Potential New Kirby Vacuum Model Discussion

[electromatik]

This is definitely a move in the right direction

I feel that Covid-19 has forced changes in this area. It may have killed door-to-door systems forever.

Now, if Kirby really wanted to get modern, they would enter YouTube and social media and make professionally shot videos showing the same demos as they used to perform in-house.

Now all they need is a truly revolutionary engineer to design an amazing machine that is direct air AND less bulky/loud/clunky.

 

[juju93]

^

This makes me wonder how they'll get future models advertised and marketed, especially if its something different than its current G-series machines. I feel like they finally went this rout that way they can get more sentria 4's out the door before they launch a new model. I say this because theres rumors of a new kirby on the horizon, hence this thread, and what way to get the old system/style out other than selling them online. For me personally the timing of this new change raises some questions for me. Also kirby has had many years and various models to marketed this method of selling to. I'm still not crazy about the short videos that they post on youtube, although they are graphically and camera angeled nicely.

 

[kirbyg6]

Come on Kirby let’s see the new beast

 

[panasonicvac]

This is getting tiring

luxlife on reply #52 made a good point. I think we should all take a break on this thread UNTIL we would eventually see a release of the next Kirby.

 

[KirbyCollector01]

Agreed

Let’s wait and see what happens.

 

[juju93]

any word?

so we're more than 2/3 of the way through june and still no signs of a 'new kirby". Has anybody heard anything?

 

[kloveland]

Because it wasn’t the truth to begin with. I do not believe a “new” Kirby is coming out soon. It is my belief that collectors start false rumors because they want attention. Not to mention our economy at the moment and supply chain issues. For awhile fans were in short supply.

 

[kirbyg6]

Yeah they just wanted some attention but you never know it could still happen

 

[panasonicvac]

All right just to settle in with this thread, I'm going to go talk with my Kirby dealer later this week to see if a new Kirby is coming out at all anytime soon. But I do know one thing for sure, Kirby has been short on fans as what one user pointed out here. Assuming that because of alot of issues we have going on around the world, I don't think Kirby has time to release a new model anytime soon.

Now lets say that they did, if I were to take a guess, Kirby would do exactly what they did on the first Avalir where after a while, they'd put in more colored parts on to make it look more pretty. I could see Kirby replace some of the black and grey parts on the Avalir 2 with blue ones like what Kirby did on the first Avalir where they replaced those same parts with red ones on.

 

[huskyvacs]

Just because there's no news don't just assume it was a hoax. Many many many many companies are VERY aggressive and VERY protective about their products and will silence anyone to stop leaks.

The thing to do is say "oh there might be a new Kirby coming out" and then keep that in your mind and then stop talking about it. If it happens it happens.

If they are having supply chain issues they most certainly will not be launching a new Kirby. They will wait until supply is met and they have already made at least a few hundred before announcing it.

 

[luxlife]

“keep that in your mind and then stop talking about it “…

Isn’t that always the hardest part???

 

[juju93]

Y'all I didn't know that there was a shortage on fans and other kirby parts. Thats on my end. I'm just so tired of avalir 2 (sentria 4) being considered a new model, when its been out for 4.5 years, or just about. God forbid they pull a sentria 1 and have avalir 2 out for another 2 years.

 

[panasonicvac]

Alright so I went over to my Kirby dealer today and this is what they've told me. They're not aware of a new Kirby that's coming out anytime soon, otherwise they'd know already from Kirby themselves if there is one that would be released in the near future. They also told me that Kirby did tried to design that Kirby with a hose onboard on reply #13 but they couldn't figure out to get it working right.

 

[kirbyg6]

That’s a shame shame I thought it would be for attention seeking

 

[luxlife]

I wouldn’t rely on that info…

I suspect that they’re denying a new model and not saying anything in order not to interfere with selling more of their currently available inventory. Anyone holding out for the next model wouldn’t want to buy the current one.

 

[huskyvacs]

"Kirby did tried to design that Kirby with a hose onboard on reply #13 but they couldn't figure out to get it working right."

Look at it this way - that means they do have people that are - or were - indeed working on a new model at some point in time recently. Regardless of it coming out this year or next year or in 2 years there is a new Kirby in the skunkworks in some shape or form. So there will be a new model - just not with any definite time frame.

 

[vaclab]

I would be very interested in an all new design BUT

Would us enthusiasts really be that satisfied with an all new Kirby that wasn't much...of a Kirby.

I think of the Hoover Convertible or any other machine of that type. Decades went by and the basics changed very little. Cosmetics sure, but the basic direct air design stayed the same.

While I'm definitely not stuck on any particular shape or color scheme, I'm certainly performance oriented. The last few years of Kirbys hover around 150 CFM and 30" of suction at the nozzle and a whopping 120 CFM at the hose end.

All that useful cleaning power and it only consumes under 730 Watts (I literally just tested my Avalir 1 running on medium pile carpet for this post). Yeah, I know it's rated a 7 Amps (840 Watts), but it consumes far less power.

I'm much more concerned about all-new design completely wrecking the Kirby's cleaning ability.

"Be careful what you wish for. You may just get it."

Bill

 

[gvox]

I'm not a collector, just a person who likes well-built machines that work can be maintained, and more importantly,  repaired.  


 


When it comes to vacuum cleaners, companies are now making a huge deal out of functionally tiny differences, and then they're exaggerating those innovations to try to sell consumers NEW vacuums for relatively large sums of money.  While discouraging them from just fixing their old machine by phasing out product support.  They also do design changes that they know will eventually make repairing their old models more difficult if not impossible (planned obsolescence).


 


Kirby is one of the last companies that don't do this.  Unfortunately, it's not the most profitable business model.  But Kirby has been able to do this because of its direct sales and the relatively high prices consumers pay for new machines. 


 


As I said, I'm not a collector or vacuum enthusiast.  I like old vacuum machines because I can easily fix them.  I prefer metal over plastic.  I like simplicity.  


 


Honestly, going forward I think all the innovations and leaps forward will be made in robot vacuums.  If I were the CEO of Kirby I'd keep building the same durable manual vacuums, perhaps come up with a smaller model for the Zoomer and younger Milinial market, expand into high-end whole-house systems, and develop a robot vacuum system.  


 


    

 

[hoover300]

They need to go back to the basics. No tech drive, no giant handle, etc. The D50 was probably their magnum opus. It was still lightweight like the early 500 series and had the comfortable, small handle. But it also had 2 speeds, a better bag connection, and a more powerful motor. I think they should modernize the D50 design, maybe add paper bags, plastic fan, and a cord that is harder to remove. It would make it alot easier for many people to use, young and old alike. Maybe do away with the hose and attachments too, not many people care enough to use them for the effort they take to connect. Being as it is a direct air system, there really aren't any ways to have a good, quick way to use the tools unless they are on board, which is another can of worms. They should probably sell a companion mini canister vac, like Oreck did.

The amount of people I have met that have stored, chucked, or given away their Kirby as it was "too heavy" or hard to use is astounding. Said machines are always Classic, Heritage, and Generation body styles.

 

[beldridge]

Thanks for providing this thread.

Hopefully new design will have a brushless motor while providing the same performance and reliability. If less room is needed for the motor housing, then may consider doing away with Tech-drive too but am not sure how easy shampooer would be to use.

Weight seems to be number one complaint. I have a modified 1955 Kirby with no emptor and no Tech-drive (of course) and it weighs just a little over 13 pounds!

A fill bag indicator or sensor could be handy as well. Have refurbished well over 50 Kirby's and many times the bag is too full when I pick them up. As a result, performance can be hindered.