is a 10 year limited warranty on the upright and 3 year on the handheld unit.  After a long and frank conversation with the owner of our local store (aka my son’s Disneyland), I found out that Oreck machines are built to last far beyond their warranties.
• With this warranty comes 10 free annual tune-ups, where they change out the bag and belt, take the machine apart and clean every nook and cranny possible.  Afterwards, your vacuum looks and works like new!  I LOVE this Oreck perk.  In fact, this perk alone makes the vacuum worth its weight in gold.

Other Great Features:

• Though a sturdy workhorse, it is lightweight.  Weighing in at only 13 pounds, even my son can easily use it.  Plus, it saves my bad back.
• It has a light duty Quickwand on-board tool that you can activate without turning off the vacuum and switching equipment.  All you need to do is “park” the unit.  It’s also telescoping, so no additional extension attachments are needed.
• It boasts being the quietest Oreck upright ever.  With his sensitive ears, my son enjoys this feature, and my infant daughter doesn’t get scared.
• It has a long-lasting Endurolife Belt.  I don’t know exactly how long this belt lasts, but in the course of ownership of our last vacuum (that does not have the Endurolife Belt), I have only changed the belts at my annually scheduled maintenance checks.
• The long 30-ft. cord makes for less outlet changes during your cleaning sessions.
• The side edge brushes makes cleaning corners and along edges a breeze.
• It’s easy to lift the vacuum up and down stairs with the carry handle in the back of the unit.

Let’s talk about allergies…

At our home, my son has horrible allergies that leave him stuffed up, coughing, and with fluid in his ears for weeks and months at a time.  Oreck’s advanced HEPA-Celoc Hypo-Allergenic filtration system in its inner and outer bags helps to eliminate 99.997% of pollen, mold, spores, dust, pet dander and other particles.  That makes mom happy.

A You Tube video of ORECK Edge upright and canister.  Enjoy.  Takes about 6 minutes to view. 

Carmine D.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSmO3fqIvD8&NR=1

10lees wrote:

One of our posters, a very good and very experienced repairman, has made mention that some two-speed users have a tendency to constantly run their machine at top speed -- assuming an advantage I'd suppose -- and incur undue wear. Technically, Kirby vacs have had two-speeds for a long time but the highest was only accessible in attachment mode. Kirby Gs clean quite well at standard speed thus there's no particular reason to dog them.

Generation to generation (new idea to new idea I mean to say) Kirby has been more or less constant. Yes, they made the floor heads wider, changed colors and so on but didn't do anything radical until the Gs. The G series had a long run with an eventual improvement in the brush roll's tuft configuration that led to much improved cleaning ability.

As for the Kirby Sentria, I think it is the same old lady save for slight changes in makeup and wardrobe. I do not believe it surpasses its "G" predecessors in any way that's significant. However, that is not new. Many pricey niche brand vacs go for years without modification before changes are made, one way or another, to make them appear new and improved and hopefully more attractive on the market.

Venson