hooverette

[z30soulbrother]

Hi folkes,
Just thought i would show you another of my collection my 60s hooverette! Given to me by a dear friend of many years, Pam who was given this machine as a gift by her father brand new in the 1960s. I was working for her at her restaurant back in the mid 80s and the vax packed up, so i was sent up into the dusty attic to find this one that she was sure was still kicking around up there, to get us through the morning so we could open. It was great finding all the tools up there however, Pam recalled there had origionally been a carry strap and clip on attachment for the rug nozzle we couldnt find. She said it was a very trendy machine back then and the modern pastell colour suited her as "a sassy, thirty ~something"!!! (shes 81 now!) Needless to say I ended up with it, after words to the effct of "Go on take the bloody thing!!! I know it will have good home with you!!!!." 20yrs on it still has!!!


Si

 

[arh1953]

How marvelous! I was admiring one of those on Paul Linnell's site just this morning. I love the two tone turquoise colour scheme, and I bet extra tools won't be a big deal to locate. Reminds me a little of my Eureka Whisk.

 

[vintagehoover]

Hooverette 2449

Here's my one, shows the bits you're missing; unfortuately, this one needs some work on the motor, it's not running at full speed. I HATE taking these apart, and I haven't found the energy to do so yet!

 

[z30soulbrother]

Whisk

yea its a great little machine! what tools go with it? and how old?

si

 

[z30soulbrother]

hooverette

So thats the full set then ? I see the bits i havent got that Pam spoke about and those look like the genuine bags. In recent years ive just cut senior/junior bags down to fit into the paper bag. Oh cheers for that info about the motor being awkward to deal with!

si

 

[arh1953]

Hi Si, I think it's the mid '60s, and it came with a vinyl strap, a white hose, a turquoise wand or two(you call them tubes)dust brush, crevice tool, upholstery tool, and I think that was it. I hooked a big Eureka hose, metal wands, and a Vibra-Beat attatchment one day for fun. Actually, this is my second one of two. I've seen nice, complete ones on eBay. Vintagehoover, another of those great Hooverettes, good luck on it.

 

[z30soulbrother]

cheers

cheers for that my friend take care

si

 

[ian88]

I prefer the late 70s/early 1980s Hooverette colour scheme more myself, Simon ;p a sort of cream and orange..very period i'm sure you'd agree..that's quite a find though, what with most of it's tools...like upright, like cylinder? now you've got both ;p quite a spark of genius at the time imo.

Ian

 

[vintagehoover]

Genius...

...is a relative term, much over-used nowadays! Hooverettes are interestingly designed, but hardly the best-performing of Hoover cleaners - although they do seem to pick up quite a lot for their limited size and power. And the idea of an interchangable small cylinder/stick cleaner really came originally from Electrolux Model 5 in 1918.

 

[arh1953]

Cheers to you too, Si, and by the by, that little Whisk is quite powerful, maybe there is something comparable over there.

 

[ian88]

I find Which? to be, well how can I put it...a bit merciless Jack so I'm afraid I have to take what they say with a considerable pinch of salt ;p

Ian

 

[vintagehoover]

That's kinda their job! They're not there to be kind, to dupe consumers into buying products on the charm of their design alone! They have no personal interest in the machines they're testing, other than the way in which it performs; does it do what it was designed for, and if so, how well?

And I can say from personal experience, they're not great by any means. I just have mine because it's a quirky example of 1960's design.

 

[ian88]

Yeah but they're just so...urghhh like nasty old women.

 

[74simon]

I do like the Hooverette, even though it isn't the most effective of Hoover's cleaners!

Design magazine critiqued it in 1961 - the main bugbears as I recall was the difficulty in winding the flex, the carry strap slipping off ones shoulders (they rectified this with a camera strap pad), the lack of dusting brush (which later Hooverettes did have) and the front fins making it hard to clean under low furniture.

I must say though that I'm always suprised at how much it does pick up - mine are mainly used for quick pick ups in the kitchen or bathroom.

It was marketed as a 'first' Hoover, see the advert below. They seem to survive well, but I suspect that's because they're not hammered like a full size cleaner. Dustette syndrome! It was very cheap too - in my 1968 catalogue, the only cheaper full-size cleaner is a 300 watt own-brand cylinder that looks like something from the 1920s. I guess the Hooverette was an inexpensive way to buy a quality brand.

Si, with a couple of staples and a bit of pritt stick, I normally make two Hooverette bags out of one Junior one! Far more economical!

 

[arh1953]

74simon, wonderful '60s advert! John and Pat's flat looks quite nice also. I can't think it would be that much misery to clean either.

 

[ian88]

Well it's nicer than the new Hoover adverts..

"Techtronic Industries knows where YOU live!"

 

[z30soulbrother]

setting up the hooverette

yes i did find it awkward the 1st time i put the rug nozzle onto the extension tube and put that into the machine and just the handle into the blower end. it worked but was too top heavy ...... then i realised!!!!

ta si 4 the tip about the bags mate


si