NZ Electrolux machines

A few weeks ago I purchased four Electrolux vacuums and thought that I would post about them.

When I met with the Trademe seller ( NZ's version of ebay) he passed on, via email, a full list of Electrolux models ever sold in NZ until the year 2000.

When Electrolux changed to Lux in 1992 that was the name we got them under. Lux over the years then went on to sell some Vorwerk Kobold products as well as some Central vacuum units.
Interestingly in 2018- 2023 they sold the dark green 80s, 90s and 00s machines. Now they sell a central vacuum that looks suspiciously like a BVC silver line unit, a water filter, an air purifier, two steam cleaners and most interestingly a Ritello water filter vacuum. Electrolux went on to sell models like the Excellio, Ultra silencer, Ultra one and Oxygen etc

Anyway here are some pics of a few NZ Electrolux machines.

the machines in my pictures are my z56, ze65, one of my 333's, 338, 720 and 735.

Are any of those made in Australia? The D720 was sold in the US briefly with Viking branding, an electric hose and one of two different Eureka power nozzles.

sorry, the link didn't work. here's the list


Electrolux years and models made

1918 - 1922 Electro Lux hand held Brown and silver model 5

1922 - 1926 Electro Lux hand held or pull along with hose brown and silver model 5

1928 - 1930 Electro lux Black and silver model 11

1930 - 1935 Electro Lux green silver and black Model Z 25

1935 - 1945 Electro Lux brown and black Model Z 31

1946 - 1948 Electro Lux redish brown and black Model ZA 40

1949 - 1954 Electro Lux brown snake skin pattern vynal and black Model ZA 55

1955 - 1957 Electro Lux cream and black Model ZA 56

1958 - 1962 Electro Lux cream and black model ZA 62

1962 - 1966 Electrolux red and cream model ZA or ZE 65

1966 - 1968 Electrolux green and white model ZC 89

1968 - 1972 Electrolux Teal and white model Z 99

1973 - 1977 Electrolux yellow and black model Z 328

1978 - 1982 Electrolux orange and white CORD O MATIC model Z 333

1982 - 1984 Electrolux cream , brown and silver Ambassador model D 338

1984 - 1986 Electrolux orange and brown model D 720

1987 - 1989 Electrolux cream and brown model D 725 electronic

1990 -1992 Electrolux white blue and silver Auto model D 735

1992 Electrolux grey two tone Deluxe Model D 740

1992 - 1996 Lux by Electrolux Royal two tone grey model 745

1997 - 2000 Lux greenish model D 746


The Electrolux company remade the Model 328 as model 336 in green colour to sell with 720 and 725

also The company remade the 333 in blue and white colour to sell with 735

and remake of the 333 in grey colour to sell with 740 and 745

popular commerical Electrolux big blue 747 sane motor as the domestic models 333 720 etc just a large dust bag

I think all of the from the z89 onwards were made in NZ, if any of them were it would be 720 onwards. I will post later tonight when I can check

Something isn't right on that list. Electrolux AB was not established as a company until 1919 and they didn't produce their first vacuum until 1920 or 21. Their very first product under the Electrolux AB brand name was a wringer washing machine.

That is very interisting to hear, this information came from a ex-employee of electrolux in the 1990s. I do not know much about very early vacuums, other than the hoover model O. I am quite intrigued by that. There might be a corelation between electrolux and dudley-electric. I have seen some dudley-electric postage stamps on trademe from the 50s. The design they used, closely resembled the early electrolux machines on high sled (model 5, model 25 etc), this was at the time that elux had moved to all in an oval design.

centralsweeper63 said:

That is very interisting to hear, this information came from a ex-employee of electrolux in the 1990s. I do not know much about very early vacuums, other than the hoover model O. I am quite intrigued by that. There might be a corelation between electrolux and dudley-electric. I have seen some dudley-electric postage stamps on trademe from the 50s. The design they used, closely resembled the early electrolux machines on high sled (model 5, model 25 etc), this was at the time that elux had moved to all in an oval design.

Click to expand...

This is a good early history though not complete. Vacuum company histories are a minor hobby of mine.

https://www.companieshistory.com/electrolux-group/

Here is a really good history of the two companies that would merge to become Electrolux AB and their common denominator Axel Wenner-Gren

https://www.electroluxgroup.com/en/history-timeline-1900-1918-27557/

This isn't all of them, but I have a fair few of this range too, these are mostly my “to be restored” machines (in “the room of shame” lol)… Most of my tidier machines are put away at the moment unfortunately. Not shown here, but I also have the hard to find blue/white model, and some of the older sled models. I’d love to get my hands on one of the later brown machines, but I've never seen any of them in New Zealand…

Fantastic info, thanks!

The 720 and 735 look identical to the Aussie market ones we had here, I have a few of those in the shed awaiting resto.

and remake of the 333 in grey colour to sell with 740 and 745

Click to expand...

I've had one of those models before, it was called the 'Lux Classic' - identical to the earlier 333 except they omitted the orange 'mains power' indicator lamp. I should have kept that one as I haven't seen another since.

I'm one of the few Americans to have and use Swedish made Luxes in my home. I have a D730, D745, two D795s ( one still has the original Swedish two stage motor and first gen circuit board and a second where that motor and the main board were fried and I had to replace them with an upgraded board and stunningly powerful Domel motor that came with an adapter kit ) and two D820s, one in a dark anthracite color and the other bright metal. I bought mine from Japan so they have the same plugs as US appliances and are compatible with US household current. I can use the D820 with the K35 hose and a Ze3 power brush but I also have an adapter to let me use it with a Lux Intelligence hose and wand and, after changing the neck, a Sebo ET-1 or ET-2 power nozzle ( the ET-2 was an optional power nozzle for the Intelligence in Europe and a Sauber version of the Intelligence was sold with the ET-1, so the neck is out there ). The D820 might be the finest vacuum ever made. Huge power, quieter than even a Miele, great filtration and superb build quality. The last of the big Swedish Luxes and by far their best. I would use the older models more as I also like them very much but there are no replacement motors for them compatible with 115 volt power. The brush holder has to have fins to keep it from spinning in the motor suspension plate. There are no 115 volt motors with the necessary fins and the motors cannot be repaired either. Bummer. If you have a 220 - 240 volt machine there are several replacement motors to chose from. Maybe some day I can come up with an adapter to 3D print and attach to an Ametek motor?