Kirby Dual Sanitronic or Royal metal?

[Sanifan]

For those of you who know both Kirby Dual Sanitronic and Royal metal vacs, which is a better performer for someone who is a user and not a collector?

I know that the Kirby has the emptor tray, but other than that both brands are based on essentially the same design. Is one better than the other?

I have a couple of Royal metals now and passed on getting a DS80 for almost nothing because they looked so similar. I hardly get around to using the Royals as it is and don't have much storage room left. Should I be kicking myself?

 

[IL-Kirby-Fan]

YES

Kirby is a much more powerful and versatile machine. You'll never go wrong with a Kirby.

 

[tyson]

Interesting question they are both nice vacs.I myself would say Kirby is a better machine because of the design or the Dual Sanitronic.Although if you search you tube believe it or not there is a video where Royal puts them to the test.They use a paper towel roll lay it in front of the vacuums running face to face and Royal pulls the tube away from the Sanitronic every time.They do say in the video the floor settings are in fact at equivalent settings.I guess if you're a Royal employee you would be partial to your employer.In the video though they say they both are great vacuums but I'd prefer The Dual Sanitronic myself for reliability and design

 

[kirbysthebest]

They are fairly well matched machines. I, of course, would choose the Kirby. Where did you find the D-80, how much, and is it still available?

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

The only Royals that were marketed more in line with the Kirby were the Electro-Hygiene premium models. Usually these had red bags and trim.

In fact, there was one breed of a Royal metal upright that had a completely removable head a la the Kirby: model 888 (Royal) and 980 (Electro-Hygiene), plus the short-lived 990 (Galaxie Prestige, sold alongside the 980).

On all Royal/Electro-Hygiene metal uprights with the pigtail cord, there was a special portable handle available, which had its own cord and smaller bag. This was part of the No. 368 Extra Equipment Kit, which was sold through about 1985.

The 990 was discontinued after 1976, while the 888/980 hung on through about 1983.

~Ben

 

[kenkart]

Truth Is..

The Kirby makes more noise...I will take the quieter lighter Royal...Just my opinion..

 

[Sanifan]

Harley,

I found the DS80 in a weird junk shop. It was $15. When I turned it on a BUNCH of dirt blew out as the emptor tray wasn't properly seated. It was in good shape. When I went back it was gone.

My instinct was to pick it right up, but I have two Royals I hardly ever use. I also have no more room for more acquisitions, really. Sometimes I feel I did the right thing by passing on it, but then I'll flip flop.

Apart from the emptor and the removable nozzle, I'm getting the impression both offer similar performance. I know, I should have bought it!

Any other opinions strongly preferring one over the other?

 

[trebor]

The Royals are...

unquestionably lighter, and with the handle that locks in three positions, more versatile w/o any conversions. Locked in the horizontal position it is easy to push across a mattress, the middle position is for use with the hose, better airflow into the bag, and the upper position is great for a quick swipe across the couch cushions.

The bell-shaped nozzle does better job of equalizing the suction across the nozzle w/o needing as much raw power.

 

[blackheart]

Eh

I prefer my kirbys to the royal i have don't get me wrong i like the royal but i feel that the kirbys maintain their airflow better than a royal B bag does be it shake out or bagged (poly) that and the belt lifter is convienent is a lot easier than manually lifting the royal's belt

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Blackheart

There were three different Royals that had completely removable heads like the Kirby: the model 888 (Royal), 980 (Electro-Hygiene) and 990 (Galaxie Prestige). All of these are very rare (esp. the Galaxie Prestige model).

Unlike the Kirby, these Royals will run with the head off.

Video link below by @compactc9.

~Ben

 

[henry200]

An earlier Royal like an 880 is a closer match to the D80.  If I pit my D80 against my Royal 9700, the Royal does a much better job. 

 

[Sanifan]

Bell shaped nozzle...

Hi, Trebor.

I got a little confused because you mentioned the bell-shaped nozzle in your discussion of the Royal. But doesn't the Kirby DS50 and 80 have a bell-shaped nozzle as well? I'm assuming that you're commenting on the advantages of the bell-shaped nozzle in general, and not that the Royal has an advantage over the Kirby DS because of it.

I do have the older type Royals. I don't recall what models they are, but I know they are not the newer type with the 9amp motors. I suppose if the 9amp Royal were pitted against the DS50/80, the Royal would win as far as suction goes. I understand that these 9amp vacs also have a 9 bladed fan, which contributes to the suction.

But it seems the 9amp motor/9 blade fan is a step backwards in most peoples eyes? It produces more suction, yes, but it's unnecessarily loud, the increase RPM makes the brushroll spin too fast, it doesn't clean any better while using more energy and wearing itself out quicker. At least that's what I glean from the discussions. It seems a lot of people prefer the older 6 amp Royal metals over the 9 amp.

Funny, when I handled the DS80 I thought it was lighter than the Royal. I could be totally wrong, since I only messed with it for less than a minute.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

The 9-Bladed Fan

@Sanifan
The 9-bladed impeller fan was first used on all (and I do mean all) Royal metal uprights starting in April of 1990 (look for the serial # to begin with "D90"). By that point in time, Royal's household lineup of metal uprights were models 883 (economy), 885 (step-up), 886 (most popular), 994 (premium) and 995 (same as 994 w/ attachment kit included). The motor ratings remained the same for models 883 (5.4), 885 and 886 (the latter two both with the same 6.0 amp motor as models 992/993).

The 994 and 995 (the successors to the 992 and 993) had an all-new 7.0 amp motor, as did the 9700 Classic (Preferred Collection series) which replaced the 9000/9005/9089 Classic (all with 6.0 amp motor and 6-bladed fan).

~Ben

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Also, Sanifan

I have an all-original 1988 Stark Deluxe 5000NA (same as Royal 889) and it has a 6.0 amp motor and 6-blade fan.

My 1993 Royal 6103 Preferred Collection also has a 6.0 amp motor but with the 9-blade fan.

~Ben

 

[truckerx]

For every day use, I'll take a metal Royal over a Kirby, provided the Royal has the step-on height adjuster. The Royals are rugged, much lighter and so much easier to maneuver than a Kirby. I've had many of both.

 

[trebor]

The Royals...

have a nozzle that tapers all the way to the floor, whereas the Kirbys project almost straight up before curving in. It seems to be inherent in the Royal engineering along with the curved fan blades. Not an engineer, but Kirby has straight blades.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

truckerx

Your Royal of choice would have the Au-Toe-Matic height adjuster; until the spring 1988 introduction of the 992 and 993 (both dark blue in color; 993 has the attachment set already included), all Royal metal uprights had the Rite-Hite screw-type height adjuster (both the Stark Deluxe 5000NA and the 6103 which I have, have this), which some people say is more reliable than the Au-Toe-Matic that the 992/993 had.

1988 was also the first year Royal used the quick-release top cord hook on all its metal household uprights, while their commercial offerings now had staggered cord hooks (notably the top cord hook which faces front when you see the vacuum up front).

~Ben