New vacuum needed

[oldskoolguy]

As of recently, my family's Oreck magnesium finally gave out. Cut to the chase, apparently from continuous use, the switch wiring insulation tore where it met the vacuum's base and eventually a wire broke. It was out of warranty and my dad didn't bother taking it to the oreck store or anywhere else and it went to the trash. Now the housekeeper for my parents' house uses my old Hoover Custom Convertible. While this does work, my family needs a new vacuum. The new machine has to be an upright, bagged, and be available to purchase new in the box or new from a local vacuum store with a warranty from the manufacturer. Oreck machines are out of the question as my dad does not trust them after having to return a magnesium 5 or 5 1/2 years back for another. And to those recommending a Kirby, I'd side with you, but the housekeeper would need something a little lighter (doesn't have to be oreck light, it can be 10-15 maybe 16 or 17 LBS) plus they're expensive. Any ideas?

 

[kirbysthebest]

Riccar / Simplicity

Have some nice uprights. Some pricy, some very affordable.

I would suggest visiting a vacuum store and take one for a test drive.
You didn't mention budget, but by commenting on the cost of the Oreck I would surmise you are looking <$500 mark.

The Aerus Upright, and a plethora of clones of the design are good choices. Pro-lux, Bissell, and even Oreck have a variant of this machine. You can find very nice Lux Guardian Uprights on ebay in the $250 range.

Royal Everlast (Metal) machines are also a good choice, last forever, cleans like a Kirby, a little lighter. Newer models are overpowered in my opinion, and loud.

Going higher up the economic ladder there are the Sebos, Miele, Lindenhaus machines that are worth considering.

All of these machines will do you a good job, and offer longevity with reasonable care and maintenance.

 

[oldskoolguy]

Riccar and Simplicity are great suggestions. I know they will last my family years. I used a few different tacony-made Clean Max Pro Series machines when I used to work for a rec center. they are reliable and never gave me trouble. I have personal experience with Royal too. It's well built and reliable. The others I have to try and see if they are indeed quality. As for the ebay offer, my father does not really trust eBay as it wouldn't have a manufacturers warranty and he is concerned about motor hours for one thing (he's impossible to convince to buy used). There is, however, an aerus dealer possibly not too far from me, and may try there as well. Over all, My only concern that is that the housekeeper would just lower a height adjustable machine too low causing a belt to wear out or a brush to wear out (I've already got a hoover in need of new brush strips, but that's another story), which may be resolved by just showing her how to use the height adjustment properly.

 

[n0oxy]

suggestions

Riccar and Simplicity are both great choices, made by the same company. I would also suggest checking out Sebo or Miele, very good German brands. Lindhaus is a good Italian brand, however not as many vac shops sell their products for some reason. You didn't mention if you had carpets and hard floors but if you do, I would suggest the Sebo Felix, it's an upright but the power head can be removed and you can attach a hard floor brush.
Mike

 

[honestjoe68]

If you want something with similar features and lightweight (11 pounds) I would recommend the Hoover Platinum Bagged Corded Upright. You can get the set with the Upright and canister with attachments at Amazon for $238.44. It has a Five year warranty and I’ve owned two, my First is still running strong after 8 years and I just bought another last year on a special deal. It’s a bit of an upgrade from an Oreck (same company makes them both now TCI) but I really like the similarities of an Oreck but deluxe build/style. It’s got the slow start up and electronic two speed switch right on the handle, Not down on the brushroll Head. Nice bright LED headlights and it’s considerably quieter that most Orecks. The bags are available in bulk packs of both Upright and canister together, on Amazon and they are HEPA bags that seal when removing them so no dust clouds when tossing the old bag in the trash. There are lots of choices, but I’d recommend this one as a great replacement for an Oreck and I’ve had excellent customer service experience with Hoover customer service. Just a thought, best of luck and I hope this helps.

http://https//www.amazon.com/Hoover...id=1518147101&sr=8-3&keywords=Hoover+platinum

 

[Deleted member 3733]

Aerus

Lux Guardian Upright would be a good choice. It’s around 17lbs and comes with a 10 year warranty. It has big wheels on the back so you can push or pull it around in the locked upright position, eliminating the need to carry it. It’s a powerful upright and automatically adjusts to the surface being vacuumed. Mine came with a full attachment kit (side kick mini power nozzle too) and several bags. It uses a geared belt with automatic shut off if something jams in the roller brush, plus it has a full bag indicator too. It’s goof proof and easy to use. It does have a premium price tag, but sounds like it matches your needs.

The url I shared is to a YouTube video for the current model Aerus Lux Guardian Upright.

http://https//youtu.be/EHOeL6zarg0

 

[paul]

ProForce cleaners (ProTeam-Emerson)

Aerus uprights have been made by ProTeam since circa 2004, so if you like that style and want to save $, you might want to go that route.

ProTeam used to carry a similar type of the Aerus-style upright, but I could only find the kind with onboard tools when I went to the site recently (http://proteam.emerson.com/en/shop/...&pageView:list&minPrice:&maxPrice:&pageSize:&)

Check out the ProForce 1200XP (12" nozzle) & the ProForce 1500XP (15" nozzle).

Besides onboard tools, ProTeam's cleaners have the front-mounted exhaust rather than the side-mounted like Aerus.

 

[crazykirbydude]

I'm with Lux_Luthor

Aerus Guardian upright seems like a good fit. It's lightweight, cleans well, and commercial cleaning companies use it. It's also made in the USA. It's a great machine.

 

[n0oxy]

another suggestion

Here's another machine to consider, the Maytag 1200, this machine is made by Tacony which is the same company that makes the Riccar and Simplicity machines. I'm not sure if the Maytag model is similar to a Riccar or Simplicity but it's a very good two motor machine.
Interesting that the Aerus upright is made by proteam. I wonder if Aerus makes anything anymore or if they just contract other companies to make their products and then sell them at an inflated price.
Mike

 

[crazykirbydude]

Aerus still makes their Lux Classic, Lux Legacy and Lux Guardian by themselves.

 

[Deleted member 3733]

Like crazykirbydude said

I asked an Aerus dealer and the Lux Guardian Upright is made by the Aerus Plant in Bristol Va. The brand Paul mentioned may be good, but I think those are clones made overseas and their warranty isn’t as long as Aerus.

 

[paul]

Here are a couple articles that prove Aerus no longer manufactures its own products:

Mar 13, 2003, 00:00 ET from Aerus LLC
BRISTOL, Va., March 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Aerus LLC (formerly Electrolux
LLC), distributor of top quality floor care and other lifestyle and wellness
based products, announced today that it has signed an agreement with The
Eureka Company, a subsidiary of AB Electrolux of Sweden, to provide certain
manufacturing, product assembly and product distribution services on behalf of
Aerus from a facility located in El Paso, Texas.
In recent years, Aerus has actively sought to establish strategic third-
party relationships for the manufacture of component parts and product
accessories and has consolidated its product assembly and distribution, as
well as general sales and service administration, activities in Bristol,
Virginia. The agreement with The Eureka Company is a further step in Aerus'
commitment to continuous improvement and cost-rationalization of all company
activities.


Vacuum Cleaner Plant Closing, 250 Layoffs
Published 4:48 am, Tuesday, April 26, 2016

The Aerus Electrolux vacuum cleaner plant will shut down by the end of May, leaving 250 people out of work, the company said Thursday.

The company said in a statement that Aerus had signed an agreement with The Eureka Co, a subsidiary of Swedish firm AB Electrolux, to have Eureka's El Paso, Texas, plant take over assembly and some manufacture of Aerus vacuum cleaners, floor polishers, floor shampooers and air-filtration devices now made at the Bristol plant.

_______

As for the uprights, several have told me that ProTeam took over production for Aerus. One even thought it was prior to 2003 (when other vacuum cleaner production was transferred to Eureka.

Aerus for some reason hasn't communicated this with its dealers.

The Bristol building is now a distribution center, which is why it seems that products are still made there.

_______

As an aside, an Aerus dealer told me that the online store locator shows store locations current and defunct. The stores that still exist have the blue hyperlinks View Map & Driving Directions. Those that are closed have often had their old phone #s connected to an open store in the region.

_______

 

[oldskoolguy]

The decision is in

Well, my father and I went to our local vacuum store, which was having a sale, and the new family vacuum is, Drum roll please.... A red floor model sebo felix. I am confident that this new vacuum will last quite a while! The warranty is great too! 5 years on the vacuum itself plus 10 years on the motors. If in 5-10 years, it breaks and is as good as garbage, I just might be surprised! I'm sure that my father is happy and will enjoy the felix. As for me, I'll stick with my beastly Kirby Sentria and trusty old Hoover Custom Convertible.

 

[luxkid1980]

Well, hopefully he got what he wanted. It's a shame he didn't try to fix the switch/cord himself on the Magnesium; probably was an easy fix. Also a shame it didn't go to a thrift store for someone else to buy. By the way, how much are those Sebo Felix vacuums typically? I see varying prices online, some up to $699!

 

[panasonicvac]

This whole Aerus thing has really gotten into a mess. First off, Proteam and Aerus are not the same vacuum companies. Their parts are even different between the two like the motors for example. Second of all, I don't read articles because I find some of them to be false information and I don't believe them. I would only listen to Lux veterans on here like tig21er or kirbyloverdan for example because they've known Aerus for years. Third of all, the Bristol plant is still manufacturing vacuums. I've called, emailed them, a few Aerus dealers that I trust told me, and recently our supplier store just ordered more parts directly from the Bristol plant.

Also I'm not liking the way Aerus is going on now. They are closing stores more than opening them. They don't keep track of updating their website. Their Centralux unit is no longer made in the states. Some of the parts have changed that I don't like such as the motors, the brushrolls, the bags, and the headlights. And I don't like that Aerus is not producing some models that they've never created or made themselves and now has other companies that manufactures them instead. Since Kenmore is going to possibly be bought out from Whirlpool, I actually would be wondering in the future if Aerus would be bought out from Electrolux and have the Aerus models be renamed Electrolux again.

 

[paul]

Oldskoolguy, congratulations on your new family vac. I hope it performs, handles, & holds up well.

______


I agree that Aerus seems to be on a downward slope with all its franchise closings and lack of upgrades on its classic models. I am disappointed, too, that it has gone to outsourcing.

I disagree about the accuracy of the news articles. There's no reason for "fake news" being published about shifting production and laying off workers. And if it were fake, you'd think Aerus would have publicly corrected it and demanded a retraction. As for dealers' claims that Bristol is still manufacturing they just haven't been informed. The fact that products and parts are being sent out from the Bristol facility doesn't prove that they're being manufactured there.

Further, if the Bristol plant has begun manufacturing again after ceasing production in 2016, you'd think there'd be an online article about it.

I have since found out from another source, however, that ProTeam no longer makes Aerus uprights, which is why it no longer carries the Aerus-style ProForce 1200 & ProForce 1500. It does, though, still carry the similarly-styled ProForce 1200XP & ProForce 1500 XP with the onboard tools, whose design was bought from Aerus after the Lux 4000 & Lux 6000 received mediocre customer satisfaction largely due to weight & imbalance.

Maybe Tacony has taken on the upright production along with Lite by Aerus and Lite Cordless by Aerus.

It will be interesting to see if the Lux Commercial gets a new nozzle or the same as the household version, because the one it had with the System Performance Indicators was ProTeam's.

 

[n0oxy]

good choice on the Felix, and Aerus

The felix is a great machine, one of the few uprights that you can attach a hard floor brush to, I'm a canister only person but if I had to use an upright that would be my choice.
The future of Aerus has been uncertain for a while now. Many people think the newest Tristar models, which Aerus now owns are not made near as well. The Aerus classic is a good machine, but it does seem like many of their stores and dealers are closing. The Aerus rep here is still doing well, I texted him a few weeks ago to see what kind of canister machines he had sitting around.
Mike

 

[honestjoe68]

@oldskoolguy

Congratulations! the Sebo Felix is one of my favorites among my “Luxury” Vacuums! I have the white Felix and I bought the Kombi Nozzle and the extension hose too. Mine came with the Premium Parquet Brush as well as the ET-1 Power Nozzle. I also highly recommend buying the horsehair dusting brush and the turbo brush hand held if your parents want to clean all their upholstered furniture. Just a thought, I know it adds up fast but sometimes, like when I bought mine, the dealer will add attachment tools for free or reduced price. I also, for fun, bought the USA flag design outer bag filter.

Your parents can’t go wrong with a Sebo Felix.. it’s one from my big collection that I use most often.

Congrats and again.. very nice of you to help out your parents! Good job!

 

[Deleted member 3733]

@honestjoe68

That is the most beautiful Felix I’ve seen (with the USA flag filter). Does it really exhaust out all the way around the vacuum’s outer cloth filter surface? Do you ever find it to be hot when using? I really thought long and hard about buying a Felix but this was a concern I had that stopped me from getting one.

 

[honestjoe68]

@lux_luthor

Hi!

Thank you Lux_Luthor, I giggle everytime I look at the American Flag on my German made Felix! I really do love the flag on it and next filter I order will probably be a different color than the original white. (The American Flag is harder to find now.) I find the Sebo Felix to be one of the most beautifully made and smartly engineered Vacuums! I can use it for hours at a time, cleaning my entire home from top to bottom and it never gets Hot. You feel a little slightly warm air but that’s it, you can touch anywhere on the vacuum and it’s not hot.

The “Exhaust Microfilter” as Sebo call it, wrapped around the middle of the vacuum body is a unique and I find very efficient method of filtration. Underneath the filter, which is easy to change and held on by a track down the rear center and two band clips, one around the top, one around the bottom, is the frame or hard body that holds the disposable bag inside. It vents the exhaust air between the outside of the disposable bag container and the exhaust microfilter evenly around the entire vacuum. I’ve owned Felix (I call him Felix) for about two years now so I’ve changed the filters a few times. I always see perfectly uniform filter dust, carbon all the way around.. never concentrated in one area so it’s very efficient. (See schematic pic #4 and underneath the filter pic #5)

I find with my Felix it never smells (I have a Corgi/Chihuahua mix named Kermit) of dog or has odors. I do upgrade to the Anti-odor Carbon Motor Protection Filter, from the standard and just because I LOVE the scent, I pop a Lime Sebo Fresh pellet into each clean bag. I’ve found it my most enjoyable vacuum to use and as I’ve mentioned, my Felix is in the main vacuum closet where I rotate the vacuum I’m using for daily cleaning.. Felix is always one of the four or five in that closet.

I also really love the design of the Felix, the long sturdy grab handle along the back of the hose storage is very handy to move it around and sometimes I detach the motorized brushroll Head and retract the handle to use the Felix as a “canister” cleaner too. All together it’s the only vacuum I’d not change anything about it.. ok well One thing.. I’d add some beautiful bright LED lights to the front of the Powerhead! Lol

All together, even considering now it retails for $699, I still highly recommend the Sebo Felix and I’ve never regretted the $500 I paid for mine a few years ago. If someone can afford it and they have at least 50/50 Carpeting and Hardfloors in their home, I say YES, buy a Felix. My only issue if someone has 100% or most of their home hardwood or tile flooring, the Felix has a lovely Parquet floor brush that’s soft wheeled and natural soft hair bristles BUT with the Parquet or Kombi head attached, instead of the Motorized Powered Brushroll Head, the Felix can’t stand upright by itself. Only with the ET-1 or ET-2 Powerhead attached does it stand upright by itself. Never an issue for me as I’m 70/30 Carpet and Area Rugs vs Hardfloors, so I mostly use the Powered Head and just turn the brushroll off for cleaning day to day hard floors. Then when I want to move furniture and have my hardwood floors shiny and clean I use the lovely Parquet nozzle.

I would place Felix in my Top 5% category of all my 250 some Vacuums.. and my collection includes quite a few of the $800 to $1000 Plus Vacuums.. I also was on the fence about buying the Sebo Felix, until two things! One, my friend in the UK, Roger (ibaisaic) Lang said the Sebo Felix is the vacuum he bought for his Mum, he takes great care of her.. such a nice guy! Two, I was fortunate to have a great dealer that I trust and I got to try the Felix out before I bought it. Once I got my hands on it and used it.. I turned to him and said SOLD! The Felix sells itself.

Thanks again everybody! I love and enjoy the interactions with fellow vacuum enthusiasts and collectors!

http://www.sebo.us/upright-vacuums/...ombi-best-lightweight-pet-vacuum-cleaner.aspx