Kelton
In regards to cleaning performance on a Filter Queen, I agree with Edgar. They start out with lots of airflow & suction power....however, they VERY QUICKLY lose their airflow. Particularly if you are cleaning a environment with lots of sandy, fine dust type dirt. What happens is the fine dusty powdery elements in whatever dirt you're picking up go upwards and cling to the cellulose Filter Cone. It's not uncommon to have to take the motor off and flick the cone to release the dust a couple times before having to empty the bin and change the Filter Cone. Also, the powerhead on these Filter Queens has always been lackluster - the bristles do a poor job grooming the carpet. Especially with the newer models. It's not uncommon for vac shops to sell complete hose/wand/powerhead kits to people who bring in Filter Queens for repair with the powerhead not working.
A Electrolux on the other hand is a much better cleaner. They have cyclonic action in the bag chamber, & the 4 ply bags do a excellent job keeping the dust out of the bag chamber. Can easily match or beat the Filter Queen & any modern vacuum with a HEPA Cloth bag. Yes, they do lose airflow & suction, but unlike the messy experience you have renewing the cleaning performance on a Filter Queen, it's quick & clean with a Electrolux - simply take the bag out, give it a good vigorous shake to loosen dust from the walls of the bag, blow off the small amount of dust on top of the cardboard collar that escapes the bag, and reinstall in the vacuum. Also, the L shaped powerhead on the Electrolux grooms carpet far better, and when you put in the newest brushroll and fix the rear wheels if you don't like the floating height adjustment, you have a powerhead that can match the performance of highly regarded central vac powerheads like Sebo and Wessell Werk EBK360. When you factor in that bags & filters are dirt cheap, & the cleaner performs so well & so easy & inexpensive to maintain, it's no wonder why Electrolux canisters are so popular.
Armandjc - Very nice Filter Queen you found there! Just so you know, that electric hose included with yours is a generic replacement. The hose in Tom, Dysonman1's photo, is the original OEM hose. Also, one way you can improve the grooming action of the powerhead is to put your brushroll in the "worn" position - that makes the bristles stick out farther and improves it's ability to dig down deep into carpet fibres.
