Hoover Vs, Eureka

[vacuumfreak]

Hey guys, I was just wondering which one you prefer. The Hoover Convertible, or the Eureka uprights. Also, if you have any pictures, I would love to see them!

Daniel

 

[twocvbloke]

Eureka for sure, with the Distribulator and VGI & II brushrolls, they took Hoover's Beats as it Sweeps as it Cleans concept, and made it work better than the Hoovers of the same era...

And I know I'll be hated for saying that, but, it's true...

My trio of the best:

 

[desiredname]

I tend to like convertibls a bit more but I have had Eureka uprights in the past and they are great cleaners too. Here are two of my convertibls, a model 728 and a model 65.

 

[vacuumfreak]

I have a Eureka ESP model 2088, and i've always fantasized about a Convertible since I was little. I've always wondered what a convertible is like handling and suction wise. To this day I haven't owned one, and I am still fantasizing!
Heres a picture of my Eureka:

 

[brandon_w_t]

Ill let the numbers speak for themselves.

 

[brandon_w_t]

OKAY...

I do love me a nice eureka.


I do think that hoovers are quieter, but I love the sound of a Eureka.

 

[Sablekid]

Ive never really had a good experience with the Eureka uprights. Rarely used a Hoover, but in the few times ive had...they've always done a much better job.


 


Although Ive got to say, I used a new Commercial Eureka in my last house and it did a fantastic job, now its used in the building my parents own for their office.

 

[bagintheback]

The only Hoover Convertibles I truly like are the ones made after 1979 when they introduced the Type A bag. The older Convertibles use terrible Type C bags that are not worth my time, although the looks of the older models nice. The 5amp motor in the newer models great at deep cleaning and their sound is fantastic! It starts up with this bong and then goes into a low grumble that is simply musical. The 5amp Convertible motor is the only motor I can say I enjoy and look forward to listening to.

Anyway, vacuumfreak, I believe your Eureka has the 6.5amp motor, right? If that is the case, I have to say your Eureka would outclean even my beloved 5amp Covertible. The Vibra-Groomer and the Dial-A-Nap make a huge difference as the Covertible's height-adjustment is located in the rear and sometimes prevents the vacuum from locking onto the carpet.

 

[thissucks]

anyone know what amps the full plastic hood, full metal base convertible is? i really want one because of its slow startup and smooth running motor, you can hear the brush roll over the motor.

i just got a blue convertible 5amp type a bag. needs a bellow

oh yeah, i like sanitaire/eureka better but like the sound better from hoover.

 

[broomvac]

Vintage Eureka > Vintage Hoover

..but contemporary Sanitaires own them all!

 

[vacuumfreak]

@bagintheback- Yeah, the motor is a 6 amp.

 

[vacuumfreak]

Does anyone have a good picture of a candy apple red convertible that I can add to my photo album? I've been saving a bunch of pictures lately and have come up with a few albums on my computer. I'm only missing a few convertibles and this is one of them.
Thanks!

 

[vacuumalex]

Hey everyone,
I've used them both. I would definitely agree that the Type A bagged Convertible models are better than the Type C bagged models. The one drawback to the Eureakas though is I hate those paper dirt tubes i.e., the F&G bags. They always tear. Anyway, comparing the Convertible Type A models and the regular F&G Eureakas, I'd have to say they perform about the same. It's kind of like the Royal vs. Kirby debate. They are both the same concept and both clean very well. It's like choosing between an apple and an orange...both are good!

 

[bagintheback]

Caddy Apple? Is this the one?

 

[vacman117]

I like Eurekas a lot more than Convertibles. I feel like they clean a lot better, and I love the sound of them! My favorites are my Eureka ESP 2011, Imperial, and the ESP 2091. I do love certain Convertibles though, which would be the two pictured. I didn't bother to look at the model numbers, but here they all are:

 

[brandon_w_t]

Are you talking about the ruby red U4123?

I had one. I have more pictures if you want. I sold it to Fred in Minn.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

Convertible!!

I'm the wrong one to ask!

 

[gottahaveahoove]

or

these

 

[gottahaveahoove]

I could go on

but I'll stop.  The "red" one is "Canton Red",  the last convertible with that hood type.

 

[henry200]

Oh heck, John,

I for one enjoy the way you "go on!"  By the way, the house is looking mighty nice there, and is a great classic backdrop to all your wonderful classic Hoovers!


 


Neil

 

[vacuumfreak]

Yes, It is the "canton red" one that I am looking for a picture of. In a youtube video it looked like candy apple red, but I love that red bag and hood Still waiting for my future convertible to come Ill get one sometime or later

 

[eurekaprince]

Of course I am biased......being in love with Eureka since t

But I have to say that there were two main factors that may have always made Eureka uprights clean better than Hoover uprights in the 1960's and 1970's. One was of course Eureka's top-fill F&G bag that kept dirt away from the air path (in the 40 years I have changed F&G bags, I have never had the paper dirt tube rip or tear). The other factor I think was that the nozzle height adjustment on Eurekas from the late 1960's forward was based on adjusting the front wheels, not the rear wheels as the Hoover Convertibles had. Adjusting the height of the front end of the cleaner keeps the suction "window" flatter on the carpet and retains the suction seal better on all heights of carpet.

Consumer Reports consistently rated the Dial-A-Nap and Rugulator uprights as better performers than the Convertibles - probably for these two reasons. The playing field levelled out a bit when Hoover introduced their top fill bags with that really easy to use replacement system based on that tall plastic fill-tube.

Truth be told, I liked the colours and the designs of many of the Convertibles over the years. The only Convertible design I never liked was the series of models where the motor hood has no headlight and yet there is a pair of extraneous forms piled one on top of the other for no reason. This motor hood design always seemed to me to be "much ado about nothing" - especially since Hoover already had produced some very sleek, simple Convertible hoods with a headlight in the early 1960's. An example of this design which I never liked can be seen in John's upright display above - it's the "headlightless" turquoise Convertible on the rug in the center of one of the photos above.

Did you guys every pit an "F&G Bag" Eureka against a "C Bag" Hoover Convertible at any of the conventions?

 

[henry200]

It's a toss-up for me at least for sentimental/memory re

Hoover Convertibles (65, 66, 67, 68, 31, 33) out-numbered Eurekas in the neighborhood where I grew up but the Eureka 260 our next door neighbor had was and is one of my all-time favorites.  As a toddler the Hoovers with their bright colors and stretchy hoses were a big draw.  There was something about the unique sound of the Eureka though, plus the cream and green color, metallic gold trim and even the ridiculously gadgety hose converter which held me spellbound. 


 


Many years later I learned how great Eurekas are at deep-cleaning a carpet.  When I moved into my first house I had a Rainbow D2, Electrolux 1205 (with PN4) a Kirby Omega and a Pannasonic Jet-flow.  After about 6 months of scrupulous daily vacuuming and a go around with a Rug Doctor it seemed like I had removed whatever dirt remained in the carpeting from the previous residents.  I picked up an old Montgomery Ward/Eureka one day.  I'm not sure of the model but it had the rectangular bag top, disturbulator brush roll and a 3.5 amp motor.  After installing a new belt and paper bag I took it for a test spin and was absolutely stunned to hear what sounded like a dump truck full of dirt hurling into the bag.  I proceeded to vacuum up at least a pint or so of gritty filth in a short time.  I never had the chance to pit the Eureka against a Hoover but man, I was impressed!

 

[gsheen]

I just noticed something , Your convertables had switches in the handles wereas ours right up to the last models had them in the base as with the origional.


 


This is the last convertable we got


 


Note  switch on top right side of hood Orange 

 

[fan-of-fans]

I guess my favorite is the Hoover Convertible, but really, I haven't used one of the Eurekas. They just didn't seem to be common.

My mother used to clean a clubhouse for extra money when I was little, and in the closet they had a tan plastic Hoover Convertible without headlight. There was a plastic grocery bag hanging on the handle with belts, bags, and the manual.

She never used the Convertible because she had her own vacuum to use, so if she was really busy, I would get out the Convertible and run it. I seem to recall it was very quiet and made a low grumbling sound.

Another time I saw a Convertible in the thrift store, and later saw what seemed to be the exact machine in someone's trash. I picked it up, but was too scared to plug it in. I'm having trouble remembering the details. I want to say it had an orange hood, but I think it used type A bags. Maybe it was one of the last models that were red, and it was much newer than I thought.

I did see an older Eureka in the trash too, but it was missing the bag. I took it apart for fun.

I haven't really seen either type in about 10 years or so.

 

[guardsman69]

as a lifelong hoover dealer for over 35 years....and a studient of the Hoover Convertible in all its forms.........i must say that listening or reading all your entries about hoovers vs eureka ....if hoover created it ....eureka would copy it....it would be copied in such a way that had beauty in its own right .....but if there was no hoover and henry dryfuss and the awesome men designers who had the artistic flair they had for they were proud of who and what they were yet held in the hoover tradition of doing things ....who would eureka have to compete with.... to force eureka to push the envelope to create beautiful printed bags and hoover shaped hoods and beautiful color schemes......i have sold thousands of hoover convertibles both residential and commercial....there is a lot to be said for the original.....but by the same token .....i have serviced thousands of hooveresque eurekas as well and restored them box new for my customers as well...both brands in my client base and even in the same house coexist very compatibly no matter what floor they are cleaning.....it reminds me of judisim (hoover) and catholicism (eureka) but everything originated with hoover....original u7033 hoover guardsmans and todays sanitaires....imitation is the sincerest form of flattery....celebrate them both..you can see my collection on my web site at sweepercentral . com and go to the marquee hit the commercial catagory and there are two videos to watch....i hope you all enjoy them ....especially the top one....

 

[gsheen]

Nice Vid John, I really like your shop, Its nice to see another vac shop owner that displays there collectibles in there shop.


 


I am amazed at the difference between the USA and rest of the world Hoovers even though they look the same, or similar. 


 


I have a Hoover 638 looks just like your model 60 but i has a foot operated handle release, seriously powerful though.


I also have a Hoover 262 which is my oldest hoover with all Its  attachments in a box never used 

 

[guardsman69]

i am absolutely in love with that green south african convertible.....please post more photos of south african hoovers....they are facinating.....i am so happy you enjoyed the videos on my web site.....i just had it redone....john

 

[floor-a-matic]

Hover vs. Eureka

I love both! I had the following

Hoover:
33
68
U4119
U4381
U4393

Eureka:
1934A
2011 ESP?
Rugulator
SC888 (Sanitaire)