1959's The New Look in Vacuum Cleaners

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Moist?

Maybe we should talk about Rainbows, lol! Actually Charles you did a very butch job of those Kirbys for your church friend. I need to put a new bearing in my Classic 1cr. It was my grandmother's vac and was thought lost after she died in '97 but was recently rediscovered in storage much to my delight, it was always supposed to be mine. However it is very dull and noisy so I'm trying to work up the courage to tear into it, cars are easier for me!
 
It is strange...

They didnt test a Compact, Dual Deluxe Sunbeam, Apex Strato Cleaner, Silver King,,,,I do love old Consumer Reports, I try to buy them when I see them at estate sales, although they are rare, I disagree with them about the GE, I always thought they were among the best store brands.
 
Consumer Reports tested the Compact C-4 the previous year (1958). They did not like it - mostly due to the outrageous price ($229) and sales method. There were many times CR did NOT get it right. History has proven that. In Dec. 1936, the Hoover model 150 was the LOWEST rated 'acceptable' vacuum cleaner. The Air-Way Super Chief (twin motor) was rated "not acceptable". In 1938, the Rexair model A was rated "not acceptable" due to the 'probability of shock hazard'. I've never known anyone who was shocked by their Rexair (except, they WERE shocked at the dirt it picked up). In 1947, they DID get it 'right' - naming the Air-Way Sanitizor model 55 the top canister vacuum, followed by the Lewyt model 40. In 1971, they absolutely got it 'right' with the top rated vacuum being the beautiful Electrolux 1205 with pistol grip electric hose and telescopic wand, and PN-1. This was followed by the second highest rated cleaner, the Electrolux model L with the same hose, wand, and nozzle set up.

Today, Consumer Reports does NOT get it right most of the time. That's due to the fact that they don't test the cleaners long enough, don't take them apart to report on design flaws, and don't give durability enough credit. Why must they (year after year) give that horrible Kenmore Intuition canister the top spot?
 
Dysonman1, CR rates the Kenmore Progressive the top canister, claiming the Elite Intuition is over priced for what you get in comparison to the Progressive. Either way they never say anything about the funky near useless tools that come on the Progressive and never once compare it to the better Panasonic canisters, which IMHO have all the strengths of the Kenmores (they ought to considering their mutual parentage) but their tools and wands remain conventional. To me the Panasonics are the best value in a canister vac but CR seems to ignore them. It just reinforces my generally low opinion of CR.
 
I could not agree with you more regarding the ineptitude of CR. If I want to know what to scratch off my short list first I check to see if CR has recommended any of them....
 
Re CR

Tom you hit it right on the head as usual...I love the old CR but they did often get it wrong, remember what they rated as the best vacuum in 36..a GE of all things, now I like old GEs but comparing a 150 to a ge is like compairing a Imperial to a go cart!, to my mind a 150 is probably the finest upright ever built!And to get a shock from a Rexair, you really would have to do something stupid...like get in the bathtub with it!!LOL
 
Maybe they thought the bathtub could serve as a very-large water pan....? 
smiley-tongue-out.gif
 
LOL!

I guess you could get a shock if you turned it over while off then turned it on...but the stupid things people do still never cease to amaze me! LOL
 
Consumer Reports-

-has also said in more recent years that the SE Rainbow had no way to store cord.And that the Eureka Brave would be a great vac.(Ask anyone who repaired vacs at that time if they got that right!)
 
CR also said the Air-Way upright motor would be "very short lived" because it used sleeve bearings. I've never seen a bad Air-Way upright motor.
 
Plymouth Valiant

I think that the Plymouth Valiant/Duster was one of the BEST cars ever made! They were reliable,good on gas-if you bought the slant/6. Always started,even in the coldest weather.They were easy to repair,even if you had to have a mechanic do it,the repairs were relatively cheap. The Valiant model was especially popular with older women;Avocado green,& Tawny gold were the favorites! The Duster even came in a high performance model,& was also popular. The only bad thing about the cars-the body rusted out long before the engine died,even if you had it Ziebarted.I remember fixing my 1973 Duster-with the snakeskin top. Many nights were spent in my friend Kenny's garage,bondoing it,& fixing the rotting underrcarrige with sheet metal.
 

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