Sebo D1 Canister Vacuum - Pros and Cons?

[eurekaprince]

I am thinking of recommending the Sebo D1 suction only canister vacuum to a friend. She already has an excellent Hoover upright for her carpets, but she needs a dependable canister vacuum to clean her bare floors and everything else. She has a very large suburban home and so the long cord and giant bag would be really helpful.

Consumer Reports has never tested the Sebo D1, and so I have no idea if the airflow is good and the filtration is good. Looking at the path of the air, it seems it goes through a lot of bends and turns in the canister and I wonder if that would cause weaker air flow compared to Miele canisters which seem to have a more direct air path from hose to exhaust.

The Sebo D1 has a 1250 watt motor in Canada, and that’s the model I’d like to recommend.

So….what’s your experience with the D series canisters? What are its pros and cons? Interested in hearing the opinions of the “citizens of Vacuumland”.

 

[panasonicvac]

The D1 I think is an excellent choice. The D series is Sebo's top of the line canisters. Like all of their other models, they have a track record of being one of the most durable and reliable vacuum cleaners on the market even better than Miele. Not saying that Miele isn't a quality machine but Sebo is a professional commercial grade manufacture. Like Miele, they are sealed systems and they're both made in Germany. But unlike Miele, the bags and filters are much more reasonably priced. Don't disregard what the airpath you think would do compare to Miele. They tampered the hose because one it prevents as much clogging and second it allows for more air to travel through so technically these have really good airflow. Also the bag compartment is bigger because not only the bags are huge but it prevents from plugging up the bags as much similar to the Panasonic Optiflow design. Another thing I like about it unlike all other Mieles is that the pre motor filter has a gasket and when you replace the filter, you basically get a brand new gasket. These are basically almost the perfect canisters on the market. I say almost because one thing they don't have but they do on the Lindhaus Aria is the blower port. Other than that, the only thing I'm not too crazy about are the independent axis wheels. They've very maneuverable yes but if not too careful pushing or pulling around with them, they can easily bump into things like walls or furniture. Find a Sebo dealer near you and try one out to see what you think.

 

[blackheart]

D series

Well i've not used a D1 but I do own a D4

Comparing it the miele it's airflow is in the same league it's suction is a little lower coming in around 70" vs 80" ( I think) for the miele.

It's a very good choice it's seemingly well built by a well regarded company it's power specs are good, noise level is good.

I think the only real drawbacks to it are: it's price, it's expensive for a straight suction machine, and the non standard tool size, which can now be remedied thanks to their metal 1.25" adapter.

 

[eurekaprince]

Thank you PanasonicVac! Regarding a tendency to bump into walls and furniture: doesn’t the airbelt bumper cushion the knocks and crashes?

 

[eurekaprince]

Thank you Blackheart.

The D1 costs CAD$650 in Canada, which is similar to Miele’s Canadian price for a C3 with a turbo nozzle. But I think the higher price is worth it for the longer cord and swivel hose at the canister. The swivel makes cleaning so much easier in tight spots.

I think I’ll bring my friend to a dealer to test drive one!

 

[panasonicvac]

Yes the airbelt is design to prevent from getting marks or scratches around things. But having it run into things would still just cringe me. This is one of the reasons why I personally don't care about canisters. I'd much rather have a central vac instead which is what I'd recommend for your friend over the D1 or any top of the line canister.

 

[eurekaprince]

Thanks Panasonicvac. I think she had a central vac in her previous home but never used it because she found the dusty hose too cumbersome to deal with….but I think the D1 may be just the solution for her.

I used to recommend the Miele C3 to everyone, but I was shocked to find out serious flaws in the dust bag system in the newest versions. If you have the habit of opening the dust bag compartment to check how full it is, Miele does not warn you that the bag slides up a bit from the bag holder and that even if you decide not to change the bag and you don’t reposition the collar in its correct placement, the next time you vacuum the dirt escapes into the bag compartment. Very serious design flaw, in my opinion. It took me months to figure out why another friend’s Miele kept leaking dirt in the bag compartment!

 

[panasonicvac]

Actually Miele did that on purpose because it helps removing the bag much easier for the consumer and I actually like that feature, I do not think it's a design flaw at all to be honest here. As long as you push the bag back in the collar whether it's a new bag or not, you'd be fine.

 

[vacuumdevil]

I think the D4 makes a lot more sense than the D1.
An electric power nozzle is valuable! However if you wanted a turbo nozzle you might opt for the smaller E2.

My thoughts precisely on that.

 

[repairman]

If you buy the Sebo from a dealer, they usually give you a 10 year warranty instead of 7 which is worth the price of admission along with the easily removable brushroll. That's what usually switches Miele customers over to Sebo.

Don't ever take Consumer Reports for granted. They only test things for performance instead of long term reliability.

The E2 and D1 would be great options but I feel you're getting the best bang for the buck with the E2.

 

[tseg]

I’m not a fan of suction only heads. They add a lot of effort to vacuuming, especially as a rug gets thicker. I ended up converting my Miele C3 to a power head after being disappointed in suction head dynamics. For hard floors the parquet floor attachment is fantastic. For better or worse, I have many different attachments and use most of them regularly for distinct cleaning situations. This adds complexity, but effectiveness.

 

[eurekaprince]

My friend has a very powerful Hoover WindTunnel upright that is a breeze to use to effectively deep clean all her carpets in her suburban home. She does not need a canister with an electric power nozzle - She kind of agrees with me that it’s better to have two separate cleaners as each vacuum is simpler and less prone to needing repairs. So the D1 is a better choice: the long non-electrified hose can swivel 360 degrees.

Regarding the Miele bag problem: the least Miele could do is place a warning sticker inside the bag compartment or on each bag collar saying: “Warning! Push bag collar fully down into the bag holder before closing the bag compartment cover - even when continuing to use a partly-filled bag.”

 

[vacuumdevil]

@eurekaprince

So we're vacuum collectors we enjoy having multiple machines. Probably most of us have hundreds by now.

But the idea of using two different machines and somehow having more reliability is kind of flawed. That's actually more to break. Especially when we're talking about something like an aging wind tunnel with a plastic starting to get rid of and parts are no longer available.

I think you would find that the et1 nozzle with the D4 would clean your carpet significantly better than an older Hoover WindTunnel.


I wouldn't worry about reliability with SEBO these things are built like tanks see the disassembly portion in the video above.


If it's maneuverability here after I really would seriously consider the E2 over the D4 as it the E-Series maneuvers very well. Plus then you get the double swivel hose which is always nice.

 

[panasonicvac]

You could tell Miele that and see what they'd do in the future. But there's really no need to open up the bag compartment to check the bag unless the bag gauge is fully or almost red. It's just like with gas gauges on cars, I only fill up when it's just about or almost empty.

In all of honesty, I'd go for the D4 over the D1. When the Windtunnel breaks not if, your friend would already have the D4 she'd continue cleaning carpets with. Otherwise it'd be just another waste of money and a trip to go buy a new vacuum for carpets only. Not to mention all the closet space she'd end up saving by having the Windtunnel gone.

 

[lokisdads]

Sanitaire EON

Hello everyone! I have a Sanitaire EON SC-5500 A currently. I noticed on the Sanitaire website that the current model (SC-5500B) is supposed to have double the debris pick up on hard surfaces. Has anyone seen the new one? Does it have a rubber suction seal or a brush strip on it like my Sebo X7: and if so can the base plate be switched out?

 

[n0oxy]

sebo D1, a great choice

I have a Sebo D1, if she is ok with not having an electric power nozzle, it's a great choice. I do agree that it's not necessary to have an upright and a canister. A canister or central vacuum with an electric power nozzle will clean carpets as good as an upright, and in some ways is much easier to maneuver. However, again, the Sebo D1 is excellent for a straight suction model. The D1 is not available anymore in the United States but I guess it's still sold in Canada.
Mike

 

[eurekaprince]

Thank you for all your replies. My friend bought the D1 and is very very satisfied. That 40-foot cord is so helpful in her large split-level home.

There are so many benefits to having an upright + canister vacuum team, instead of an over-complicated combination vacuum. But everyone has their preferences depending on how they clean their home. I like to finish off a carpeted room by using an upright to clean the carpets starting at the far end of the room and slowly backing my way out toward the door. Kind of like how you would wash a kitchen floor. I find it easier to back out of a carpeted room with an upright than with a power nozzle canister. And this way you don’t leave foot prints on the cleaned carpet.

For canister cleaning, I find the electrified hose and wands too heavy and bulky to use - especially when dusting a full window of curtains or cleaning in tight spaces like drawers and cabinets.