Potential New Kirby Vacuum Model Discussion

[oreck_xl]

With this RightLane Industries now at the helm of Kirby, I would say there's a better than not chance that there WON'T be an all new model. Now the purists on here will tar and feather me saying "if it's a proven design why change it." Well, maybe. But it's the SAME PLATFORM from 32 years ago. Kirby got 20 years out of the Classic series. When is enough enough? There may be another trim change in a new model but with Kirby in danger of extinction I doubt RightLane is going to subsidize new tooling to manufacture a new model from the ground up. Just my 2 cents.

 

[human]

PlastiKirby...

My fear is they'll just slap the Kirby name on some random POS Chinese made plasticrap vac and think they can charge an exorbitant price for it. That would truly be the end of the road for Kirby—an an ignoble end at that.

 

[juju93]

All I know is, this shits getting old, and by that I mean the G-series/sentria/avalir design.


Yeah kirby is going on 32 years with the G-series and yeah they may have had 20 with the cassic but what wasn't mentioned is that the first generation got 35 years before kirby launch the second generation series, which was the classic series, which is also longer than this current gen.

(1935-1970) first gen
(1970-1990) second gen
(1990- To damn long) third gen.

All I got to say is, its time for kirby to make some steps towards modernization and major updates and not just cosmetics. I'm sure they themselves are getting tired of the same old same old sentria recolored and represented as a new model. I'm also sure they have someone read these online forums and stuff and doing the research that way. Now and days everything is done online, even in terms of researching products that consumers like us are saying about their current products and what we like to see changed. Whereas back in 1990 and ealier online sources didn't exist and most research and developement was based off of peoples in home demonstrations and customers uses. Granted these days all kirby really needs to do is read these forums and communicate with current users and do the research that way. Now as for development of the machines, well that I can't comment on.

 

[juju93]

One thing I wonder and it has nothing to due with this thread, but how does kirby come up with these names for these models and does the names come from anything big or relevant to society. I say this because im sure kirby didn't decide to one day name a machine sentria or avalir or ultimate or even some of the names they named the older machines. I am curious to what they'll name future models or how they'll come up with names for them.

 

[KirbyCollector01]

The Sentria & Avalir names are pretty interesting.
According to a thorough google search, these are their meanings.

Sentria means “Versatility”
Avalir means “To Destroy”

They seem pretty obvious to me. Kirby is basically saying the machine is versatile and destroys dirt and debris.

 

[juju93]

That makes since. Now as for older models some of the names are self explainatory. I am held bent on trying to figure out why their waiting till June to release this "new model". Like hello kirby, avalir 2 is beyond the experation date and needs to be extinct like now. 4 years is way to long especially for a model that has a 2 in it. Also when in June are they planning on releasing it? I'm also curious to what they'll name it if its a new platform. They can't name it Generation 4 because thats already used as well as classic. So what the name is going to be is a good curiosity, assuming this is a truly new model.

 

[oreck_xl]

Maybe Avalir was the name choice in that it was self-destructive. Like they are destroying their own company by rolling out the same old SH*T for the past 30 some odd years....

 

[kirbyg6]

They must be up to something for the Avalr 2 to be in production for this long because when they bring out the second version of the same machine it’s only in production for about a year or so I just can’t wait to see the next beast

 

[juju93]

This is what I personally think. I think kirby probably had wanted to launch this "new model/platform" back in 2020, at the start of the decade, just like they did with the classic in 1970 and G-series in 1990. But heres a few factors to why I think they waited this far. The first reason being the pademic. I don't see kirby lauching a new machine at a time when a lot of people are staying at home,unemployed, and all other type of stuff. And with people being out of work during the pandemic, people aren't going to be like, "ok let me go out or have a kirby rep come to my home during a global pademic and sell me a 2k vacuum". Another reason why I think kirby held off is because back in 2019 rexair had launched the SRX, which was their next platform in machines. I think kirby was like "ok lets let rexair have 2019 to have their launch year and then we'll have ours next. So I think kirby let rexair have 2019 to release the SRX and then have 2020 and onwards to launch and sell their machines till its been out for a lil while and sales for it slow down a bit. Then the other reason I think why kirby is waiting to launch this machine is because they probably dont want any recall issues with it like what they had back in 1990 with the G3 and the tech drive or what rexair had a few years ago with the SRX. Granted I could be completely wrong and they could have completely different reasons for the delay. However with the sale of the company to Right Lane Industries it does have me questioning what future models will be like, or even if we get anymore platforms in 30+ years.

 

[fan-of-fans]

I've been on this forum about 10 years now. And I just think it's funny how many times we've talked about a new Kirby model coming out, looked at patents, discussed improvements we'd like or what changes might be coming, and when the "new model" comes out it's just a slightly updated model with new colors, some different trim, and a new handle style and bag pattern. LOL

 

[kirbyg6]

Yeah covid could have something to do with it we just got to wait and see

 

[juju93]

Well if you really think of it, avalir 2 shouldn’t really even count as a new model let alone a new color change. I mean all it really did was change a the color of the accent points on the machine and that was it. It didn’t even change the color of the machine overall. Avalir 2 didn’t even change the pattern scheme. I think they’re waiting for their next color and pattern scheme to go for the next “new model”. Again I’ll mention, why are they waiting till June to supposedly release it?

 

[electromatik]

I'll believe it when I see it...

 

[kirbyg6]

I’m thinking about it every day

 

[KirbyCollector01]

As I’ve said before…

We’ll see what happens. It’s good to have this thread to discuss this.

 

[juju93]

All I got to say is.... Why June? And its a neutral question, in reguards to if its a new platform or if its another G-series. Why launch it in June?

 

[human]

Why launch in June? Easy! They're banking on COVID subsiding in the summer months so they can unleash their strong-arm sales enforcement shock troops to muscle their way into unsuspecting--and otherwise unwilling--customers' homes to coerce them into shelling out obscene amounts of cash for a vacuum they would not otherwise buy.

Sorry. As much as I love their products, Kirby really needs to come up with a more ethical and humane sales method. I would never allow a Kirby thug to cross my threshold.

 

[gvox]

I really like Kirby vacuums, but I like them because they don't make big changes.  I like the classic design. 


 


What do you guys want them to do?  Do you want a stronger motor?  Different brush, or different tools?   Do you want a lighter or heavier machine?  Do you want more metal or more plastic?  Is it a new color you want?  What feature do you guys want?


 


What do you consider was the last big change?


 


 


 


 

 

[kirbyg6]

I think the last big change was the shampooer when the avalir was launched

 

[dysonman1]

The outdated sales method is holding them back. Kirby makes the machine and sells it directly to a distributor. After it's sold, it's out of Kirby's hands and the actual demonstration and sale to the consumer is not done by them. There's where the problem comes in. Gaining entry to the home. For the most part, people have no idea what a new Kirby looks like or does. They might know the name, but most people think of a vacuum like a Shark when thinking about a vacuum at all.

Would changing the machine for the sake of change sell any more machines using their current sales method? No.

But,what if Right Lane Industries wants to make a Kirby-like cleaner in China and sell it on QVC? "The new Kirby on 5 payments of $129 a month". They have the right to the Kirby name. It can be anything they want. They did that with Electrolux. After the Aerus name change, QVC "Now selling Electrolux" didn't tell anyone that it wasn't actually your grandmother's Electrolux. "It's a Kirby" but not your mother's Kirby.