Electrolux Hi-Tech 2100

[kevin]

I just noticed that I haven't thanked electromatik and Collector2 for their responses to my queries. Many thanks to you both.

Electromatik: Your response did help to clear things in my mind. I understand that there were not all that many styles. My confusion lies in which machines were offered at the same time. For example, if I walked into an Electrolux store in 1990 (or any year since) which of the current models would have been on the show floor? I know now that there is a high tier, middle tier, and low tier option available. When did that change from the former standard and economical choices? Also, which models were sold through retail, and in what years?

Collector2: Your response also helped clarify my uncertainty. I do wonder if the 2100 and the L-E was sold in the U. S. as well as Canada? Are there any other machines that were sold exclusively in the U.S. and exclusively in Canada? If so, that would also explain why there appears to be an abundance of machine names.

Both: What was the incentive for creating so many versions/names of the same model? When I think of the fact that the Model XXX was manufactured for 17 years (1937-1954) I don't understand why Electrolux chose to have so many series/models in the '80s and '90s. Admittedly, I am not familiar with the Aerus line of machines, so that could be a similar situation.

It's too bad that Charles Richard Lester, or someone else, doesn't post a survey of machines from the '80s to the present with all the different versions just as he did with the Model V to the Model 1205 since they, too, are part of the Electrolux "family".

 

[kevin]

Does anyone know why the Hi-Tech 2100 is called "hi-tech"? Is it just a name, or is there an engineering detail that sets it apart from the other machines?

Also, do any of the machines actually have "Hi-Tech 2100" on the label or just on the inside of the bag chamber door? The only labels I have seen are the ones in this thread ("Electrolux 2100" and "2100").

Does anyone have a run-down of the different versions--like Charles Richard Lester has done with the earlier machines?

 

[ronni]

From Aerus ...

The Hi-tech 2100 was the first model with the plastic body canister. It is also the first model to offer the after-filter and the suction control valve dial design with the information panel that some of our current models still use. Since it was the first model to use this technology, it was branded as a hi-tech unit.

 

[electromatik]

Kevin:

I am sorry it took so long to write back but I haven't checked this thread in a while... Electrolux didn't use to have many models at one time. As far as I know, there usually was only one unit. They did produce a bare bones model called the T which was not very successful. I forget which model it was sold alongside and what year. Starting in the 1960's they began to offer different features for more money. For example, my mom had a Model R with NO cordwinder, but my grandmother had a Model R WITH a cordwinder. So product differentiation was in motion. The Hospital G before that was a special model with a special filter designed for "health" reasons. Flash forward to 1968 and the 1205. They sold the 1205, albeit with different names and numbers, through the 70's with the Golden J, Super J, Olympia, Diamond J, Silverado, Marquis, Grand Marquis, and Ultralux until about the late 1980's to early 1990's. During this time they also introduced "special" models of the Olympia, Silverado, and perhaps one more. These did not have any features such as shut off, bag light, etc., and no cordwinders. Beginning in 1984 or so they introduced the first plastic bodied machine to judge the public's response. It was the Hi-Tech 2100. It was basically a 1205 with a lexan body and different lights and with a dial on top. They had to convince the public it would hold up like a metal machine. They were planning on phasing out metal body machines and the 2100 was the start. They sold these alongside each other for several years with the Silverado, etc. metals. Along the way, changes to the power nozzle came along at different periods, often appearing on a machine later in it's production. The Marquis, Grand Marquis, and Ultralux were the last metal body canisters. The design of the 2100 continued on with the Diplomat, Epic 6500, Epic 6500SR. At some point they took away the dial, lights, and automatic technology and made it the Ambassador (I, II, III) and it became the low tier model. Shortly after 1990 the metal canisters ended and the Renaissance came out, thus ending the run of the 1205 as the high tier model. The 1205 continued on as a plastic body under different names and with varying degrees of technology as the reborn 2100, reborn Ultralux, Classic, etc. For example, in the late 1980's they sold in the mall near me. They had the Ultralux, Epic 6500SR, Ambassador, and Diplomat at the same time. Some were discontinued he told us. They sold discontinued vacuums until they were gone. If they couldn't get you to buy the Renaissance, they would sell you an Ambassador. They sold a few of these on QVC but I'm not sure which ones. They had a very different upright sold on TV that looked WAY different than any you've ever seen. Bottom line, all metals with increasing amounts of plastic from beginning to 1980's, then no metals made after the last Ultralux. The Renaissance was sold alongside the Ambassador (perhaps different name) and the Epic 6500SR. I'm not sure when the Epic 6500SR was renamed the Legacy but it is one of the few machines to not have been changed much since introduction. Only the power nozzle is differently shaped. The Ren continued until the introduction of the Guardian Ultra. Hope this helps understand the continuity.

 

[bikerray]

The Regency 2000 was another version of the 2100. The Epic 6000 SR, 6500 SR etc and Lux Legacy were all built on the 2100 platform.

 

[tig21er]

BikerRay,

you are right the Regency 2000 was based on the body of the 2100. It was sold in the Premium Department Store Line. It used the standard(10.0 Amps)motor. It included the sidekick and had I believe a P/N 6. A two year warranty 244 Airwatts power.
The Diplomat that was sold door to door was a High Performance (11.0 Amps) motor, Sidekick include, Five Year Warranty and 292 Airwatts power and a few bonus extras. Known as the Deluxe Product Line.
Anytime a manufacturer makes a significant change to their line they change the model number and name. Look at the Kirby G-3, Change bag and trim and you have G-4.

 

[kevin]

Thanks for your responses, Christopher (#21), Ray (#22), and John (#23).

Christopher -
1) You mentioned the 6500 and 6500 SR--what are the differences between the two models? I thought the 'SR' just meant 'series'.

2) Please post a pic of the "a very different upright sold on TV that looked WAY different than any you've ever seen."

Ray - I still don't get why Electrolux felt the need to make so many different Model 2100s with different names. To me, it would have made more sense to do 2100-A, 2100-B, et cetera.

John - I sent you an email requesting some other info. Let me know if you didn't get it. Otherwise, take your time in responding. I have lots of questions!

 

[electromatik]

Kevin, when the Epics came out they had the old style wand and power nozzle like a Marquis, etc. Later the SR was equipped with the all plastic snap lock wand system with steerable power nozzle and the power nozzle was changed to the headlight version. I don't have a picture of the Lux model but a vacuum collector has a video up of it. I'll see if I can locate it.

 

[rugsucker]

"it would have made more sense"

Not everything after the leveraged buy out that led to the "New Era of Exellence" and later to 'Aerus' made sense!Aerus still has great vacs but do you have as many branches and salesmen in your area as before these changes?!Do as many of your friends and neighbors use Electrolx/Aerus as before!?!.
The plastic body vacs were very good with less weight and the after filter.
Trivia-the first LE had no bag lock out switch.It later reappeared.
Why the High Tech name?In the 80s High Tech became a phrase for a decorating style using industrial/commercial components.Not sure the relation to Elux vacs.

 

[electromatik]

Another reason for the "Hi-Tech" 2100 name was because it was, in part, a response to Hoover's digital wonder, the Sensotronic.

 

[bikerray]

The Epic 6000 SR had the steel wands and the regular plastic body hose. The Epic 6500 SR had the Plastic wands and the Gas pump handle hose.

As to all the different models based on the 2100 platform, you also had the 1205 which morphed into the Golden J, the Super J, etc. all of these used the control valve in the front door of the unit. The 2100 just moved the control valve to the top.

Some of this I think is just like Ford coming out with the Edsel, they were the same model just a little different styling and name change and almost the same price.

The LE (Limited Edition) didn't have a bag switch then later on it did, the motor had a thermostat but I don't think the thermostat was connected to anything.

Another strip down model was the SE (Special Edition) like the Olympia Special edition (model 1453) didn't have a cord winder inside the body and was a shorter unit. It also didn't have the dial on the front door as well like the regular Olympia.

 

[electromatik]

Kevin here is a link to the Electrolux Ultralux upright that was supposedly sold on TV. This person got it used so who knows where it was bought.

 

[tig21er]

Biker Ray,

What do you know about the difference of the 1205, Golden Jubilee and the Super J? Do you Know?
Special Edition came out to replace the Model L. A cordwinder was available as an option. It was also a non automatic, that is the reason for no dial on the front.

 

[ronni]

(from Biker Ray: "Another strip down model was the SE (Special Edition) like the Olympia Special edition (model 1453) didn't have a cord winder inside the body and was a shorter unit. It also didn't have the dial on the front door as well like the regular Olympia."

Actually, the Special Edition (sand/burgundy) had two versions--automatic and non-automatic. I know one was Model 2100, but I'm not certain if the other one had the same or different model identifcation.

Following are photos I located on eBay:

 

[ronni]

Electrolux Special Edition (for Premium Discount Stores) Non-Automatic version:

 

[tig21er]

Ronni,

the Special edition illustrated were not sold in stores but sold at fairs and home shows as a special by sales reps and their branch office. The Special Model was the referenced cleaner earlier. I made the mistake of putting Edition in my wording. I sold both and know where they sold.

 

[bikerray]

This is the Olympia Special that I was talking about, this picture came from ebay.
There was also a Silverado version of this, they were both model 1453.

As to the 1205 etc. 1205 and Golden Jubilee (also a 1205 or sometimes a 1210) used the same motor. The Super J, Olympia, Silverado, Marquise etc. used the Super J motor which the armature is about an inch longer than the 1205. If you open up the front of any one of these and take out the four screws you will see the control valve mounted sideways in the front driven by a gear from the control dial. They have used this valve since the later model 60's ( back then the knob just stuck out the bottom ( in the case of the 60 and 61) or the front ( in the case of the Automatic E, Automatic F or model G)

 

[bikerray]

Oops, I forgot to mention the Special Edition you're showing is a plastic body with the model number 1623 on the inside of the door.

Oh and when I said to take out the 4 screws it should have been from the four corners of the front door to get the plastic cover off.

 

[ronni]

BikerRay,

So was the automatic Special Edition a Model 2100 and the non-automatic Special Edition a Model 1623?

Regarding the Model 1453s, there were actually for color versions: brown/ivory (like the Olympia One/1401) like you pictured above, two-toned gray (like the Silverado/1505), sand/jade (like the Diamond Jubilee/1521), and sand/taupe (like the Marquise/1521).



Here are photos of the last two. First, the Diamond J-version (I wonder if the cover has been replaced, or if it has just discolored?) Interestingly, the side bumpers are totally jade-colored, while the Diamond J's were sand with a pin-stripe of jade in the centers:

 

[ronni]

Marquise version of the 1453 (had a short run and was replaced by the sand/taupe version of the Model L-E/1623):