Five Reasons why Kirbys are guy vacuums

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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
 
Well, Hoover never had one named " Sentria " and that sounds a whole lot like a sexy lady's name from Guyana! Sorry, but that's just my hot diarrhea spurt on this cold subject.
 
Yeah, and 'Avalir' sounds kind of like 'cavalier' without the 'C'.

Interesting about the weight of a Kirby vs. a Hoover. I never would have guessed.

When I bought my most recent G6 at Goodwill a few weeks back, it was really amusing to see how quickly the couple who were looking at it when I got there dismissed it as "too heavy" and moved on to look at some cheap, plastic Dirt Devils while I stepped in and nabbed the Kirby.
 
Great Kirby score! All because a fool and their money is soon parted on a filthy, cheap Dirt Devil, No Less!
 
Great Kirby score! All because a fool and their money is soon parted on a filthy, cheap, Dirty Evil Devil, No Less!
 
Everyone is different, but I would say I speak for the majority when I say I want a vacuum which performs well but it easy to use, efficient and gets the job done with minimal fuss. It is quite sad that Kirbys are considered "mens" vacuums just because they are bulky, heavy, expensive and made of shiny metal. So does that mean a ladies vacuum is small, fragile and inferior ? No one has actually said that yet but that's what it insinuates to me anyway.

I didn't think sexism has yet found its way into the vacuum cleaning industry and I am certainly not a politically correct person, but surely vacuums should appeal to both men and women ? She likes her Numatic henry because it is powerful and easy to use, he likes it because it is tough and durable and didn't cost a fortune.

And I am sorry, but does that mean only men want something "substantial, made of metal and quality"? I know plenty of ladies who also want something well made and durable. Several decades ago when it was more of a woman's job to do the vacuuming, they used big, bulky, made of metal vacuums, only cost cutting and a bid to save weight means they are now plastic.
 
Wouldn't it be wonderful if Kirby made a cheap, plastic trash housing for its superior power plant, that would really make those who love Kirby more loyal wouldn't it? Why do you think there're still in business, because the make putrid crap?
 
Kirby is still in business because they don't sell their machines to people shopping for a new vacuum. The salesmen talk their way into a home, and put on a high pressure demonstration. The only way for most people to buy a Kirby is to finance it. It's an expensive and unwise purchase.

Meeting the general public EVERY DAY at the Vacuum Cleaner Museum, I have Kirby cleaners in each display room. Thousands of people come to the Museum every year, and have for six years now. No woman, and I mean NO WOMAN, has ever said she loved her Kirby. The constant refrain of "It's so heavy" and "Hard to use" and "wish I never bought it" is heard daily.

IF the Kirby were sitting next to the Shark, Dyson, and other retail vacuums, the chances are slim people would buy it. While it is a well built and durable machine, it's not user friendly.
 
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