Decreasing Selection of Vacs in Canada

[eurekaprince]

I don't know if it's the decline in the value of the Canadian dollar, but we cleanerphiles up here north of the US border are seeing smaller and smaller selections of vacs in the stores.

We have always had a more limited choice here compared to the USA, and the choice in the Province of Quebec has always been even worse due to anti-English language laws and high taxes not condusive to a healthy business environment.

But things have really gotten bad in the last few months. The Canadian Electrolux website no longer shows any vacs AT ALL, and the Canadian Miele website no longer shows any uprights. Even the line-ups of Sebos and Hoovers and Sanitaires seems to be shrinking as well! I can't even find a cheap Hoover Tempo Upright at Home Depot any more.....

Will Canada become a dirtier place to live? Will I have to drive to Plattsburgh, New York to get my vacuum fix from now on?

A Sad EurekaPrince :-(

 

[sebo_fan]

A slight exaggeration

I hardly think SEBO is decreasing in Canada; they've just received the commercial single motor Evolution 300 upright vacuum under the "Mechanical" sub-brand. They will probably get the new E series canister as well in time.

Also Amazon Canada seems to have a LOT of different vacuums including 2 Miele uprights.

 

[eurekaprince]

Indeed, the Sebo Canada website looks quite promising....you just don't see a lot of the models in the stores in Quebec.

Offerings on Amazon Canada can be misleading: many of the items need to be shipped from the USA and so the buyer incurs import duties on top of a poor exchange rate between the two dollars. Still cheaper to just drive over the border and bargain hunt for deals, though I've been told some warrantees will not be covered if taken across the border. Miele's US warranty will not apply in Canada, for example.

 

[delaneymeegan]

I'm feeling bad for you Prince.

It's not like the selection is that great in general.
I rarely go to Walmart (in u.s.), and was at one a week ago. There are no canisters. Just black plastic upright bissels and hoovers. And shark.

Small shops are continuing to close, even in heavily populated areas. Everyone is shopping online.
You can't go into a brick and mortar store and get your vacuum/heroine fix. If your addiction is heavy, I can just imagine your pain.

Is it time to consider ......a vacuum cessation class? Do they make a patch for vacuum-philes? Something non-stimulating with no steroids or side effects? Perhaps there's a group, like AA?

 

[eurekaprince]

Hahaha! Thank goodness for the internet though....I have to live vicariously and watch my American neighbours enjoy their rich vacuum cleaner culture. :-D

It has always been one of the many joys of visiting Florida as many Canadian snowbirds do in winter: drooling at the variety of vacs in stores like Sears and Best Buy and Brandsmart!!!

If I get really depressed, a half hour of playing with my Miele FreshAir canister does the trick!

 

[delaneymeegan]

 


See Prince, your addiction isn't too severe, at least not according to your profile.  Unless your hiding your addiction.....?


 


I'm up to 29 units, but I know my limits.  In fact, I've defined them. 


It's those philes amongst us..... the ones who can't help themselves, <span style="font-size: 14pt;">the ones who can't get enough.....<span style="font-size: 18pt;">who are forever wanting more <span style="font-size: 24pt;">and more ....</span></span></span>


<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Until their vacuum addiction leads to serious consequences. </span>


  


<span style="font-size: 12pt;">You know: tangled hoses, cords twisted and mixed with others in a big mess, lost accessories, power nozzles mixed and matched with the wrong brands, units stacked precariously, vacuums crammed in every nook of one's hoarder house.  Oh it's just too terrible to think about.</span>


 


 


 


"rich vacuum cleaner culture"  Yes, if there is ANYTHING Americans are known for, that is one of the important ones.   Perhaps, it's time you consider immigration?


 


<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Unless you have some serious (No doubt vacuum related crimes in your background), I'm sure you could move over the boarder and be amoungst "your own kind".</span>


 


<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span>

 

[eurekaprince]

Haha! No... The addiction never got too severe as I never had enough storage room to accumulate too many vacs.

But it really is a challenge to find high-rated vacs in Canadian stores. For example: I loved the suction-only Miele Alize when it debuted on the US market. I wanted a full-size Miele S8 but without a power nozzle and the bulky electrified wands. Consumer Reports has now rated the Alize as the top suction only canister in their rankings (been so for over a year).

But the Alize has never been part of Miele's reduced line-up in Canada. And I was advised not to bring one in from the US as the warranty would not apply in Canada (wonder if the same warranty restrictions are faced by Europeans bringing Mieles over European borders - eg a French Miele bought in Paris has a warranty that won't work in Spain?).

Anyhow...I got lucky: this wonderful vac store in London, Ontario (McHardy's) had a limited time offer on a beautiful white Miele S8 with no power nozzle! It came with a whole bunch of great features - Spot Light Handle, extra Universal Dusting Brush, extra long flexible crevice tool and all the deluxe features in the S8 / C3 line up such as longer wand and one-touch cord rewind. All for the discount price if CAD $550! Free shipping too.

So sometimes I get lucky here in the Great White North!

Have a good weekend!

 

[sebo_fan]

Does the warranty actually mean anything for a canister vac that doesn't have a PN though? I didnt buy my Miele S8340 because it came with a 2 year guarantee. I've not had to use it other than for the missing foam filter that goes in tandem with the Super Air Clean grid and Miele kindly sent it free which didn't affect the warranty intact when I asked.