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.

HARDSELL wrote:

You can't answer HS?  We're talking vacuums here, not cars.  Let's talk vacuums.  And in particular: The 2 vacuums in question: ORECK XL and HOOVER lightweight bagged.  Why is one [HOOVER} so much better than the other [ORECK] for carpet cleaning?

What I said was:  ORECK XL was not as good a deep down rug cleaner as a full sized HOOVER WT upright.  I said it was a good second place. 

Carmine D.

PS:  Here are my exact words excerpted from a review of the ORECK XL posted here from several years ago.  If you like go to the reviews tab here and verify.

"Almost as good as the HOOVER Windtunnel for cleaning and grooming but not quite
Alot lighter and easier to use than all full sized uprights including the HOOVER WT"

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!  Wait, am I back in middle school?  And here I thought I was acting all grown up by posting on a vacuum discussion board (as in signs you've firmly an adult).

Anyhoo, I am fairly certain the Kirby is my machine.  I would still like to know from MOLE about what type of repairs he sees in for Kirby, but barring that information I don't need any additional information about the Oreck or, god forbid I entertain the notion of buying another one, a Hoover.

Thank you all for the helpful information!

10lees wrote:

Stating facts is not fighting.  Correcting one's mistatements about my own quotes here is setting the record straight for all like you who come here and read and ask advice. 

Carmine D.

10lees wrote:

Kirbys have not made any dramatic changes [other than the tech drive on the generation 3] Dating back to 1992 or 3, The kirby is a great open area rug cleaning machine,I tell people that if you have no furniture and are one floor its a great machine.

The machine with all the goodies  is too hard for the average person to use. The usual problems with the generation series are since its a FAN FIRST design that all the dirt and debris go up thru the moving parts,brush,belt fan, fan pullie .

The all metal  pitch is very irrelevent, Is there really any need for die cast aluminum in household applications?. Kirbys are sold  in one on one demonstrations,by authorized kirby distributors,been that way since 1906. Think about this why did Kirby go from a aluminum fan to lexan fan,it was called the bolt eater fan.

The resale value on kirbys are rediculous,MAYBE a good G5,G6, diamond edition, may bring 250.00 with all the toys.

They must get rid of that silly bag tube.............

mole

mole wrote:

Hello my friend:

I would add to answer your question about abandoning the aluminum fans:  The little old lady, who was the only Kirby employee one who could balance them properly, died. 

Carmine D.

How does the current Kirby model compare to the 1974-75 Traditional model?  Has it always been a 'fan first' design?  I heard the Kirbys always pulled NOT through the motor which is a selling point.

CarmineD wrote:

Hi Carmie,

Was she a friend of yours

10lees wrote:

Yes the motor and front bearing are sealed off from the fan which sits in the fan case,but so did Hoover,eureka,Royal and for the old guys The G.E.premier uprights

MOLE

It is a great pity that the SEBO FELIX isn't cheap to buy in the States. This is what I would recommend, or a "manual" old Windsor S12 commercial upright that has a manual dial to the side for height adjustment. Both have manual height adjustment and both are extremely capable to clean thick pile carpeting without strain. I can't stand Kirby vacuums - far too heavy - and even with a self propelled feature, it still has a dirty fan system which means more wear and tear on the fan since dust gets sucked through it, and not as instant to clean with the hose as the Windsor has a retractable hose and instant wand for above the floor cleaning - handy to have and quick to use in an instant. Also the Windsor/SEBO systems have removable brush rolls at the touch of a button. Oh, I think they have also had numerous seals of approval!

mole wrote:

Hi MOLE:

I met her at the KIRBY plant on occasion many many years ago.  I was proudly told that when she takes vacations, the plant stops all new KIRBY production.  Why I asked.  Because she was THE ONE and ONLY who could balance the fans and makes sure they revolved in balance on the motors.  A problem [out of balance] which went away when KIRBY switched over to the lexan fans.

Carmine D.