I'm Back, With a Question on Canisters

[cap10323]

Hello All, I'm back again.

I'm Still using my Century U-VAC And it's running perfectly.. Best vacuum I've ever owned Hands Down! I've never seen a Machine pick up the pet hair like this thing can! And the light weight and almost silent operation sure have me sold!

However, My house is 80% Hard floors and that's the one thing this doesn't do so well on.. SO I've taken to putting a Dyson Turbine tool on the end of the hose and using it on the floors.. it works great.. But it's a real pain.. And frankly it's hurting my back.

So I am wondering, What's a good recommendation on a Canister vacuum? My last canister was a Dyson DC11 and it wasn't that great, Cyclone always blocking up and motor inevitably burned out.

My Girlfriend's family have a Hoover Canister (Don't remember the model) That they it's mediocre at best..

I want to give Dyson another try.. But they are Unbelievably expensive and honestly, the last one left a bad taste in my mouth.

Thanks In advance
-Cap10323

 

[super-sweeper]

Hi Cap! I remember you from when you were still on YouTube! 

 


I don't recommend any American Dysons, they lost standard quality after the DC05 in Britain. Look around in thrift stores for an older 1990s HOOVER canister. They're absolutely Hoover's best! I love my Dimension 1000 Electronic, you can suck chrome off a bumper while talking on the phone! 


 


Another option is Kenmore, the older the better! Whether you want a 70s tank (love my Duo-Power!!) Or a 90s Wispertone (bags are Super-Totally everywhere for these!). You could buy new, but the wands and power-nozzles got chunky! These last a few good years before busting into bits, my Progressive went for about 7 years, and that's from being brought used years ago! Great for a modern vacuum, but not the same as it's older cousins! 

 

[jade_angel]

New production, there's a few good ones: Miele - pretty much any, but get an electric power nozzle if you have any carpets or large area rugs. Riccar/Simplicity - in my opinion even better than Miele; again, spring for the electric power nozzle. Sebo - mixed reviews but they last. Not that the other two don't, but Sebo is renowned for durability. On the cheaper end, Panasonic - with a bag, of course, their bagless stuff isn't amazing. Indeed, I think the MC-CG902 and its slightly upline relatives are some of the best canisters for the money. On the very high end, TriStar, Aerus and Filter Queen are still quite good, though I think TriStar has fallen a bit from the CXL/DXL era.

Older: Filter Queen, TriStar CXL/DXL, older (70s/80s) Kenmore, Electrolux. Air-Way is great but getting the bags will prove problematic.

 

[blackheart]

Question

Are you looking for a machine with a power nozzle?

 

[DesertTortoise]

I think the Panasonic MG-CG902 is the same vac as the previous generation of the Kenmore Progressive. Not a bad vacuum. The wands are conventional so you can use all kinds of brushes on them. You are not restricted to using the funky model specific Kenmore stuff like you are with the current generation of the Progressive (which Panasonic makes for Kenmore but interestingly does not offer a version under their name, which is telling I think). It is dirt simple, no variable speeds or anything, just an off/on/floor brush switch on the handle. When the Chinese motor eventually dies there is a good Lamb motor you can replace it with that has something like 493 air watts. I have to say, thougher, that I have one apart right now that was abused (owner never changed either filter ever, the secondary filter was missing entirely and the exhaust filter was disintegrated), the motor really jam packed with dirt down in the fields (you couldn't see the commutator at all) and carpet fuzz like a power nozzle motor gets, but once I blew all the dirt out of it I removed the brushes and found essentially zero wear. The commutator looks beautiful, so maybe these things wear like iron? In any event it doesn't have to be a throwaway vac if you don't want it to be. The plastics are hard and squeaky and they scratch if you look at them sideways but otherwise they seem solid. They certainly are reasonably priced for what you get. You can usually buy a brand new one for around two bills. Not a bad value really.

If that is too pedestrian for you you can shop Miele, Sebo, Riccar, Simplicity, Electrolux and even Lindhaus canister vacs on ebay until your eyes cross. Right now there are quite a few recent model Electrolux vacs that some shop is refurbishing to what looks like a pretty high standard. They come with all the tools and accessories, which is unusual for an ebay vac (most sellers seem to take them all apart and sell them piece by piece to maximize profit). I have scored a couple of gems off Craigslist too. Take your time. Good values show up. If filtration is not a high priority there are a couple of really nice Kenmore Whispertones on ebay with the hose, tools and Powermate for under $100. Great basic vacuum, big two fan Lamb motor and well built, but no exhaust filtration and I would back the secondary filter with some bulk filter material cut to fit. I use bulk filter material from Electrolux, but there are several good choics available including some Kenmore bulk filter material I haven't tried yet.

Happy hunting.

 

[eurekaprince]

The most convenient way to clean bare floors daily is actually with the Swiffer Sweeper Vac. My 87-year old mother swears by this machine!

It's basically a rechargeable Dustbuster-on-a-Stick combined with a Swiffer floor mop which uses disposable cloth pads. The suction channel on the front of the nozzle picks up large debris and hair. Behind it lies the Swiffer pad which wipes off all the fine electrostatic dust that suction alone can't remove. It's lightweight and costs around $50.

Here's a clip of it competing head to head with the fancier Dyson DC56 Hard:

 

[ctvacman]

First off...

How much are you looking to spend?

 

[cap10323]

Hi guys.

I'm not looking to spend tons.. So No Miele's or Dysons I don't think.. Unless they are used.

I don't have any need of a Power nozzle, Just a good floor tool is fine.. And I can always add that to a good canister if I find one.

I don't want some huge thing with every bell and whistle available.. I want something like my Sebo: Simple, Rugged, and very well made..

-Cap10323

Also, SuperSweeper. I'm still on YouTube.. www.youtube.com/cap10323

 

[super-sweeper]

Wooohooo you are! Those Lawn-Boy mowers look fun, I'm going to have to find one some day!


 


Definitely look around for a vintage Kenmore or Hoover! 

 

[eurekaprince]

If you want a lightweight, powerful, simple canister vac for floors, try out the little Electrolux EL4100 Ergospace. It comes with a hard-to-find 9-foot hose! Though the supplied Dust Magnet floor tool is excellent, you can attach any generic bare floor brush you like because the wands are a universal diameter that will take any tools you see in your local vac shop.

Most canister vacs on the market today are excellent at cleaning bare floors - this seems to be s cleaning challenge that has been solved by most manufacturers. The only challenge that is still not solved is removing fine electrostatic dust that Swiffers and socks seem to pick up with ease!

I think this 4100 may be discontinued, but I'm sure you can order one somewhere on line.

The 9-foot hose is really unique and will make cleaning large areas of bare floor very easy!

Here's a link to look at:





http://www.allergybegone.com/electrolux-4100.html

 

[eurekaprince]

Ooooo...just found the replacement model! It's EL4103 Ergospace in a nice royal blue! It has the 9-foot hose and the Dust Magnet floor tool. Only $300 and very quiet.

Here's the link:



http://www.allergybuyersclub.com/electrolux-ergospace-el4103a-vacuum-cleaner.html

 

[eurekaprince]

and here's a nice videoclip of the European version of the EL4103 Ergospace - basically the identical vac except for colour:



http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2SvDktDTV8

 

[panofan]

Agreed!

For straight suction, this is fantastic. The 9' hose is unbelievable. Such freedom

I didn't really like the attachments that came with it (combo brush and floor tool) - kinda cheap - hard plastic wheels, not rubber coated - could scratch some types of floors. But, like Eurekaprice says, it is a standard 1 1/4" wand so you can use any standard attachment (I bought a wessel werk combo brush and bare floor brush - totally awesome).

I got my ergospace from warehousedeals - it's like returns etc from Amazon. They have some of the blue ones:
http://www.amazon.com/Electrolux-Er...08031666&sr=1-1&keywords=electrolux+ergospace

Mine was reboxed but very clearly never used. Of course your milage may vary

 

[blackheart]

Simple rugged and well made.

How about a tristar CXL or DXL they are pretty powerful machines, simple, and you can add a post motor filter for better filtration if desired.

 

[DesertTortoise]

There is always the NSS Pig.

 

[bagintheback]

Kenmore Magic Blue

I've been using one for cleaning hard floors for the past 8 years. It's cheap, powerful, relatively quiet at lower speeds, and it's been in production long enough inexpensive generic bags are plentiful. I know you say you don't need a PN, but if you ever need it, the Magic Blue comes with a turbine nozzle that cleans low-pile carpeting pretty well.

 

[DesertTortoise]

Some versions of the Magic Blue have or at least had a powered floor brush.

 

[suckolux]

The earlier one did, I had one, german powerhead

 

[cap10323]

Kenmore magic blue / Eureka Mighty mite

A Kenmore magic Blue Eh?

I'll have to look into that, I was interested in a SEBO Canister but they are a little too pricy for a secondary vac. I currently have a Hoover "Porta Power" Lunchbox style vacuum.. it's okay, But it's not very powerful, And I have to adapt tools to fit it which is a pain.. Also It's old as the hills.. Which isn't that great as I think the motor might be going.

How about the Eureka Mighty Mite Pet Edition? I've owned Mighty Mites before and they were pretty good.. I just used them in my workshop and to clean the car though.. It comes pretty highly rated from Amazon, And it's only About $90

http://www.amazon.com/Eureka-Mighty...&keywords=canister+vacuum+cleaners+best+rated

-Cap10323