My Parents Want to Buy a New Vacuum Cleaner

[kirbyclassiciii]

My parents are contemplating on buying a new vacuum cleaner once they get their new carpeting installed within a month or so.

My goal is for them to buy a vacuum made here. I kept on pleading to them to not buy a vacuum made in China. The trouble is, they need a new vacuum, but I keep coaxing them to find a used one, because there are so few vacuums still being made here.

So the question is: of all the vacuums that are still being made here, or have been made here since most recently, which one is the best overall (in terms of price, quality, performance and reliability)???

Thank you,



Ben (KirbyClassicIII)

 

[ridgidvac]

Filter Queen

still one of the vacs made in USA & has better than HEPA/ULPA filtration (when using Medi-Pure filter) Has 10x more suction than other brands' vacs.

http://www.filterqueen.com

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

What Upright Vacs Are Still Made in USA?

What upright vacuums are still made in USA as of this year?

~Ben

 

[kenmore81]

Simplicity Vacs are

Simplicity vacuums are being made here. They are a bit expensice but they are good cleaners and should proveide years of service for the extra money.
Kenny

http://www.simplicityvac.com/

 

[ridgidvac]

Kirby

they too are USA made just like FQ is but a bit cheaper than the FQ

http://www.kirby.com

 

[lux1521]

I second simplicity. My college room mate got one for free for his new apartment. Very simple design, easy to use, and has quality features. I like the old style metal brush rolls with replaceable brush strips. The old time quality with modern filtration, quick tool use and clean air motor design.

The prices on ebay are not bad either. They are actually price competitive with big box cleaners.

 

[kenmore81]

Oh yea

Duh,how could I forget Kirby. You can also get near new ones on the Bay =).They don't have the same warranty but alot cheaper and you don't have to go on with the 3hr in home demo lol.

 

[bimmer740]

Ebay

I bought my Kirby Ultimate Diamond Edition NIB on eBay with all standard attachments and the Kirby Rug Renovator kit for about $600. At the time it was the current model and although it was not cheap, it was still a fraction of the cost of buying one direct from Kirby. While I use my VacuFlo most of the time, I do use the Kirby about once a week. There are very few machines made today that are made as well, or clean as well as the Kirby does. The Hepa Filtration bags hold a large amout of dirt and are great if you suffer from allergies or have pets. While many machines have come and gone from my collection my Kirby is one that I will never part with. The TechDrive system makes it easy to push across any type of carpet, and the variety of attachments are perfect for anyone who is serious about housekeeping. With good care and proper maintenance I'm certain it will be running well for at least the next 30+ years. How many other machines on the market today can you say that about?

 

[kirbyultimateg]

Hi Ben.
I recommend the Sanitaire S647 upright for $299.
I recommend the Sanitaire S634 upright for $199.
I recommend the Eureka 1934 upright for $99.
Thanks.
Rob Gwisdala

 

[beerad]

try a Sebo X4

try a Sebo X4 upright.. I sell them in the vac shop I am working in. They are great vacs, durable, user friendly and you get what you pay for in this german engineering..to last a lfetime..

 

[williamr1248]

My parents want to buy a new vacuum cleaner

There is a thought:
How old are your parents? You might want to consider how easy a new cleaner is to lift and move around.
Being a collector,we use many different machines and I have found many machines that don't work as easy for OLDER people.
Example:
(1) Kirby,Dyson and Hoover powerdrive-just too heavy
(2) Filter Queen-too heavy
This is not to say these are not very good vacuums.Just not as easy for an older person to lift and handle.
Some of my machines that my older relatives can use with ease are:
(1) Oreck Platinum Xl upright
(2) Hoover Constellation
If weight is not a factor I would vote for the following:
uprights-
(1) Oreck XL Platinum (and only the platinum model) or the Riccar. I tried the Riccar and they are easy to push. They are also made in USA. They are using them at my YMCA and they
seem to take a lot of punishment.Also service is avilable for both machines.
(2) The only canister that I like that much is the Electrolux Oxygen but I don't know about the durability and they are not made in the USA.

 

[williamr1248]

My Parents want to buy a new vacuum cleaner

I forgot a couple of vacs:
(1) though not made in USA. I have been told the Dyson slim is easy to use and lightweight. Don't know about it's durability or cleaning ability.
(2) would not reccommend a Rainbow just because of the weight.
although it is made in the USA and they are great if your parents have a lot of bare floors. They seem to be durable too. The Rainbow is like my Kirby-you either love it or hate it. I had no trouble and loved my Kirby until I moved to a 2-story house and had to carry it upstairs.
We as vac collectors have used them all and can see the advantages of the different machines in different applications.

 

[tristar]

As far as I know...

There are only 3 major manufacturers still building uprights here in the USA.

They are:

Tacony (Riccar, Simplicity, etc)
Kirby (obviously...)
Oreck

Many of the other brands mentioned (Sebo, Sanitaire, Hoover, etc) are made in Germany, Mexico, and China respectively.

There are others made in the US, but they're more along the lines of canisters. the ones I can think of off the top of my head are

Rainbow
TriStar
Silver King
Aerus (are they still made here or not?)
Filter Queen
Soon to be Tacony (Their canisters are currently made in Korea by Daewoo)

I'm sure there's probably a couple brands I missed, but those are the big ones that come to mind.

Hope that helps!

 

[riccarlover]

Ben...

I myself would STRONGLY say a Riccar/Simplicity. All of my family has had their's for 13+ years and they STILL work GREAT!!! These machines are built to take a beating and withstand MORE than regular use. Now, if you would decide to go with the Tacony machines, make sure you get the metal brushroll with replaceable brush strips. And also, "cheese" the salesman up. If you wanna get a good deal, you might have to go back a time or two. Make sure that they include lots of bags, belts, and filters and a good attachment kit(long hose, turbo brush,etc...).
Hope this helped!!!
Clayton

 

[kirbysthebest]

I second the nomination for;'

Uprights
Kirby (Can be expensive, NEVER PAY RETAIL)
Riccar/Simplicity (Can be expensive--See Above)
Oreck (They really aren't that bad if you use them frequently)
If you go to an Oreck Clean Home Center they are very friendly and will deal with you. They are willing to find rebuilds, change the package, sell a-la-cart

Cans/Tanks
You might still be able to find and Air-Way (Vita-Mix)
Rainbow
Filter Queen
I have never used Tri-Star, but my across the street neighbor swears she will be burried with hers.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Thank you

Thank you for the suggestions so far! I have already reminded my parents about this.

~Ben