Ideal Vacuum Design

[sireluxomatic]

I totally agree, Brian. A bulky handle on a canister hose is a design flaw, I think. I'm not sure about trends in other areas, but in my neck of the woods, many people are opting for "carpet-less" houses...a lot of hardwood, laminate, and tile. In this case, a bulky hose handle, wands, and power nozzle become irrelevant. Also, weren't canisters expressly designed for above floor tasks in the first place? Any canister that doesn't have easy to use and easy to connect tools, hose, and wands is flawed.

Gary, I'm with you all the way. My Epic 6500 is almost unused, as I prefer to break out one of the older Luxes. They're just infinitely more pleasant to use in every way, and I really think they do as good or better at cleaning.

Bob

P.S. The second hose from the left is probably the worst hose Electrolux ever had. The handle is fine, even though I'm not crazy about the knob suction reducer, but that big collar at the handle reduces what must already be the shortest hose they ever made to truly ridiculous proportions. It almost defeats the purpose of vacuuming in the first place.

 

[countryguy]

I agree that the 2nd hose from the left is bad. That is the one that was on my AP280. I also hated the big collar and the suction reducer knob. I had an Epic 6500 and a 9000 and got rid of them both because I hated the hose, wands and the noise! Since I had 2 original '89 hoses I cut the machine end connection with the pigtail off of it and connected it to a current style replacement hose. It works great and improves the suction but the hose is gray instead of green so it doesn't match.

Gary

 

[sireluxomatic]

Ah yes, noise. Jay mentioned it as the first point, and I agree. I don't have knowledge of a wide variety of brands, but the 80's/90's Electrolux motors are just headache inducing, and I'm sure some other brands are more or less the same. What are manufacturers thinking when they design these jet engines?

That reminds me of another idea for a perfect vacuum cleaner...longevity. I think its great to see decades old vacuums still doing exactly what they were built for with hardly a fuss or bother, and probably doing it better than their younger siblings.

 

[eurekaprince]

A requirement I would want on the ideal upright......

would be an easy way to install and remove the cardboard collar of the disposable dust bag. I find that the Hoover upright "Y" bag is very difficult to install because you basically are blinded by the bag as you try to squeeze the cardboard collar onto the plastic "air port" in the back of the compartment. I have torn many a bag just trying to make sure the empty bag is seated fully onto the plastic throat.

Much prefer the bags that are slid into a holder and then rotated into place, or a bag that has dirt falling into it from the top, where you can easily see what you are doing when you change the bag.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

A nice convenient switch would be nice

I hate the "side" switch on our HOOVER elites. "Fingertip" was so much easier.

 

[kenkart]

I like!!!

The straight short end used on Royal ,Filter Queen, Airway ETC, I recently bought a like new Rennisance Elux at the Goodwill, not a scratch on it for 30 .00 used it once to clean my car out and traded it so fast it would make your head spin...ABSOLUTELY the most awkward thing I ever used!

 

[a1945]

One built out of stainless steel, no plastic, built just like the old ones

 

[kenkart]

All you have to do IS!!!

Buy the old Air Way dies, change the swivel top so that it swivels 360 with a elecrical connection, so when you plug in the hose it connects and swivels, a 10 foot lightweight hose with a straight end, curved wands,and Royals old metal center belt power nozzle,and all the old Air Way tools with lightweight aluminum s wands and the old Air Way bag,to me how could you improve on that!