evilvacuumman
Well-known member
Kirby and miele are two different machines. Why are we comparing them?
Miele upright vacuum
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tseg
Well-known member
"Kirby and miele are two different machines. Why are we comparing them?"
US vs. Europe? Steel vs. Plastic? Old vs. New?c Non-sealed vs. Sealed? Which is Best of Best? Because people elect not to read the original question in the thread?
Not sure...
US vs. Europe? Steel vs. Plastic? Old vs. New?c Non-sealed vs. Sealed? Which is Best of Best? Because people elect not to read the original question in the thread?
Not sure...
rolls_rapide
Well-known member
Miele upright
When our 'Which?' magazine tested the Miele upright in its S7 guise several years ago now, it got good marks for dirt removal, and was the quietest upright on test.
Reading online reviews from UK customers, there were several grumbles:
- the weight of the machine;
- plastic cover parts falling off the retractable rear wheels;
- the main handle with integrated electrics proved not to be reliable for a few folk;
- somebody moaned about pet hair NOT being picked up. I think that was put down to the type of carpet involved.
And I'm sure someone on here had concerns regarding the accessory hose collapsing under its own suction power.
When our 'Which?' magazine tested the Miele upright in its S7 guise several years ago now, it got good marks for dirt removal, and was the quietest upright on test.
Reading online reviews from UK customers, there were several grumbles:
- the weight of the machine;
- plastic cover parts falling off the retractable rear wheels;
- the main handle with integrated electrics proved not to be reliable for a few folk;
- somebody moaned about pet hair NOT being picked up. I think that was put down to the type of carpet involved.
And I'm sure someone on here had concerns regarding the accessory hose collapsing under its own suction power.
sptyks
Well-known member
When it comes down to reliability, The Kirby wins hands down over the Miele upright, and that's a fact you can take to the bank.
alexhoovers94
Well-known member
"When it comes down to reliability, The Kirby wins hands down over the Miele upright, and that's a fact you can take to the bank"
That statement is invalid.
I agree with others above, two completely different machines.
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That statement is invalid.
I agree with others above, two completely different machines.
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sptyks
Well-known member
Alex,
I am afraid that you are wrong. This statement is completely valid!
"When it comes down to reliability, The Kirby wins hands down over the Miele upright, and that's a fact you can take to the bank"
If these two machines were both of the same design, then their reliability numbers would be the same or similar. It is because they are of quite different design, that their reliability factor is so different. One machine (Miele) is of a very complex design and made of many plastic parts that tend to break after a relatively short time or under heavy usage. The other machine (Kirby) is far less complex and made of mostly metal parts which stand up well over time and heavy usage.
It is because these two machines are so different in design, that one is so much more reliable than the other.
[this post was last edited: 10/27/2017-10:44]
I am afraid that you are wrong. This statement is completely valid!
"When it comes down to reliability, The Kirby wins hands down over the Miele upright, and that's a fact you can take to the bank"
If these two machines were both of the same design, then their reliability numbers would be the same or similar. It is because they are of quite different design, that their reliability factor is so different. One machine (Miele) is of a very complex design and made of many plastic parts that tend to break after a relatively short time or under heavy usage. The other machine (Kirby) is far less complex and made of mostly metal parts which stand up well over time and heavy usage.
It is because these two machines are so different in design, that one is so much more reliable than the other.
[this post was last edited: 10/27/2017-10:44]
alexhoovers94
Well-known member
Different design, different sales approach, different price range...I am sorry, but I disagree, you can not compare, period.
vacuumdevil
Well-known member
@sptyks we really are comparing apples and orange Gatorade here.
I would definitely say that A Miele is a simpler design. And more robust.
The reasoning behind that. No transmission. No complicated tool system. No rubber belt and wooden brush roller to wear out. Direct air motors have proven themselves over and over again. Very few users will prefer Kirby to A Miele.
The repair rate seems to be about the same from my experience.
I think the Kirby's are elegant machines I have several in my collection. Kirby's are definitely special vacuums. But comparing something that was basically designed in 1989 to something that was designed in 2008 of course the newer item is going to be better. I believe both belong in one's vacuum collection! But for the average Joe Miele U1 unbeatable value at $399.
I would definitely say that A Miele is a simpler design. And more robust.
The reasoning behind that. No transmission. No complicated tool system. No rubber belt and wooden brush roller to wear out. Direct air motors have proven themselves over and over again. Very few users will prefer Kirby to A Miele.
The repair rate seems to be about the same from my experience.
I think the Kirby's are elegant machines I have several in my collection. Kirby's are definitely special vacuums. But comparing something that was basically designed in 1989 to something that was designed in 2008 of course the newer item is going to be better. I believe both belong in one's vacuum collection! But for the average Joe Miele U1 unbeatable value at $399.
kirbysthebest
Well-known member
Vacuumdevil
Playing the devil myself here:
Please Tell us about Miele's Lifetime rebuild program.
Those wooden brush rolls you speak about, Tell us about the ease of user replacement with the Miele.
Belts, I can change a belt myself in a Kirby for $1.50, and a twist of a belt lifter, how much does it cost with a Miele?
The G series Kirbys may have the transmission, but no electronics to shut it down.
Playing the devil myself here:
Please Tell us about Miele's Lifetime rebuild program.
Those wooden brush rolls you speak about, Tell us about the ease of user replacement with the Miele.
Belts, I can change a belt myself in a Kirby for $1.50, and a twist of a belt lifter, how much does it cost with a Miele?
The G series Kirbys may have the transmission, but no electronics to shut it down.
tseg
Well-known member
Some people prefer the raw beauty, thick steel and ease of shade tree mechanic repair of a 1960's-something muscle-car while others prefer the creature comforts of a modern day sports car. I think a similar concept here.
alexhoovers94
Well-known member
All I know is, you can't stand in the way of progression.
blackheart
Well-known member
my 2c and some info
In terms of reliability and longevity Kirby is the clear cut victor and on carpet i'd say it's the better performer due to it's much higher airflow and deeper agitation. It's also much easier to work on, and the parts don't seem as expensive. It also has an edge in versatility. I will say i'm quite dissapointed in their warranty as it's a mere 3 years and they don't even cover labor.
But the Miele wins in other catergories, it has better features like the swivel neck, sealed filtration, electronic speed control, and on board tools. It also has some of the best hard floor cleaning i've seen from an upright (excluding the use of tools) It's warranty is 7/7/1 7 year motors, 7 year casing but only 1 on everything else the nice thing is Miele covers labor.
Belt cost:
Kirby 2.99
Miele ~29.95 (about for a conversion kit) which includes the plastic case that goes around the belt
I don't see the point of arguing about which is better than which. Vacuums are not a one size fits all item. While the Kirby is undoubtedly a good quality product with some of the best carpet cleaning ability it simply is not for everyone.
In terms of reliability and longevity Kirby is the clear cut victor and on carpet i'd say it's the better performer due to it's much higher airflow and deeper agitation. It's also much easier to work on, and the parts don't seem as expensive. It also has an edge in versatility. I will say i'm quite dissapointed in their warranty as it's a mere 3 years and they don't even cover labor.
But the Miele wins in other catergories, it has better features like the swivel neck, sealed filtration, electronic speed control, and on board tools. It also has some of the best hard floor cleaning i've seen from an upright (excluding the use of tools) It's warranty is 7/7/1 7 year motors, 7 year casing but only 1 on everything else the nice thing is Miele covers labor.
Belt cost:
Kirby 2.99
Miele ~29.95 (about for a conversion kit) which includes the plastic case that goes around the belt
I don't see the point of arguing about which is better than which. Vacuums are not a one size fits all item. While the Kirby is undoubtedly a good quality product with some of the best carpet cleaning ability it simply is not for everyone.
sptyks
Well-known member
One last thought regarding the latest Vacuum cleaner technology which the Miele upright has vs 25 year old Kirby Technology:
Why does my 25 year old Kirby G3 outclean my friend's 2 year old Miele Cat & Dog upright on carpet? This was a test that my friend and I conducted at my home last year.
He brought his Miele Cat & Dog to my place and we tested the machines by placing 1/2 cup of salt on two separate areas of my living room carpet. We rubbed the salt into the carpet. We each did ten passes over our section of carpet. He used his Miele and I used my G3. Both machines had new HEPA bags and new filters for the Miele.
After 10 passes I got my Sentria (third machine) with the Dirtmeter installed on it and put a black test pad in it. I went over each area for 2 passes with a new black test pad for each area.
The Results: The area vacuumed with the Miele had more than twice the salt on the test pad as the area vacuumed with the G3.
Conclusion: It just proves that a Vacuum cleaner made with 2015 technology will not necessarily outclean a machine made with 1991 technology. In this case it was the 1991 technology that won.
Why does my 25 year old Kirby G3 outclean my friend's 2 year old Miele Cat & Dog upright on carpet? This was a test that my friend and I conducted at my home last year.
He brought his Miele Cat & Dog to my place and we tested the machines by placing 1/2 cup of salt on two separate areas of my living room carpet. We rubbed the salt into the carpet. We each did ten passes over our section of carpet. He used his Miele and I used my G3. Both machines had new HEPA bags and new filters for the Miele.
After 10 passes I got my Sentria (third machine) with the Dirtmeter installed on it and put a black test pad in it. I went over each area for 2 passes with a new black test pad for each area.
The Results: The area vacuumed with the Miele had more than twice the salt on the test pad as the area vacuumed with the G3.
Conclusion: It just proves that a Vacuum cleaner made with 2015 technology will not necessarily outclean a machine made with 1991 technology. In this case it was the 1991 technology that won.
alexhoovers94
Well-known member
It is not just carpet cleaning in question...the Miele is a clean fan upright, it isn’t going to perform as well.
vacuumdevil
Well-known member
@kirbysthebest
Miele does not haveLifetime rebuild program simply because in 20 years they'll be newer technology and the Machine is cost-effective enough to replace in that time.
Mila brush rollers and belts are designed to last a lifetime of the product and generally do.
Eliminating the need and hassle of changing a belt.
I see 2x -3x Kirby G10 vacuums in for service than I do Miele uprights.
Also there seems to be a motor bearing issue with the G10. I would argue that previous generations of Kirby's or a better value and more reliable.
Then there's price$400 to $600 new versus a #1,000. to $3,000 new.
There's also on board tools &a bypass motor that produces three times the suction with relatively close air flow .
All that being said I have more Kirby's then mieles in my collection.
Miele does not haveLifetime rebuild program simply because in 20 years they'll be newer technology and the Machine is cost-effective enough to replace in that time.
Mila brush rollers and belts are designed to last a lifetime of the product and generally do.
Eliminating the need and hassle of changing a belt.
I see 2x -3x Kirby G10 vacuums in for service than I do Miele uprights.
Also there seems to be a motor bearing issue with the G10. I would argue that previous generations of Kirby's or a better value and more reliable.
Then there's price$400 to $600 new versus a #1,000. to $3,000 new.
There's also on board tools &a bypass motor that produces three times the suction with relatively close air flow .
All that being said I have more Kirby's then mieles in my collection.
The Kirby no matter what model-is more likely to be around after 20yrs-the Miele is not likely to be around after that.It will be in the trade in pile or the dumpster.Suction is NOT what is really important for floor-carpet cleaning---Its AIRFLOW!AIRFLOW!AIRFLOW! Which the Kirby has more of.And the Kirbys air inlet is closer to the floor than the Miele-as well as a more direct airpath.Service --Kirbys are more popular then the Miele upright.
blackheart
Well-known member
"There's also on board tools &a bypass motor that produces three times the suction with relatively close air flow . "
The motor specs sure, as the vortex motor is rated for 141cfm and i've measured an avalir at 144 or 147 cfm
BUT
At the carpet nozzle where the flow matters most the Miele upright measures in at 49.82 CFM, in carpet mode, where the avalir was measured at it's nozzle at 144-147 cfm
The motor specs sure, as the vortex motor is rated for 141cfm and i've measured an avalir at 144 or 147 cfm
BUT
At the carpet nozzle where the flow matters most the Miele upright measures in at 49.82 CFM, in carpet mode, where the avalir was measured at it's nozzle at 144-147 cfm
The Miele Vortex motor reads 141CFM --this would be the motor in a lab test fixture-the CFM of the motor alone and NOT in a vacuum cleaner.This is a ongoing problem in the vacuum industry.
ultralux88
Well-known member
Ultimately, we can throw numbers around all day, but what really matters is what gets the dirt out of the carpet. Personally, I don't feel the Kirby is the most effective at removing things like sand, the nozzle is too wide and dilutes the machines power compared to something like a Royal with a narrower nozzle, also the brush isn't aggressive enough for my liking. I feel a Convertible or a F&G Eureka will get better results. The Miele works well, cleans well, and I feel is more aggressive on the carpet. Ultimately, I don't use a Miele or Kirby as my primary vacuum, my preference tends to be Rainbows, Riccar Radiance, Riccar central vac, that sort of thing. Machines with high airflow and aggressive agitation (not carpet shredders though).
kirbysthebest
Well-known member
I don't feel the Kirby is the most effective
. . .at removing sand.
That made me giggle.
Kirby is Gold rated with the Carpet and Rug institute as well as has an energy efficiency rating. I couldn't find Miele listed. You can buy different brushrolls for your needs, ranging from soft to brillo.
What we need to concede to is the fact that at this level we are talking grains of sand, not buckets in difference. I do, however, challenge you to do a sand test with these machines. You may just be surprised.
. . .at removing sand.
That made me giggle.
Kirby is Gold rated with the Carpet and Rug institute as well as has an energy efficiency rating. I couldn't find Miele listed. You can buy different brushrolls for your needs, ranging from soft to brillo.
What we need to concede to is the fact that at this level we are talking grains of sand, not buckets in difference. I do, however, challenge you to do a sand test with these machines. You may just be surprised.
