New Vax Zoom Upright (Argos Exclusive) Review & Pics

[madabouthoovers]

I have to say that the Zoom is quite well built for a cheapo Vax - surprisingly better than the old Power series uprights and Centrix etc, which were a bag of **** !


The real beauty of the Zoom is that the canister is so easy to take apart, and the swirl chamber just pulls out of the top for total cleaning - it will never smell, unlike a Dyson, who say that you cant immerse the cyclone assembly in water or clean it, so that the inner cyclone assembly gets caked in smelly dirt, just like this one:


I don't think some people realise that when they empty the bin on a Dyson, all this crap stays behind, to smell and fester in the cyclone assembly!

 

[hi-loswitch98]

That's exactly what I found when I Steamed my DC04, I steamed the opening & through all the holes shot out bits of dirt, yuk! You can wash the Cyclone system in the Vax Mach Air though.

 

[sebo_fan]

Sorry guys but you're comparing apples to eggs here - especially more so comparing an old DC04 to a more modern cheaper priced alternative. I bet none of you would be boosting the appeal of these old "Dual Cyclone" types if the list prices were expensive to buy! It is easy to fall into that trap when comparing low-price value budget with premium. 'Happens all the time, not just with vacuums but other household appliances.

"Best selling," is also market spin advertising promotion words - look at Hoover - they're always suggesting that the Hoover Purepower is the " best selling upright " yet I bet Panasonic sell more of their bagged uprights - why else do the company keep them in production for sale in the UK?

Thirdly, yes, as collectors we can swing in roundabouts glossing over how good or bad the Dyson design is and this and that - all the other brands HAVE to play second fiddle to Dyson as they don't have the same cyclone patent as the current Dyson vacs - one shouldn't have to clean filters all the time on a vacuum cleaner - are bagged vacuums really that bad??

Its all about what consumers are prepared to put up with these days where facility and function is concerned. We're constantly being made to pay out expensive prices for better quality, better function, better performance, but at the same time put up with all the marketing and promises. When the marketing spin lies, its the consumer that has to put up with the machine. Sadly though it is not just at the premium end of the scale where marketing spin promotion words and phrases lie - it happens with Vax, Hoover and lots of other brands when the usage doesn't meet the promotional expectation.

Hi-Lo - Another example of inaccuracies online - this time from a major brand. Recently I went onto the Miele UK site. A friend of mine let me know about a Miele S8320 "Cat and Dog" model that was featured on site with a power brush Power Nozzle (PN) as a feature. I HAD to email Miele UK for availability and for Miele to check the photo - only to be told that it was the wrong stock photo that had been placed on site. This power nozzle'd Miele S8 is not available in the UK.

 

[sebo_fan]

Fourthly, unless you have a Dyson that has lasted a long time, how can you hope to comment? Playing with a model is different to owning one! And Im sorry to say, although YOU may not find it a "hardship" to clean filters constantly, a proportionate amount of elderly customers and so forth may not want to put up with that when the suction stops half way and the bin isn't even full! With a bagged vacuum there's really none of that nonsense to go through.

The same thought occurred to me when I first trialled the SEBO Dart (the commercial version of the Felix). I wasn't impressed with the way it felt, I didn't like the fact that it was top heavy and I didn't like the short hose, though felt that it was a good idea. I was also less impressed with the small 3.5 litre dust bag capacity, but at the time I was under the impression that the machine was a full size model for the same kind of home as the X series uprights since it had an equally long cord on it.

HOWEVER, when it came to actual usage and ownership, the DART/Felix taught me that is a very different vacuum cleaner to other conventional uprights. Ownership and trialling are very different - the Dyson DC24 may feel flimsy etc but when it comes to actual usage, it does have some nifty features and some good design points.

LASTLY, due to marketing spin and promises, a lot of owners just don't bother maintaining their vacuums - its a two way sword - for those who own bagless I can't remember the amount of times I have read or listened to people "who didn't know" there were secondary filters and just feel that if their vacuum broke AND DUE to the cheaper priced offerings on the market under £100, many buyers will just keep buying new cheap vacs when the last one goes. IF ever there was an example of a throwaway society, the cheap bagless vacuum cleaner market is a case in point.

 

[hi-loswitch98]

I do have a Dyson - a DC01 De Stijl from 1997 - granted a fair bit of use by my nan but she gave it to us & we have kept it - don't know why, we have. We're just commenting on Dyson & how they are these days as compared to a few years ago.

Bagged Vacuums are suffering as the UK market craves Bagless, many won't settle with Bagged Machines any more sadly.

The Cyclone Seperation in Hoover & Vax machines is not like Todays Dysons but it is still good despite filter cleaning.

They really should bring out Electric Power Nozzles for Cylinder Vacs in the UK - it would make Cylinders better performers especially with Motor Wattage coming down.

 

[sebo_fan]

Well bagged UPRIGHTS are scarce because the companies that used to make them have decided to sell bagless instead. It isn't because there's a lack of demand for them. Panasonic for example have continued to sell bagged uprights AND bagless uprights. Electrolux continue to sell the cheap and cheerful Powerlite (which is now being sold under Zanussi aswell) whilst the Hoover Purepower soldiers on. Morphy Richards used to sell a handful of bagged uprights as well as Dirt Devil Europe products. Then you have the likes of Oreck, Miele and SEBO.

I referred to the older Dual Cyclone method mirroring pretty much what bagless brands are now offering.

I'd say that there are more bagged cylinder vacs though, which is always good to see.

Not entirely sure what you mean about "motor watts coming down." The law about lower watts on vacuum cleaners hasn't been passed yet and the sole provider currently with cylinder vacs with PN's are SEBO, who have always maintained low power motor PN's anyway.

As the owner of the SEBO K3 Premium, I don't tend to use the PN head anyway - I find it far too heavy to use and detracts the basic principle of a much lighter cylinder vac vs heavier upright. Oh yes you now get lighter than light uprights like the Vax Mach Air series but even those are bulky compared to using a cylinder vacuum cleaner - the hose design on the Mach Air is testament to that regardless of the add on extension hose if you buy one or if you have models that have them on as a special edition bonus.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

All that PINK!!! Yikes!

How very 'Jayne Mansfield'. It's "de voon".

 

[hi-loswitch98]

Many do prefer Dual Cyclone though, but Dyson now do 2 tier root cyclone technology. It will probably become 3 & 4 tier next!

Power nozzles I have seen with Sebo Vacs in BJ's but they do feel very heavy.

 

[sebo_fan]

I don't think consumers generally know the difference between Dual Cyclone and the latest Root 8 or Two Tiers - they just buy whatever.

 

[hi-loswitch98]

That's why people buy Single Cyclone Machines. Just because it says 'Cyclonic' in the name people assume it work like Dysons do.

 

[sebox4]

Number of cyclones

Does the gradual increase in the number of cyclones a bagless vacuum uses remind anyone else of the number of blades in razors?

One did the job, 2 made it safer and more comfortable, but they just keep adding more and more.

Won't be long before we end up with something like this...

Matt

 

[sebo_fan]

Well.its not just the bagless claims - its the bagged companies too - they were all competing with each other all the time, trying to outdo the other with "layered" paper dust bags. 2 ply, 3 ply, 4 ply - oh it went on and on! - Still happens now, even with the disposable synthetic dust bags from major brands who go on and on about extra layers.

Thing is though, as a Miele owner who uses the older IntensiveClean bags and an Active Air Clean charcoal filter, I've never noticed a difference and I used HyClean bags when they first came on the market.

 

[madabouthoovers]

Further update

Well, after a month on trial, using once every 2 days, I can now point out the pros and cons of the Vax Zoom.


 


Pros:


 


The Zoom is a very good budget vac in my opinion, which cleans very well indeed and has a good hose and handle extension.


It has very powerful suction which did not appear to diminish much at all during the gradual filling of the dust container, which I allowed to fill to the MAX line over the space of a month's use.


It is easy to push as long as the height adjustment is set correctly.


It is reasonably well made and I would imagine it would last a few years if used correctly.


The range come in good colour schemes.


The filter is easy to wash out and the primary separator assembly simply pulls out of the bin for easy washing.


The vac is not heavy and is easy to carry.


It has motor soft start and is not overly noisy in use.


It has a longer than average cable for its price point, and this has adequate stowage space on the back of the vac.


 


 


 


Cons:


 


The lint picker strips on the turbo tool came to bits over the first month of use and had to be pulled off (quality control issue).


The vac does not sit high enough off the ground when using the hose and tools to keep the brushroll from contacting carpet as the vac moves due to the hose being pulled (Design flaw)


The handle does need some kind of rubberised hand grip on it to make it more comfortable to use. (Design flaw)


The vac does not have a storage place built on for the multi tool. (but it does include one for the turbo tool). (Design flaw)


The exhaust filter does emit some very fine black dust which is evident on the bottom of the dust container after a month's use. (Exhaust filter foam insufficient?)


The belt is not easily accessible requiring tools and removal of many screws to replace it. (Bad design)


Filters are very expensive at £19.99 for the filter pack from Vax, although they are washable, they will need replacing eventually. (Corporate greed)


 


Final Score:


 


 


So, overall, it does have a few design flaws and the odd poor quality issue on the turbo tool which have come to light since buying it, but on the whole, I still like this vac and would be happy to give it an overall score of 8/10 based on the sub £100 price point.


Yes, I would buy one again, and I would recommend them to anyone except the elderly as I think with the colour schemes used these are intended for the younger generation. Also, I think the elderly would struggle to replace a drivebelt due to the complexity of dismantling the base to get to it.


I do think though that Vax seriously need to re-consider the price of the pre-motor filters as they are just not worth £20.


 


 


 

 

[sebo_fan]

Good pros and cons. I notice that Argos also sell a "reach" model with 10 metres of cord.

Bear in mind that the filter kit or whatever won't necessarily require replacement unless the intended buyer will never clean or wash the filters on board in the first place. The filters on board have a yearly statistic of longevity. It isn't any more expensive than Miele's AAC filter or HEPA filter at £10 or £20 anyway and prices on the consumables may well fall given the popularity that these bright colour models and their general retail price attract.