Kirby Avalir 2?

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yyyyaaasss!! I like it more now that i see it in action in an launch video. Part of me thinks from 0:19- 0:28 seconds is clips from the owners manual. But they done uploaded many more videos long with this launch video.
 
So does anyone else have this new unit? If so can you tell us whats new with this model. I love the blue accent pieces and wording on the attachments. To me it looks better than the red accent pieces and words on the previous model. I do hope that those "how to videos" are just abreviated from what will actually get posted. In one of the how to videos for the msss it shows the shampoo system with a blue dial and blue elbow hose, but in the launch video it shows the grey (which is irrevant to anything avalir related). Also the videos that deals with the ms3 only shows how to install the brushrolls and not how to use the system, which is great but how do you use the solutions and steps to use it. Also they made a mistake when it came to the how to videos for the portable shampooer and portable sprayer. They had it set up in a canister mode, which to use this tool it has to be used in the blower mode. I think the launch videos look nice but I think it needs to have less people interacting on the floor and more presenting of the new unit.
 
I don't think people "buy" Kirbys. People "get sold" Kirbys. I remember when my Mom bought hers 18 years ago. The salesman made it look so easy and wonderful. They always do. Within 6 months or less of ownership, we were already tired of having to bend over and take the head off to use the hose. We also quickly discovered your ears would ring when you used it and that it was horrendously heavy. The Tech Drive switch broke off about 5 years ago and there is no Kirby place nearby to have it repaired. Thankfully it broke while it was in the "on" mode or we wouldn't have kept it. I just don't like Kirby's 1950's era technology and engineering. I know many love them, and I do find that it does clean well. They need a to have a revolution in engineering and find a way to keep the best aspects of Kirby performance and make it more easy to use. Perhaps enclose the bag in a hard cover so they can add a final filter. Perhaps have a permanently attached hose on board too that has a toe-operated lever to open and close the airflow to the floorhead. There are things they could do if they just thought outside the box. I feel as long as they can convince new people that using it "isn't as bad as they say" (which were the exact words the salesman used on my Mom) they will keep the status quo.

I will humbly decline to buy one.
 
I "buy" Kirbys because I like them.I DON'T want one with the hose on board-then it gets too clunky and more awkward.Since Kirby now uses the synthetic non woven bags-and outer filter isn't required.The cloth outer bag is fine.I get "0" particle count on my IQ Air particle counter.You do get conts on the motor exhaust on the base-that would be carbon dust.No one is really concerned about that.I don't use the hose with my Kirby for the most part-have canister vacuums for that.Again hose on board uprights are awkward for me-and using the upright this way is like dancing with a drunk!Too-there is the concern of picking up a coin or large pebble in the Kirby hose mode busting your fan-it is running at higher speed than in the carpet-floor nozzle mode.Kirby should put a chamber or trap in the hose attachment so large items don't get in the fan.Light stuff would go thru the fan and in the bag as usual.The NSS M1 works in this way.One of the few direct air canisters out there besides the Kirby in the hose mode.
 
@electromatik: I like my Kirbys but I can understand the concern about weight. It's not much of an issue for me now since my house has only one floor but when I last lived on two floors, back before I lost my mind, I only had two vacuums, a Gsix and an Electrolux 1205. The Kirby stayed downstairs and the Electrolux stayed upstairs. You can probably guess which one I used on the steps themselves. Tech Drive pedals are readily available on eBay and easy to replace with minimal screwdriver skills. No service center required; in fact, that's one of the things I love most about these metal monsters is their old school design. They're actually intended to be worked on and thus to have a long useful life. I absolutely despise the way that most modern appliances are designed to be thrown away and replaced after a relatively short period of time.
 
@human

Thanks for that info about the TechDrive pedal. I will see if I can find a video on how to repair that and I will order a new one from Kirby. Mom doesn't like the machine because it is too heavy for her and she has trouble bending over now. She has a lot of fabrics to clean so she needs a hose. When she gets a new one I will take over ownership of the Kirby. I don't want to get rid of it because it is the only Kirby in my family.
 
Goodvac.com has them and a how to install on their website. I installed one on a Gsix not to long ago.


I am not mechanical, but it was pretty simple. Depending on which model you have you may need a


torx screw driver along with a phillips.....


 


PR-21


Bud
 
I see the Avalir 2 as the fourth cleaner in the Avalir line.

1st version - This was the 100th Anniversary edition released in 2014. It had the special 100th badge on the handle.

2nd version - This is the same cleaner as the last one, but it no longer bears the 100th badge on the handle

3rd version - This version changed out some of the black trim for red trim.

4th version - The Avalir 2 with the blue trim.
 
None of them are new models. They are revisions. Kirby did the same thing with the Heritage II. First, they trimmed the "wings" off of the nozzle. Then, they made minor modifications o the motor housing. Then, they added the BPI light. After that, Kirby released the Heritage II Legend, which was basically the Heritage II with slight internal changes and a different handle sticker. After that, they released the Legend II, which was the same as the Heritage II Legend, except for it's red color and the redesigned G3 style tools. I consider all of these machines listed here to be part of the Heritage II line. The differences between Heritage II, Heritage II Legend and Legend II are not significant enough, in my mind, for them to all be separate models. Besides, all of those machines were still referred to as "Model H2" on their information stickers.
 
Now that I think of it why did KIRBY decide to release a "new model". I mean hey they had the sentria in production for 6 years (2006-2012) they couldve done the same with the avalir and then came out with a "new redisign" in 2020. They are probably following the 80s timeline. like what i mean is they release the H2 in 1984 and then H2/L2 in 1988/1989 and then G3 in 1990. Well thats probably whats happening here. I mean hey we got the Avalir in 2014 (which is hard to believe because it feels like it was just release within a year and a half ago) and now we have Avalir 2 in 2018 and then hopefully something in 2020. what im trying to line up is 1984 (h2)/ 2014 avalir and then 1988/1989 H2/L2 with the 2018 avalir2 and then G3 in 1990 with hopefully something to come in 2020. Also can anybody post more pics of this new unit, attachments, accessories ect.

k, thanks
 
According to the new Kirby Avalir2 website we must live like reptiles--crawling around on the ground or floor!Didn't know this until now.My Avalir2 is supposed to arrive on Wednesday on UPS-hope it survives their baggage smasher!!The dealer decided to ship it since he is tangled up in getting problems solved in a bad car wreck where a drunk driver hit him.glad Brian is OK.
 
Direct air motor filters-Yes,the tandem air Tacony built vacuums do have a filter on the direct air cooling exhaust on the primary fan-roller brush motor.and direct air motors are FULL bypass the cooling air for the motor is derived from a separate fan that only cools the motor.The suction fan is in its own fancase.This same thing is used in Wet-Dry vacuums so moisture can't get into the motor.When I bought a used Simplicity Synergy vacuum-it was traded in on a new one-The vacuum REEKED of DOG-like a whole dog was in the vacuum--replaced ALL of the filters-the inner bag compartment filter-the direct air motor filter and the HEPA exhaust filter-where most of the dog funk must have been-the vacuum was fine!!!It has the dirt meter indicator lights like the Riccar Radiance.Will see how this compares when Avalir2 comes!!Have the Kirby dirtmeters you use with the filter discs.For the Riccar-Simplicity vacuums the filters come as a kit that you replace all of them.And also vacuumed out and wiped out the bag cavity.The bag compartment was unusually dusty-figured the former owner didn't put the bags in right.
 
Avalir2 is here-Was delivered by Brian on Wednesday afternoon.The new tool caddy is a joke-the tools are merely dumpted in the cloth bag like case.No space for larger tools like the Zippbrush or turbo tool.And no place for the wands and hose-the old kaddy could do those things.The Avalir2 still has the universal motor.It is just a little quieter than previous machines.NOTE-after using the simplicity Synergy-did get some dirt with the new Kirby-of course its due to that rule of physics----NO vacuum cleaner is perfect!If someone truly came up with a perfect vacuum cleaner that removed ALL of the dirt in place an one session-he would indeed be a RICH man!
 
Thanks Rex!

Thank for confirming the motor rumor. It sounded a little.....strange that they'd be using a brushless motor. There's really nothing wrong with Kirby's standard motor.
 
Apart from being "a little quieter" (noise is actually my main concern with Avalir), are there any other improvements over the original Avalir?
 

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