Vacuum cleaners
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 675
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From: Indianapolis, IN
Originally Posted by huntercgr
Me .. I have a hardwood floor so I just use a broom and a swiffer.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2000
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From: Summit, NJ
I have an electrolux. My parents always had electrolux and still have one of their models that's over 20 years old (they also have a 6 or 7 year old one). From what I've seen is they just last, they are built with quality and they work great. It did cost a bit, but I watch my friends go out and buy a $200 vaccuum cleaner that dies in a year or two. I think I paid around $800 for mine but seeing their track record I am confident it will be around when our kids (we don't have any yet) are graduating high school.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 12,170
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From: The hills of No. Calif.
The problem with vacuum cleaners is that they all suck! (Sorry, just had to say that!) We bought a Bissell bagless a few months back, it really does pick up a lot, but the filters do clog up pretty quickly and then you're blowing dust out the side when you first turn it on...just what we were getting tired of with the old bag-style rug sucker. It doesn't do it near as much though, and if I would empty it after every use it's not so bad. The thing does feel kind of fragile though. I've been wondering about those Dysons, they supposedly don't use suction according the rather effeminate inventor in the commercials. I don't know what they sell for, but I figured they would be expensive. -TD
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 136
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Read what Jharvey said. I too have an Eureka (a Sanitaire to be exact). All METAL. NO attachments. The money in this machine is in the vacuum, not in the extras. It is the window crank and points type of machine, however it picks up ANYTHING. Can only use Eureka brand bags, as it will BLOW UP any other bag. AWESOME machine. Picks up all our pet hair.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: N. Mississippi
I have an Eureka that came from Wally world and it works great. I have had it for 9 years and it still has great suction. I agree that a Kirby is the best. My ex-wife is using one that we bought 20 years ago and she says it still works as good as the day we bought it.
My daughter has an Oreck which has to go back and be serviced every so often to keep the warranty in effect. She told me that it doesn't clean any better than her old Eureka upright did, but it was a lot lighter.
My daughter has an Oreck which has to go back and be serviced every so often to keep the warranty in effect. She told me that it doesn't clean any better than her old Eureka upright did, but it was a lot lighter.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2003
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My mom and brother both own dysons and swear by them.
Oreck's have a very bad issue with clogging due to the suction path is up thru that itty bitty handle then into the bag.
Kirby's are good machines as are the Lux's and if you want to get a true Electrolux the ones that Lowes and Wally World have are Eureka Oxygen machines. You have to find an Aerus Electrolux dealer for the 'Lux your great grandma had.
Whatever you buy make sure you can get belts, bags, and filters for it. The next thing to look at is the size of the hose on the suction path from the floor nozzle (where the brushroll is) up to the bag or dirt cup. Look at the Eureka 4800 series machines, 12 amp motor, 15" wide cleaning path, super stretch hose, if you have hard woods and carpet you can turn off the brushroll for the hardwoods. TRUE HEPA Filtration is a must.
John
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Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Damascus-Boring, Ore
We have three kids, three dogs (including an Afghan Hound- lotsa fur), and have a reputation for being pretty **** when it comes to housekeeping. That's the long way of saying I vacuum- a lot. We have a Hoover upright that I bought when we were first married (1979), that still works beautifully. It's outlived a half-dozen other machines- all of them more expensive and complicated, so I finally bought another one for the downstairs (Wal-Mart, $65). Tough to beat for the money. We've also got a mac-daddy Shop-Vac that could suck up small pets and children for the major messes, the garage, and my oldest's room downstairs (teenage boys are a special housekeeping challenge).
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Valley of the Sun AZ
Originally Posted by C M BUDKE
It depends on what you are sweeping. I prefer an upright for carpeting and a canister for hardwood/vinyl/tile floors, and stairs. For canister vacs, I prefer Electrulux. I got mine from my mother. She got it as a wedding gift 27 years ago. Still works like new! For uprights, bar none, Kirby makes the best, IMO. I bought my Kirby from its original owner for $3.00 at a yard sale. She purchased it new in 1947! She felt bad about selling me such an old sweeper. So, she threw in all the attachments in the original box! This sweeper will out perform most all of today's plastic $300 jobs. My mother has a 27 year old Kirby that works flawlessly. And my grandmother still uses hers from the 1950's! Needless to say, I am as "pro-Kirby," as I am "pro-Ford!" 
Best of luck with the new vacuum purchase!
Chris
Best of luck with the new vacuum purchase!
Chris
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2004
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I would highly recommend th oreck upright. They have awesome suction, are very light for stairs etc, and they can completely be disassembled for cleaning and maintanance. I have a hairy dog and cat and it handles it all very well. It is a simple design so you can basically field dress it in about 2 minutes. My buddy has a dyson and it is nice but pricey. Also I dont like the idea of bagless because I dont like looking at what I just vacummed up. The oreck has a simple bag hookup with no leaking whatsoever.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,570
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One of these days I'm going to bite the bullet and put in a central system. I worked for a company that had a division that put them in and the guys told me how to mix and match parts from different companies to get the best system. Also to put clean-outs in the hard pipe lines.
Super Moderator
Joined: Apr 2004
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Latest edition of Consumer Reports lists and ranks those suckers.
Looks like most are pretty good, it just gets down to features, noise, ease of use.
I put a Beam central vac in our house when we remodeled. Really pretty easy as it's just pvc pipe. Of course, working under the house makes a 5 min. job last for hours. I couldn't put cleanouts in practically as there is nowhere but under the house or in the attic to get to the pipes. The inlets have a tight curve in them, so if the item makes that curve, it will make the rest of the system ok. Or so I'm told..
Looks like most are pretty good, it just gets down to features, noise, ease of use.
I put a Beam central vac in our house when we remodeled. Really pretty easy as it's just pvc pipe. Of course, working under the house makes a 5 min. job last for hours. I couldn't put cleanouts in practically as there is nowhere but under the house or in the attic to get to the pipes. The inlets have a tight curve in them, so if the item makes that curve, it will make the rest of the system ok. Or so I'm told..
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,570
Likes: 20
The cleanouts were to clean the gunk out of them that builds up over the years, if something makes it thru the hoses it will pass thru the pipes. They had a wet dry units installed in computer rooms, that could take the hot water off the humidifier pans, really nice vacuum units, but the attachments were terrible.