Potential New Kirby Vacuum Model Discussion

[panasonicvac]

Unless if Kirby buys Royal's design, tooling, and moldings. They could bring back Royal but have them rebranded as Kirby. I personally would rather have Kirby bring back Royal's metal upright vacuums instead of Kirby developing something new because I personally liked Royal better than Kirby.

 

[KirbyCollector01]

Panasonicvac

Yes! I would love to see that! A Royal resurrected as a Kirby would be so cool if I’m being honest. Maybe even bring back the 888 style one with the removable nozzle and belt lifter. I doubt it’ll ever happen, but just imagine…

 

[gsheen]

I think Kirbys R&D centre must be a incredibly boring or at least very frustrating place to work

We know the prototypes exist, their have been enough patents and enough people ( insiders like the guy that worked for UL ) who saw actual working models. Just before the launch of the sentria II, their was much talk of this exciting new model here on vacland and amoungst dealers, but what came seemed to be a stopgap, then again for the avalir so much fan fair and just another rehashed g3.

I know of two dealers who switched brands already and the owner of another one here locally said they need something new he cannot keep selling these things. He said to me he has been with Kirby for 30 years and all he has sold is the same machine in different colour schemes with very minor updates.

Their is no reason for any G series customer to upgrade to a new model as they are built to last forever and their is no real advantage of a new one over the older models that justify the costs involved.

Here is to hoping we finally see a new model soon

 

[juju93]

My question is how long does kirby actually do R&D, cause it doesn't look like much? Like how long did they do R&D before launching the classic in 1970 and again with the Gen 3 back in 1990? And also the real question is how long and how often do they even work. I say that because if a kirby model is out for 3-4 years at most, and sometimes 6, with the original sentria, then what are they doing for all that time while a model is out? Also how do they even conduct said research?

 

[gsheen]

Like you say,If they do have engineering department what do they do all this time. prehaps their is just one lonely engineer their with his Cad system trying to finish the new kirby for the past 20 years, almost his working lifes work.



It doesn't take 12 years to change the colour of a bag and trim.

with rapid prototyping and other new design aids designing a new vacuum would take weeks ( if not complicated ) to a few months. the most time consuming part of any design process is the development testing to make sure it works as it should and lasts as it should.

I have to wonder if they dont employ a outside design house to do a new model, like they used to in times gone by. it doesn't make sense for kirby to have a huge design department when their design progression is so slow

 

[KirbyCollector01]

Well

Hopefully something will happen. Better than nothing happening at all. Something has to happen, whether it’s a color change, or redesign. Something… and not nothing.

 

[juju93]

Yeah thats true. I mean they can't keep sentria 4 out forever. I mean avalir 2. Something will need to change because I'm sure even kirby themselves know what flaws they have with its current design and even within its current design the issues they have selling it, simply it being to similar if not the same as previous models. Does anyone know when in June they'll release this new model? or more importantly what color it'll be. I'm hopping for an actual teal color kirby with white accent points or a misty blue/ baby blue with white accent points. Kind of like the kitchenaid limited edition that was out a few years ago.

 

[gvox]

The door-to-door salesmen are selling these vacuums as the best, most perfect vacuum money can buy and will give a lifetime of service!


 


How would the consumer (not collector) feel about spending well over $1000 sometimes $2000, sometimes FINANCED, if major changes or upgrades were made year-to-year?


 


I get we're in a throw-away society.  But what more do you really need from an upright vacuum cleaner?


 


I don't think you can make vacuum cleaners the new "smart phone."  Not without losing what makes your brand great, or without losing, or maybe even pissing off, a lot of customers.  

 

[gsheen]

if major changes or upgrades were made year-to-year?

Not every year but atleast a decent upgrade every 5 years and a new design every 10.

Salesman will always sell but they are hitting a new problem now. The machine hasn't really changed since 1991 .

My mate told me of two situations that arose recently and he said its fairly common.

In the first one the guy asked after the demo, what would it cost to do a full rebuild one one of these machines so the rep did some numbers and gave him a price, around a quarter the price of the new one, so the guy went to the garage and pulled out a old g5 and said here fix this one then its cheaper and its the same machine.

Another asked the same question and then right their bought a second hand one online .

The product needs to change enough to keep competitive with its predecessors too.


Why buy a new Merc over a old one, its still a Merc but the new one is safer more efficient , looks newer ( looks count allot ) has new features.

The world has changed allot since 1990, most homes back then still had wall to wall carpet, most modern homes have very little to none.
Your average cordless vacuum can vacuum hard floors as well as a Kirby can, possible even better. Kirbys big deal was it could suck dirt from under your carpet, very few of its competitors could do this and almost nothing bought in a wallmart could, that's what made them great but without carpet they have nothing special about them apart from their build quality but they are bulky to use on hard flooring and thats why so many new ones end up at goodwill. Its time for a rethink

 

[gvox]

It's a vacuum cleaner. The technology has matured.

Most of the features that are sold today are simply bs.  I guess the robotic vacuums are the "new thing."  But manual vacuums are simple machines.  It's a mature product segment.  


 


Make them dependable, durable, and simple to repair.  Make them a quality once in a lifetime appliance.  There's not much more that can be done to improve their basic function.   


 


If Kirby really wanted to make an improvement, it would change its sales and marketing model. 


 


Price them competitively sell them through dealers, on the internet, or retail outlets and get rid of the desperate salesman knocking on doors.  Sell them for $700-$1000 which is about what they're worth brand new, and make sure parts and service support is strong.  


 


 


 


 

 

[ohiokirby]

A NEW model KIRBY…but that about the ATTACHMENTS?

Would anyone out there in the VacuumLand realm care to share what KIRBY attachments they like, OR what new-redesigned attachments they’d like to see with a new model KIRBY?

 

[juju93]

^^

A shampoo system that actually shampoos and exacts stains as well as something thats scale down in size that way it doesnt make the machine so big and bulky to use in certain places. Because the current set up is a joke and doesn't get into hard to reach places. Its what I call a gimmick system.

A redesign zippbrush would be nice. The current one is ok but it doesn't suck up the dirt and you have to then clean it afterwards, so its pointless. A new redesign one would be nice that way it can actually suck up the dirt and debris. Also make it motorized,

A motorized hose with electrical wands and a potential power nozzle would be nice that way you can use the system as a true power/motorize canister cleaner. This would be ideal to use in canister mode if kirby decides to not make the future models with removable handles like they've always been. Someone said on here that the controls were going to be bult in the handle, which indicates that the handle won't be removable. Which is probably a good thing because people probably don't use their systems in the portable cleaning mode with the nozzle attached to the machine.

 

[KirbyCollector01]

Well, if this new model is really happening. It’ll truly be interesting to see how they approach this. If it does happen, hopefully we’ll be getting something truly great and that will continue to live up to the performance Kirbys have, among other things.

 

[kirbyg6]

Who knows what they have been up too since the avalir 2 was launched I think they will have been working on a new model

 

[juju93]

Well whatever they've been working on its way past its time to have launch it. Plus avalir 2 aka sentria 4 isn't a real color change. I say this because as with most color changed kirby's that have a 2 in the name, they typically have some more of pattern scheme change and actual color thats different than the previous model. So since they didn't change that with avalir 2, it makes me think they're saving a new color scheme and pattern scheme for the next model. Plus, like I've said in previous posting they only keep the models with "2" out for like about 1-2 years and then they launch the new model. So for kirby to have avalir 2 out for over 4 years now, which is way to long if you ask me, makes me think they do have something up their sleeves that we don't know yet. All I know is that they just need to go ahead and launch it already. I mean we're already a 3rd of the way through with April and supposedly its suppose to be launch in June. The real question is, when in June will they launch it and how will they launch it. Then the next question is how long will it take to hit the market place and when will kirby update their youtube channel and or its website.

 

[juju93]

Hey y’all, maybe this new model is coming sooner than expected. I say that because Kirby just updated their website with a new design and layout which is nice. They even have it where you can by the machine online directly through them.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

Looks like things are changing there

in Cleveland.

 

[cleanairhybrid]

Online Purchase

Just wondering what y'all think about the new online ordering option for Kirby machines and the new site design?

Kyle

 

[dysonman1]

It’s definitely the way of the future. Certainly better than letting strangers into your home.

 

[huskyvacs]

The door to door sales method was obsolete even by Y2K and after 2010 it became exploited greatly by scammers and people using it as a ponzi scheme. I have seen many Kirbys in pawn shops and Craigslist with their serial numbers filed off, I can be sure they were likely used for commission fraud by someone. Many reports from dealers that got caught scamming buyers so it doesn't surprise me at all.


It was long overdue to stop beating a dead horse and bury it. This is a major step ahead for them and a way to get these sold to people under 60 years old. They are excellent great quality vacuums and are totally undeserving to be sunk into the mud over long outdated sales tactics and bad PR. It seems like whoever bought Kirby (if it has been bought?) is headed in the right direction with their plans.