Kirby's in the UK

[sebo4me]

Why don't Kirby in the UK have to publish the EU ratings like other manufacturers do?

 

[oliveoiltinfoil]

Maybe because its not an officially imported model ?

 

[sebo4me]

I dunno. I'd have thought if they're being sold in the EU they would have to follow the EU rules?

 

[sebo_fan]

Not necessarily. There are a few factors that I have noticed but also from others who have also noticed that despite the implementation of the new law, it will take several months for old stock to be sold off in the UK at the least.

Also Kirby as a specialist brand isn't like Miele, SEBO or others where availability of products on a national scale is wider/more accessible. They could well be developing an EU model or EU label in time and selling off old stock. Miele after all are selling off old stock / last of their old high powered vacuums and certainly from the point of Amazon UK this also seems to be an approach as well.

 

[turbomaster1984]

Is a Kirby really a vac?

Given it is a polisher, shampooer, sander et al I bet Kirby are touting it to the EU as anything bar a vacuum in a bid to escape it being given poor ratings and to save some face from not moving with the times.

Given the fact to clean a hard floor you have to attach the hose and other attachments and the filtration isnt as good as modern day standards is going to lose it some serious rating %.

I hear what everyones saying about the new fabric hepa bags etc and I agree but over time the outer fabric bag is going to get dusty and filthy unless you go above and beyond to keep it clean - ( is this even in the instruction book? if it isnt then theres only kirby to blame for not adding one that can be user washed and maintained).

 

[sebo4me]

It's mainly used as a vac so I'd say yes it is. So they should have to list the ratings like every other manufacturer in the EU.
Sebo Fan they don't list the ratings for the new Avalir either.

 

[turbo500]

I believe wet & dry machines (Numatic George, Vax 6131 and various upright carpet washers) are exempt from the legislation, so Kirby are possibly getting around it that way. Even though it's technically not a wet/dry machine.

 

[sptyks]

Robert, what makes you think Kirby will get poor ratings from the EU?


 


The Kirby Avalir gets the CRI Gold Seal of Approval with excellent results in all categories


 


 

 

[turbo500]

the CRI Gold Seal of Approval

CRI = Carpet & Rug Institute, yes? The EU rating labels include hard floors, noise, energy consumption and emissions as well as carpet performance. So whilst I've no doubt that the Kirby would score high on carpet, it may suffer in other areas, bringing the overall rating down. Also, whatever certification the Kirby has got from 1 organisation at the otherside of the pond will have absolutely no bearing on the EU rating.

 

[sebo_fan]

Is Kirby really a vac?

"Given the fact to clean a hard floor you have to attach the hose and other attachments and the filtration isnt as good as modern day standards is going to lose it some serious rating %."

Well, modern day standards is rather questionable with the new law that now forces two separate floor tools as per the separate tests that the EU law now employ for separate hard floor and carpet cleaning.

The Kirby could be termed as an industrial vac or as Chris rightly suggests a wet and dry machine. Either way Kirby would have to add in more attachments as standard to qualify. The EU law doesn't count with several types of vacuums:

 

[suckolux]

Aren't they also not huge power draws? None I have seen anyway

 

[sebo4me]

I wouldn't say the Kirby was an industrial vac.
It is predominantly a domestic vac

 

[vintagerepairer]

At the end of the day the only thing the EU are going to not permit is high power consumption, and the Kirby is fine on that front.

As for any poor efficiency ratings, if a £2000+ price tag isn't enough to put off a potential buyer, I doubt that any potential poor ratings would either.

 

[sebo_fan]

The Kirby is too unobtainable for UK homes though - the price on that score determines that alone. As for being domestic, well it is questionable - many have been used in commercial cleaning firms because of their weight, bigger size, dirt capacity, maintenance and durability. Same with SEBO commercial uprights with the bigger foots available and simpler functions.

Good to see Vorwerk have energy labels too, despite their UK expensive prices.

 

[kirbysthebest]

With a motor rating of 7 amps, I think it will pass even EUs tough standards.