Quote from earthworm on 03/19/07 at 11:02am:

 
True and accurate.  ORECK produces and sells a special XL 2 "Hotel Series" with guarantees ranging from 7 to 21 years for "professional" use by hotels, motels, hospitals, airports, home/maid cleaning services, and nationwide institutions.  
 
Like them or not, ORECK has a solid history of over 45 years in the vacuum industry in the USA, made and owned in the USA, and a network of over 500 Clean Home stores nationwide that sell and service ORECK products (as well as other brands).  ORECK vacuums are approved by the Carpet and Rug Industry every year and carry the Ease-of-Use Commendation by the Arthritis Foundation (www.arthritis.org).
 
The latest Consumer Reports rates the ORECK XL21-700 number 14 with an overall "VERY GOOD."  ORECK consistently maintains these ratings by CR year after year.  Unlike a certain bagless brand with 3 models that have dropped in the CR rankings to 16, 17 and 24 as the CR rug cleaning tests become more difficult.
 
Carmine D.

Hi "Earth",
 
Easy maintenance always counts because its a given that not many like to either vacuum or have to fiddle around with one for long.  If this is the case for the average consumer it is even more the case in regard to the average maintenance employee who just wants to get the job done and move on.
 
In areas where's there's lots of milage to put in on carpeted floors along with other regular tasks, a bagged lightweight upright with a disposable bag of good size, that is fairly sturdy of build and that is simple to maintain saves time and money despite expected abuse.  I'd be hard pressed to imagine any business establishment that sucessfully gets an employee to properly clean bagless vacuum filters for long.  If time is money, then to my mind the two dollar bag pays for itself by the decrease in time required for a decently paid worker to effectively clean out a bagless vacuum or a vacuum with a re-usable cloth bag.
 
However, in the home it's all a matter of your religion.  If you're a fastidious "cleanliness is next to godliness" type then the maintenance regimen for bagless vacuums might well not seem too big a deal.  For the less movitated who, if it weren't for a vacuum cleaner, would be sweeping stuff under the rug and walking away to leave the Lord to move in mysterious ways and work a wonder, the disposable bag is a definitely sure shot.  
 
That said, on behalf on baglessness, that Iridium of mine is still doing well without a lot of fussing with it.  This vacuum has been very easy for me though I don't understand why I am beginning to see more used ones turn up on eBay.
 
Regards,
 
Venson

I do wonder if it is true that the Oreck is the hotel/motel owners  vacuum of choice.
 
     Well Eureka Sanitaires are the commercial vacuum of choice, but yes a lot of maids and hotel also choose Orecks.  They're very popular with the companies for a large part because the companies are worried about getting sued by workers with health problems like arthritis and they have to have the Orecks around because these people use vacuums all day and the Oreck are approved by the arthritis institute, which allows them to get out on lawsuits.  Lot's of maids like them as well because they're so easy to handle.  They have really great bags, and bags offer much better filtration then bagless vacuums.  Oreck actually clean the air as they vacuum.  That air that comes out of them is cleaner then the air outside.  I mean you go outside and turn the Oreck on and it's gonna start catching all kinds of pollen and mold and spores and airborn bacteria.   Bags really work well and that's why we don't see any of the really amazing vacuums going to bagless, outside dyson who has his whole other thing going on.  Oreck are very effective vacuum on carpet because they have one of the most powerful brushes around.  Outside of the Xl21 they're loud and actually I consider that to be the biggest health liability, it's very hard to use a loud machine that hurts your ears for any sustained period of time.   By far hearing loss is the most important health consideration in a vacuum, and important consideration in the enjoyability of use.  I think the new Xl21 is much better built and it's certainly the quiestest upright made, but the old XL's were kind of flimsy, I still really like the design a lot though, very simple, very ingenious, I think he had got a lot of the finer point of vacuum design.  If I was buying a new vacuum I'd be buying a new white 2 speed Oreck XL21.

      I use my ORECK 9100 everyday and still it picks up PERFECT, my home has stone, hardwood, and Berber and I love how I can go to floor to floor without doing anything, unlike a certain Bagless plastic trash heap! that I cant replace a belt without purchasing a whole new clutch !
 
  -a-

      I LOVE the sound of sanitaires! and the sound of convertibles!
 
 -a-