Kirby Avalir 2?

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Any news?

Hey has anyone recieved the new unit yet? if so can anyone give us their point of view on it and what makes it new compare to the previous avalir. Also can anyone post pics of it, as well as the attachments and accessories.

K, thanks
 
JUJU93

Why don't you come to DownTown Orlando,and play with the new Blue Kirby?
You can take it all apart and vacuum my intire house with it and use all of the attachments! ANY TIME YOU WANT!!!!!!!!!!!

~David
 
@fairfax88

lol thanks but no thanks.

your quite far from where I live. To be honest it not even a blue kirby. Its just black with few blue trims.To be honest everytime KIRBY releases a model that has a 2 in it (heritage/legend 2 , sentria 2) the next model after it (ex. gen 3 and avalir 1) is always worth getting compare to a model that has a 2 in it. So Im hoping the next model is worth the wait. God forbid we get another re-colored sentria (what will be sentria 5) as the next new kirby. So far we're on sentria 4 (whats known as the avalir2)
 
What I mean by sentria 4 is if you look at the machine from the nozzle to the 3 led lights, to the shape of the lower machine they look basically the same from sentria to present. whereas if you look at a gen 3 and compare it to a sentria or ultimate G, you can see the differents in terms of headlights, belt lifter, em-tor ect. I mean they couldve added more led lights or change the shape of the belt lifter. I mean at lease they did away with the chrome style with this new model (wonder why that is?).
 
Simple, it's all about dollars and cents and omitting the chrome probably costs less. I mean yes, there are differences between the Generation series and the Sentria, but really not all that much. I'm sure that big cutout in the handle saves Kirby a lot of money in aluminum.
 
It's nothing new. Other than color schemes, the G3 and G4 were essentially the same machine with a little tweak on the transmission between the two. The G5, G6 and G7 (Ultimate) were all the same except for a change in the emptor design between the G5 and G6 and a redesigned outer bag between the G6 and G7. And yeah, there was that short-lived two-speed switch on the G7 Diamond. Kirby may be the "Hummer" of vacuum cleaners in terms of bulk and power, but their design philosophy is classic VW Beetle.
 
I agree with all of you

As it has been discussed in perpetuity. Kirby doesn't make many drastic design changes, in fact they have only done it twice in 100 years. They do ongoing updates and changes from different models, and refresh with color changes, pretty much some on this site did not witness the G3 introduction because they are too young.

I actually appreciate this about Kirby, rather than others, usually of the bagless designs, that change names, colors and models sometimes several times a year. By them doing that you can't find parts for a machine that is only a year old in some cases.

Then there are others that follow the same practice, and no one says a word. Hoover used to produce the same Convertible every year with minor internal changes and maybe a variety of colors available.

Filter Queen hasn't changed their basic shape or design since it's beginning. The Brand new right out of the box 2018 machine is basically the same as the model 31 in a different color.

There is a reason that Kirby and some of the other premium brands keep their proven machines, and only release them to the public after extensive testing. They do their own testing rather than having the consumer do it for them. You can pretty much go back to some of the very early Kirby models and still find repair parts. Try doing that with the most current Dyson.
 
that's got me wondering to-will have to see when it comes.The sales rep works Raleigh and Atlanta.He used to serve Greenville years ago.Despite the waits he treats me well-he says besides my Kirbys--the new Blue Black one and the red trimmed one.He was also going to let me pick thru his trade in pile.
 
If it's brushless, then that would be worth it. It would also justify a new model number, such as G11. On a separate note, I never got what the D or E after a Kirby model number meant. I remember seeing a G3 with the newer style handle tilt latch.
That one was a G3D.
 
coming out with new models

I don't like uprights so have no interest in getting a Kirby, but having said that, I like their approach to new models. Newer is not always better, look at how poorly made many vacuums are now compared to several years ago. To come out with a new model just for the sake of calling it a new model is not a good enough reason. I think Kirby and other high end manufacturers take the approach that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I know companies like Rainbow, Sirena, Hyla, ETC. also do not introduce new models every year. When you have a design that works, stick with it.
Mike
 
That philosophy can only work for so long. When you consider Kirby got 20 years out of their Classic line, and the Generation series is going on TWENTY EIGHT years, I'd say a redesign is overdue. Until I'm proven wrong (and in this case I hope I am) Kirby is gonna milk the Generation series chassis until they go out of business....
 
Ok im confused. Is there or is there not something new with this unit. If so is it internal or external (like inside the machine or outside, other than the color)?



I am a die heart kirby fan too but the main things I would like KIRBY to work on is the acoustics and sound of its machines. I don't care about the weight as I live in a single story so lifting the unit would be rare for me. The reason I want the acoustics (sound level) worked on is because the machine is extremely loud when using it on hard surface floors. Its to the point where the neighbors have to be notified when using the machine because its so loud. I think if KIRBY was to keep making their machines floor friendly they should also take into account the acoustics of there machine.

While we're on the topic of floor friendly. I think the MSSS shouldn't be big and bulky. I say this because when u put the tank and nozzle on you are packing on more body mass to it, which would make it harder to get the system into hard to reach areas. Because if you think of it you can't really get into hard to reach areas with the MSSS. I also think KIRBY should come up with a tool or system that can allow you to clean flooring thats stairs.

But back to the main point of this post.... What is really new with this unit????
 
I think the ones in the know at Kirby remembers the Royal Powercast. People say they want new, and redesigned. But do they? Do they really . .
 
I would say that after 28 years YES they do. Tell me this if you will - what other consumer product do you know of that has remained pretty much unchanged since 1990?! Maybe Filter Queen? Aerus Electrolux and Rainbow have totally redesigned their machines since then. I expected something great when I saw the prototype drawings of the Avalir. The final product was just another warmed over Generation 3.
 
I am doubtful that it is brushless.

Brushless motors require DC to work, I believe, unless they are induction motors. An induction motor small enough to fit inside a Kirby will not be powerful enough to do the job.

Wall outlets obviously put out AC. If I am correct, brushless vacuums such as the Rainbow or the Dyson DC49 (both corded vacuums) carry an AC to DC power supply on board to provide the brushless motor with DC.

Other brushless vacuums (Dyson hand vacuums with the digital motor) are simply cordless. Batteries provide DC.

The Avalir 2 is presumably corded. I can tell you from opening up plenty of G-series Kirbys that there is no room to store or cool a big, hot AC to DC power supply inside the unit.

I really do hope you all prove me wrong. A brushless Kirby would be a truly terrific thing. However, I am fearful the Avalir 2 will be brushed.
 
I don't understand all the hype...

I was an engineer before I retired and I can say that although I have not yet seen a Blue Avalir, I would be willing to bet my next Pension check that it does NOT have a brushless motor in it. A brushless motor small enough to fit inside the current G series power plant wound not have enough torque to spin the 5 inch diameter fan at 13,000 to 16,000 RPM and to also drive the brushroll at the same time.


 


As said previously, Brushless motors require a circuit board to convert AC to DC and to provide high frequency DC pulses to determine the motor's RPM. Brushless motors have low torque suitable to drive a small impeller at very high RPM like in Dyson's V6, V8, and V10 cordless cleaners.


 


The current Universal style motor used to power the Kirby is not only small but has very high torque and it runs on either AC or DC current. This is the perfect type of motor to power the Kirby.


 


To Oreck_XL: I don't think Kirby will be going out of business anytime soon. Kirby currently sells hundreds of thousands of machines a year worldwide because it is not just a vacuum cleaner but an entire home care system when you include the carpet shampoo and hard floor washing and mopping system. Why do you think Kirby co needs to redesign the entire system when the current system works so well for hndreds of thousands of households worldwide?


 


 
 
Because even the lay person trading in say a G4 is gonna realize in terms of aesthetics the machine hasn't changed much at all. Locally speaking Kirby is NOT doing well, as there are only 3 distributors left in the New York area. Many have already closed and I don't hear of any new ones. It's a very dated design and the Tech Drive added unnecessary bulk. Again, I hope I'm wrong but how long can Kirby pass off the same old S#&% on customers? Twenty eight years is long enough.
 
Add to my last

It's not a perfect machine - never was. There were some things about it's predecessor the Legend II that were actually better like the smaller front nozzle (aka "Granny head"). Unless I can obtain a pre-war model with the original black bag at a FAIR price I have no burning desire to add any more Kirbys to my collection.
 
That's just it though, I do. I'm just very disenchanted with the new Avalir 2. I was excited as anyone when I saw the Generation 3 for the first time, and the G4, G5 and so on. I just expected a total redesign from Kirby by now....
 
So can anyone who already has the new avalir2, can someone post the dvd or at lease clips of it for us to view?The only reason why Im interested in the dvd/vhs is because of the camera work and the editing and adding in the title screens for each new chapter, not to mentioned the music they add in. What I would like to know is how far in advance do the owners manual (dvd/vhs (older generations) get taped/produce prior to the production/release date of each new unit. Like for example the AVALIR was release in October of 2014, how far in advance was the manual taped?
 
DVD videos are no longer provided with Kirby vacuums-My first Avalir had one-the later ones didn't.
Brushless motors-these now can have the same or even higher torque than universal motors and over a wider speed range with newer electronics-but as pointed out the motor is larger and also has the circuit boards along with it.Would be a challenge to put that in the Kirbys.I have 2 lawn mowers cordless electric powered by brushless motors-these even have more torque than the gas ones they replaced.And you can get 60-80V cordless electric chainsaws that have similar brushless motors.and it takes torque to drag a saw chain thru thick wood!Same with circular saws-DeWalts new caordless circular saws have the brushless motors-another problem with them at present is their higher
cost.As time goes on think the cost of these will go down.And when we say brushless motors-do we mean switched reluctance or brushless DC-they are similar but not the same-the Brushless DC-the magnets are on the rotor rather than the stator as on brushed PM DC motors.And when you spin a Brushless DC motor by hand you feel a "cogging" effect.The SR motor turns smoothly-with almost no resistance.-and no brush sounds.
 
Why does everybody keep bringing up this brushless motor. And I don't believe KIRBY would stop making the dvd's for their systems, especially since a lot of people don't read the printed format, because they probably want to see it in live action in a home setting. Also if KIRBY did come up with a brushless motor then it would be mentioned somewhere in the manual, as the motor is the key feature of how the system operates. I would hope they continue to make dvd videos for their new models, even if they come out with new features, such as brushrolls, tools, ect. And most certainly if they do a complete redisign then they would most certainly have to come up with a dvd demonstration video.
 

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