filter queen questions

[kirby27]

Hi all,
I have a filter queen that I found in my grandmas basement. She bought it back in 1996. It a FQ majestic triple crown. it has the original scent jars that came with it. original cone filters. could anyone with some background on filter queens tell me more about this model and what it may be worth?

 

[dysonman1]

It's an old vacuum cleaner, so it's worth only what someone would give you for it at a yard sale.

That machine was sold by door to door salesmen. It's based on the original 1939 Filter Queen design. Air spins around a center cone filter, the cyclonic effect deposits the dust into the bin, and the 2 ply cellulose filter cone filters the air stream before it goes to the motor. There's a secondary filter before the motor that most people don't keep clean, which reduces the suction until people either take it to a repair shop or get rid of it. The owners manual will tell you exactly how to get to the secondary pre-motor filter.

The machine has good suction, but they were only 'fair' at cleaning. That power nozzle and it's flat rubber belt (that slips and stretches) was not very good. No edge cleaning to speak of, and no brush shut off switch to do hard floors. Kind of antiquated in a way, compared to what was also available on the market at the time.

 

[kirby27]

PN

the power nozzle has the gas pump style handle on it so I can shut the brush off. I just recently installed the round pre motor filter inside the machine because the one in it was solid black mold. When I turned it one for the first few times it stunk the WHOLE house up. we couldn't even use it!
I was thinking about adding this vacuum to my collection but first I wanted to see if my grandparents could get any money out of it. I like using this vacuum, even though I don't really prefer canister vacs. this is the first one with a power nozzle that I have used.

 

[kirby27]

it seems to be missing the brush for floors that isn't electric. i bet its in the basement somewhere.

 

[vac-o-matic]

I had that model at one time and still think it's the most attractive FQ in their history, but that's just me. Like my Princess III, only use it for bare floors/above floor cleaning. That chrome power head is beautiful to look at, but is really lackluster on performance, like most FQ power nozzles. I know I remember years ago seeing a replacement brushroll with plastic beater bars, but don't know if that helped or not. If you search for a bare floor brush, you'll need the one with the curved neck.

 

[kirby27]

It’s beautiful because it’s “MAJESTIC”!

For some reason I love the look of this one...
It’s on Craigslist for 20 obo

 

[kirby27]

what are the old filter queens like?

 

[human]

I've got a FQ Majestic slightly older than that one. I think it dates from 1992. Bought it at a thrift for $5 and proceeded to spend way too much refurbishing it. Very mediocre performance compared with any of my Electrolux canisters or even my Eureka.