Kenmore models regained headlamp?

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I’ve noticed some Kenmore canisters being slightly redesigned slightly and they’ve regained headlights on the power nozzle. This is a welcome change, because I didn’t like when the power nozzles lost headlights when Cleva designed canisters first came out, and only the Elite models still had them then. The basic models like 200 series still do not but at least some of the mid range like Pop N Go models have headlights now.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/KENMORE...th-Hair-Eliminator-Brushroll-BC4030/331822829
 
It looks like they have returned the hose swivel at the machine end as well. I'm just glad they are still being built even if they're not the best canister around. An average bagged canister is still better than the best bagless upright, or worse, stick vac.
 
Their red BC4027 has had a headlight for a while now, and the purple 22614 hasn't gone anywhere. Not to mention the Titan versions have headlights but they're LED now just like the Cen-Tec power nozzles.

Anyways, that white model appears to have a King Clean made nozzle. Terrible choice if you ask me. Cheaply made, no height adjuster, and doesn't clean as well. I bet this is because Sears is trying to cut cost but why though, what's the point? Sears is history and there's nothing they can do now once the final store is expected to close down. Even if they're already looking for someone to buy the Kenmore brand or if it goes up for auction, I'm afraid we're seeing the end of Kenmore as I think the brand would eventually be dead. Not as popular as they used to be and their appliances have switched from quality to quantity, I mean these canisters have issues with the wiring and such. If I really wanted a Kenmore today, I'd just buy a SEBO who they once made vacuums for Sears. Certainly they're one of the only vacuums companies left who improves on their products.
 
Yes

But they also own Sears as well. Transformco was formed to acquire the assets of Sears Holdings Corporation when they went bankrupt in 2018 so it's technically still Sears. Unfortunately that didn't last for long as Sears went bankrupt again in 2022. From my understanding, I've also read that Transformco is already moving on from the big box business to real estate.
 
My guess is the floor care line may be sold off at some point, given how many retailers that it’s sold through, it seems to still be a somewhat popular line.

Or possibly the Kenmore brand will be sold, seeing how Lowes has sold some Kenmore appliances as well as has Amazon.

And the DieHard batteries sold at Advance Auto and Carquest.

Anyway, there’s probably still some value in the brand name, so I’m sure they’ll look to profit from it somehow, whether it’s through selling the name and product lines to another retailer, or perhaps to a manufacturer like Cleva or some other appliance maker.
 
Ilovehoovers

Yes, Cleva has owned and manufactured Kenmore machines for quite a few years now. They purchased the designs and molds for the canisters from Panasonic when they left the market, and even kept on several Panasonic engineers to keep everything similar. I have a sneaking suspicion that Cleva manufactures Sharks, at least they may have for awhile... The Intuition bagged upright is way too much of a carbon copy of a Navigator 😂
 
Transforco and Cleva are two separate companies. Kenmore only buys or leases from manufactures, always has. They never made anything themselves, at best they just helped design. Same goes for Shark.
 
Cleva along with the canisters, got the designs for the uprights from Panasonic as well.

However Cleva do not own the full rights to the Kenmore brand specifically, but I believe have some sort of licensing agreement to use it. They even did infomercials for the Intuition upright a few years ago, with no mention of Sears in it at all.

I do wonder who will end up with the Kenmore name if Transformco were to sell it. I don’t believe Lowes or Home Depot would be the buyer, although they may have considered it. Maybe Cleva would like to have full rights to it. Although, I was surprised to learn recently that the Kenmore small kitchen appliances are still sold online through various retailers, both models that have been out for a decade, and along with newer designs. It seems the small appliances are made by a company called Koolatron.
 
Probably a Chinese company like Midea would be Kenmore's best shot at keeping the brand alive. Similar to Craftsman, they could still contract Cleva and other companies to still make vacuums for Kenmore. But honestly, I'd rather have Kenmore to be history. Again Kenmore isn't the same as they used to be and they never will again, in fact there's not a single Kenmore on the market today that I'd buy for myself. As much as I love Kenmore, there's just better options out there for me price wise even on the used market. In fact, on reply #1, there is more than one bagless upright I'd buy over any bagged Kenmore canister today. But in my opinion the best cheapest bagged vacuum, the CleanMax Pro CMP-3T for about the same price, would easily outlast that white Kenmore.
 
Suzhou Cleva Electric Appliance Co Ltd does not own Kenmore floorcare. They are just a vendor. Kenmore and Sears Home Services are now owned by Eddie Lampert's hedge fund ESL Investments. Suzhou Cleva is just one of dozens of companies that make products for the Kenmore and Craftman brands, much as Panasonic and before them Whirlpool made Kenmore vacuums but had no equity stake in Sears Holdings.

That new power nozzle that comes with the BC4030 is a new product from Suzhou Cleva. I have one. The bummer is that Kenmore is not providing any parts support for it. You can't even buy a replacement brush roll or belt for one. I had a long discussion with Kenmore about this on their Vacuum Support Hotline ( yes, there is such a thing ). In their opinion nobody knows how to fix anything any more and they are of the opinion that owners trying to fix their vacuums causes more harm than good. Instead when the brush roll wears out or that silly hose in the swivel neck tears you are expected to buy a whole new power nozzle for $86. Yes, that is less money than the $95 Miele skins you for a replacement brush roll for a SEB236 but still crappy customer service to my thinking. And wasteful. Throw an otherwise perfectly good power nozzle out because the brush roll wore out. It's just wrong. At least with the purple 81614 or the blue twin BC4026 you can get every part for that power nozzle as it's made not just for Kenmore but with a different upper cover is mechanically identical to the Cen-Tec CT20 and the power nozzle Titan sells with the T9000.
 
That gray model PopNGo canister is a new style power head for the Kenmore lineup. It has a hair wrap prevention feature. This model is the only model of the series, other than the red plush pro power nozzle PopNGo that has a headlight. I have the navy blue PopNGo 600 that I got in February. I like that it has the swivel hose now as I heard there were durability issues with the straight down connection. I have been very impressed with the new canister with exception that the hose is extremely rigid. It's a very stiff hose that makes for harder to maneuver wand with floor brush or power head. Cleva has been the manufacturer of many Kenmore vacuums now for several years as they got rights to many of the designs that Panasonic had. With Sears essentially mostly an online retailer now with few if any surviving brick and mortar locations, the Kenmore brand has been sold at many other retailers to include Home Depot, Lowe's, Target, QVC, vacuum stores and more.
 
It's funny but possibly because I grew up with American canister vacuums I vastly prefer the wire reinforced hoses used on American style vacuums to the miserable "crush proof" ( they aren't ) hoses sold with most European vacuums. Miele hoses are especially heinous, being both too stiff (to the point they flip the canister over) yet easy to kink,, leaving a wound you can never fix ( and it will kink there again, and again, and again ). Kenmore / Aerus / Filter Queen and old US made Hoover hoses that are wire reinforced never ever kink and never fight you like a Miele hose. Sebo hoses are better mainly because they are longer and I suspect adding two feet to a Miele hose would cure some of what bugs me about them. The hose on my Lindhaus Aria is longer and easier to manage, but very soft and I have to exercise a lot of care with it to avoid kinking it. On some of my Swedish Electroluxes I use a neoprene wrist brace on the hose canister end to keep them from kinking.
Kenmore made their hoses exit the canister straight up to improve airflow, and the difference in airflow between the straight swivel and earlier angled swivel is measurable on an anemometer. But the hose would often develop a weak spot from being bent all the time there and they sometimes flipped canisters over so recently Kenmore has returned to the angled swivel. The 600 Series has such high airflow I don't really miss the extra airflow the straight swivel provides. The 600 Series is just great overall design. Kenmore really thought that one out. I have Kennys going back to the late 1940s including just about every Sears Best model and all the different Progressives and an Elite canister and of all these the 600 is the best. Better materials, better fit, and better function than any of my old Kennys and much better than any of the Progressive series. And for the price it has to be one of the all time great vacuum cleaner values.
 
It's funny but possibly because I grew up with American canister vacuums I vastly prefer the wire reinforced hoses used on American style vacuums to the miserable "crush proof" ( they aren't ) hoses sold with most European vacuums. Miele hoses are especially heinous, being both too stiff (to the point they flip the canister over) yet easy to kink,, leaving a wound you can never fix ( and it will kink there again, and again, and again ). Kenmore / Aerus / Filter Queen and old US made Hoover hoses that are wire reinforced never ever kink and never fight you like a Miele hose. Sebo hoses are better mainly because they are longer and I suspect adding two feet to a Miele hose would cure some of what bugs me about them. The hose on my Lindhaus Aria is longer and easier to manage, but very soft and I have to exercise a lot of care with it to avoid kinking it. On some of my Swedish Electroluxes I use a neoprene wrist brace on the hose canister end to keep them from kinking.
Kenmore made their hoses exit the canister straight up to improve airflow, and the difference in airflow between the straight swivel and earlier angled swivel is measurable on an anemometer. But the hose would often develop a weak spot from being bent all the time there and they sometimes flipped canisters over so recently Kenmore has returned to the angled swivel. The 600 Series has such high airflow I don't really miss the extra airflow the straight swivel provides. The 600 Series is just great overall design. Kenmore really thought that one out. I have Kennys going back to the late 1940s including just about every Sears Best model and all the different Progressives and an Elite canister and of all these the 600 is the best. Better materials, better fit, and better function than any of my old Kennys and much better than any of the Progressive series. And for the price it has to be one of the all time great vacuum cleaner values.
I’m interested in seeing a picture of the wrist brace, if you have a minute to do so. Thank you.
 
I’m hoping Kenmore / Cleva brings a headlight back to the 400 series bagged machines. Bonus points if they use the new swivel crushproof hose from the 500 series bagless.

I’m not a fan of the 600 series pop-n-go connector since it makes the hose handle even more bulky and uses a goofy proprietary fitting. The 200s and 400s use the old-school 1 1/4” (32mm) chrome button lock and those open up a world of tools.
I also don’t understand why they’re still using wire-reinforced hoses unless it’s strictly down to cost. Crushproof hoses have been around forever. They’re far more durable, lighter, internally smoother for better airflow, etc. Wiring doesn’t need to be incorporated into the spirals of the hose, only a thick insulated cord (I know both Miele and SEBO have done this without issue).

I love the Kenmore bagged canisters. They’re not the best machines out there but are some of the least expensive power-nozzle canisters and will last longer than a bagless machine. I always recommend the 400 over the 600 due to its reduced cost, size, and weight. Plus a standard fitting means all sorts of tools work with it.
 
Calvin - Crushproof hoses certainly have been around a long time. But they are NOT truly crushproof! Ever wonder why TriStar, Patriot, Miracle Mate and Riccar/Simplicity canisters have the plastic "hose cuff" at the machine end and handle end of the hose? It's to keep the hose material from crushing! Plus, if you step on those hoses one too many times, they will crush in permanently and require replacement. If you look at a replacement TriStar crushproof hose that has been left sitting on the wands for too long, you will see what I mean - the material starts to bend and droop down at the handle end.

As for why Cleva is still using the wire reinforced material? Probably because it's a signature feature of Kenmore/Panasonic canisters. They have been using that material since the 1060's. Also, if you take a look inside of a Kenmore hose blank, they are actually fairly smooth, and more importantly, VERY wide inside. That would allow for plenty of airflow movement. And Cleva isn't the only one doing this - the Perfect C103/Clean Obsessed CO888 and Aerus Guardian Platinum canisters are still using wire reinforced hoses, and the Guardian Platinum is pulling 116" waterlift through that hose material!

You should also be aware there is a aftermarket adapter for the Kenmore 600, 700 and 800 series hoses that will allow 32mm universal attachments to fit these hoses, it's only $15 bucks on Ebay. Plus I have made one myself for my Kenmores by simply using a metal Miele tool adapter with some red Tuck Tape wrapped on the outside to make it fit snug inside the hose handle. https://www.ebay.com/itm/3564257589...E+OmzxRCPNhXijp9sN5p8CEP8=|tkp:Bk9SR-62wvTmZQ

As for those Euro style hoses that Miele and Sebo use? Those are NOT crushproof hoses. Rather, they are referred to in the industry as Cord Welded Hoses. Yes, they do solve the issue that Wire Reinforced hoses have and Crushproof hoses have, in that these Cord Welded hoses cannot be crushed and caved in by just stepping on them. BUT, they actually RESTRICT airflow, NOT improve it! The cord is actually held in place in a plastic tube that is glued in place inside the hose material, and that tube takes up so much space inside the hose material it actually interferes with the airflow. This is especially true of the Chinese-made Miele Style canisters, like the Vapamore Vento and Cirrus canisters. I had to do a repair on the hose handle of my Hoover Windtunnel Anniversary Edition canister recently, and I was actually shocked by how much room that plastic tube took up - so much it looked for sure like it would cause clogs in the hose!

As for the Kenmore BC4030 and the new powerhead design - Cheesewonton, that is a shame that Cleva is choosing to make parts unavailable and makes you buy the powerhead entirely! I agree with Panasonicvac that it looks cheaply made. However, if I was recommending a new canister vacuum purchase, I would recommend a new Kenmore 600 series canister anyday over a Miele or Sebo to the average consumer. Miele canisters may be nice, but their quality has gone too far downhill in recent years. The new Guard M1 series looks like it has been cheapened A LOT over the C3 series it replaces. Miele canisters are no longer worth the prices they command new IMHO. And Sebo, although they are nice and comparable to Miele in quality, the problem I have with them is their S Class Filtration System, which claims to be comparable to HEPA H13 Filtration but is NOT! Their filtration system is absolutely inferior to Miele, and there's no way in good conscience I could recommend them when a conventional canister vacuum with a sealed HEPA Filter system would filter BETTER for LESS MONEY! And I do believe these Kenmores would last at least 15 years with reasonable care and maintenance. So, for me, a Kenmore at 1/2 the price that would last nearly as long is a no-brainer over a Miele or Sebo. The Vapamore and Cirrus canisters would also be a fine choice as well.
 
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The oft maligned modern Kenmore large diameter wand and hose handle are based on Japanese Panasonic designs from the same era. The larger diameter is necessary for the high airflow motors they use, particularly the Panasonic proprietary 3D Inducer Motors used in the Elite 800 and 700 Series and Elite upright, but apparently no longer used on Suzhou Cleva built versions. I like to swap motors in vacuums and see what kind of performance improvements I can find doing so and from experience putting that 3D Inducer Motor into something with a standard 32 mm ( 1 1/4 inch ) diameter hose spout nukes the airflow. Where that motor produces 80 + CFM in a Kenmore Elite, if you put that same motor in a Tristar all you get is 56 CFM. Even putting one in an older Mexican made Panasonic with a standard hose spout reduces airflow. You could put the hose from a 400 Series on a 600 and it would operate fine. The board in the hose handle and in the vacuum are the same but you would lose airflow doing so. If you look at the higher powered Japanese Panasonics the hoses are tapered 46-48 mm inside diameter.

I attached two images that show the Japanese hose end, one of which also has the Kenmore handle for comparison. The Japanese version of the horse hoof dusting brush is a bit better thought out than the version they designed for Kenmore. Most Japanese canister vacuums now have a dusting brush built into the hose end.
 

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Calvin - Crushproof hoses certainly have been around a long time. But they are NOT truly crushproof! Ever wonder why TriStar, Patriot, Miracle Mate and Riccar/Simplicity canisters have the plastic "hose cuff" at the machine end and handle end of the hose? It's to keep the hose material from crushing! Plus, if you step on those hoses one too many times, they will crush in permanently and require replacement. If you look at a replacement TriStar crushproof hose that has been left sitting on the wands for too long, you will see what I mean - the material starts to bend and droop down at the handle end.

As for why Cleva is still using the wire reinforced material? Probably because it's a signature feature of Kenmore/Panasonic canisters. They have been using that material since the 1060's. Also, if you take a look inside of a Kenmore hose blank, they are actually fairly smooth, and more importantly, VERY wide inside. That would allow for plenty of airflow movement. And Cleva isn't the only one doing this - the Perfect C103/Clean Obsessed CO888 and Aerus Guardian Platinum canisters are still using wire reinforced hoses, and the Guardian Platinum is pulling 116" waterlift through that hose material!

You should also be aware there is a aftermarket adapter for the Kenmore 600, 700 and 800 series hoses that will allow 32mm universal attachments to fit these hoses, it's only $15 bucks on Ebay. Plus I have made one myself for my Kenmores by simply using a metal Miele tool adapter with some red Tuck Tape wrapped on the outside to make it fit snug inside the hose handle. https://www.ebay.com/itm/356425758974?_skw=kenmore+hose+adapter&itmmeta=01JWVMGKD99F6221ZEM08ACDM4&hash=item52fca178fe:g:iOMAAOSw7ytkDeCo&itmprp=enc:AQAKAAAA0FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1chgpY3rjlq79sZb+vmm/PwNK7guWaOIvo8RobGiDCoQnLGRrgP0CNP9jPgt48CFj/vPlUvAIyVBZHfdBh6yk7W7IWNvUaKk2DFkCRl245KYu3uGgIoI7sAQNP9JZ5fqOymQtiuMcIbWnVkFu5jc6VPhQjVt/Znfe3J4LlOduAJ7rcWNJctKKTi0JC/D7KbOqpRElbH4ol+Et1bxTwZZpFkAdpqxZeNf3/H1fppTNE+OmzxRCPNhXijp9sN5p8CEP8=|tkp:Bk9SR-62wvTmZQ

As for those Euro style hoses that Miele and Sebo use? Those are NOT crushproof hoses. Rather, they are referred to in the industry as Cord Welded Hoses. Yes, they do solve the issue that Wire Reinforced hoses have and Crushproof hoses have, in that these Cord Welded hoses cannot be crushed and caved in by just stepping on them. BUT, they actually RESTRICT airflow, NOT improve it! The cord is actually held in place in a plastic tube that is glued in place inside the hose material, and that tube takes up so much space inside the hose material it actually interferes with the airflow. This is especially true of the Chinese-made Miele Style canisters, like the Vapamore Vento and Cirrus canisters. I had to do a repair on the hose handle of my Hoover Windtunnel Anniversary Edition canister recently, and I was actually shocked by how much room that plastic tube took up - so much it looked for sure like it would cause clogs in the hose!

As for the Kenmore BC4030 and the new powerhead design - Cheesewonton, that is a shame that Cleva is choosing to make parts unavailable and makes you buy the powerhead entirely! I agree with Panasonicvac that it looks cheaply made. However, if I was recommending a new canister vacuum purchase, I would recommend a new Kenmore 600 series canister anyday over a Miele or Sebo to the average consumer. Miele canisters may be nice, but their quality has gone too far downhill in recent years. The new Guard M1 series looks like it has been cheapened A LOT over the C3 series it replaces. Miele canisters are no longer worth the prices they command new IMHO. And Sebo, although they are nice and comparable to Miele in quality, the problem I have with them is their S Class Filtration System, which claims to be comparable to HEPA H13 Filtration but is NOT! Their filtration system is absolutely inferior to Miele, and there's no way in good conscience I could recommend them when a conventional canister vacuum with a sealed HEPA Filter system would filter BETTER for LESS MONEY! And I do believe these Kenmores would last at least 15 years with reasonable care and maintenance. So, for me, a Kenmore at 1/2 the price that would last nearly as long is a no-brainer over a Miele or Sebo. The Vapamore and Cirrus canisters would also be a fine choice as well.
If you look at global filtration standards you will never see anything called "S-Class". That is Sebo marketing. They claim 99.9% particle capture. Miele adheres to the European HEPA standards, of which there are many, but if you buy the best Miele filter you get what is known as H-13, or 99.95% particle capture. But beware and read the fine print, many filters sold for Miele and European Electrolux vacuums are rated at H-11 or H-12 and many dust bags for all kinds of vacuums including Kirby, Electrolux aftermarket bags, those VAC USA bags for Tristars are rated at H-11. Might as well use a four ply paper bag.
Neither S-Class or H-13 are equal to the US Department of Energy ( DoE ) HEPA filter standard, DOE-STD-3020-2015. That standard requires 99.97% capture of particles 0.3 microns in size. That size was chosen to correspond to particular nuclear particles in the air of facilities handling nuclear materials that the standard was designed to filter out. Filter media that successfully captures 99.97% of particles of 0.3 microns in size will capture 100% of particles larger and smaller than 0.3 microns. Many US based vacuum companies including those that manufacture in China have adopted the US DoE HEPA standard. You often see this called "True HEPA". Modern Kenmore Style Q ( canister ) and Style O ( upright ) dust bags and their exhaust filters all meet the US DoE HEPA standard so a modern Kenmore 600 actually achieves a higher standard of filtration than Miele. The difference is marginal but it is there.
What kills Kenmore's rep is that most owners use whatever crap dust bag they can find at Walmart or Target ( Fabreeze or Dust Fairy and often it's a paper bag ) that leak like a sieve and then never change filters. After a few years the poor thing is coated with dirt inside and the motor is making sick noises. If you are hard core about only using Kenmore dust bags and filters and change filters on schedule, just like the Sebo or Miele dealer would tell you to do, a Kenny can last plenty long. Dealers don't sell Kennys so most buyers are never given any coaching on how to take care of their vacuum, so they get abused and Kenmore gets a bad name.
As for a headlight on the power nozzle. I don't see the need. Sebo and Lindhaus don't have a headlight on their power nozzles and nobody complains. I agree that the Kenmore 600 Series is probably one of the best canister vacuums out there today and certainly the best value. The Pet Powermate and the plush horse hair dusting brush along with the long crevice tool kind of seal the deal. Much nicer than Miele attachments. I tell people to buy the purple 81614 or blue BC4026 because that power nozzle, same as the one sold with the 200 and 400 Series but with a different neck, is a proven design and parts for it are available from Sears Parts Direct, Cen-Tec Systems ( it is the same power nozzle as the CT-20 with a different upper cover ) and from Titan ( again, same power nozzle is sold with the T9000 canister ). No problems with parts availability. Does a great job and if you take care of it they last a long time.
You will get a laugh out of this. We have a 1982 Kenmore "Sears Best 4.1" we still use regularly. Last year I rebuilt that old first gen geared belt powermate with parts intended for the Titan T-7 power nozzle. That gets me a modern brush roll, silent poly v-belt drive and modern quiet drive motor. All the new components dropped right in. All the internal dimensions, mounting pads and screw holes are in the same places as the old Whirlpool design from 1981. Now I have a modern quiet power nozzle for that faithful old steed that we love so much. The canister has a modern motor too, from a Pro Team Supercoach vacuum. Modern power, quiet, modern power nozzle. Love that old thing
 
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I had a white 21514 model (similar to the 600 series) that was in my last apartment with all bare floors and only one rug. I'm gonna be honest, and this is coming from someone who grew up being a diehard Panasonic/Kenmore fan, I never did liked that machine. The handle was super uncomfortable on my hands, the bare floor tool was very awkward to use, and the power nozzle was so difficult to push on the rug even with the height adjuster. I really don't see how the 600 series is one of the best canisters on the market today or even worth the value especially for the fact they still carry some of the design flaws that were true on the Panasonics/Whirlpools. The bag dock don't provide a good seal, the cord rewinder has trouble retracting the cord back in, the two big wheels on the back of the canister wasn't very maneuverable which Panasonic once eliminated on the Optiflow MC-CG885 and MC-CG887 models, etc. These are basically flaws that the European makers have simply solved for me, even YouTuber Performance Reviews recently did a couple of videos comparing the Kenmore 600 to Miele and SEBO that made it where I'd glady take either one over any Kenmore. But for the price, there's definitely better like the CleanMax Pro CMP-3T I mentioned earlier with an extension hose kit. Otherwise if I had to buy a Kenmore, I'd much prefer the 31140 upright or at least the 81214 if I had to get a canister but either one are no longer worth it to me and that's why I still stand that I'd not buy a Kenmore anymore today.
 
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The 21514 was a turd. I have examples of almost every Kenmore canister vacuum since the end of WWII. Not every model number but at least one of every different body style with the exception of a couple of round tanks made by Westinghouse for Kenmore. That third generation of the Progressive was horrible, one of the all time worst vacuums Kenmore ever sold. And now you can buy one for $499 from Titan. Sigh.

The 600 Series is so much nicer. Nicer materials, better fit and finish, doors open and close smoothly and vastly better attachments. The power nozzle wheels are on steel axles now. I have a couple of really hard to clean area rugs that Wessel Werk and Miele power nozzles either cannot clean at all ( they leave all the pet hair ) or it takes six or seven passes to get most of the hair up. One or two passes with a Kenmore, Sebo or Lindhaus nozzle on the same rugs and the hair is gone. I like the Kenmore power nozzle a lot. The big hose is a necessity for the big airflow they have. Like modern high powered Japanese canister vacuums the motor needs a big hole to breath through.

Different strokes for different folks but I have an MC-CG885, along with Lindhaus, Sebo and Miele canister vacs. All of them have at least one caster with just a wee bit more drag than the others and as a result the canister crabs sideways when you pull it. Never have that problem with the Kennys or Electrolux canisters. Also the Kennys and Electrolux roll over their cords where the small casters on the European vacuums and the MC-CG885 get caught up on the cord instead of rolling over it smoothly. Kenmores also have the Stair Gripper on the bottom.

The problem with leaky bags in Kenmore's isn't the bag dock. It is the bags. Most people do not use a genuine Kenmore brand Style Q dust bag. They use whatever than can find at Target, Walmart or on line from Envirocare, Dust Fairy, Fabreeze, VAC USA, etc. None of these are as good as the genuine Kenmore bag. The Kenmore brand bag has a thicker mounting card that seals right. They also have more layers and a sheet of plastic inside the bag beneath the bag opening so if something sharp come zinging into the bag it doesn't cut the material. I was using Envirocare synthetic bags in my Riccar 1700 and when you changed the bag you could see a round patch of dust on the inside of the bag chamber right under the bag opening. Lousy bag material let the dust right through even though it has a great seal on the lid. Same problem if you use aftermarket bags in the Kenmore. I always use genuine Kenmore brand Style Q bags and there is no dust in my vacuums. 16 1/2 year old Kenmore Elite 800 Series and it is still clean inside. A tip with the 200, 400 and 600 Series Kennys is, before you ever use them, remove the black open cell foam pre-motor filter and replace it with the Kenmore brand CF-1 filter. Big difference.
 
The 600 series has some improvements, but also some downgrades as well like getting rid of the headlight on some power nozzles or the 360 hose swivel. I don't know what's going on with your Miele or Wessel Werk power nozzles but I never had a problem with them especially the EBK360 on my aunt's Allegro central vac who has a cat that sheds. I will say that I'm not a fan of the grooming marks the newer Kenmore nozzles have, my grandfather's 2621 canister is a great example. It takes multiple passes to clean his area rug at his cabin but the Cen-Tec CT14DX for his VacuMaid central vac at his house does a better job than the Kenmore.

Many years ago there was a user here who purchased a MC-CG902. I remember seeing photos the bag leaked because the dock didn't had a good seal and it was a brand new machine with a genuine bag inside. Definitely a design flaw, I'm disappointed Kenmore hadn't even fixed that yet. Makes me wonder if the plastic collar the forever vacuum bags had that Mike Haley sold would've made any difference, I also remember seeing YouTube videos of his vacuum shop where a Kenmore had one and also a MC-CG983 he did a demonstration on.
 
The 600 series has some improvements, but also some downgrades as well like getting rid of the headlight on some power nozzles or the 360 hose swivel. I don't know what's going on with your Miele or Wessel Werk power nozzles but I never had a problem with them especially the EBK360 on my aunt's Allegro central vac who has a cat that sheds. I will say that I'm not a fan of the grooming marks the newer Kenmore nozzles have, my grandfather's 2621 canister is a great example. It takes multiple passes to clean his area rug at his cabin but the Cen-Tec CT14DX for his VacuMaid central vac at his house does a better job than the Kenmore.

Many years ago there was a user here who purchased a MC-CG902. I remember seeing photos the bag leaked because the dock didn't had a good seal and it was a brand new machine with a genuine bag inside. Definitely a design flaw, I'm disappointed Kenmore hadn't even fixed that yet. Makes me wonder if the plastic collar the forever vacuum bags had that Mike Haley sold would've made any difference, I also remember seeing YouTube videos of his vacuum shop where a Kenmore had one and also a MC-CG983 he did a demonstration on.
Like I said, I have two area rugs that are very difficult to clean and an abundance of shedding dogs and cats. The Miele SEB228, which is the W-W EBK360 with a different neck and Miele branding, leaves all the pet hair at the back of the stroke. You get a nice clean area in front of the nozzle, but when you push forward again all the pet hair is in a nice neat line at the back of the stroke. I can vacuum 90 degrees to that line of pet hair and all the darn thing does is move the hair around and leave it all in another nice neat line. The only way I can remove all of the hair is to scrape backwards off the edge of the rug and grab it later with a hard floor nozzle. Kludge! To be fair even our low hour and well cared for Avalir 2 struggles to clean these two rugs. It takes a few passes even with a good running Kirby to clean them. But power nozzles from Sebo, Lindhaus, Kenmore/Panasonic/Cen-Tec ( they are all made by the same company and share parts ) or even my funky Electrolux Ze3 have no problems on those rugs. Two passes, one up and one back and the hair is gone. A Miele SEB236 will eventually get the hair in six or seven passes but the $95 cost of a genuine Miele replacement brush roll makes me suck air between my teeth every time I use it.

I use a Kenmore Style Q bag, not a Panasonic brand bag, in my own MC-CG902 and it is spotless inside. The Kenmore brand bag has a thick mounting card. They are harder to install and can be hard to remove sometimes but they don't leak in my experience. Other brands do leak, sometimes a lot. So like Miele and Sebo, stick to the OEM bags and filters in your Kenmore.

Cen-Tec doesn't make power nozzles. They buy them from other manufacturers. The CT14 is exactly the same power nozzle sold with upteen Kenmore Premier and Whispertone series canister vacs, and several Panasonic models. They are identical to the original Whirlpool designed geared belt Powermate from 1981 ( also sold with the Whirlpool Power Clean series canisters 1982-87 ). There were three different upper housings but everything else is the same. Later on for the MC-CG973 Panasonic changed them from geared to poly v-belt drive and went with a modern style brush roll. They also introduced a quick disconnect neck for some models. That design continues mostly unchanged with the Titan T-7 power nozzle sold for central vacs and with their Titan T9200 canister. Cen-Tec was buying them from Panasonic and now sources their power nozzles from Suzhou Cleva Electric Appliance Co Ltd, same company that makes Kenmore vacuums and Titan canister vacuums and power nozzles. Late last year I refurbished an old 1982 vintage geared belt Kenmore Powermate with modern parts for a Titan T-7. New brush roll, poly v-belt and modern quiet motor with a ribbed pulley for the new belt. Everything dropped right in to the old Powermate base. All the mounting points are in their original positions. The upper cover is a little different and it has five ribs in the nozzle opening instead of only two, but otherwise it is the same sturdy reliable design that Whirlpool introduced in 1981. Now I have a quiet running Powermate for my old bomber Kenmore and it cleans better too.
 
Never had that problem before, but each person's experience can be different. I've seen that Miele's brushrolls can last a long time not to mention they have the strongest agitation I've ever used on a power nozzle. They are expensive but they'd clean circles around a SEBO or Lindhaus which based on experience aren't deep cleaners on higher pile carpet so I'd say they're reasonable on my end. The Kenmore 2621 did ok on medium pile carpeting before we had all the carpets replaced, but definitely for certain I had to do multiple passes to clean a area rug similar to a YouTube video GoVacuums did when comparing a Kenmore Progressive to a Miele Calisto.

I'm sure Panasonic's cloth bags are similar to Kenmore's genuine bags, I still have the type O Kenmore bags and Panasonic type U-10 bags that are both pretty identical. I think they got them from the same factory. One model for certain I'd never go back to using Kenmore branded bags would be my Professional 12. Those bags were horrible even worse than the paper bags SEBO had which I don't know why Sears didn't carry those. When I received my second Professional 12, the bag not only didn't stay on anymore but it also ripped inside as well where dirt was just everywhere. But here's what amazed me and this is one of the reasons why SEBO is now the new favorite brand of mine. When I took that machine apart for serviced, despite having a very disgusting bag chamber with a ripped bag inside, the motor only had a tiny bit of dust and no bearings were shot because the pre motor filter did an excellent job which I think was also generic under the Kenmore brand. I later gave my other Professional 12 away along with the EnviroCare bags and filters since that's one of the machines I can get away with using generic. Even those generic bags are alot better than the Kenmore type W bags. It was such a shame those machines weren't being made for much longer, I would've likely seen a SEBO K3 Premium under the Kenmore brand which I would've bought in a heart beat. That would've been a perfect replacement of the 2621 which I'm unfortunately stuck with.
 
Never had that problem before, but each person's experience can be different. I've seen that Miele's brushrolls can last a long time not to mention they have the strongest agitation I've ever used on a power nozzle. They are expensive but they'd clean circles around a SEBO or Lindhaus which based on experience aren't deep cleaners on higher pile carpet so I'd say they're reasonable on my end. The Kenmore 2621 did ok on medium pile carpeting before we had all the carpets replaced, but definitely for certain I had to do multiple passes to clean a area rug similar to a YouTube video GoVacuums did when comparing a Kenmore Progressive to a Miele Calisto.

I'm sure Panasonic's cloth bags are similar to Kenmore's genuine bags, I still have the type O Kenmore bags and Panasonic type U-10 bags that are both pretty identical. I think they got them from the same factory. One model for certain I'd never go back to using Kenmore branded bags would be my Professional 12. Those bags were horrible even worse than the paper bags SEBO had which I don't know why Sears didn't carry those. When I received my second Professional 12, the bag not only didn't stay on anymore but it also ripped inside as well where dirt was just everywhere. But here's what amazed me and this is one of the reasons why SEBO is now the new favorite brand of mine. When I took that machine apart for serviced, despite having a very disgusting bag chamber with a ripped bag inside, the motor only had a tiny bit of dust and no bearings were shot because the pre motor filter did an excellent job which I think was also generic under the Kenmore brand. I later gave my other Professional 12 away along with the EnviroCare bags and filters since that's one of the machines I can get away with using generic. Even those generic bags are alot better than the Kenmore type W bags. It was such a shame those machines weren't being made for much longer, I would've likely seen a SEBO K3 Premium under the Kenmore brand which I would've bought in a heart beat. That would've been a perfect replacement of the 2621 which I'm unfortunately stuck with.
I had to do some digging to figure out what the "2621" is. It is lime green? 116.26212601? Those had a different power nozzle from what Kenmore sells today though most of the internal parts and brush roll are interchangeable with modern Powermates. It has the 3 1/2 inch wheels at the back. Early versions came with a geared belt ( I have one ). The current Kenmore power nozzle is much better.

We have two Mieles ( C2 Compact Electro and my pristine S558 ) and my wife detests both of them. Won't use them. I am not a fan either. The power nozzles on our rugs are wholly inadequate, the attachments ridiculously small ( the dusting brush is useless for dusting ) and the hoses are miserable. Miele hoses have a sort of built in curve and if you need the hose to curve the other way it's a wrestling match that results in either a kinked hose or the canister flipped on its side. Plus we have problems with the swivel contacts constantly getting dirty and developing dead spots. I don't have these problems with Aerus / Electrolux, Swedish Electrolux ( D795 & D820 ), Sebo, Lindhaus or Kenmore vacuums. I'm using my Aria Elite this week and next, and it is everything a Miele should be and isn't.

I'm trying to come up with a synthetic microfiber dust bag for my Hoover Hushtone upright. Nice piece of equipment but the only bags Hoover sells for it are paper.
 
Yes that 2621 is this Kenmore down below. I'll admit, that is my all time favorite Kenmore canister if not my most favorite canister of them all. But certainly not my all time favorite Kenmore. Because my all time favorite Kenmore happens to be an upright and I've always liked uprights more than canisters. Even I like central vacs more than canisters as well. But no doubt canisters do have a place for me like that cabin with the 2621 which a canister is more suited than an upright. Anyways, had it not had any wire ties on the power nozzle, without a doubt it would've done a better job on that area rug. I guess that rug has since been long gone when the whole cabin got renovated recently. From my understanding there will still be area rugs but all the carpet has since been replaced with hardwood floors which I know I don't like using the Kenmore on. I was hoping for a new machine like a SEBO E3 Premium but that didn't get covered by the insurance when the place flooded so that's why I have to continue using the Kenmore which I'm at least glad it didn't get damaged by the flood.



I love both of my Mieles I have. But certainly any vacuum can't please everybody. I remember when I had my first doubts about Miele ever since my buddy explained to me why he carried Panasonic in his shop over Miele or why my other vacuum store explained to me why they carried Simplicity in their shop over Miele. But ever since I got to try one out for the first time at a Miele dealer, I was very impressed. And the more I later learn about Miele and work around with them, the more I realized that I actually favor one over a Panasonic or even a Simplicity at least for canisters. Not saying either one were bad, but every person has different tastes. I will say though that the only canisters I do like better than Miele are Lindhaus and SEBO (Numatics count with the SEBO powerheads). Such a shame that Lindhaus isn't importing the Aria over in the states anymore because that's the best canister I've ever used.

I do agree about the Hushtones, I don't get why Hoover hadn't come out with cloth bags for those machines yet. I would've been fine with using paper bags for the Profile/Insight machines since they have a good pre motor filter but I prefer cloth instead.
 
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I just finagled a Hoover Type Y dust bag into the Hushtone today. Had to trim about 2mm off each side of the mounting card and it is a real tight fit over the spout. I'm using it so we shall see how well it seals. A Type Z bag also fits but there is no rubber seal on the opening so I will give them a pass. The opening in a Kenmore Style O bag is too small. The Hushtone is kind of a beast with a unique sound but I like it so far.

I like the 2621. Some had Whispertone branding making them the last Kennys to carry that name. Basic vacuum, simple, reliable but strong. Motors are still available for them but the original motor can be rebuilt, especially if it's the Ametek 119539 many of these came with. Change the power nozzle to one you like and soldier on. Tip, you can disassemble the hose ends and replace the hose casing with the 8 footer from the 21814 Elite 800 Series. You don't realize you need the extra two feet of hose until you have it. Another two feet of hose on the Miele would probably eliminate my gripes with their hoses. The way it is now I'm kind of tall and like to run the wand fully extended. As a result the hose is pulling up on the angled canister end swivel of the S558 so it binds and doesn't swivel. I'm almost lifting the nose of the vacuum up. Another couple of feet of hose would let it sag more and the swivel would turn more easily and it wouldn't fight me. Sebo has a new C/K hose that is about two feet longer than the original hose on my C3.1 and just changing hoses made a huge difference in usability.
 
I agree that the Hushtones are very nice machines, one of if not the best Hoovers ever sold. I wish the Profile/Insight models are still being made, I like those more but I prefer SEBO over them anyways.

The 2621 doesn't have a Ametek motor. It's a small Matsushita motor that doesn't look like it can be refurbished but when I did had that machine serviced last year from the flood, it looks to be in excellent condition where it could still last for quite a while. I have no plans on doing any upgrades to that Kenmore. In fact with all the carpet gone from that cabin, it's not going to get used as often anymore. I could see my grandfather getting a cordless stick vac to replace the Kenmore as it's easier for him to use. Not to mention my grandfather isn't going to be around for very long where once his time comes, the cabin will get sold and the Kenmore will be retired in my position as I already made a claim to that machine. Speaking of Whispertones, I have a 300 that I actually like using better than the 2621. I think my ideal Kenmore canister I would've love to have is the black 28399 Heavy Duty 3.9 which I also think was the best overall Kenmore canister ever sold. But if I were to do at least one change on the 2621, I'd use cloth bags. However the only problem I see is once dead flies are being sucked up, the bag will have a nasty decomposing odor that the only way to remove it is to get a new bag and clean the filters so paying extra for those bags just isn't worth it. May be better off to replace it with a bagless 22614 (or my preference a water filtration Rainbow) so I wouldn't have to keep on buying bags that'd just stink up the place from the dead flies. Our old Panasonic MC-V7387 from our first cabin had the same issue when there were dead flies all over inside. Our SilentMaster central vac from our last cabin never had that problem because the exhaust was blown outside. That brings me to my next point, if I were to get a longer hose for the 2621, I would've just customized a Hayden Superhose since I don't like dragging the canister behind me. Even though they've since been discontinued, why would I even bother to do so anyways? For a longer hose, this is one of the other reasons why I prefer central vacs over canisters especially the ones with crush proof hoses as the wire reinforced ones are heavier and not as powerful. I can still use a Panasonic nozzle on the central vac if I wanted to like my uncle's Flo-Master F650t.
 
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