Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Hi all Just wondered if anyone knew of anything new on the horizon from SEBO? Will SEBO ever upgrade the X Series or replace it with a completely new model like the C Series canister was replaced by the D Series!? Thanks DC18

Well, Sebo vacuums are used in large commercial venues, ships and clinics in the UK, as well as schools and hospitals. Says a lot really for the brand and they are getting more known now that they have updated their website. The American website for the brand have made fantastic videos showing off their products but the U.S are lucky to also have Windsor vacuums as well - our UK equivalent contract cleaning companies charge £500 for the X1 Automatic. If you don't require the use of a pet hair tool brush, get yourself a refurbished Sebo X1 Automatic - you're not really losing any real time performance if you choose the dark grey hood and light grey bodied X1 uprights that often appear on EBay UK,. The original white X1s have lower suction power with 850 watt motors compared to the 1000 watt motors on the grey/dark grey versions - and those ones last too. Older Sebo uprights are also pretty robust too.

How long has the D4 been out? Im thinking about ditching my riccar 1700 for the d4...

Thoughts?

The SEBO D4 came out in 2010.

Why do you want to "ditch" the Riccar 1700?

Well, if this link is anything to go by (http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/feed-resources/power-reviews/pwr/product-reviews/Canister-vacuum-cleaners/Riccar/p/681__99007304-1700.html) it shows that there is a common thread of complaint leading to the hose and then the power nozzle. The D4 is far better built even though Riccar go to the bother of suggesting that the belt they put in is Kevlar and lifetime. Seems to me that whilst Riccar (and I wish we had them in the UK as the uprights and canisters look wonderful) build good components, they're not good enough if these owners are suggesting breakages in 2 to 3 years.

vacmanuk wrote:
I was asking him why, because I wanted to hear his opinion.  He, being a vacuum enthusiast, probably just wants something new.  I know that this model is not even available in the UK and you admit it.  So, from your experience, how do you know about the Riccar 1700?  The 1700/1800 are very good canister vacuum cleaners.  There are going to be repairs needed for any vacuum cleaner.  Even SEBOs break down.  Are you telling me that there are only eight people, who have Riccar 1700 vacuum cleaners?

Again, I take peoples' reviews w/a grain of salt.  Notice how some say the machine is loud, quiet, hose short, cord too short, long cord, heavy, lightweight.  Hoses split, hoses didn't split, etc.

I love my 1700, but I wanna try something new... LOL I am always trading or swapping stuff just to get different things all the time and I am the same way with vacuums.. In all honesty, I'd probably keep my 1700 because its the first Riccar I've owned.. I usually always keep the firsts of something then swap the subsequent acquisitions...

With that said, I think the power nozzle is over kill for the rugs that I have. I'd enjoy the machine as it was intended more if I had wall to wall carpeting but I have 6 rugs and the rest of the flooring is ceramic, travertine or armstrong tiling. I wished the hose were longer, but that is because I vacuum my bedding because of my cats. I have a love hate relationship with the handle on the hose, so I wished the electrical connection to the hose wasn't integrated so I could put a non electrified hose on when I didn't need the wand/handle .. but that being said I love having the suction adjustments in my hand instead of the motor unit.

I guess I was used to my filter queen that had a custom 16 foot non electric hose... I guess I missed that setup because I rebuilt an older filter queen to add to my collection for that purpose.

What would satisfy me the most would be if the power nozzle was speed adjustable, or based upon the suction selected at the handle .. The brush roll is aggressive, and is perfect for installed carpeting... If it weren't for the cats, I wouldn't be so picky but I have to vacuum every day because of the hair and having the rugs get bound up in the power head is annoying... Especially when I am in a hurry.

jkbmmv wrote:
If you get yourself a Sebo D4 vacuum DEMO then you can try the vacuum for free - then you'd know if it is suitable - or any dealer near you who sells SEBO.. Alternatively, the Sebo Felix upright uses the same floor head as the D4 and K3 in the U.S. I'm not a rep but from what you're saying I don't think you should fork out so much money for a new vacuum - the D4 is pretty high in the U.S and it is a pity that the non-electrified versions are not on sale yet like the D1, or D2 we have in the UK (as well as the D4).

In so far as requiring a 4.8 metre hose (which roughly equates to your 16ft requirement). Sebo's canister vacuums have a length of 2.1 metres and I myself have used their 3 metre extension hose for cleaning out homes attached at the end of the existing hose. There is suction there but in my experience, having too much hose can be a bit of a downside as it is often clumpy, bulky and inclined to bang off doors and cause more damage than necessary.

I can't speak for Riccar as we don't have them in the UK - but the Sebo design is used in commercial fields, the brush roll isn't aggressive as you may like to think. Sebo also sell a delicate floor roller that can be swapped around for the harder bristle action, thus giving you more control and peace of mind for cleaning delicate flooring. However, I have ceramic tiles and mahogany floors and I use the ET-1 floor head with the standard brush roll and at times switch it off if I want - I haven't noticed any damage incurred in the last 6 or 7 years with the use of my Sebo. The beauty of Sebo though is that they also sell a motorised polisher head for delicate flooring, so in the future if you considered either the Sebo K3, Sebo Felix or Sebo D4, you could buy that polisher head as well and use it with any of those vacuums.

Sadly because of the brush roll and its power, rugs that are not fixed to the floor will clump up in any power head. I have yet to find any other vacuum on the market that can safely clean rugs with a moving brush roll - the only exception is the low powered cordless Gtech Sweeper where its brush roll isn't as fast and the bristles are soft. Generally suction only floor heads are better for portable rugs but even then you have to stand on them to make sure they stay down when cleaning.

Can't you buy a suction only floor head and just put it in lieu of the powered nozzle on your Riccar?

I see SEBO have updated there German Website, liking the new look! Lots of new pictures and features displaying there new domestic and commercial range (www,sebo.de). I mentions a newly developed parquet nozzle on the Premium Felix range! Not sure there a picture of it!? Like the pictures some showing close ups too! Good work SEBO.

DC18 wrote:
Yes, I posted this on another vacuum cleaner forum yesterday. The site also shows a new video for the D Professional commercial canister vacuum and there's also a new Sebo Felix Stars and Stripes as well as flag exhaust covers for Berlin, Germany and of course our own Royale shown.

In the UK, the K3 Premium now features the same 2100 watt motor as the K3 Vulcano and both come with the extra long hose. Pity that Sebo UK don't offer the ET-1 Felix floor head though as they do with the D series. Eventually it may well be replaced. As the owner of both, I much prefer the ET-1 to the auto rising ET-H - its older and slightly heavier.





DC - I just sold my X4 and X1.1 a couple of weeks ago and bought myself the older X1 Automatic. I did miss the original model and now that I have a virtually brand new (but obviously older X1) I now know why I missed it - it is a lot quieter than my X4 and X1.1 (not that these models are louder than the current modern high motor uprights out there) and heck, I can use my other machines with a pet hair turbo tool - the X1 Automatic makes a lot more sense for a daily driver, that's also lower in noise.

I think the new website for SEBO Germany is very good really like it, nicely laid out and informative. I'm still having a good look around it! Love the pictures especially the close up ones! So vacmanuk you've sold your SEBO X4 and X1.1 and now have a X1, I do see a few X1's on ebay recently. So your liking your SEBO X1 then? Sounds like you prefer it over the other X models? I'm looking at getting an X4 but still keeping my Felix. Like the idea of the convenience of the wand and hose on the X Series do miss not having a wand and hose combination on board. Be interesting to see what's new in the future from the SEBO stable.