Some Thoughts on Oreck Vacuums

[kubvan1]

I know that Oreck machines are looked down upon by quite a few in the vacuum collecting (and using) community, and I must say I never gave them much consideration, aside from loving the Oreck TV commercials when I was a kid growing up (so I had trouble really having negative feelings toward oreck)

I had the good fortune of bumping into a neighbor today while shoveling snow who offered me her quite old Oreck XL5300 as she had received a new Dyson for Christmas.

The machine looked practically unused so I accepted the offer, and I must say it is not nearly as bad as I expected. It is reasonably quiet, does a good job at quick cleanups, and is not as flimsy and plasticky as I was thinking it may be.
I still wouldn't class it as a "real" machine, but I am actually kind of liking it.

It got me interested in Oreck history, which I did not realize dated back to the 1960s I would consider seeking out any early Orecks, but I realize that the really old ones are impossible to find and actually sought after.

Just to put the word out, should anyone care to part with their heirloom CVR or XL4000 from the early days of Oreck, please let me know. I know a few other people here were looking for such machines, so I hope there are some still out there! Would consider a trade, or offering up my vintage tube audio repair skills!

Sorry for the ramblings, but thanks and best regards!
Doug

 

[kirbyloverdan]

I love the newest Orecks

I love the newest Orecks and have all of the newest Platnium Pilot , Silver ,Gold ,Platnium, and Element .Also a model sold at costco that looks like the Pilot. I also have all of the previous generations plus a 40th Anniversary . I really love the way oreck has improved their vacuums and the newer models are by far the best yet . I also heard the new Edge is a good vacuum as I think they used the Oreck Halo as a start to make the new edge . The halo is gone from Oreck and replaced by the Edge . I used to manage an Oreck floor care center and should have bought the store when I had the chance but I wasn`t to keen on the product and now they have really improved them . Oh well .

 

[vacman117]

I have..

many Orecks are some of them are very decent machines. The newest one I own is a 2008 Oreck XL Intellashield in black. I bought it brand new, unfortunately. It is definitely not worth the price, but it is actually a pretty good cleaner. I love using it in my kitchen and bathrooms because it can clean ALL of the rugs without tearing them or lifting them up! I also love the self sealing bags, the Helping Handle, the back pouch on the bag so you don't lose all of the information, and the LONG cord!

 

[commodoremoody]

I got an older-style black Oreck XL for $10 at a garage sale. It runs great and for 50 cents more I got about 20 new bags.

I like it because it's easy to maneuver and it grooms the carpet. It's not a deep clean machine, but it makes the rug look great if you're having company etc.

I can use it to vacuum area rugs without them getting stuck to the nozzle.

One downside (besides no onboard hose) is that I find that the suction decreases quite a bit as the bag fills. I usually change the bag when it's only half way full because the performance really goes down.

For $10, it was a good buy. But if given the opportunity to buy a new one, I'd probably skip it.

~Tim

 

[scvacuumguy]

I'll share my thoughts here...

This is a nice little recipe for those of you competing with Oreck stores. In this area, customer service is little to none at our local stores. They charge outrageous prices for service/repair/parts/bags. They also recently have suffered a loss of business, resulting in a move from one shopping center to another.

The last thing a business wants to do is move locations- especially when people know your location like the back of their hand. I'm a pretty diplomatic guy and I do believe in euthanasia, so I recently designed some nice full page ads for our state newspaper. They advertise: FREE tune up, inspection, and service to all Oreck customers. Hopefully, this will help them demise sooner and go out with some dignity.

If anyone is interested, email me- they are desperately trying to sell their stores.

 

[vintagecanister]

I didn't realize

Oreck had been around that long!

I'd love to see pic's or any other info. on models pre 1970.

 

[kubvan1]

What a relief

I am glad to hear there are some other people who are somewhat partial to Oreck vacuums out there. I have to agree, I would not pay nearly full price for a modern Oreck, as I could easily get a new metal Royal for that kind of money.
The XL5300 I picked up was honestly the first Oreck I actually touched, but many of the people I know who have them really love their orecks.

I can't comment on the Oreck stores, as I don't think there are any in my area, and I was never inclined to actually go in. Sort of the way as an audiophile, I avoid those Bose outlet stores!

Would still love to find one of those early Orecks, the CVR 4000 or XL 4000, which I don't think I have ever seen, and imagine they are ultra-rare.
I found a few photos in old posts, and they are quite snazzy looking, very modern in appearance.

So if anyone wants to part with theirs at any time, just drop a note.....!


Thanks again!
Doug

 

[riccarstar]

I like the orecks,from commercial low to med pile carpet...they do a good job.Ive found them and mine to be quite durable overall,but overpriced when new . Nice to have around for quick clean-ups before or after company..ect.My XL was a trade in from back in 2005,wish i could get my hands on the pilot and edge for some testing/research around the house and the shop.

 

[vintagecanister]

We bought ours used.......

and for that I'm thankful it only cost $50.00. I just don't find it to be a deep cleaner and seemed to clog a lot. It's not a horrible unit, but our carpeting was so thick, it just literally skipped across the top of it. We bought it for the staircase thinking it would be a good choice. Perhaps, with other carpeting it would be.

However, it mainly got used as a stick-broom really. It worked pretty good on the hardwood floors as a quick pass through.

 

[kubvan1]

Thankfully, all my carpets, or I should say rugs, are very short pile commercial type, or old-fashioned braided rugs, on which the Oreck seems to do a great job at quick cleanups.
I live in a historic site/inn building which is often used for special functions. A Royal commercial does the major vacuuming jobs, but I forsee the little Oreck doing spot duty before and after events.

Regards,
Doug

 

[djtaylor]

Oreck

I worked in the Oreck Clean Home Stores in the Salt Lake Valley for three years. I have to say that they are not bad vacuums. They groom the carpet nicely. True, they are not deep cleaners but if you are looking for light and easy to use Oreck is good. From my point of view the prices for parts was not bad. Belts need to be changed twice as often as other vacuums. My big complaint was the customers. The worst customers I have EVER dealt with were Oreck owners. They complained about how much the vacuum cost to purchase, to fix and that they expected better performance. I have also worked in Kirby shops. Kirbys cost four times what an Oreck does, but Kirby owners didn't seem to mind the prices for parts and supplies. I never could understand why Oreck owners were so much nastier than Kirby owners.
I would like to have an XL21 Legend (the red one). XL21s were nice machines and because of several difference in design over the standard models they were better performers.
Just my two cents.
Justin

 

[powertank]

I'm not a huge fan, but I like them for their simplicity. You can replace any part in less than 15 minutes. Access to the motor is easy. I never use the side belt access because the bottom is so easy to remove.

I actually don't like the new ones as much- they changed the brushroll slightly, and there are more random little parts and trim pieces that are annoying.

 

[powertank]

Oh, I forgot. I always laugh when I see the two speed Orecks- they just barely work on high- who thought low speed was a good idea?

 

[jodan3399]

I've had 3 uprights, all curb finds that I've since fixed and sent off to homes that needed something alot lighter due to health issues. They all love them.

For me, they're not bad, light and very easy to work on. I have fairly deep shag carpet, and they just didn't clean as deep as I would have liked. I do think they are a bit overpriced (for me anyways), and I doubt I would pay the price they want for a new one.

 

[electrolux~137]

"I'm just sayin'"



It's really disheartening to hear that some vacuum cleaner enthusiasts still are being looked down upon or made to feel ashamed for liking a particular brand or type of vacuum cleaner.

No, all of us don't like the same kinds. There are machines I like that others don't. There are machines others like that I don't. But I couldn't imagine copping an attitude of superiority over it, belittling another collector because he's bug-eyed crazy for a machine that I do not care for.

I'd think by now, with so many collectors of all different ages and backgrounds coming out of the woodwork with interests in all sorts of machines and of all different vintages, that those who like a particular brand wouldn't feel the need to belittle those who like others. Even those who like Orecks and Dysons. <blink>JUST KIDDING!!! </blink>

Seriously, I think in some cases it's a matter of self-important snobbery. In others, it's overheated brand loyalty (sometimes it "just happens" that a person's particular favorite is the kind s/he sells). Other times, it's just, pure and simple, "contempt prior to investigation."

 

[kubvan1]

Well Said! Thank you!

I will say I was pleasantly surprised by this little old Oreck, and I think my initial negative view on the brand was based mainly on what others had said.
Granted, as I said before, the Oreck commercials were one of my fondest and earliest memories of TV when I was a kid, and you must commend Mr. Oreck's skills as a salesman.
Anyway, it goes to show you that keeping an open mind and a willingness to try new things is almost never a bad thing.
Now, until someone lets me try out a Dyson for myself, I will not utter a negative thing about them.

Regards!
Doug E.

 

[vac-o-matic]

Well said.....

Charles, I have been biting my tongue on this thread, and most of you can probably figure out why.

Rick

 

[motojoejo]

In my part of the world- the local oreck dealer is known for treating his clients very well. Free bags, belt changes- you name it. Despite the tons of ads, his word of mouth reviews keep his story busy. He has a better rep than some of the local sales and repair shops.

I think that Orecks are decent cleaners- they carry a long warranty and they are simple, no frills easy to use. I think a lot of people like the simplicity of it. For the average person- a quick light weight vacuum that gets the job done is a dream come true.

 

[kloveland]

Orecks don't need to be bashed so much

Just received a commercial Oreck from a fellow collector friend and I have to say the Oreck isn’t a bad vacuum cleaner. Granted, it may not deep clean as well as the others but it serves its purpose. Mine had a busted fan housing and the cord had been cut since it was found in the trash. Rewiring the cord was simple and I purchased a new fan housing. It was very straight forward to take apart and service.

I have had fun using it, aside from the noise. The brush roll grooms the carpet well and it seems to do well on my kitchen floor. My grandfather enjoyed using his Oreck before he passed, the Oreck was easier for him to maneuver, they had been using a Classic III. My grandparent’s on my father’s side purchased a XL 21 about a year ago and have had no complaints. For the elderly the Oreck is great!!! It beats not vacuuming at all, which tends to happen.

Attached is a link to a interview with David Oreck on Youtube.

Also guys remember that the factory was destroyed in Katrina.
So please be nice to Mr. Oreck!
[this post was last edited: 1/10/2011-16:34]