Do you think Hoover have quite a 'hold' on the market due the brands Longlivety & History?

[hi-loswitch98]

Whenever I help someone choose a new Vacuum Cleaner, most of the time they always end up going for a Hoover one, because of Hoover's history in the UK & many associate the name with the Uprights their Parents had. It also happens when I sell Vacuum's at a Car Boot also, people go for the 'Hoover' branded models because they associate the Hoover name with good quality.

Also, when you look in the Argos Catalogue or go into a store that has 'Hoovers' on display & the sign says 'Hoover - the original' I think that attracts some peoples attention because they think Hoover can still produce a good quality Vacuum Cleaner. In some cases they can - but most of the time the quality is no better than most Vax Machines IMO.

Do you agree?

 

[madaboutsebo]

The last time I used a Hoover vacuum was my mum's Hoover Turbopower 1 which I used to love using. Looking at what Hoover do now I personally don't think it's a patch on what they did yesteryear! So I wouldn't even look at getting one these days! Not sure if that would change in the future probably not! Shame really as I used to love Hoover vacuum cleaners!

 

[hi-loswitch98]

They have launched some good ones recently IMO. I want the Unplugged.

 

[madaboutsebo]

I must admit I've not really looked into depth at Hoover products for a while! Probably need to take a closer look with an open mind. But most have jumped on the bagless wheel including Hoover which I'm don't like as such anymore prefer bagged machines.

 

[madabouthoovers]

Neither Hoover nor Vax are the companies they used to be. Both were taken over and now manufacture in China. Hoover is now Candy, who are an Italian company and many of Hoover Candy's models are not their own design, but borrowed from other companies, and mass produced in China.


Vax are now TTI (Techtronic Industries) - another Chinese company who also own Hoover US, and Dirt Devil US. Vax UK now has nothing to do with what they were when they started out, with all machines made by TTI in China.


 


Quality of Vax and Hoover products is pretty much on a par, but I'd say HooverCandy is perhaps slightly better at quality control in their Chinese factories.


I am not one for all these battery vacs - battery life is too patchy with many batteries still not lasting more than 2-3 years, and they are not anywhere near powerful enough to clean carpet properly. They are only really suitable for hard floors, and the fashion for carpets is now returning, so these stick vacs will end up less popular anyway, as people go back to carpets.


 


 

 

[hi-loswitch98]

I generally find Hoover products not so 'toy-box' looking as Vax machines do. But the Unplugged has a motor powered brushroll - similar to the Vax LiFE Unplugged, but the Hoover Unplugged is more powerful.

 

[sebo_fan]

Sorry but I think Hoover has lost the plot in the UK. Hoover Italy have some fantastic corded stick vacuums that we don't get the opportunity to buy in the UK. Some have high power, some have low eco power that would easily pass the new EU regulations; models like the Lyra, Synua and Diva would give buyers something of an alternative to the heavy Purepower.

However, whenever I recommend any main sized vacuum cleaner it is anything BUT a Hoover product from the current UK range. This is because of personal experience but also down to several product reviews online as well as videos.

To my mind, they look just as toy like as a few other brands and as some of Roger's videos show, some Hoover models aren't that well built or designed.

As for more powerful where the "Unplugged" model is concerned - well that's what the specs say for this brand new cordless stick vac from Hoover. I like the video that Hoover have made but I'm dubious as to how different it is to so many other cordless stick vacs appearing. As you know the Vax Life based on Hoover's Linx in the U.S has been out on the market for a much longer period and it won't have the same kind of power.

It won't be long before TTI will probably raise the power, anyway.

However I've often been dubious to cordless power when it comes to stick vacuums. I don't find "having more power" much of an advantage when it comes to cordless stick vacuums, particularly those with moving brush rolls. This is where mains corded is better, even if you are restricted by a cord.

I have more of a belief in extra power with cordless dust busters - put simply because they don't have to do as much of a cleaning effort and don't usually have motor brush units that sap more of the power on board.

 

[sebo_fan]

Also, I don't think Hoover UK have much of a hold any more or for that matter, much of a preference from buyers - this is down to product reviews and of course reliability from organisations such as Which. Last time I checked, Which rated Hoover as either poor or average for reliability and one or two models have been crushed for their general performance and design.

It is a real shame because Hoover in the UK used to produce a great range of vacuums - same with Electrolux, who have now handed over their vacuums to the umbrella companies that they own rather than badge vacuums under their own name.

I also wish Candy would just sell off Hoover to a much better brand who know how to deal with floorcare more effectively.

 

[hi-loswitch98]

It must be the people who live here, they tend to buy Vacuums from the Supermarkets, in which most of them are Hoover. They're not very well built but get good reviews, hence why the Sprint is popular. That one isn't very well built & the tool cheapness is a bad let down.

I do also wish that Hoover could bring over some Italian models to the UK. For example the Purepower Autosense Cylinder, Diva Stick Vac & the Athos Cylinder, especially considering there is a 1000w Athos Cylinder which would be an Eco option for those not wanting a 2200/2300 watt Telios Cylinder Vac.

As for them not looking like a toy, I mean the more expensive models that tend to look better built in Stock Photos, compared to te ones that Vax show. Cue the Vax Dual Power Cerpet Washer.

 

[jmurray01]

I think Hoover still have quite a good reputation due to the history of them being one of, if not the most popular brand of vacuum cleaner in the 20th century and thus, what most people's parents owned.  Therefore, people will be inclined to buy them these days as it is what they were brought up with.


 


Unfortunately Hoover is no longer that, and is now made by Candy and worse still, in China.  As much as Hoover is my favourite brand of vacuum cleaner, I would never buy a new one these days as they are just not Hoovers, but merely a generic design used by other manufacturers and quite possibly made in the same Chinese factory! 


 


Hoover died shortly after it left the Hoover family, in my opinion, clinging on just long enough to make the Turbopower 1 and 2 and then dying disgracefully with the Purepower in the late 90s.


 


I can't speak for the dead, but I'm pretty sure "Boss" Hoover would be turning in his grave if he saw the vacuum cleaners that were being produced with his name on them these days. 


 


It is very sad, very sad indeed.

 

[alexhoovers94]

The very best Hoover's if you ask me were the Juniors, they were powerful, easy, lightweight and convenient to use, energy efficient and cleaned very, VERY well indeed. The TP1's were also VERY good but they were quite flimsy to say the least with slight improvements on quality with the TM's. The Turbopower 2 cleaners were good but not AS good as the later however for an entirely plastic upright they were built like a tank! The early Purepower models from 97-99 were actually solidly built but a year or two went by and they quickly went down hill.

 

[hi-loswitch98]

Exactly Jmurray01, that is the point I'm trying to get at. People still buy 'Hovers' because of their history.

I would say Hoover died when they split from Hoover US then the final nail in the coffin came when production moved to China. Does anyone know exactly when production moved to China?

 

[sebo_fan]

Well I wouldn't say Hoover Juniors are powerful - they are enough for carpet cleaning and that's it. That's all most UK buyers had in terms of a carpet cleaner. The suction through the hose for example isn't that good.

People may well still buy the Sprint because put simply, it is one of the cheapest from the Hoover brand. Those who think they are getting a better bargain based on the reputation of an old company will settle for Hoover instead of, say for example, the Genie bagless upright vac sold at ASDA.

Just because people buy a brand name that once had a good history doesn't mean it is going to translate as the previous reputation. People learn the hard way; the Dustmanager uprights are proof of that. It took Hoover quite a long time to improve the dust box on that design and even now there are still complaints of it.

 

[alexhoovers94]

I have always thought the hose suction on a Junior was pretty strong for the smallness of the machine.


They really cling to the carpet too and the agitation is fantastic.

 

[sebo_fan]

Maybe the suction is strong on the metal Juniors but the suction through a U1104 is dreadful.

 

[alexhoovers94]

Oh yes, I was referring to the 70's Juniors not the naff 80's versions.

[this post was last edited: 5/5/2014-13:58]

 

[manchestervacs]

Hoover got a bad name in the UK over the flights to Florida scandal (Wiki link below).

I think the brand never really recovered from that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoover_free_flights_promotion