Above floor cleaning on an upright, at what cost?

[odle53]

I have to use an eight-pound upright only, minus the tools and accessories, and use a canister for above-the-floor cleaning: I have a bad back, and the extra bulk and weight of tools, accessories, second motors, etc. is downright painful to use. When I tried a self-propelled model in a store, pulling it back on the upstroke put my back into spasms bad enough to have to come home and lie down for the rest of the day.

I bought a Riccar Supralite S-4, and couldn't be happier: I can vacuum for half an hour at a time. Mom's old Electrolux XXX is my above-the-floor cleaner, and that's easy for me to kick around. If/when it ever does finally die, if I'm still around, I'll get a midsized canister to replace it.

 

[sebo_fan]

My mother was the same due to a hand injury and a slipped disc. She loved the Oreck for a while but the noise level got to her, being a musician and opera singer.

However, the UK seem to be on the slow uptake of producing a decent enough upright that is light with tools. About the only machine I've been able to find that has good enough performance for light cleaning WITH tools and a hose is the super Electrolux stick vac I bought a few months ago - no longer sold here which is a great pity.

 

[floor-a-matic]

Generally I much prefer canister for most vacing jobs; but when it comes to vacing with an upright, I prefer a Kirby, Royal all-metal, Eureka Dial-A-Nap or Hoover Convertible (although the tools aren't on-board) I don't mind having to get the tools out from the closet or use two vacuums; I like to use one for above-floor & the other for floors & carpets.

 

[uksausage]

tools attached or not

25 years or so ago vacuums did not have tools attached how did we all manage (i say laughing sarcasticly) mum used her junior every day and because we had a dog she used to put the hose on everyday she also did the same with all the trubopower 1 machines she had she after all the turbos she the turbomaster with tools attached she used the tools everyday but on a sunday she got the old vax 121 out ok so things changed over the years and then she had tools attached uprights the best one she said she ever had was the original hoover turbo 2 she had hers the day after they were launched and it lasted the longest of other vacuums she had (except the hoover 1012 junior) after many years of these she went to an oreck and seperate cylinder that she loved for the weight issue she now has a vax mach air upstairs and one downstairs (she is 65 now and has M.S as do i but im only 36 )
i have come across many people that have said they prefereed the old uprights with out tools on them there should be more available

 

[sebo_fan]

Good lord - your poor mother - All that fuss with so many vacuums.

How times have moved on - when you consider what she had to vacuum in the home, ONE vacuum would suffice nowadays but depends on how much time you're going to put in to cart that ONE vacuum around.

"Old uprights without tools," doesn't really make much of a difference with uprights that have tools - let's face it, we all know that uprights are lousy even with longer hoses claimed to do stairs yet either fall over when left at the bottom of an "average staircase," or the tools and hoses are difficult to store back in after use. A lof of major brands have tried the flush fitting tools idea and only a few are successful. I think that's half the battle - if a brand adds tools and hoses etc, they must be able to offer ease of storing them after each use.

Your mother's choice of a Vax Mach Air upstairs and downstairs is a great idea - both have usually short hoses anyway (unless its the Reach model or otherwise with the clip-able extension hose) though you've probably may have experienced that the Dyson copied 3 in 1 tool comes off regularly out of its holder - that's what I found a lot, particularly when the power cord brushed too close to where it sits.

 

[floor-a-matic]

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">What's happening is that <span style="text-decoration: underline;">FEWER</span> canister vacuums ACTUALLY have on-board tools.</span>


<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">On my Electrolux 1205, my mother HATED the clip that holds the combo dusting brush/upholstery tool because it doesn't hold the crevice tool; & the brush kept falling off the combo tool clip when the 1205 is stored or when it stands on end for vacing cobwebs because the hose is too short.</span>


<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The Aerus/Lux Guardian Ultra & Platinum & TriStar CXL & A101 have the tools stored on the wand, which the tool holder get in the way when vacing under furniture & NOT have them onboard on the canister.</span>


<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">So I taped the tool holder clips onto the handles of my TriStar EXL & CXL; & I have the dusting brush, upholstery nozzle & crevice tool onboard the canister.</span>


<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The Electrolux Epic 6500SR holds the combo tool & crevice tool on the canister.</span>


<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">In other words:</span>


<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">On an UPRIGHT</span>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Have the tools stored on a seperate caddy</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">NO onboard tools</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Fan-first (direct air or dirty fan) design</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Suction path in the middle instead of on the side (Singer uprights have on <span style="text-decoration: underline;">both</span> left & right sides, which I think is OK)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Brush attachments with natural horsehair bristles & NOT nylon or plastic bristles</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Full-sized attachments instead of "all-in-one" combo tools (Electrolux/Aerus combo dusting brush/upholstery nozzle OK)</span></span></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">On a CANISTER</span>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Tools stored onboard <span style="text-decoration: underline;">on the canister</span> & NOT on the wands</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">ELECTRIC power nozzle & NOT a turbine power brush for vacing rugs & carpets</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Can use a mini ELECTRIC power nozzle</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Long hose with suction control</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Hose handle swivels a full 360⁰ instead of a non-swivel hose handle</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">PN ON/OFF switch on hose handle</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Brush attachments with natural horsehair bristles & NOT nylon or plastic bristles</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Full-sized attachments instead of "all-in-one" combo tools (Electrolux/Aerus combo dusting brush/upholstery nozzle OK)</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

 

[uksausage]

ryan

both mums mach airs are the reach models but she doesnt have the extension hose on the side its permanatly attached it comes up the machine over the top in front of the handle and back down the other side, my one is the same otherwise its a pain in the arse having to put it on and taqke it off you can see what i mean in my video of mine.
mum has never had much luck with vacuums they dont last very long as she uses them around 5 times a day (she is allergic to the dog hair but has never been without a dog.always german shepherds as well and they shed loads lol) her vacuums usually fall apart. i always say its because the plastic is so shit.
the tools on the mach air range dont seem to be bad there is quite a bit of suction through them and they dont tend to fall over when vacuuming the stairs.
i also have the new mach air 3 (the swivel model) in comaprison to the mach air original range they build quality is crap
was going to start another thread about it
david
x

 

[sebo_fan]

Hi David


I tried the extension hose on the back of the handle idea, but it was a right nuisance wriggling and hitting the back of my wrist each time I handled my "base" Vax Mach Air that does without the long cord. Plenty of plug hopping - good exercise I suppose!


 


As for the Air3 swivel model - I tried the model at my local Currys, one being the model with the longer cord and a base Air2 model with the swivel - each model had just arrived in the store and had not been used. I think I may have been the first customer to request to try the machine plugged in and switched on. Sadly I just don't find it to be any better for its swivel function - I found the floor head too cumbersome compared to the fixed position of the older series, plus it took a few attempts to lock the handle into the upright position once I finished off - certainly as a previous Hoover Slalom owner with its 9.5 metre cord as standard, I began to realise that the Slalom is better made with that sole respect - even if other owners have had problems locking the handle up- if only Hoover hadn't had put that daft suction dial disc on the base plate, I'd still have the Slalom, despite the difficulty of the pet hair tool locking in (I just took mine off!).


 


Surely then if your mum is susceptible to dust and fragile vacuums, wouldn't a bagged upright be better? Either Sebo Felix or the X1.1 or X4 series would suffice. 


 


I too was going to create a new post but I feel I probably take up too much responses in/on this site already! I can't help it, I just love all kinds of vacuums  - anyway I've done a video review of all of the Sebo uprights I have. Catch it on You Tube - you'll see that when I'm cleaning under the grand piano or dinner table I'm literally just hanging onto the handle of the Sebo X models.


 

 

[sebo_fan]

Interesting video there, David. I can see you're not giving much of the carpet by the slidey doors a chance - they look as if they have been turned up too much by an upright's brush roll going back and forwards on it. Still the hose is pretty much what I did with mine but I found that the suction was not as strong as opposed to the way the hose should be fitted.