It was a Kirby kind of day.

[rainbowd4c]

I hate admitting defeat. I have always been a canister person and I have always been a Rainbow and old Kenmore person but I have to admit that my Kirby (Wow I can't believe I'm about to throw my Rainbow under the buss) beat my Rainbow.

This picture is everything I have used today.

I don't know what got into me but so far I've washed all the windows, scrubbed all the woodwork and fronts of my kitchen cabinets, and my regular cleaning today.

 

[rainbowd4c]

Just a picture of the upright mode.

 

[durango159]

How long ago did you do all of those things with the Rainbow and how is belt and brush roll on Rainbow?

 

[rainbowd4c]

With my Rainbow I change the belt every six to eight months.  The big thing that I don't like about the Kirby is it doesn't fit under my bed, couch, or the legs of my end tables.  I have to use the floor brush for that.  So then the carpet does not get the use of the carpet brush.  For that reason alone I use my Rainbow more. 

 

[rainbowd4c]

And in answer to your other question I did all that back in July. 

 

[blackheart]

Well...

You just can't beat a good direct air upright when it comes to carpet cleaning.

 

[rainbowd4c]

But I have to say this. My cat and dog like my Rainbow more than the Kirby. Just for that I will use my Rainbow more. LOL

 

[electromatik]

I think the biggest "secret" to a direct air machine like a Kirby has to do with the weight of the machine. The entire machine is one piece that rests above the nozzle. This added weight causes the nozzle to dig down into the carpet more. I have a feeling that goes a long way toward helping it dig up the dirt. Having said that, it does nothing to change my mind about canisters. I believe a canister equipped with an electrically-driven power nozzle offers the best possible compromise to clean an entire house. While a direct air vacuum might remove the dirt somewhat faster, an electrically-driven power nozzle brushroll passed over a carpet enough times will also remove it. Power nozzle canisters have proven in the homes of millions they can clean carpets. I still prefer them to any. Power nozzle canisters still offer me the superior suction strength of a canister with the benefit of better carpet cleaning in addition to better attachments and above floor cleaning.

 

[jade_angel]

For carpets, yeah, direct air is hard to beat, and in that field, Kirby is one of the best. I haven't seen many canisters that can match it. Depending on your carpet, maybe Miele, Riccar or the new Silver Kings...

 

[blackheart]

Hmm

with direct airs it's more that they can generate enough flow to attract the carpet to the nozzle then use the brush to create both a beating and sweeping motion this is what allows them to really dig that fine grit out.

The new silver kings are not that great a machine IMO. It's nearly as loud as a central vac, the airflow reading on the baird meter is 3. To compare my miele last time i took a reading pulled a 4.5 same with the riccar 1700 and my patriot (tristar type) pulls a 5.5 and the vita-vac can pull a 6 with an air-tec cloth bag.

Funny enough i use canisters more than uprights though i believe direct air uprights when it comes to deep carpet cleaning.

 

[williamr1248]

It was a Kirby kind of day

Andy,
Been right were you were yesterday. I think I agree that the Kirby is hard to beat on carpeting but once you are used to using a Rainbow, I just cannot stand the smell from the Kirby. I don't like to add smells to "cover up" the odor and I used to wash my Kirby bag and replace the hepa bag often and still had nasty smell every I turned it on.
My Kirby was my main vacuum for many years but after I used my Rainbow and got used to no odor, I just could not go back to using the Kirby. Also the fact that as I got older, the Kirby was just too heavy to left and carry, so mine in now packed away.
The Rainbow takes some getting used to and the new model is MUCH more user friendly. It kept going through my mind that the purpose of using the vacuum was to REMOVE the dirt, so it no longer made since to remove it from the rug and then have to deal with the smell, odor and dust settling on everything in the room to be cleaned again.
If you are really a Rainbow convert, you will be back. Maybe not today, but you will be back. One day when you turn on the machine and you get that odor and find dust settling back to be cleaned, you will be back.
It is fun to try out the different machines and see what works best for you.
Sure not one right machine for everyone.

 

[rainbowd4c]

The Kirby is a good rotation vacuum. Something to just get out every once in a while. I love my Rainbow and I will always use it. I do like the way my air smells when I use the Rainbow. I'm just not a big fan of uprights.

I have using my Rainbow down to a Science. When I lived in my house I knew how many rooms I could clean with one filling of water. When I had my apartment in Chicago and my current apartment I can clean the whole apartment with one tank of water.

My friend Jennifer gave me the Kirby. She didn't like it and got a Dyson, she didn't like my Rainbow so oh well. LOL

 

[kirby519]

I just aquired a 2000 limted edition Kirby also a Rainbow E series. I am impressed with this 2000 model it seems to handle much better than the earlier models and has even better air flow. Even better than the Rainbow unless you take out that stupid hepa filter. Then the Rainbow has much improved air flow.

 

[rainbowd4c]

I don't have the HEPA filter on the back of mine. My Rainbow is an old D4C from the 80's. It came with the external long cord for the power head that is strapped to the hose. I still use it like that. LOL All the same I think it has a great air flow and maybe I'm wrong when I say it was beat by the Kirby.

I'll know in a few days when I vacuum and go to empty the water tank.

 

[tase]

I love my Rainbow D3C, but I'm just not a canister person. They're annoying to lug around, the airflow doesn't seem to be as strong as I want, you have to carry all these pieces if you go floor to floor... I hate it.

My Kirby Sentria is almost the perfect vacuum for me.

 

[nycwriter]

Well ...

... "The big thing that I don't like about the Kirby is it doesn't fit under my bed, couch, or the legs of my end tables. I have to use the floor brush for that. So then the carpet does not get the use of the carpet brush."

This is why I opted for the Aerus Guardian Platinum over the Royal Everlast or the Kirby.

A slim power nozzle is SO much easier to maneuver through a small apartment.

 

[rainbowd4c]

Rest assured that next month when I do my holiday cleaning I will use my Rainbow.  In all honesty I think the Rainbow is in general easier to use.