Kenmore Elite Intuition Canister Vacuum

[fan-of-fans]

It seems Sears is about to release a second Kenmore Elite vacuum, this time a canister. It looks like it is an update of the current Intuition model, with an Inducer motor and the hose and wands look like those from the current Progressive canisters.

http://www.kenmore.com/kenmore-intu...2021814000P?prdNo=11&blockNo=11&blockType=G11

 

[eurekaprince]

8 foot hose...nice!

 

[durango159]

I hope this power head is better than its awkward predecessor with the awful wheels on bare floor tool that always broke. Looks like lots of chunky fancy designs and wires for bare floor brush head.

 

[electromatik]

I really like that ceiling fan tool. I've always considered that bare floor tool in the power head set up kinda gimmicky. I'd like to talk to someone about how well that holds up to years of use.

 

[georgect]

Hmmmmm....

Well it does have a decent cord length (26 ft).
Cleaning width is only 8 inches (instead of 12-13 inches).
Only 1 "onboard" attachments but 3 "total" attachments.
Good length 8 ft hose.
Not so good "Automatic Height Adjustments" powerhead.
Pretty average weight 23 lbs.
Cool color.

I don't see the 360 swivel hose on the canister (either it's fixed or it may be able to spin within the connection).

"The Kenmore Intuition canister vacuum’s CrossOver handle stores a crevice tool at your fingertips"
Maybe it's hidden but I don't see where the crevice tool is.

 

[durango159]

That power nozzle is a manual height adjuster. Scroll through and magnify the photos on the website. The last one #7 shows the manual height adjustment. The power nozzle is a Kenmore standard 14" wide path. The bare floor brush is most likely an industry standard of 9" for onboard tool size.

As always with other websites, whoever typed up the Specification page has no idea what they're talking about!!! The pictures truly show the machines true features.

Reliability for the bare floor brush on the current model Intuition nozzle has been terrible. There are tiny plastic approximate 1/4" diameter wheels on back of floor nozzle. They scrape along floor rather than roll nicely and they chip off, and completely break from cleaning grout or coming across small stones. This not only impedes cleaning and ruins floor surfaces but also breaks the entire docking mechanism back into the power nozzle. The replacement parts on Sears websites last I checked were a good $80+ for the new bare floor brush head. Additionally the old style bare floor brush only had 2 bristle bars shaped into a V. Very low performance sweeping and dust removal from floor with that cleaning head.

 

[georgect]

@durango159 Rob

You're right, I now see the carpet height selector in the last picture.

They (Sears) really should know what they're posting about their own products.
It's enough to be turned off because some of those "features" (that are incorrect) can be a deal breaker for some.

I wish they showed it with the hood open.
It seems like they could fit more than just one on board tool under there.

 

[fan-of-fans]

Tool Storage

I don't know why they aren't on in the photos, but my guess is since the hose and wands on this look like the ones from the Progressive line, likely the attachments are the same. The crevice tool snaps in on the back of the hose handle. The dusting brush slides on the end of the hose and the wand can then slide in place underneath it. The floor brush of course is stored on the Power Mate. The ceiling fan/angle brush is probably the single attachment that is mentioned as stored on board the canister, although the Pet Powermate would also store on board in a separate compartment, though in this case it looks like it could be one big compartment.

If it is like the Progressives though, there should be a pet hair/upholstery tool stored on the canister as well, which interchanges with the dusting brush bristles.

I just noticed the top says "HEPA Media Filtration". This uses Q HEPA Cloth bags, so shouldn't that be "True HEPA Filtration"? That's what the current Intuition, and red and blueberry Progressives say on them and they all use Q HEPA Cloth bags.

Don't know about the lack of a hose swivel. It looks like the end of a swivel hose, without the elbow part. My guess is they are eliminating to prevent the dust leakage often mentioned on this forum, or that it actually does have a swivel, and these are just prototype or edited photos that aren't quite accurate. I have seen a few of Sears' photos that have inaccuracies.

 

[vader]

I just got this vacuum the other day when they had the friends and family sale. Out the door with the 5 year warranty it was just under $500. My last one was the red progressive from about 8 or 9 years ago(before they had the fabric tool built on the wand).

Man, this thing has really good suction. I read about the wheels on the crossover floor tool always breaking on the first one. This new one does not have the wheels, just bristles. So far I like it. I would not recommend getting this without the warranty though. Its disappointing that they use so much plastic on these things now. I worry about the telescopic part the most. That plastic piece feels a little flimsy if you happen to grab it there.

Oh, and it comes with 4 attachments not including the crossover tool. The small dust tool, the ceiling fan tool, the crevice tool, and the petmate. I was a little dissapointed that they didnt include a fabric tool but I suppose I can retro fit the old one from my progressive with a little diy.

 

[fan-of-fans]

Fabric tool

I haven't looked at the tools on the new Elite to see what they look like, but my Progressive has the same plastic ends and it does have a fabric tool. It's a rubbery piece with louvers that fits in place of the dusting brush bristles. If your dusting brush is similar to mine you may be able to just order the part and snap it in place.

 

[vader]

When I was looking at the current progressives it didn't look like they had a separate fabric tool. I think the one attached to the wand was the designated fabric tool. They were all empty so I asked the salesperson and they pointed to that. Can you post a link to the one you have? Here is what the connection looks like on the duster tool on the new one:

 

[fan-of-fans]

Here is a new Kenmore Elite Intuition on eBay. I don't know the seller but this is the first I have seen on eBay and I thought it would illustrate the attachments better since it has photos of them. Note the hose handle and wands are like the Progressives, as is the crevice tool. But look at the dusting brush. The bristles are very full and horsehair. It looks as nice as the older dusting brushes! It looks like they improved on it. It also still has the angled dusting brush like the previous blue Intuition. Interesting that the Pet Powermate stores in the same compartment as the brushes.

Not too crazy about the floor brush, but at least it doesn't have wheels to break off like the previous version. The bristles look pretty sparse though. I think it's neat that the dirt sensor light is on the floor brush itself.

It also looks like they added vents for the exhaust air to come out of, instead of that weird setup from the past models where the air has to find a way of escape.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kenmore-Eli...58214615216&pid=100005&prg=10284&rk=1&rkt=6&s

 

[eurekaprince]

This Kenmore Elite canister was recently tested by Consumer Reports and has ended up on the top of the list for bagged canister vacs. Excellent air flow through the hose for above the floor cleaning which is not easy to find these days.....

The Kenmore Intuition was previously in first place but I guess with all the problems people had with the floor brush, it was removed from the rankings.

 

[DesertTortoise]

Oooh, interesting. I will be finding and purchasing the dusting brush and flip tool for my Progressive (Regressive?) vac very shortly.

I have the earlier version of that flip tool for blinds and fan blades from the first gen Intuition. It fits my older vacs handles and wands and is one of the best innovations in vacuum tools in quite a while. The new dusting brush looks loverly. Didn't see the big cuff (foreskin) Progressives have for their "upholstery brush" (slotted horse hoof looking thing) so no upholstery brush? Or are the bristles on a piece that comes off the dusting brush to reveal an upholstery brush underneath like earlier Intuitions had?

I will be interested to find out the details of this "inducer motor", you know, who makes it, number of fan stages, type of fan, airflow, suction, etc. I will also be interested to see if the wire connections between the blank hose and hose ends on that 8 foot hose are compatible with the hose ends my earlier vacs. It would be nice to have something longer than the six feet I have now and a couple of them need new hose material. Could be a solution to a problem but some of the newer hose stock has square connections rather than the round ones my vacs have.

Lack of an apparent hose swivel has me scratching my head. Have to go to Sears and see one in person.

Ah, might have to buy one of these for grins when funds permit.

 

[fan-of-fans]

This one seems to have square prongs but the red Progressive has a regular hose that's 8 foot. I really pike mine. I may the round prongs and 8 foot hose. I will see if one of these ever gets returned and on clearance. I got my Progressive that way. Got a $400 TOL Progressive for $95 and still got the full warranty. It had a few scuffs but it worth it.

 

[DesertTortoise]

I've noticed the Intuition vacs had a different style electrical connection at the canister so you could not put a Progressive hose on an Intuition canister. I assumed that was due to some incompatibility between the pcb in the hose handle and the pcb on the vacuum. I can see someone like me perhaps putting a Progressive hose on a new Elite canister, for scientific purposes of course, heh, heh, heh, and FOOM! Clean up in the floor care department. However, the square ends I am referring to are the connections between the bare hose and the hose end that are hidden under the cuffs at each end.

Fan-of-fans, what's the model number of your red Progressive? My brand new Progressive has exactly five feet of exposed hose between the hose ends. If you add the length of the handle you get a six foot hose. It's like a little puppy following along behind me as I vacuum, nipping at my heels.

I want to see if the part number for the blank hose Sears sells for your model is different than the part number for mine. Sweetsweep used to be able to get 7 foot lengths of bare three wire hose stock but their supplier no longer offers it. Everyone now sells six footers at most. I am wondering if I go into Sears Parts Direct for your vac, look up the part number for the hose blank and find it has been superseded to the same part number for the shorter hose used on my vacuum. Or, if I can still get a 7 foot lengths of bare hose stock start saving my money.

 

[fan-of-fans]

My red model is 21714. The mid-range purple "blueberry" model is 21614 and fits in between the white and red. I read it has a six foot hose like the white one.

 

[DesertTortoise]

My Progressive is model 116.21514012. It uses hose blank PN 8192774 priced $74.50.

116.21614 uses hose blank PN 4370588 priced $69.25 and 116.21714 uses hose blank PN 4370560 priced $36.02.

I don't get it. From what I can tell both of your vacs have the on/off switch and motor speed control on the handle and both are three wire hoses yet one is nearly twice the price as the other. Correct me if I'm wrong. If the hose for your 21714 is really 7 feet long and priced at $36.02 that is quite a bargain.

 

[super-sweeper]

Saw it in Sears. it looks big, clunky and unconventional. Give me my Avocado Bomber any-day! Before you accuse me of imitating D.T, I do have and love my own Duo-Power canister! it has much more practical and better-looking, less-chunky separate wands and floor-tool! The matching upright though, Love it!