New purchase VAX Mach Air Reach

[blakaeg]

A friend of mine is going to purchase a VAX Mach Air for only £99 after we went vacuum browsing today In Johm Lewis. I showed her the Dyson DC40 & DC50 as she's very petite and we all agreed the Dysons are horrid with their cheap-feeling, bendy plastic parts. She really disliked how much the Dyson felt like a toy. The fact it's made in her native Malaysia did not convince her to consider it either.

We tried the Vax Mach Air Reach and was very impressed with it and it's quieter than my Dyson DC24 and the DC50 in the store, with more suction. I am concerned that the VAX is going to suffer from silly little breakages like my Dyson DC24 does but at £99, it just seems like a good buy. I thought I might get one too.

Here's the wrong Machine, the Reach one is to the left. Oops.

 

[madabouthoovers]

Provided you get a good one these are not bad machines, especially for £100 - that's what I paid for mine. There was a problem with the hoses where they screw into the hose connectors - the glue used was too weak and the hoses kept coming detached from the sockets. I presume that by now they have sorted that problem out, as I bought mine over a year ago. Just remember to keep the filter clean and it should be fine. Oh, and make sure you register the guarantee within 30 days of purchase or they wont honour it when you need it.

 

[blakaeg]

Thanks Madabouthoovers,

I will tell my friend to register her warranty once she's obtained the machine. She will duly send me a big Whatsapp message after she's cleaned as she's never had a bagless vacuum cleaner before and had been using a bagged PROACTION from Argos since 2008 which still works fine but the hose is split and she really needs an machine that can have the brushes switched on and off as she has a lot of laminate flooring.

 

[hi-loswitch98]

Hope she's pleased with it, I'm thinking of buying one as I got one off the car boot, tried it & loved the extra reach.

 

[suckolux]

This looks like our windtunnel Air. I have had mine for sometime, soon 2 years? No trouble at all.The light weight is very nice when my back is not good.

 

[madabouthoovers]

To date, I think the Air Reach has been the most successful Vax upright for quite some time. Look at the number of reviews on them on Argos - there's over 1000 reviews for the Air Reach. They are better than the later Air3 models IMO. The extra stretch hose is essential really and parts for these machines are easily available. The top filter stays quite clean too, but it shouldn't be neglected as the main motor is prone to damage through overheating if the filter gets blocked. I reckon you should wash the top filter every couple of months of use to keep the motor running well.


 


Oh and its the same as the US Windtunnel Air - they are both designed and made by TTI in China.

 

[hi-loswitch98]

There's over 1000 reviews on Amazon, too.

About the design of the Air, according to Vax it is their own design, apparently it was designed in the UK. I think the reason it is their most successful upright to date is because it is lightweight (useful for the older generation, nan woul have had one of these if it were bagged), has a long reach (compared to the original Air which has a 1.5m Hose & 6m Cord, like most people that goes nowhere in my parents house) & also has plenty of useful features, Multicyclonic (better than Power & Zoom series dirt seperation), Brushroll on/off (useful for many especially my parents home where it is mostly hard floors/rugs), plus a variant amount of other feature.

The price is great too, £99 plus the 6 Year Warranty on top!

 

[madabouthoovers]

If it was Vax's own design, why would the Americans get exactly the same model but branded Hoover? I wonder if Hoover US claim that the Windtunnel Air was designed in the US?

 

[hi-loswitch98]

They probably do but Vax claim that the machine & the prototypes were desinged in the UK. Shame it wasn't made here too then it would be even better for £99!

 

[madabouthoovers]

I think the US version of the Air is based on the UK model Air3, as it has the side exit suction port on the cleaner head.

 

[hi-loswitch98]

At least Vax do sort out problems. There are quite a few negative reviews on the Air3 about the swivel joint breaking but the reviews usually are updated with Vax saying that they are going to send out a new head or to send it back.

 

[adamthemieleman]

'agreed the Dysons are horrid with their cheap-feeling, bendy plastic parts. She really disliked how much the Dyson felt like a toy.'

Interesting, considering that Vax have the lowest reliability on the market, (I often see them returned)the fact they constantly receive negative reviews and low customer advocacy.
I see many customers changing from a vax to their first Dyson, or changing from a Dyson to a vax, regretting their decision, so they go back to Dyson. The reviews are similar, poor quality; service and performance.

I may also clarify, as many people seem to get confused, just because something is made out of plastic does not make it 'cheap'.
Dyson as well as Miele use ABS which is naturally pliable, and flexible, it allows it to absorb impact, rather than shatter, hence it's use on builders hats. Some of our display vax's are already broken due to their brittle plastic, which is without doubt, not abs.


Oh yes, the six year warranty, provided it's registered within a FORTNIGHT, you have the pleasure of dealing with their terrible customer service.

I find it amusing you find the Dyson to be a 'toy', considering everything mentioned above, and other members reviews on the latest products cue olies air powerhead and Rogers dual power.

 

[madabouthoovers]

 


Dyson are no more superior than Vax and certainly not that much superior that they deserve to sell for several hundred pounds more than a Vax. I think £100 was a reasonable price to pay for an Air Reach considering all the features it has, and much better value than spending £430 on a Dyson DC41.

[this post was last edited: 5/6/2014-03:34]

 

[spiraclean]

Let's not forget the vast price difference between a Vax and a Dyson. The Dyson can cost four times as much, but the customer isn't getting four times the longevity, build quality or dust pickup. Cost and value are two entirely separate things, and people confuse them all the time.


 


Oddly enough, we're already seeing DC40 and DC41 models in the trade in pile at work. Still the latest models, in full working order and under guarantee no less! If that doesn't prove Dyson is all about the slick marketing, then I don't know what does. Maybe that's what the additional £300 over the price of the Vax is paying for?

 

[sensotronic]

I had an Air Reach and thought it was very good. I only sold it because I wanted some extra cash at the time, but have been considering getting another (despite the Dual Power problems) because I liked the long cord, the lightness of it and it wasn't too noisy. Currently I can get one for £85 which is a bargain in my view. I never had a problem with my hose, but then I didn't use it much for above floor cleaning.

I took my Air Reach to a holiday cottage in Keswick and it got a huge amount of muck out of the carpet that the resident Henry had left behind. I wasn't on youtube then, so didn't make a video like the one with the Morphy Richards Vs the Henry Micro, but the results were similar.

I had an Air 3 Max but I didn't like it at all and sold it on quickly. I liked the fact that the brushes were much stiffer than my original Reach, but it was heavy to use and I didn't like the swivel mechanism.

If Vax can sort out their quality control, some of their cleaners are certainly worth considering, especially if you don't have the budget for a Dyson

 

[spiraclean]

My mum has the standard Air and she thinks it's great. For the price paid I wasn't expecting too much, but having tried it for myself I was very pleasantly surprised. It cleans well, has more than adequate suction, and doesn't have a high pitched screaming motor. The tools are indeed craptastic, just like a Dyson, only difference is it uses a standard 32mm fit so you can easily substitute those of your own liking. No need to splash out an extra £15-45 EACH on the only half decent tools that will fit.

It does still have wheels though. So does my car, unless the next time I take it in for new tyres it comes back with four balls fitted to it instead. In the meantime I dread to think how inefficiently it turns corners!

 

[sebo_fan]

Ive only been going on about the Vax Mach Air Reach for the last 2 years. The long cord is worth it, as is the extra long hose if you really require it. Im not keen on the swivelling one though - it fails to lock up properly, worse than the Hoover Slalom I have.

 

[hi-loswitch98]

As for Vax's 'terrible' customer service, wheneverive had to deal with them they've been helpful, friendly & any part has been sent out within a couple of days. They once sent me two 6131 wash heads when mine broke & they have friendly staff who are ready to help with enquiries.

As for Dyson, I've just persuaded my friends mother to buy an Air Reach as opposed to a Dyson DC50. They love the Vax.

 

[blakaeg]

Adamthemieleman,

Yes the a Dyson does feel like a toy. I do not really need to repeat the amount of issues I've had with plastic parts breaking on my Dyson DC24. The fact it's now cracked on the main body and it's going to need the whole body replaced in 4 years isn't great. I will need to take time off work for Dyson to fix this issue for a machine that was 'designed' to twist around corners, it still failed. DC50 felt worse when I tried it out. The thin plastic chassis doesn't look like it will hold up to good use.

I also know of many Dyson users ago have gone onto Sebo and swear that they will never buy a Dyson again! Seems they are wise. I still feel my friend made a wise choice in her decision. I did recommend a Sebo but she wanted to try bagless. The Vax is a good price and despite what negative reviews you saw online, there are also many positive reviews out there so let's see how she gets on with her new machine shall we!