Handvac time

[kirboover]

I bought a Royal Dirt Devil 103 handvac yesterday for 6.00 at a thrift store and it just sings. It also came with paper bags, which in my opinion is a must have. It didn’t come with attachments though.

 

[thevacomaticiec]

can ya post pic ????

 

[huskyvacs]

Their metal-bodied Royal hand vacs are nice. The 100 series of the plastic ones are also great little vacuums. I have a bunch of them.

 

[louvac]

Royal Hand Vacs

IMHO.....the Royal hand vacs and even the Red Dirt Devil hand vacs like the model 103 are fantastic and well made. Though they can appear to be cheaply made perhaps because of their red color, I have found them to be fairly sturdy. And, these little devils (pardon the pun) will surprise you as to what they actually pick up considering they only have a 2.0 amp motor, I believe.

They are great for Mattresses, sofas, car interiors, stairs particularly, and wherever you need "the power of an upright in the palm of your hand" as their tag line went in the 90s. I have many of these as well and they are keepers!

I did a little experiment a while back where I used this little machine to clean a major walkway in my house for several days in a row and surprisingly it picked up a lot of dirt! The paper bag option is the way to go and in my opinion, because these are not high amp machines, the rather cheap quality paper filter bags work well since the there isn't a lot of air pressure generated to force the dirt out through the paper bag. You must however, be conscious that you are using a machine with an inflatable bag that is capable of bursting if you are rough with it. If you are careful and don't use these vacuums like a half track you will be fine and the machine will treat you well, too!

 

[kirboover]

@thevacomateciec

Pics

 

[kirboover]

@thevacomateciec

Pics

 

[fan-of-fans]

Nice find, I kind of want one and the attachments. But I'd really like the Broom Vac too.

Although, I do have the toy hand vac that runs on batteries.

 

[hoover300]

I have a very nice jade green 2 speed one, with box and attachments if you're interested. I also have an attachment kit with schematics and other paperwork

 

[kirbyklekter]

They were only 20.00 new

So I bought 5 of them and gave to friends and family at Christmas. 5 gifts@20=100.00 That was a no brainer! As far as I know they all still work, as well as my two do. Money well spent.

 

[kirboover]

@hoover300

I am interested, how much do you want, or would you accept a tradein?

 

[hoover300]

Email sent, don't want to clog the thread up.

 

[human]

I love my metal Royal handhelds. Nearly the power of an upright in a handheld unit. It's much easier and more convenient to use than setting up one of my Electrolux canisters with a Sidekick and it beats the heck out of any turbo brush I've ever encountered.

 

[kirbyklekter]

"The power of an upright in the palms of your hands"

That was a great ad slogan. They're great on carpeted stairs and the arms of furniture (upholstered) and chairs. Light weight and 20'cord makes vacuuming pet hair from the stairs so much easier than lugging hoses up with you.

 

[royalfan103]

I have 5 of them. My first one dates all the way back to 87!

 

[kirbyklekter]

1987!

They made the red plastic dirt devil in '87? I've got two '91's and,wow! Single speed and only 2 amp motor, right?

 

[regularrett69]

I've been looking for an 80's dirt devil. I've only known them to go back to 1985 and further than that is unknown. There's been talk that the earliest dirt devil was a metal upright, but the first dirt devil ever made was a Hand Vac. The Dirt Devil metal uprights were made around 2002. I love my hand vac, it's not a 100 series. I have one that starts with a 0 and is a 5 or 6 digit model number. It's great for the couch and stairs!


 


Thanks, Garrett

 

[royalfan103]

The one from '87 was my 500. The yellow one, my red one is from 1993 or'96. Yes they had 2 amp motors and were single speed when they first came out.

 

[suckolux]

Was it just the Prince before that time? I know mine is just one amp.

 

[human]

I think the Prince 501 was Royal's sole handheld model before the plastic Dirt Devils came out. It dates back to sometime in the '60s and was discontinued in the late '80s. I have a fairly early one with gray rubber on the handle and a red and gray cloth bag and I have one of the very last ones in light blue with the little guard on the switch.