Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

http://www.appliancist.com/vacuum_cleaners/electrolux-silence-amplified-musical-vacuum-cleaner-ipod-vacuum.html Electrolux have launched a cylinder vacuum cleaner with an Ipod Dock!! Frankly I like the noise of my vacuum. Perhaps this model has a loud motor?! Also: http://www.appliancist.com/vacuum_cleaners/ This model and quite a few "new" European models due to be launched in various parts of Europe soon such as the new "Ease" uprights from Electrolux, only betitled because they are bagless cyclonic uprights fitted with an auto rewinding cable. What will Electrolux think up next? We had auto cord rewinding uprights in the UK back in the 1970s!

I see this SEBO Felix "Royale" only being available in the UK.  It is a design the UK can take pride in and is made for that purpose.  They are celebrating a special time.  It really would not work in a country like the USA.  The same could be said about American brands, which have the U.S. flag design/colors in the vacuum cleaner, in other countries.  In 1976, American companies celebrated 200 years of independence in the USA.  Companies like HOOVER had vacuum cleaners with "USA" colors and/or design on the vacuum cleaner.
Another vacuum would be ORECK.  ORECK w/their choice of red/white/blue hood and "American Heritage" on the bag.

I do not see SEBO marketing this particular Felix in the USA.  What they could do is market a Felix in the USA, w/the "USA" colors and/or "U.S. Flag" design.  All they would have to do is come up w/a fabric design.  They could introduce this special "USA" model on the anniversary of SEBO's entry into the U.S. market.

For the moment it has only been released to celebrate both our Queen's Jubilee year and of course our impending Olympics. I don't see why it wouldn't be a success in the USA. After all, the Americans have gone mad for British Union Jack flag transfers on MINI cars. If the exhaust filter cover was available as a separate issue, you could just buy that and adorn it to a Felix Rosso, since that model is also red. I like the idea of the Stars and Stripes being displayed as a separate model too. You never know, SEBO aren't a company who follow other brands that much, so the exhaust filter cover/waist wrap may well become an optional cover. This is the company who make airbelt covers for their canisters with pink or blue elephants on a blue/pink background!

There's also a black model with Swarovski crystals embedded in the waist cover. This model comes from Germany, in terms of its market. Known as SEBO FELIX 1 Premium Crystal

Our course we need vacuums with Swarovski crystals on them! That makes them better at cleaning, right? I don't think I ever imagined a world where we had to put "bling" on our vacuums.

Im pretty sure it's not been the first time. After all, Miele made that anniversary S4 Gold painted cylinder vac a couple of years ago. It was around the £300 and now on Amazon for £250 or thereabouts.

DC18 wrote:
Hey DC - last night I replaced my first synthetic dust bag on the Felix. It was absolutely packed full of dust and I'm really surprised - it's nearly been 3 months which is ONE month more than I'm used to with the paper bags. After talking with a few people online regarding the bags, they can actually be reused! I don't know if Sebo are aware of that - obviously they wouldn't recommend doing it - but thanks to the seal cap at the top, it's just a matter of shaking all the dust from the bottom to the top of the bag, open the cap and shake over a bin - or use another vacuum to get the dust out.

Hi vacmanuk thanks for the update on the synthetic dust bags for the Felix thats impressive and great to here very surprising too. Think I will look at getting a box of them to try as I've still got some paper ones left. Just about to replace a paper bag soon that is about full (jam packed full may I add and still has great suction!). Good to here that you can reuse them, shame they don't put a clip on the bottom to slide off to empty and re-use. Suppose SEBO wouldn't like you to re-use due to potential exposure to dust emptying them! Good to know that though! Thanks again for the update will get a box soon and try them, save on buying the charcoal pre-motor filter will give the new synthetic bags a try first. I'm liking the new Commercial SEBO BS 36 & 46 Comfort models. The new improve cleaning head is an improvement on the previous design. Wish they would update the X4 to have variable suction, brush roll switch off and improve the hose (just from all the comments I read online!) so the machine doesn't tip.....not that I can comment on that one as I don't have an X1.1x4 yet! If thats the only negative comment people say about the X4 then it can't be bad when you hear so many negative comments on other brands machines!

Well it all comes down to personal need - a lot of reviewers slate the X because of the tipping over when the hose is taken out - but seldom do they moan about the auto sensor head or the ease of gliding. I for one prefer a top release hose - I can walk about and just pin point and suck up dirt with the upright, wand and hose in hand, and the only bending I'll do is to reach a smaller cleaning tool. I find the whole process fast and easier than the hose release on the Felix. One thing I am noticing with the Felix is that I'm beginning to get lazy and just reaching for the top of the hose and just grabbing that instead of the proper tube at the bottom of the machine. When I put it back, sometimes the hose isn't being locked in properly and that means the floor head refuses to function as it has a safety nib located inside the dust channel from the machine to the floor head. Not so with the Dart, the commercial version and not with the X model. Top release inevitably means that yes, the upright will fall over - but not many moan that anything breaks on the back of the SEBO. That would be a major downside it was the case, wouldn't it?

Also,the beauty of the new material bags on the Felix means you can actually reuse them again! The tip here is to seal the bag, take it out and shake from the bottom so that the dust sits just at the top where the flap is. Take the hose from another vacuum and suck out all the dust once you've opened the flap, or if you don't like the dust, time for a dust mask and you can shake the bag outside. From a cost saving point of view I can admit that my new-material Felix bag that I just took out has been re-emptied and installed back into the machine! You'll realise that if you buy the bags as they are very thin to the touch, very flexible and very easy to pin point things that you may have sucked up by accident - I discovered a few of the crystal stones I used to collect as a child, I had sucked up by accident and they were quick to locate and simpler to move through the material to get them out!

For those who don't know already. Miele in Germany are about to bring out a new replacement to the S5. It's called the S8.
See microsite: http://www.miele.at/ex/microsite/at/S8/start.html

I do like the SEBO X4 and the hose setup looks ok to me, briefly tried one in John Lewis. There will always be something someone finds fault with!! I would like to get an X4 at some point as I do miss not having a wand and stretchable hose, but I would still keep my Felix as i do love that! Will have to definitely get some of though new synthetic bags for my Felix soon. Will try the tip for re-using them when I get a box of them. Just changed the bag having had it in 3 months, was jam packed and full to the top, the bag indicator only showed it as 3/4 full, suppose that depends on the dust that is picked up and how fine it is! I do like the new Miele S8, looks very nice!

I dont like the look of the S8 - it looks like a grub - not pleasing to the eye at all, which is a pity as the extra, glitzy features are nothing but glitzy and not much use - I mean, putting lights beside the park position slots is just a waste!

As for the Felix - why bother changing up an X4 - simply buy yourself a replacement plastic wand off Ebay with the handle and the extension hose, then you can use both whenever you need extra stretch cleaning. Over the fact that you can't store the extension hose anyway on board unless you wrap it around either upright, it makes sense to buy the plastic wand with the handle on it for use with the Felix.