Sears Kenmore Best

[vinvac]

I hope I have this in the right thread!

This was my foolish pricey vacuum from Ebay. However Mark, I followed my rule and did not pay more than this vacuum was worth new.

I used a vacuum just like this during my high school days. I cleaned for a family that had five children and had just built a new home. She had an old Electrolux L with out a powerhead. When the new home was finished she went to Sears and brought home this exact model.

Sears was one of the only companies that I know of that offered a cloth bag to be used in place of paper. Surprising enough the cloth bag filtered much better than paper. At a cost of $3.99. When you used the paper bags the inside of the machine would be coated with dust, however using the cloth bag made a huge difference. The inside of the machine stayed much cleaner and the filter as well. The suction on these machines is awesome. The powerhead is very quiet. It has a nine foot hose as well.

 

[vinvac]

more pics

Inside of the machine

 

[vinvac]

the cloth bag

The cloth bag. Still has the price tag and looks new.

 

[ian88]

Gimmicky little labels and stuff as usual, one of the reasons I love old japanese and american cleaners/electronics in general.

 

[arh1953]

Wow!

That is a superb vacuum cleaner. Sears offered so many beautiful things.

 

[hoover1060]

which year is that?

1976 or 1977?
one each of those too, nice machines....

Sears sold tons of those!

 

[myhooverco]

Wow! Morgan...seems to me you have a great find there. I never knew that about Kenmore canisters. Is the bag easy to empty? How many time could one use the cloth bag? I really like the sound of these. My grandma had an older one same color but without the powerhead. I remember that it had plenty of suction. Thanks for posting the pictures of this unique bag design. It just goes to show you that something new can be learned every day!

--Tom

 

[ian88]

Any cloth bag worth its salt imo should be at least hand washable, that way you can pretty much use em forever.

I've jury rigged my old vax cloth bag to fit my hoover junior, fits like a glove.

 

[petek]

That's the sister machine to my missing Sears best green Duo Power upright

But I did find the blue model canister.. just put a new belt on it today in fact and gave the carpets a cleaning.

 

[myvacsrock]

Pete use some rubbing alcohol and fine steel whool to get all the crud off the Kenmore canister's bumper

 

[petek]

Thanks Kyle..

Noticed that the green model doesn't have the motor overload button on the top like the blue one other than that they're pretty much identical.

 

[buffster]

Congrats Morgan

She's a beauty. I know you've been eagerly anticipating her arrival. Congrats. Is this machine as mint as it appears? And, those tools looks absolutely NIB. Is that a horse hair dusting brush as you had hoped or is it something else? Thanks for posting this fabulous pictures. We rarely get to see Kenmore vacuums it seems.

P.S. I'm sure Mark will never know if you just hide her behind all of those vacuums in your basement. If he does, just tell him that he's getting forgetful and you've had her for years.

 

[buffster]

Suggestion

You might try using Soft Scrub on that hose to return it to a nice bright white.

 

[luxg]

Morgan that is one beautiful machine. I had the one like Pete has which I believe was a few years newer than yours. For the price new, it was a great vacuum. I always loved the 9 foot hose, just seemed to make cleaning so much easier. Seems like today was Christmas at your house!!

 

[hoover1060]

actually

to clean hoses and bumpers all you need is SIMPLE GREEN straight up and a cloth...

 

[eluxomarty]

blue one

I found one of those blue ones like Pete's in San Diego for about $7.00!! I gave it to some friends who said it was the best vacuum they ever had. I also have a cousin who used to have the blue Kenmore but with the 9 ft hose like Morgan's.

Morgan, that is a great looking vacuum. I always did like the Powermate vacuums! Happy vacuuming!!

 

[rugmaster37]

Here is my 1974 Sears Best PowerMate....

Bought new at the Allen Park Sears Roebuck store June 23rd, 1974. I love this thing. Although the older PowerMate's are VERY loud it cleans great and always makes anyone who sees it smile. I currently have it in storage because I'm moving...but once in the new place it will be back...

This pic is from my visit with Kyle a few months back....

 

[dial-a-nap]

Nice Sears cleaners, guys. I always wanted one when we'd get the new Sears Big Book catalogs. "We have a vacuum cleaner" was always the answer, then I'd start in on the other appliances - usually with the same outcome.

 

[petek]

The strangest things.
The other day I rode my bicycle down to the beach and when I got to the end of the parking lot closest to the beach there sat just the canister portion of one of these green Sears. With the lid flipped open propped up against a 45 gal drum garbage can. Too many people milling about and it was getting dusk so I pedalled home quickly, grabbed the car and went back. It was still there but when I picked it up it was all cracked, duct tape, someone had used screws to hold a plate on etc right thru the plastic.. so I just left it there dead