gj3476
Well-known member
Hi everybody! I live in Dallas tx, is it possible that I can buy a vacuum cleaner from eBay UK like a Hoover Junior or another vintage product?
I live in the US 🇺🇸, is it possible to buy a vintage vacuum from eBay UK🇬🇧?
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huskyvacs
Well-known member
Of course it is, but the shipping will be in the hundreds of dollars.
gj3476
Well-known member
Oh boy. And how does it work? The same way as eBay US?
huskyvacs
Well-known member
You would have to copy and paste the prices to USD using Google Currency Converter in another tab when on the UK site, and there is no guarantee a seller would ship to the United States due to the incurred risk of such a large item. You can try though if you got the cash. Also you will need a voltage converter unit to be able to use the vacuum in the USA, but I'm sure you knew of that.
If I wanted to order a Kirby from California, and ship it here to Indiana that would be over $100 in shipping. I can't fathom to guess what an overseas shipment would be of a British vacuum.
I think it would be cheaper to fly over there yourself, buy one in a junk shop, then fly back home with it in your luggage.
If I wanted to order a Kirby from California, and ship it here to Indiana that would be over $100 in shipping. I can't fathom to guess what an overseas shipment would be of a British vacuum.
I think it would be cheaper to fly over there yourself, buy one in a junk shop, then fly back home with it in your luggage.
Also the vacuum may need to run from 220-240V--do you have a transformer?Also a connector for the machines plug.
Hey Gj3476
The link below is to the company the Royal Mail
contracts with for large-sized international shipments.
They're not cheap, but if there's a "must have"
then its worth it in the long run.
http://send.parcelforce.com
The link below is to the company the Royal Mail
contracts with for large-sized international shipments.
They're not cheap, but if there's a "must have"
then its worth it in the long run.
http://send.parcelforce.com
You may want to consider using a mail forwarding service.
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">I have bought several vacuums from the UK using both eBay.co.uk and Amazon.co.uk, and I can tell you from experience that there are many sellers in the UK who will only ship vacuums to UK-based buyers.</span>
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">So, what I did was engaged the services of a business based in Dover, Kent, UK that offers mail forwarding service. Basically, what the company does is give you a "slot number" at their UK registered business address in Dover. When you buy something from a seller, you then provide that seller with the address given you by the forwarding company. The seller ships to the forwarding company: the forwarding company, in turn, ships the item to you here in the 'States via Royal Mail's Parcelforce service. It's not cheap, but the last time I used it it wasn't exorbitant either. The link below is to the website of the company in Dover that I chose to use.</span>
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">Also, you may want to consider setting up a payment account through PayPal.co.uk so that you can pay for your purchase in GBP (British Pounds).</span>
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">Finally, if you are planning to use any machine(s) that you buy from the UK, you will need to have a voltage converter as British and European machines operate on 240V, 50 Hz as opposed to our 110-120Vm 60 Hz. I have a 3000W converter installed in my basement, and a long extension cord with UK fittings (which I acquired from eBay.co.uk, of course!) running through a hole in a closet floor down into the converter in my basement. Then, whenever I want to use one of my Brits, I simply go to the basement and switch on the converter, pull the socket and cord out of my closet, plug in the vacuum and go!</span>
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">Here are two pictures of some of the British machines I own: both are Electroluxes. One is the Powerlite Petlover Z2255FZ upright, purchased new from Amazon.co.uk, and the other is the Cyclone Bagless Z5305 canister (which over in the UK is called a "cylinder") purchased as a refurb from a seller on eBay.co.uk. Hope this information helps you.</span>
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">Bill W.</span>
http://www.britsuperstore.com/uk/browse-by-section/mail-forwarding.html
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">I have bought several vacuums from the UK using both eBay.co.uk and Amazon.co.uk, and I can tell you from experience that there are many sellers in the UK who will only ship vacuums to UK-based buyers.</span>
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">So, what I did was engaged the services of a business based in Dover, Kent, UK that offers mail forwarding service. Basically, what the company does is give you a "slot number" at their UK registered business address in Dover. When you buy something from a seller, you then provide that seller with the address given you by the forwarding company. The seller ships to the forwarding company: the forwarding company, in turn, ships the item to you here in the 'States via Royal Mail's Parcelforce service. It's not cheap, but the last time I used it it wasn't exorbitant either. The link below is to the website of the company in Dover that I chose to use.</span>
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">Also, you may want to consider setting up a payment account through PayPal.co.uk so that you can pay for your purchase in GBP (British Pounds).</span>
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">Finally, if you are planning to use any machine(s) that you buy from the UK, you will need to have a voltage converter as British and European machines operate on 240V, 50 Hz as opposed to our 110-120Vm 60 Hz. I have a 3000W converter installed in my basement, and a long extension cord with UK fittings (which I acquired from eBay.co.uk, of course!) running through a hole in a closet floor down into the converter in my basement. Then, whenever I want to use one of my Brits, I simply go to the basement and switch on the converter, pull the socket and cord out of my closet, plug in the vacuum and go!</span>
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">Here are two pictures of some of the British machines I own: both are Electroluxes. One is the Powerlite Petlover Z2255FZ upright, purchased new from Amazon.co.uk, and the other is the Cyclone Bagless Z5305 canister (which over in the UK is called a "cylinder") purchased as a refurb from a seller on eBay.co.uk. Hope this information helps you.</span>
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">Bill W.</span>
http://www.britsuperstore.com/uk/browse-by-section/mail-forwarding.html
human
Well-known member
I know that eBay in the US has an international shipping center to handle overseas shipments. As a seller, I charge an overseas buyer domestic shipping to the international shipping center, which takes it from there and bills the buyer separately for the overseas shipping. I have no idea how much they charge the buyer but it certainly makes my life easier as a seller. I've never used that service to ship anything as heavy as a vacuum cleaner, just die cast scale car models weighing up to about three pounds.
gj3476
Well-known member
Something like this will work?
Not quite, Gabriel.
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">All that that is going to do for you is convert a British plug to an American wall socket. It won't step up our voltage to that of what your British vacuum cleaner will need. In fact, plugging your cleaner into one of those could harm the machine -- or at the very least make it run far slower than it's designed to run.</span>
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">Check out the link that I've provided below. You will see the current line of voltage converters from the company whose product I use with my European cleaners. This website should give you a good idea of what you'll need.</span>
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">Bill W.</span>
http://www.litefuze.com/products/lt-series/
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">All that that is going to do for you is convert a British plug to an American wall socket. It won't step up our voltage to that of what your British vacuum cleaner will need. In fact, plugging your cleaner into one of those could harm the machine -- or at the very least make it run far slower than it's designed to run.</span>
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">Check out the link that I've provided below. You will see the current line of voltage converters from the company whose product I use with my European cleaners. This website should give you a good idea of what you'll need.</span>
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">Bill W.</span>
http://www.litefuze.com/products/lt-series/
huskyvacs
Well-known member
tazcatsdad is correct, that's the device you need. You plug it into your outlet, turn the knobs to their proper settings, plug your Euro-vaccum into it and away you go. Make sure it has enough wattage for the vacuum you want to use it with.
A 220v European vacuum will not work on American outlets because we only have 120v electricity. Likewise using a 120v American vacuum in Europe on 220V will blow up the motor.
Those little plastic things are just socket adapters to fit UK plug to US outlet, and is not for operating appliances in any way. They have no step-down transformer inside to convert the electricity, they were just made mainly for people to plug in their cell phone chargers to, which have built in voltage conversion.
A 220v European vacuum will not work on American outlets because we only have 120v electricity. Likewise using a 120v American vacuum in Europe on 220V will blow up the motor.
Those little plastic things are just socket adapters to fit UK plug to US outlet, and is not for operating appliances in any way. They have no step-down transformer inside to convert the electricity, they were just made mainly for people to plug in their cell phone chargers to, which have built in voltage conversion.
ultralux88
Well-known member
When I have my own house, I'm just going to put in a 240V outlet, preferably one I import from the UK or somewhere so nothing accidentally can be plugged into it that shouldn't be.
gj3476
Well-known member
Wow I wasn’t expecting all of this. Good I talked to you guys, thank u. And nice to meet you tazcatsdad, I’ve been watching your videos for a long time!
gj3476
Well-known member
Wow I wasn’t expecting all of this. Good thing I talked to you guys, thank u. And nice to meet you tazcatsdad, I’ve been watching your videos for a long time!
gj3476
Well-known member
Hopefully one of these days I’ll try to get my 1st British made vacuum like a vintage Hoover. I want to be in the “in” crowd like u guys.
real1shep
Well-known member
That's a lot of work and some $$ just to use a Euro vac. With older vacs, I can't see that they were any better than ours, different styling/features for sure.....the newer stuff of any quality seems to be mostly Euro....but imported they run here on 120-130volts.
Kevin
Kevin
vaclover
Well-known member
..
If i go overseas to buy a vacuum cleaner will i be able to take it back in my luggage like a box or something?
If i go overseas to buy a vacuum cleaner will i be able to take it back in my luggage like a box or something?
eurekaprince
Well-known member
Why not? I bought a new Eureka upright in Florida in 1983 and brought it back by plane to Montreal. I took it in its original box which was about less than a meter cubed. Can’t remember if I checked it with my luggage or took it onboard with me. I guess now you would need to be able to unpack and repack it at the security check.
Nice to meet you too!
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">Glad to hear that you enjoy my videos! You can see some of the British/European models that I have in those videos, BTW ...</span>
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">Bill W.</span>
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">Glad to hear that you enjoy my videos! You can see some of the British/European models that I have in those videos, BTW ...</span>
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">Bill W.</span>
