Five Reasons why Kirbys are guy vacuums

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human

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As I was messing with my latest thrift shop find yesterday--a rather pristine Kirby G6--the thought occurred to me that even though Kirby consistently depicts women using their machines in their owner's manuals and videos, the machines are actually designed to appeal more to men. At the risk of sounding misogynistic, which I am not at all trying to be, I even came up with a few reasons this would be true:

*They're heavy--Men prefer the term 'substantial'. It's a sign of quality and and often equated with power. Women are trained from birth to prefer things that are delicate and light weight, even if they're less powerful and less durable.

*They're made out of metal--Men see metal construction as a sign that a thing is well made and meant to last. Women often see metal construction as a sign that a thing is bulky, heavy, and hard to handle. Over time, they may also see it as ugly as the polished aluminum begins to oxidize.

*They have lots of parts--Men love gadgets, the more the better. The ability to turn a vacuum cleaner into a sander, for instance, represents added value. Many women will see this as needless complication.

*They can be configured in many different ways--Men love to take things apart and put them back together again. If you can put it together more than one way, so much the better. Women usually don't like this. That's why they like plastivacs with onboard tools.

*They're designed to be rebuilt--Men like the idea of buying something and making it last. It's a badge of honor to keep something running for 20, 30, 40 years or more. A large part of Kirby's value proposition--and high price tag--centers around the notion that one is making an investment for a lifetime (at least until the next model comes out). Women--and I know I'm likely stepping on some toes here--seem to have an innate tendency to purge. They love getting rid of old stuff to make room for new stuff, even if it's new, cheap plastic stuff. The odd thing--at least to me--is they don't see it as being wasteful.

So there you have it. Five reasons Kirby vacuum cleaners are actually designed more for males than females.
 
I follow your reasoning . . .

. . . but my wife and I are opposite in one respect--I like to make room for new stuff, and she likes to hold on to old stuff.

I do like the Kirbys because they are metal for the greater part, and their substantial construction, cleaning ability, and reliability help to set them apart from the cheaper crowd.

Speaking as a teacher, I can see that you are well schooled. Your reasoning is logical, and your paragraphing, punctuation, spelling, and grammar are on the mark. Well written comments on this website appeal to me. Good job.

Joe
 
designed for men ?

All good ideas above.Also,years ago men were expected to make the buying decision for any household item with the 'little woman' possibly only given a few dollars to take to the grocery store.Like many things this has changed over the years.
I have had many women customers that state that the husband liked it during the demonstration but they (the wife) have to use it and don't like it.A wife today with a Diamond Edition brought in for routine service only complained of the weight to carry up/down stairs in their 2 story house.
 
Do you think they cud add a propeller so it cud fly up the stairs?

Or maybe an attatchable rotor?
 
Thank you Joe. You're very observant. I have written for a living for most of my adult life. These days, I am an English professor at a community college. I have also spent many years as a journalist and editor.
 
I would add that your ideas are plausible and your writing is well-articulated. By the way, I'm one of those guys that likes to make things last and keep them well-maintained.

Another item to add to your list would be the robust sound of Kirby motors.

Regarding the issue of carrying a Kirby up or down flights of stairs--early ones through the '50s would have been most likely used on one floor when the only rugs/carpets would have been in the parlor or living room. In addition, the heavier weight of Kirbys back in the day would have been less of an issue on the thinner rugs/carpets that were manufactured.

In the '60s several changes in home furnishing and usage would have changed the ways that Kirbys were used as well as the perspective that they were more aimed at guys:

1) Wall-to-wall carpeting became vogue (which is why the Rug Renovator was developed).

2) Shag carpeting made its debut.

3) Other rooms in the house were carpeted besides the living room.

4) Carpeted basement family rooms became more common; whereas in earlier times basements were mostly used for storage or rec rooms (think tiled shuffleboard courts and area rugs that could be maintained with manual sweepers).

5) The society became more mobile, so the Handi-Butler was a way to bring one's garage or basement work bench to the cabin or to help Uncle Billy, who lived several hours away, polish his car or boat.

Keep on Kirbyin!
 
I would pray venture, if we'd all task our minds to it, possibly hundreds, if not thousands of compelling reasons would support using such a fantastic machine. I really can't come up with any rational excuse why not to use a Kirby, except, now, this, however, can only be representative of only a smidgen of the arguments: My Momma raised me up on a Hoover, or something like that, therefore, the supposition is: I'm biased; imprisoned by my past. This is, of course, my personal favorite: It's too heavy; I got no upper body strength! Even if it was too heavy, my bravado would keep me from saying it. Oh, well! But that's just me. Each to their own as they say. But even still, Kirby on my friend, and remain forever crazy for Kirby's!
smiley-w4.gif
 


 
 
Am I the only one on VacuumLand who LOVES heavy, bulky vacuums and ones that are really hard to push?!
 
I like heavy duty type vacuums,too-but there is a limit-Like a Hoover "Z"-that thing was like pushing a wheelbarrow load of bricks-and the wheelbarrow had a flat tire!-And you needed a forklift or crane to lift and carry it.Most bagless vacuums seem to put their weight of the canister-motor portion in your hand-this would get tiring to use-esp for women.Some other clean air bagged vacuums have this problem,too-IE Meile S7 series uprights.With direct air vacuums-most of their weight is in the body that rests and rides on the floor-their handle and bag assemblies are lightweight in your hand.The Tacanoy tandem air machines have a systems that couterblances the weight of the bag housing and second motor so it is light in your hand.
 
Yes having the motor or motors in the floorhead or ball and floorhead in a Dyson lowers the centre of gravity and makes the cleaner easier to push and feel lighter in use.
 
We see thousands of people at the Vacuum Cleaner Museum in St. James, Missouri every year. They are from all over the country, many on Route 66 road trips. They stop because of the billboards on the highway. Also, word of mouth brings folks in for a tour.

Of the thousands of women I've had the pleasure of speaking with, NONE have had anything nice to say about the Kirbeast. Not a single one. Many own them, or have owned them. Hatred for it would be a good way of putting it.

I believe the 'beast' was developed for MEN to SELL to women. The Rug Renovator was developed as a way to get in the door. "Free Shampoo" in exchange for a demo is still touted today. If you can't dazzle them with dirt, then baffle them with BS. The many useless attachments (like the light bulb remover/dandruff remover attachment) are designed to build 'value' so the price can be justified. I actually sold Heritage II's door to door for a few months (and did sell about 20 of them). I never felt bad for having sold them, but I'll bet dollars to donuts none of those people still have those machines.

I have one of each model Kirby made in the Museum, and I actually broke down in a moment of weakness and used my lovely Dual 80 to clean with last week. It did a fantastic job, but I had to go home and take a nap when I was done - I was worn out and tore up from the floor up.
 
Well,......we are all different. This would be a boring world, if we are all the same. There is no vacuum on this planet that would make me tired of "pushing it", and I personally like heavy machinery.

My wife is a small, fragile woman (but handles a full size quarter horse just fine!), and she even doesn't have a problem with Kirbys. Our house is one level, so there is no carrying it upstairs (and if it was five level, there would be one Kirby on each level!).

I actually use the "massage attachment" to vacuum my large dogs, and it helps in between the weekly brushing. I agree that the "rug renovator" is junk (for MY needs), but in the household with light carpeting, and no pets, it actually works. Not as good as a decent extractor, but good enough to "brighten" the carpet. I haven't used other attachments to comment, and I would never attempt to buff (or polish) the car with Kirby anyway. Again,.....MY situation is different, and I have a fully equipped machine shop, with all the tools you can imagine (and some you can't!), so the "handi butler" is useless to me. However,.....for an apartment dweller, it might be VERY useful to have a gizmo that can be attached to the vacuum cleaner, and grind, sharpen, and buff, using the machine that's in the confined/limited space already.

In summary,.....Kirby is not for everyone, and there is no machine out there that is! It's EXACTLY what I like/need from a vacuum cleaner. I would never go through the "dog and pony" show to buy one (nor would I pay what they are asking for them either!), but buying them cheap, and restoring them, provides me with the ultimate cleaning machine for pennies, that I know inside and out, can source parts quickly, and will still be working when my grandchildren's kids will start cleaning their own houses.

My oldest Kirby (the one on the left in my avatar), was made in 1955, and my wife uses it weekly (her favorite). Since I restored it from ground up personally, I am sure it will run for another 60 years without a problem. Try to do this with Dyson!

The one on the right is only 10 years old, and it's not even close to needing any parts. In 50 years (when my daughter is 70!!), she can pay someone to restore it for her! And Kirby company will still be well and alive, with all the parts available for 100+ years old machines.
 
Heavy Metal!

I'm not much into heavy metal music, but love it when it comes to vacuum cleaners. Until I rescued my first Kirby from a dumpster (a G6 that needed a bag and a belt) two years ago, I used an Electrolux 1205 canister, which I still have and use, as my primary vacuum.

The more I mess with (and, it seems, accumulate) the Kirbys, the more I appreciate their design and performance. They're powerful, well-built machines that are also dead simple to work on if you have some basic screwdriver skills (and a set of Torx screwdrivers for the newer ones). THAT's what makes it a guy vacuum, in my opinion.

Like Danielsand, I would never pay retail for one, but at thrift store prices, they're a no-brainer.

FWIW, my girlfriend has had my Heritage 1HD on "permanent loan" at her apartment for about two years and shows no sign of turning it loose. She loves the power, compared to the Oreck she used to have.
 
Oh, can I get a Kirby which is hard to push? :D Also whats the heaviest Kirby?
BTW I still want the Sentria or Avalir tho
 
I must totally agree, even an idiot can manipulate all the vast and wondrous functions of a Kirby! I would, furthermore, gamble that you wouldn't even need an IQ more than room temperature to master it. I only used the word " Gamble, " because there seems to be some weak nincompoops out there, who've long since master the ancient art of the Kung Fu style of the simpleton.  You have much to learn, Little Grasshopper!
 
My Kirby is heavy

I saw this video on youtube and I thought it applied to this thread. I’m so tired of hearing the “My Kirby is heavy” comment from people. This guy compares the weight of a Kirby to a Hoover Windtunnel self-propelled guess what? The Windtunnel is heavier. Has anybody actually compared the weight of a Kirby to a Rainbow? With its water basin filled? I’m pretty sure the Rainbow is heavier. However I never actually hear people complaining about dragging around their Rainbow. Just something I’ve been waiting to say for the longest time when I hear people bash Kirby.


http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkB2roH3pI8
 

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