I don’t know which one to chose from!

[kirby27]

I was scrolling through Craigslist ads today and a new listing popped up. “ reconditioned oreck vacuums. $50 each. There is quite a few of them here but I don’t know which one to pick if I get one. Any ideas on which are the better ones?

 

[kirbysthebest]

My advice:

Pick your color, they are all identical internally.

I have a preference towards the helping hand handle, but the picture does show a few lower end models in the back with the straight handle.

 

[crazykirbydude]

Don't buy one. They are junk.

 

[vac-o-matic]

I would go with the black one in front, could be the newest of the lot. That's a two-speed Ultra, low for bare floors, high for carpet. If you go to see them in person, check the brushroll, inside of the cloth bag, and cord for any issues. Orecks have always had a niche for people who appreciate a light and easy vac to use. Deep cleaners they're not, but do clean well and groom carpet very nicely. The previous poster is obviously an opinionated basher, I am not. I collect and use all brands, all of them have their fine points. I do draw the line at anything that doesn't use a bag, except Filter Queen/Rainbow.

 

[nicktechtalk]

I second vac-o-matic...

The black one in the front row looks to be the nicest and most modern machine there. I personally like Orecks for quick cleaning. The one in the second row all the way to the left (blue and gray) also looks to be one of the more modern machines as well. If you go for one of the lower end non helping-hand models, maybe you can negotiate the price down a little bit, as those aren't as valuable.
This is just my opinion, but maybe it'll help you decide.
Nick

 

[kirbyvertibles]

Actually the newest one there is the blue commercial one right behind the black one in the front. Its still being sold now. The the next newest is the bluish on the end of row 2. The oldest one is the reddish orange in the front row. Its late 80s and will have the 2.8 amp motor. The rest of these all have the same 4.0 amp motor.

 

[dustin]

The blue one to the left seems to be the newest, the orange one to the right is a commercial model, likely single speed, and the one in the back with the stick handle is single speed with a foot switch. All the same otherwise. I'm personally not a fan of Oreck vacuums. I just rebuilt one for an elderly lady from our church, she liked it because it was light. The brushroll was worn and the motor bearings went bad, fried the motor, bearings falling out in pieces. It works as well as any Oreck now. I'd look for an XL21, I had one for a while and actually liked it, it had a better brushroll, significantly quieter motor, and slightly better suction.

 

[crazykirbydude]

Opinionated? Take a look at this tiny fan and say that can get any actual cleaning done!

 

[oreck_xl]

It wasn't designed to created a ton of suction, it was designed to be LIGHT. The heart of the Oreck is the action of the roller brush. It generates enough suction to pull the dirt into the bag once the brushroll lifts it from the carpet. It's not designed for thick piled carpet, but for medium to low pile carpeting they are decent performers. Yes, the XL-21 is definitely a more powerful machine, but if I had to choose from the models in the picture, I would grab the light blue one in the far left. It's one of the newest.

 

[crazykirbydude]

I get that they are made to be light. They should not be sold for upwards of $250. They would be fine if they were sub-$100. If you want a decent lightweight cleaner, get a Bissell PowerForce Bagged. Cheap, light and cleans decently. They are not the best vacuums, but the Bissell does out clean the Oreck.

 

[oreck_xl]

Clearly, you're just here to slam the Oreck. The Oreck is far better constructed than the Bissell and just because YOU wouldn't pay upwards of $250 many others will ALOT quicker than pay upwards of $2000 on a new Kirby and get duped on buying a 28 year old design. I'm not saying the Oreck is a perfect vacuum but it does have its following of loyal users and if used for its intended purpose does a decent job. Stop hating. The Oreck is NOT for you. Message received!

 

[kenkart]

Oreck

Is a very good electric broom, not a deep cleaning heavy duty vacuum, Its a fine vacuum for a old lady in a apartment or as a second vacuum for quick pick ups,but not for the commercial use its advertised for., they are fun to play with, if you like one get it, they are fairly well put together.

 

[crazykirbydude]

I'm not hating, just saying they re not great cleaners. Mine literally caught fire due to an electrical malfunction the other day, so you could say I'm not a fan. As for Kirby and their 28 year old design, have you considered that Oreck has been using the same basic design since their inception in the 70s? They are not made to deep clean. I know many people who are dissatisfied with their Oreck. If you want a good lightweight cleaner, consider the Aerus Lux Lite or the Simplicity Freedom. They both have loads of airflow to clean your rugs to near perfection.

 

[bryan1980]

They're fine vacuums

as long as they're used for their intended purpose, which is low-pile carpets. They're not designed for deep-cleaning, just as a Kirby isn't designed for light surface cleaning. I hate using my Kirby on our large area rug in the living room, it's just too much machine for that. An Oreck would be perfect for that job.

And since we're talking about pricing, I think the Simplicity Freedom might be a better machine, but I don't think it's worth what they're asking for a new one. Used Orecks are plentiful and cheap, as are replacement parts for them. I'm thinking of getting one on the cheap to tinker with and add to my collection.

 

[oreck_xl]

Go for it! My personal favorite and current daily driver is an XL-100C in which I just changed the brushroll. Personally, I like the quieter whirr of the 2.8 amp motor. If you're looking for a more powerful Oreck, consider the XL-21. It's got a larger fan thus greater airflow. Now that TTI owns Oreck, I'm not sure if their 21 year warranty is still in effect.

 

[crazykirbydude]

The problem is that they are being sold as full size uprights and not quick vacs.

 

[human]

I had a girlfriend who had a green Oreck and she loved it--until she used one of my Kirbys. Shortly after that, she "borrowed" my Heritage 1HD and the next time I went to her apartment, the Oreck was nowhere to be seen. She'd pitched in the dumpster as soon as she got home with the Kirby, which she still has five years later. Guess I dun lost me a Kirby.