The bag that comes with the vacuum is often installed poorly. In fact most are not installed right from the factory. I have seen this myself where the opening in the bag collar was not centered on the dock. If that is the case you get a leak no matter what brand of bag you use. There is a lip on the mounting dock that should fit into the bag collar tightly. If you pay attention to fitment there are no leaks. The collar on the Kenmore brand bag is thicker and fits the lip tight. Other brands with thinner cardboard collars do not seal as well but are easier to install and remove. I have been using these for decades with no leaks.
Two questions. One, is the inside of the cardboard collar seated in the lip on the opposite side of that bag dock that faces the surface of the bag card? If it is even a little off it will leak. Second question is that a genuine Kenmore bag? Can't tell from this image.
Not really. Once you see how the bag is supposed to be installed it is a simple thing to ensure everything is lined up right. Maybe because all the canister vacs I had until ten or twelve years ago were Kennys it is second nature to me.
Miele claims that is a feature to get the bag out more easily, I think it’s a scam to get people to ruin their vacuum and buy a new motor! Miele does not have a warning that says the bag must be reseated when opening the cover! Notice on their new Guard, the pre motor filter is now a screen rather than the thicker filter.
On mine there is a protruding lip on the inner circumference of the bag dock that fits tightly into the cardboard opening on the bag. That lip is deep enough to make it a little difficult to remove the bag, at least a genuine Kenmore bag, without bending the cardboard a little bit so it can slide over that lip. Getting the bag opening seated in that lip is what keeps the inside clean. After you push the bag's mounting card all the way down in the dock, try pulling it back. You will fell it catch as the hole in the bag lines up on that lip and kind of locks in place. At that point you should not be able to pull the bag back any more without bending the card to get it off the lip. Be gentle and experiment with this. Once you have that sussed installing the bag properly is simple and easy.
The Miele bag dock has bitten me so many times even though I know the drill and use only genuine Miele bags. Like I said I had a couple of occasions where I closed the lid on my S558 gently and the bag undocked before the lid latch clicked. Every time I put a fresh bag in one I am careful to put my finger down into the hole and move it around under the lid as much as I can with their stupid spring loaded flap in the way to make sure the mounting card is properly lined up and seated. Long story short the C2 Compact Electro was used at most for three bags before I parked it in the garage in disgust ( my wife hated it too ) and until I can figure out a better hose for the S558 I won't use that one either. And that vacuum leaks where the lid enters the bag even using genuine Miele bags. I just had to disassemble and clean it for the second time under my ownership because even doing everything right the thing became dirty inside.
I can agree that it is really horrible to work with. I love the machine otherwise. I am quite sour about it as I saved up my money for a whole year to buy it. It has been used about 10 times at most.
Knowing about that tab makes it seem much more simple.
I think Kenmore's greatest failure is that they are mass market and they don't do nearly enough to make their customers aware of what a Kenmore vacuum needs to last a long time. I grew up with them and have been using them since 1969, minus the time I was in the Navy and about ten years after where I had that Hoover upright. As a result I am pretty well dialed in on what they need. I still use a 43 year old Kenny regularly but have a modern 800 Series Elite and a purple 600 Series, the 81614 version. I have almost everything in between though they don't see as much use as the ones mentioned. A lot of new owners buy them on line, never crack open the owners manual and just start using them. They buy bags at Walmart so they get crummy quality bags, and don't even know to change the filters on them. In a few years the vacuum is filthy inside and the motor not surprisingly is making sick sounds. Ditto the power nozzle. I encounter people at Wally World buying a new vacuum because the brush roll isn't working. You ask them if maybe the belt broke, a $1 or $2 fix and they just wave their hands and say they don't have time, need a new vacuum now. You don't have time to save yourself $75-$100? Really? With users like that you can't expect people to take care of a Kenmore. At least when you buy a new Sebo, Miele or Aerus you buy from a dealer who notionally gives the customer some explanation of how to use and care for their vacuum. With Kennys you don't have that initial coaching so they just get abused from day one. Sadly ( to me ) they get an undeserved bad rep as a result.
