My Maytag!

[hoovercelebrity]

<p style="text-align: left;">So, we're talking about Constellations in this thread -- in the vintage forum...</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Because this isn't about a vintage machine, I decided to start a new thread in the Contemporary forum...</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Well, for those who don't have the luxury 

of living 20 minutes away from me, I suppose I'll relent and give the story...</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Back in 2006 when the Maytag Satellite was first rumored, I sent an email to Maytag Floorcare in the UK... my email circled around the globe and after a few weeks, maybe months of not hearing anything, finally I was put in contact with a man named Nick who in his email claimed to be responsible for bringing the cleaner back. Nick offered me one of the prototype Satellites he had at his office for my collection, and as it turned out Nick's office (Maytag International) was in Schaumburg Illinois, 10 minutes from where former member Jeff Parker worked at the time, so Jeff went to pick up the cleaner for me.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">
He had a nice visit with Nick, who demo-ed the Satellite, talked about its history, and the high hopes they had for bringing back a classic old cleaner. Nick did NOT tell him it was his idea, but he did push to get this going and see it thru. Hoover's reputation suffered greatly under Maytag (they knew it too) and the Connie/Satellite was an attempt to rescue some of the rep. They were just kicking themselves because they could not call it the "Hoover Constellation" anyplace but in the US.
When Maytag was sold, Nick went to work for Whirlpool in Benton Harbor Michigan.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
So... I rustled up a power inverter, and have myself a totally usable 2000 watt Pre-Production 'prototype' Maytag Satellite! 

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Namplate...

Maytag.

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Satellite... (sorry for the fuzzy cell-phone pictures)

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Even the bags were printed specifically for this machine..

 

[hoovercelebrity]

One thing I wish they would have carried over to the US production cleaners is the metal toggle-switch.  It's just such a nice finishing touch.  The Maytag also has a "soft-start" feature.  When you turn it on, the motor slowly starts and comes up to speed ((2000w is a lot of power to just flip a switch and start to draw...))

 

[henry200]

Wow, that's a fascinating tale and a bit serendipitous the way you fell into it.   My initial curiosity is greatly relieved (but the long term is yet to be satisfied)  The more I looked at that photo the more I kept thinking there is something subtly different between those two SS machines.

 

[sireluxomatic]

<span style="font-family: tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Nothing like silver and black to take you back to old times. I can imagine when that came out, people who had never seen a Constellation before must have said  "Holy etc. etc.!"</span>

 

[crevicetool]

Great story Fred! I had no idea.


Thanks,

Rick


PS - your fuzzy picture looks better than some of my "non-fuzzy" pictures

 

[unimatic1140]

Well, for those who don't have the luxury Cool of living 20 minutes away from me


 


***rolls eyes***


 


Well for those of us who have the luxury of living 1 and 7/8th seconds away from you, I can tell you all that that 220 volt Maytag sounds like it could take off and devour that carpeting in one gulp. That machine sort of scares me lol 

 

[brandon_w_t]

Hehe!

I almost bought a Stainless steel constellation at the local hoover store a while ago. They were $150 because the store was closing and had to sell everything.

Tried one out at Greg's place. I thought that thing was going to take off flying! They have such tremendous power!

 

[henry200]

For those who don't have the luxury of living 20 minutes

Being that I live within that aformentioned 20 minute radius of your domicile, perhaps the readers here would appreciate an unbiased assessment of that Maytag's purported power.  

 

[kirbyeureka95]

power converter

Mr. Fred- would you mind telling me the model of your power converter and were i may purchase one, if not other recomendations? i have a dc05 that i really want to use, and there have been a lot of european vacs on craigslist lately that i would love to get but dont want to spend the money if i cant use. Thanks a lot!

love the satellite btw its awesome! i really wanted to get one of the stainless constellations, as ive never had or used one, new or vintage,but i never got myself to spend the money

 

[petek]

Does it sound similar to the 120v model and does it also have the woefully too short hose? If only, only, they'd added another foot to that hose I'd probably use mine more often but it drives me nuts.

 

[hoovercelebrity]

This is similar to my transformer; they're all over the internet, for various prices...


 



http://www.220-electronics.com/Transformers/trans/diamond-voltage-converter.htm

 

[hoovercelebrity]

The Maytag does have the ridiculously short hose... the stainless US Connie has the longer hose of the 2 models available.  I would imagine they're still available from Hoover as a replacement part. 

 

[aeoliandave]

Yes Pete, the SS has the longer hose than the white one. But as you & I know, it's that silly modern thin vinyl retracting Slinky type that stretches out great but self-retracts under actual suction dragging the unfettered vacuum right into your ankles. Inexcusable in a vacuum this powerful. What is the point of these hoses, anyway, when you can't really use them at full length even on a non-floater canister? The same slinky vinyl is used on many uprights but go to use them and the vacuum topples over...

Would definitely benefit from a stiffer plastic hose or better yet, an Ultraflex replacement.

Dave

 

[Automatic-Shift]

Like it

As a contemporary of the former Constellation it is so modern; stainless steal seems to be everywhere. I like the Maytag logo as it makes it look like a 'new' style machine, and it is quite distinctive. Fred, you indeed have the best looking collection, and have several things I like a lot! Ron

 

[hotpoint95622]

Hi, I have a Maytag Satellite over in the U.K. it’s a great machine, very powerful, the only drew backs are the cost of replacement bags which are over £14 for just two, so I tend to empty and reuse, also had a bit of trouble with the turbo head, chipping shattered the impeller.