Commercial vacuums

[toddk13]

Hi all,

I thought that I would throw in my experience with commercial use vacuums over the past 20 years. The vast majority of the time has been a mix of Windsor uprights that I did not have purchasing control over.

VS1/3 - mid 90's
VS14 - 2000's
VSP14 - 2010's

In short, I hated all of them. They are big, clunky, overpriced vacuums. There is not enough space available to describe disappointments - front covers randomly falling off, motor bases that fell off, upright locks that didn't, cords that twisted up in knots. I was lucky to get 5 or 6 years out of them before major overhaul. They were used about 1 hour per day.


Now I'm out of healthcare and in education. Big difference. They had a pile of Windsors that were not serviced. I have scrapped those and picked up Nilfisk Advance Spectrum 15D's. Incredible machines. Two stage vacuum, and a motorized head. Costs around $425 verses the Windsor VSP14 at $700. The 50' cord beats the Windsor 40' cord. Extra bag storage, onboard tools, and a nice feel make this the best commercial unit I've ever used. Most of my machines are used 2-3 hours per day. In the past year that I've had them, no failures. In snow and salt country, that also means three months of picking up tons of salt at entrances.

 

[n0oxy]

windsor vacuums

Have not used any of their uprights but at one time they were basically rebranded uprights from Sebo, not sure if that is still the case. I do have the Windsor backpack vacuum and I think it's a very good product, comfortable to wear and cleans very well. Where I work, they mainly use Sanitaire uprights.

 

[blackheart]

Sebo

I've used multiple Sebos/Windsors over the years. They're made more for durability than anything. Most of their uprights have pretty mediocre performance the exception being the Felix/Dart since it has a stronger suction motor, otherwise the Sensor/G/X Versamatic, Versamatic Plus/370 have failed to impress me performance wise.

 

[toddk13]

Raped on rebuilds

To overhaul a Windsor VSP upright properly - replace all wear parts - you'll spend $411 (ish) retail not including labor. That's unreal. After about 3 years, vacuum flow losses (case not sealing), upright lock (cheap plastic), brushes (last 6 months TOPS), are enough to annoy most users. After 5 years, all of it needs to be overhauled or scrapped.

In my earliest days as a building service contractor (early / mid 90's), I loved RICCAR vacuums. About $400, lightweight, easy to maintain, and withstood a fair amount of abuse by ham fisted staff.

 

[mike811]

Kärcher CV36/2 (Sebo BS36, Windsor Versamatic)

I have another Sebo clone, Kärcher CV36/2 (Sebo BS36, Windsor Versamatic).
This is just my opinion.
I feel that it's very well built, but it's also heavy and a bit bulky.
Suction is mediocre, but brushroll design seems good. One row of very dense bristles which are quite stiff. Note that the brush strip is easily removable and it is possible to get harder brushes (also softer). I have heard that the harder brushes will increase the performance.
Manual height adjustment has 4 positions and it works well on different types of carpeting.
This vacuum would benefit from the better suction/airflow.
Slight problem with it is that sometimes heavier particles will spin around the brushroll compartment and it sometimes feels like the suction/airflow can't catch them in time.

It is solid performer, but for example my Kirby Gsix cleans better.

In the link extreme test of it.

http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KllygEeIt4

 

[gsheen]

I have similar experience with sebo/ sorma /tennant as they were known here.

At first they seem great, but slowly they fall appart. Cleaning performance is not that good when compared to a royal.

The I always find it interesting to speak to those who actually use the products. They often give valuable insight into how good they actually are.
The problem is that when thebosses here made in Germany all they can think of is how well screwed together their Mercedes is and its German so it must be good.

A while back a medium sized resort switched to buying entry level bissels because they could replace them every three months at a lessor cost than keeping one sebo sensor repaired for one year, yet alone the fact that you could buy 7 bissels for the price of one Sebo and according to the staff who used them they cleaned better than the sebo.

I set them up with 5 filters for each machine so each day the filter could get changes , dirty one washed and left to dry for a few days. Two years on the bissels are all going well. A few belts a few brush bars , but the original lot baring one are still in operation