Aadvice on a new vacuum as daily driver

[turbo500]

the Kirby has a market, it doesn't justify for all

It's the same story again, isn't it, Nar?


People think that just because they as an individual are a fan of X machine or Y brand, that everyone else in the whole world should do exactly as they do.


 


This is a prime example of people putting their own pride first and giving potentially bad advice that could result in major damage to an expensive investment.


  


Now, I'm not saying anything about the performance of the Kirby here. It would likely be fantastic on the current carpet. It just astounds me sometimes that people can't be subjective.


 


Since there are far more warnings scattered across the net regarding using brushroll's on berber carpet than there are promoting it, I know which I'd go with! But hey, if people want to risk that amount of damage going against the recommendations of the manufacturer, on their own heads be it.


 


A quick google image search gives you hundreds of results of berber carpets ruined by using brushrolls on them.

 

[kirbysthebest]

The Simplicity/Riccar machines are excellent vacuums. A few caveats: They do possess very aggressive brush rolls, but you can get brush strips that are less aggressive; some with bent ends that do not snag carpets. 2. Not all of the Taconey (Simplicity/Riccar/Rug Pro/Fuller Brush parent company) are built in the U.S. The uprights are U.S. Built, as are the full size canisters. Others are built in China and, per another long thread, disassembled and then reassembled at the plant in St. James, MO.

The Aerus machines are always top notch cleaners and some still have the great straight suction carpet / bare floor flip nozzle of yore.

Don't discount Rainbow, now I am not sure about current models; but they used to have a good straight suction carpet nozzle.

Filter-Queens are good machines, having not used the current model I claim ignorance, but as with all the aforementioned door to door brands; they will be pricy.

I will not get into the Berber/upright debate, but I have been pushing a vacuum for many years and the only time I have seen a runner occur it was usually snagged by something else and then grabbed by the vacuum. The vacuum itself did not snag it to begin with. I have an indoor/outdoor carpet in my basement laundry and have had my Riccar Light weight grab the end where it meets concrete and snag it. I actually don't care about that carpet anyway--what idiot carpets over a floor drain in the basement? (former owners).

The Berber in the bedroom, however, has been cleaned with Kirby, Aerus (uprights and canisters) Panasonic, Filter-Queen, Royal, Electrolux (See Aerus), Tri-Star, Sanitaire, Eureka, Rainbow,Riccar & Simplicity Vita-Vac and there is no damage to report.

The Plush in the Living room, dining room, hallway has suffered some pulls and snags; not from the vacuum(s), but dogs claws. [this post was last edited: 5/5/2015-12:41]

 

[kirbymodel2c]

I

<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">understand what your saying but I think sayings a statement across the board isn't quite true.</span>


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">Sebo even do a brush roll for "wool loop pile carpet" I assume they've tested it on these types of carpet.</span>


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">Of course running over a already pulled thread is very different to the a soft brush roll coursing the damage in the 1st place.</span>


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">James

</span>

 

[sebo_fan]

Whilst SEBO may well do a soft brush roll (I use mine on wool carpet) but I also prefer straight suction only to protect the wool pile. Whilst it would be preferable to have a soft brush roll, the guest here has asked for a vacuum that requires a lot to do, not least dealing with DIY dust occasionally but also being able travel around a home.

The problem isn't just the Berber carpet but also getting around a home if the EXISTING vacuums don't have another stretch. One quick remedy is an extension power cord, but that isn't always the safest way to go in most homes.

If any brush roll is going to "course" damage in the first place, it will be an aggressive one WITH strong suction in tandem. Cue the Dyson...

 

[sptyks]

If you have pets and you want a really clean carpet, then I strongly suggest you DO NOT get Berber carpet in your home. Berber carpet is a royal PAIN in the A** to maintain. You need to use a straight suction vacuum which does not do a thorough job of cleaning pet hair and does not Deep Clean the carpet.


 


I suggest you get a fine plush carpet and get a Kirby to deep clean it and keep it looking beautiful. Also Kirby is very effective in picking up pet hair and it is self propelled requiring very little effort to push it.

 

[blackheart]

Soft sebo brush?

So do we think the Softer brush for Sebos would be suitable for berber? If so i'd go for a Felix it's hands down the best Sebo machine i've used.


If you do go the central route i'd probably stay away from the filterless machines, i just don't like the thought of freely allowing debris into the motor. I'd either go with a bagged unit or an inverted filter system, I know the local shop sells Beam they've had few issues with them. As for the powerhead maybe a wessel Werks softclean or the EBK280 which has pretty soft bristles.

 

[eurekaprince]

If you are concerned about an upright damaging your Berber carpet, then you should try out the Miele S8 Alize straight suction canister vacuum. Consumer Reports has given this model an "excellent" score for "bare floor cleaning", "air flow through the hose for tool use", "noise suppression" and "emissions filtering". It rated a "good" on carpets and "very good" for pet hair removal with the AirTeq nozzle. It's got nice convenience features like a spotlight on the handle and a 24 foot cord. It is the top rated suction only canister in the current ratings.

Since the air-flow is so good, you might consider buying the optional Turbo Brush for carpets to give you gentle brushing of your Berber carpet.

Here is our friend Roger demonstrating the European version of the Alize. It is essentially similar, but has a more powerful motor (up to 2200watts). I own the white FreshAir version of the S8 (essentially similar to the Alize) and the 120volt North American motor in both of these versions is strong enough to give it the top scores in Consumer Reports.

 

[sebo_fan]

The only problem with Miele canisters is that they supply a short cord compared to other brands. Lets not forget what this guest is actually looking for, EP.

 

[countryguy]

Miele vacuums also have short hoses and very tiny wheels which makes moving them on anything but floors or very low pile carpets, very difficult to do. I know...I had a Capricorn.

Gary.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

I have 4 friends who have central vacs

2 of them NEVER use it anymore. One uses 2 HOOVERs: a Convertible and a Decade 800.
One is BEAM, 2 are NUTONE, 1 is Electrolux. When we were at Stark's vacuum store and Museum, they had a HOOVER central vac. IF I ever built a house, I'd consider the HOOVER... if it had a nice p.n. (I think I'd install it mainly for the novelty of it).
I have a 12 room house, 10'high ceilings on both floors, hardwood, ceramic tile and Oriental rugs, (tiny bit of wall to wall). I'm happy with what I have and use all the time.
Some swear by Kirby. A cousin had a Dyson ball...took it apart, not happy with it now. Another has a Shark....stay tuned.
Our family never really were 'canister' people. WE were ALL HOOVER upright Convertibles. I've had to use all types of different species at jobs, friiends' homes, etc..
Good luck on your choice.
John.

 

[floor-a-matic]

@Gottahaveahoover

I recommend the early generation (Constellation, Celebrity & Quik Broom) Powermatic instead of the Quadraflex

 

[parunner58]

Thanks for all the input. To clear up some things, we don't have the berber yet. The house is w/w with brand new builders beige Saxony plush, which my wife hates the foot prints you see all the time. The house was a foreclosure and the bank put it in, we would have rather had the choice to pick carpet. We are use to having real hardwood floors and with area rugs like we did in our house in PA. Our neighbors have the berber style and my wife liked it. That is a next year project so she could change her mind on a carpet type anyway. 


 


Kirby is out because of the way the tools are used and they don't fit under furniture.  It will be getting the new hose for the lux or hopefully central vac if the price is good.  Some of the prices people stated on the home improvement sites were twice as much as we were quoted for our old house.  They were saying for a 2400 sq ft  $2400-4000 for 2 inlets and one in the garage  for either Aerus or Vac-u-flo.   Our quote for 4 inlets in PA was $800 for Aerus and  1100 for Vac-u-flo.  I will keep you guys updated. I attached a few pictures of the living areas.

 

[eurekaprince]

You can always add a long extension cord to any vacuum.

I don't find the Miele S8 difficult to pull on my deep pile rug. It is very lightweight and moves quite easily while pulling on the hose. I'd much rather have a canister vac that stays solidly in place on the carpet as I clean, than one that will go sailing into my ankles with every move of the hose.

Actually, the only reason why I recommended the canister was because of concern for Berber carpeting being damaged by an upright. Since Berber has a relatively low pile, the Miele S8 will roll along nicely on that kind of low pile carpet. If they decide not to go with Berber, then the Miele upright with 40 foot cord is a more convenient cleaner for large swaths of wall-to-wall carpeting.

Also, the S8 canister has a hose that is 1 foot longer than previous Mieles, and I find it quite adequate for getting up high to the top of book-cases.

 

[sebo_fan]

Wow, what a lovely home! I can see why a central vac would be more suitable. The ceilings aren't that high, which is a bonus.

 

[parunner58]

Sebo fan the ceilings are vaulted, 20 foot high at the peak

 

[kenkart]

Ok ...I have to say it..

DO NOT BUY ANYTHING NEW...Find a good reconditioned Filter Queen 31 or 33, get a set of straight suction wands and rug tool along with the power nozzle,,the FQ old style power nozzle is quiet and gentle while doing a fantastic job,you will have NO dust leakage, its quiet and there is just about nothing to compare with it as far as suction is concerned.and of course you wont be bothered with gimmicky plastic stuff or a huge awkward machine to handle.and too, you will have good quality attachments that no new cleaner offers.

 

[floor-a-matic]

Or U can use a Eureka The Boss 1934B (Dial-A-Nap) or Hoover Convertible or Kirby strictly for carpet & a canister like a Eureka Mighty Mite or Electrolux for bare floor/above floor vacing

 

[bimmer740]

Parunner58

Are these prices you received to have someone install the central vacuum or just for the unit itself? I installed my VacuFlo myself, I have a split level colonial and it was fairly easy. I have 4 inlets, one inlet per floor does the trick for me, and I have no issues with using a 30 or 35 foot hose. I wouldn't consider myself very handy around the house, I can learn to do something and execute it well, but I don't have that knack of just knowing how to do things. I am meticulous about details and I watched how to videos online and on YouTube before installing my system, I read all sorts of directions, and I talked with my vac shop about how to properly install the system. Overall I spent about $1200 total on the unit, piping, inlets, and power nozzle and hose kit. The VacuFlo 566Q unit I purchased at a discount but it was still around $800. If you can install the system yourself it really shouldn't cost you an arm and a leg, and with only two inlets it shouldn't be difficult. My only regret is that I didn't put an inlet in the garage, you may want to do that if you like to vacuum your car yourself.

My other go to machines are an Electrolux Epic 6000, similar to your 6500, and a Kirby Diamond Edition. I love them both but the central vacuum handles the majority of my cleaning and does it with such ease. It really one of the best purchases I've ever made.

 

[hnz85]

You can always order the components yourself which may come out cheaper than a dealer. Then you can just hire someone to run the plumbing if you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself. Adding a third inlet wouldn't cost much more and would give you peace of mind that you will be able to reach everywhere in the house.

I would recommend either of these power units:

Beam 325C $634

http://www.vacdepot.com/power-units/all-power-units/beam-325c-serenity-qs-central-vacuum

Vacuflo 466Q $799

http://www.vacdepot.com/power-units/all-power-units/vacuflo-466q-cvs-power-unit


And this is a very good power nozzle and accessory package:

Weasel-Werk EBK360 $399

http://www.vacdepot.com/attachment-.../aspria-cva360d-souvern-deluxe-attachment-kit

 

[sebo_fan]

Even if the ceilings are high, there's less to fall over if you have a central vac or a cylinder vac with high wands. However as one member has already pointed out, the only downside to central vacs is the suction air flow. The longer the wand, the less amount of suction you'll get.

If it was me I would source a central vac with a PN, but I would also source a Numatic Henry vacuum as a portable. They're durable, far better built than even Miele vacs, are quite simple yet offer longevity, durability, massive dust bag capacities and a good length of power cable. They're from the UK but they have been available in the U.S for a few years. Only downside is that none of the little cleaning tools you get store on the machine, but then the models in the U.S may well come with a tool storer.