Sebo canister or Air-way

[bimmer740]

I'm looking to purchase a new vacuum but im not sure what to buy. I am a former member of the VCCC and have always loved vacuums since I was a little kid. I was always a huge fan of Electrolux but their current machines do not have enough power. I love my Kirby Diamond Edition but its loud and I having 75% bare floors its not the ideal vacuum for my house. I also have a Miele Red Velvet and Blue Moon. I like these machines but their power nozzles just dont seem strong enough for american homes with pets and they are awful when it comes to manueverability. I loved my Electrolux Ultralux that i had years ago and since the Air-way Centurion has a similar design and more power i thought this might be a good choice. I am also interested in the Sebo C3.1 canister. The Sebo is supposed to be well made and an excellent cleaner. I also would like to check out a Rainbow, but they are not popular in my area and im not sure if i want to have a machine that requires so much work to use it. All you need to do is plug in the mieles and you are set. Please let me know what anyone thinks about both the Air-way and the sebo. The Air-way sounds like a great machine but I never heard of them until i was part of the VCCC. Thank You! -Steven

 

[swingette]

well, the sebo got excellent marks in CR, and has an excellent powernozzle. if its as well-engineered as the sebo upright... good thing. ive always wanted a sebo canister, or a sebo *felix*.

http://www.sebo-vacuums.com/Media/pdf/ET-CManual.pdf

 

[compactc9]

What power nozzle are you using on the Mieles? If you are using the SEB217, then you might want to get the larger one with the headlight. Otherwise, I personally ould go with the AirWay, its a great vacuum that is built to work well and last.

 

[dualsanitronic]

The AirWay is the very best of its type,bar none!

 

[air-waycharlie]

Air-Way

I always tell people that inquire about Air-Way........after you get tired of trying 2 to 3 different vacuums and they are unsatisfactory for whatever reason, you will want to purchase an Air-Way. It's designed to last a life time and longer. Hand assembled, made of lightweight metal, the finest in filtration, the power nozzle is now "Quiet Drive" and built in the USA.

An Air-Way is the last vacuum you will need to purchase. I still use my Grandmother's Mark II 88 from 1973. I would put it's cleaning ability against any other manufacturer and it's filtration against any other manufacturer.

 

[bimmer740]

I have the 236 power nozzle (the largest one with a head light) on the Red Velvet. Its the standard nozzle that comes with it. On the Blue Moon i have the 226 i believe, it was the largest power nozzle prior to the models with the head light. They are very good, but not great. Does the airway power nozzle have a beater bar? Is the Centurion a quiet machine like the mieles? How does the rainbow compair to the sebo and airway? Sorry for all the questions, lol, but i know that you all you're talking about so this is the best resource for me.
-Thanks!

 

[kirbykid]

I LOVED MY AIRWAY!!! that is the brand i would suggest.... I have the Miele Red star(before the Red velvet) and I love it it is so quiet and powerful but yeah you are right the power nozzle sucks)and not in a good way)) oi !!

 

[air-waycharlie]

More on Air-Way

The Air-Way canister is a 12 amp vacuum so there is a moderate amount of noise. It is not as quiet as the Miele. However, the modest noise difference is well worth the difference!

About 2 weeks ago, I was with Jeff Parker and Fred Nelson in Chicago and we looked at Miele's in a variety of price ranges. I could not believe for the $$$$ how cheap the hose was! And, IMHO, I thought the power nozzles looked like something from "Barbie's Dream House."

The Air-Way power nozzle is made by Cen-Tec Systems. It has a 4 position height adjuster, headlight and is V belt driven making it very quiet. The beater bar was changed to a 4 brush strip brush roll--quadraflex type. It is very effective and the customers that have purchased from me really like them. I have received many unsolicited testimonials from customers.

I have had no personal experience with SEBO so I can't comment. The newest Rainbows have much improved suction--as they should for a $2300 suggested retail price. I've tried to "like" Rainbows but I find them SO labor intensive to use. And, for that price, I would prefer it NOT be made out of molded plastic injection.

I also think that Mieles are frightfully costly for all plastic bodied vacuums. Air-Way is all metal, hand assembled and well under $1000 dollars. Seems to make far more sense to me.

 

[andy]

Sebo/Miele

Steven

I am a dealer for both machines, and I personally prefer the Miele hands down. The Sebo handle is very small, and the powernozzle does not clean nearly as well as Miele's 236 powerhead. The Sebo is an excellent machine, but it is not nearly as refined and user friendly as the Miele. Have you seen the new S5's? They have the absolute BEST floor tool on the market.

I also prefer Miele over Airway, but then again, that's just me. The airflow of the Miele is far superior, and it's much less clumsy than the Airway. However, I am VERY interested in seeing this quiet drive powernozzle that you speak of, Charlie. I hated those old style Kenmore powerheads. They were rattly, and while they cleaned well, they didn't groom my carpet worth a damn.

I'm probably gonna commit social suicide on this board with these next comments, but one thing that I don't understand is why people get all hung up over this plastic/metal issue. The old owner of this store sold many Royal all metal uprights, yet I get several in every week that have worn out pieces in the handle fork. The pins that hold the bag ring on wear out, and there are just several areas that get loose and rattly over time. The problems that I see with plastic machines is mainly in uprights that use high speed brushrolls and motors mounted in plastic housings that melt from all the heat build up. Yet I hardly ever see melted 7 amp Hoover Elites. I got some three year old Windsor Sensors in for service the other day that were used in a Sleep Inn. Once again, every day use. They're an all plastic machine, but you know what was wrong with them? The housekeepers had run over the cords and chewed them up.

Don't write off Miele and other modern machines just because you see alot of plastic in them. There's far more to the design of the vacuum that determines overall quality. And like my Royal example, all metal isn't necessarily better. Our area Molly Maids uses Miele as an attachment machine. They brought one in that after 11 years of daily use, had a burnt out motor. The other parts of the machine were just fine.

 

[talktotravis]

Miele hose

With no disrespect to Air Way (and I actually don't know about their hose so I'm just guessing) I prefer the Miele type any day, any time. For one, the hose is very lightweight, so that if one is dusting it won't knock over things on a table or counter. Secondly, Miele hoses ARE entirely crushproof, despite their light weight--I have seen many a crushed wire-reinforced hose, it just takes one step too many. While others such as Aerus and Kenmore claim better airflow due to being wire-reinforced, I find the tradeoff minimal--thier relative inflexibility, weight, and fragility are not worth it. (And I have yet to find a cleaner that matches the performance of the Miele vortex motor). As Andy says, the Miele has the right stuff where it counts--sometimes it's in the design.

 

[talktotravis]

Miele Floor Tool

Forgot to add--just as Andy claims, the new Miele floor tool (parquet) is unmatched--there's simply nothing like it on the market. It swivels in all directions, is low profile, does not leak at the neck, and can lay completely flat to go under furniture. Even though I love the machines, I also find them pricey--but this tool is worth it.

 

[andy]

Hoses

The Airway hose is a lightweight crushproof style, but it is the common 1-1/4" diameter variety which facilitates less airflow than Miele hoses.

 

[bimmer740]

New Mieles

I was just looking at the new Miele S5's and they look nice. However the power head is the same as the one i have on the red velvet. Is the Red Velvet vortex motor the same as the one in the s5? I like that they have improved the hose handle on the top of the line model and how the hose doesnt swivel at the canister end (i cant stand the swivel on mine). I dont know about the new floor brush, but i will tell you that i absolutly HATE both the smooth floor brush and combination brush i have for mine! They both get clogged with hair and just push the dirt around the front of the bristles. They kirby bare floor brush from my diamond edition is my favorite! Anyone know how the length of the cord on the Airway compares to the Mieles? I do think that the mieles are over priced for a plastic machine and i loved my all metal ultralux. Thanks!

 

[talktotravis]

Miele

Yes, the SEB 236 is the same in the S5, and the hose connection to the body is much improved--it does not swivel, but feels sturdier and does not leak air. I believe that the early Red Velvet models used the 2-fan 1100W motor and the latest ones, prior to the s5, have the Vortex. The way I always tell is by looking at either the hose control or the control on the body--1100W is 2-fan, 1200 is Vortex. The new floor tool, although only for hard floors, is night and day compared to a combo rug/floor tool (which I don't like either). The hose handle is now a pistol grip system similar to Sebo, but doesn't leak and feels better made. I like the Kirby floor tool as well, but the Miele stole its lunch and is my new favorite.

 

[andy]

Floor brushes

Miele has addressed the issue of hair getting caught up in the bristles by making the brush out of a combination of natural and synthetic fiber. Just try this new floor tool, trust me, you'll be hooked.

 

[air-waycharlie]

With due respect to my fellow posters, I will only add at this point, that a prospective buyer should really just try out the vacuums they are considering and see what feels/works best for them and their pocketbooks.

I think we all have our favorites for a variety of reasons which is what makes this club and site so much fun.

I'll admit that I am partial to Air-Way and grew up with them as well as Electrolux and Hoover. So, I'm probably always go to recommend them and I've arrived at this point in life, (mid 50's now....gosh that scary!), that I really believe in putting American made money back into the hands of American workers. And, yes, I drive an American made car. Okay, go ahead and shoot me now!

Seriously, I'm glad we can have a discussion of this sort on a site like this and I stick with what I said. It's like buying a car.......take a test drive, or vacuum if you will, and determine what is best for your and your needs. I've always let my customers "play" with an Air-Way if they have any hesitation as part of being successful in the world of selling vacuums is putting the right machine with the right buyer. I do sell several other lines as well.

 

[andy]

Charlie

Do you have a pic of that powernozzle with the new brushroll? I find this very interesting.

 

[talktotravis]

Charlie

Well said, everyone has their favorites and I respect your opinion. I honestly haven't used an Air-way, and I'm sure they are great machines. (Last canister I had, however, was a Royal "pony," and they seem similar--that was a great machine). For me, the Miele suits my needs fine now, and should for a while, but that can always change and then I may look at Air-way. No doubt that it is a very well-made machine, and being American-made is great also.

 

[air-waycharlie]

Andy,

I should have said "Hi!" to you long ago and congrats on your store and I have followed your articles regularly with great delight that appear in the VDTA magazine. We missed you in St. Louis! Any chance for Omaha?

Back to business, UPS just delivered several packages from Air-Way while I am writing this.

Upon opening the power nozzle box, it is the original power nozzle but with a chevron brush roll and no beater bar. They did tell me they were going to go back to this but never gave a time frame. I'm going to check the other boxes and see what power nozzles are in them.

A Quiet Series was sold to Fred Stachnik and several other non-vacuum people but regular customers. You may want to inquire Fred about pictures of that model.

Air-Way, as you know, has made several changes including the bags and as I mentioned here, the power nozzle. The Quiet Series was used starting this year and now it seems to have reverted back.

Pictures will be forthcoming here later today or tomorrow.