Some Thoughts on Oreck Vacuums
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Oreck guestion
After looking through some of the archives, I read that some Oreck motors did not use ball-bearings? Is it true that the current 4 amp motors will burn out after a couple of years? If so, that’s a shame. Really like using the vacuum, and I know it's not a deep cleaner by the fan and motor size.
It just confuses me when manufacturers skimp on quality, on very important details (such as the motor)...
After looking through some of the archives, I read that some Oreck motors did not use ball-bearings? Is it true that the current 4 amp motors will burn out after a couple of years? If so, that’s a shame. Really like using the vacuum, and I know it's not a deep cleaner by the fan and motor size.
It just confuses me when manufacturers skimp on quality, on very important details (such as the motor)...
cleaningbuff
Well-known member
oreck XL 4000
Here is my oreck XL 4000
Here is my oreck XL 4000
thanks
Thanks Peter,
Good to know, from reading this forum I thought the larger low amp motors lasted longer than the small high amp motors. While the Oreck motor has lower amps, it's still small. It is difficult to get the story straight sometimes, because so many of us have different opinions. Which makes it difficult to distinguish fact from opinion, it’s enough to make my hard spin. LOL
Thanks Peter,
Good to know, from reading this forum I thought the larger low amp motors lasted longer than the small high amp motors. While the Oreck motor has lower amps, it's still small. It is difficult to get the story straight sometimes, because so many of us have different opinions. Which makes it difficult to distinguish fact from opinion, it’s enough to make my hard spin. LOL
djtaylor
Well-known member
low amp, high speed motors
Kenny,
I was an Oreck Service Manager for three and a half years and I did see many Orecks with bearing problems. It seems to me that even though Oreck motors are low amps they are high speed. The modern vacuum bearing has more,but smaller metal balls. At high speed they heat up very fast and seem to ware out faster. 5 to 7 years seems to be the life expectancy for the new Oreck motors, though the amount of usage has a lot to do with service life. I've had machines less than six months old come back for warranty replacement of the motors, but I have also seen Orecks that were beaten to death by rough owners but the motor was still usable.
But to your concern, yes 5 to 7 years of normal service is about normal for most of the Orecks I have worked on. Since the replacement motor is not too pricy I would suggest that you use your Oreck till the motor goes and then replace the motor.
Hope this helps.
Justin
Kenny,
I was an Oreck Service Manager for three and a half years and I did see many Orecks with bearing problems. It seems to me that even though Oreck motors are low amps they are high speed. The modern vacuum bearing has more,but smaller metal balls. At high speed they heat up very fast and seem to ware out faster. 5 to 7 years seems to be the life expectancy for the new Oreck motors, though the amount of usage has a lot to do with service life. I've had machines less than six months old come back for warranty replacement of the motors, but I have also seen Orecks that were beaten to death by rough owners but the motor was still usable.
But to your concern, yes 5 to 7 years of normal service is about normal for most of the Orecks I have worked on. Since the replacement motor is not too pricy I would suggest that you use your Oreck till the motor goes and then replace the motor.
Hope this helps.
Justin
bimmer740
Well-known member
5 to 7 years, thats it?
5 to 7 years, thats it? I had two Oreck XL uprights about 5 or 6 years about that I purchased new, one for me and one for my grandmothers house. I liked them both, they were light weight, easy to use, groomed the carpet well, good filtration with easy to change bags, and great for quick clean ups. The belts are pretty easy to change and the cost of belts and bags was not that bad. Im very surprised that the life of the motor is only 5 to 7 years. It would seem like Oreck would loose a lot of money replacing motors, as I believe the warranty on my units was for 10 years. For a vacuum in that price range, they should certainly last longer than that. I would really like to try the new Pilot, its an interesting machine and its Orecks first machine with a steerable handle. Ive only heard great things about the XL21, and several members of this forum have them, so I can only imagine that the Pilot is an even better machine. One has to appriciate Orecks for what they are and can not compare them to a machine like a Kirby, they are in two completely different classes and target totally different consumer needs.
5 to 7 years, thats it? I had two Oreck XL uprights about 5 or 6 years about that I purchased new, one for me and one for my grandmothers house. I liked them both, they were light weight, easy to use, groomed the carpet well, good filtration with easy to change bags, and great for quick clean ups. The belts are pretty easy to change and the cost of belts and bags was not that bad. Im very surprised that the life of the motor is only 5 to 7 years. It would seem like Oreck would loose a lot of money replacing motors, as I believe the warranty on my units was for 10 years. For a vacuum in that price range, they should certainly last longer than that. I would really like to try the new Pilot, its an interesting machine and its Orecks first machine with a steerable handle. Ive only heard great things about the XL21, and several members of this forum have them, so I can only imagine that the Pilot is an even better machine. One has to appriciate Orecks for what they are and can not compare them to a machine like a Kirby, they are in two completely different classes and target totally different consumer needs.
vintagecanister
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2010
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- 239
Thanks, Rob........
What year was that 4000 made? I've never that before..... Nice!
What year was that 4000 made? I've never that before..... Nice!
kirbymodel2c
Well-known member
Hi
Hi all. I to like the newest orecks like the Platnium Pilot , Silver ,Gold etc,Very nice looking, light weight and clean well. But I was never keen on the basic older models myself.
James
)
Hi all. I to like the newest orecks like the Platnium Pilot , Silver ,Gold etc,Very nice looking, light weight and clean well. But I was never keen on the basic older models myself.
James
)kirbysthebest
Well-known member
I like the Orecks. Though when I was in the market for a lightweight I ended up with the Riccar Supralite. I will have to say that the visit to the Oreck store was very plesant.
I think the main part about being happy with the Oreck or any light weight, for that matter, is your expectations. You know that an Oreck is not designed for deep cleaning, but if you do frequent surface cleaning the dirt and dander won't be driven into the carpet and thus won't require as frequent deep cleaning.
As our population is aging a machine that is used is far more effective than a vacuum that sits in the corner.
I think the main part about being happy with the Oreck or any light weight, for that matter, is your expectations. You know that an Oreck is not designed for deep cleaning, but if you do frequent surface cleaning the dirt and dander won't be driven into the carpet and thus won't require as frequent deep cleaning.
As our population is aging a machine that is used is far more effective than a vacuum that sits in the corner.
cleaningbuff
Well-known member
what year
I think around 1978 -79, that is when I first used one, we got one new to use at the movie theatre back then.
By the way what part of IL are you in? I would love to host a mini-meet sometime.
I think around 1978 -79, that is when I first used one, we got one new to use at the movie theatre back then.
By the way what part of IL are you in? I would love to host a mini-meet sometime.
electroluxtank
Active member
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2011
- Messages
- 43
That GIANT sucking sounds of jobs leaving
Oreck built vac here just miles away a few years back.
***** When their 10 year tax holiday was to expire after Katrina , local political leaders played poker.
They assumed Oreck would not leave the area if the tax holiday expired. With cities laid to waste such as Long Beach's beach to the railroad tracks, government tax revenues dropped after Katrina of Sept 2005.
Local leaders assumed that making vacuums creates a giant profit, and that taxes do not matter.
About 400 to 500 jobs were lost; without any slight tax extension after a giant national disaster.
The scuttlebutt I heard is Oreck wanted a *few years* more of the tax holiday to recover from Katrina but out great local leaders figured they/Oreck would not leave. Thus the leaders would not budge a crevice tools width.
The reason the "Leaders" do not understand is that they are in the government bubble, sheltered from the costs of running a business.
http://www.wlox.com/global/story.asp?S=5805473
Oreck built vac here just miles away a few years back.
***** When their 10 year tax holiday was to expire after Katrina , local political leaders played poker.
They assumed Oreck would not leave the area if the tax holiday expired. With cities laid to waste such as Long Beach's beach to the railroad tracks, government tax revenues dropped after Katrina of Sept 2005.
Local leaders assumed that making vacuums creates a giant profit, and that taxes do not matter.
About 400 to 500 jobs were lost; without any slight tax extension after a giant national disaster.
The scuttlebutt I heard is Oreck wanted a *few years* more of the tax holiday to recover from Katrina but out great local leaders figured they/Oreck would not leave. Thus the leaders would not budge a crevice tools width.
The reason the "Leaders" do not understand is that they are in the government bubble, sheltered from the costs of running a business.
http://www.wlox.com/global/story.asp?S=5805473
electroluxtank
Active member
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2011
- Messages
- 43
Oreck departure will leave Gulf Coast vacuum
Notice being a good salesman the expiration of the 10 year tax holiday is left out!
http://marketplace.publicradio.org/...oreck_departure_will_leave_gulf_coast_vacuum/
Notice being a good salesman the expiration of the 10 year tax holiday is left out!
http://marketplace.publicradio.org/...oreck_departure_will_leave_gulf_coast_vacuum/
electroluxtank
Active member
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2011
- Messages
- 43
Oreck will bt in Tennesse for XX years ?
"says Matt Kisber, Tennessee's commissioner of economic and community development. Putting an *equally attractive incentives package* on the table was the next step, he says, an effort helped by the recent redesign of some of the state's job training and infrastructure incentive programs."
My bet is that if Tennesse's "attractive incentives package" runs out, Oreck will either go overseas of to another Southern State that gives them a tax break or deal
http://www.siteselection.com/features/2007/nov/tennessee/
"says Matt Kisber, Tennessee's commissioner of economic and community development. Putting an *equally attractive incentives package* on the table was the next step, he says, an effort helped by the recent redesign of some of the state's job training and infrastructure incentive programs."
My bet is that if Tennesse's "attractive incentives package" runs out, Oreck will either go overseas of to another Southern State that gives them a tax break or deal
http://www.siteselection.com/features/2007/nov/tennessee/
vac_whisperer
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2011
- Messages
- 1,312
My oreck
which i just bought today, actually pleasantly surprised me. I expected it to be a flimsy pile of crap, but it is actually pretty tough and id a good cleaner. Like mieles7 said, "it sound like an amplified dust buster."
Thanks, VW
which i just bought today, actually pleasantly surprised me. I expected it to be a flimsy pile of crap, but it is actually pretty tough and id a good cleaner. Like mieles7 said, "it sound like an amplified dust buster."
Thanks, VW
Lots of interesting information and opinions have been presented on this thread, I didn't think it would go very far, but I have enjoyed the input. I too, sort of expected an Oreck to be made of flimsy, brittle plastic and just sort of fling the dirt around more than anything, but from playing with my XL 5300 I am pleasantly surprised.
I guess I see now why in so many hotels I have been in, the maid's have been equipped with Orecks. How many times would a daily deep cleaning of a hotel room be necessary? (unless utterly trashed by guests) and the Orecks would be a whole lot easier to put on a service cart than a big Sanitaire or Royal commercial.
Cheers!
Doug E.
I guess I see now why in so many hotels I have been in, the maid's have been equipped with Orecks. How many times would a daily deep cleaning of a hotel room be necessary? (unless utterly trashed by guests) and the Orecks would be a whole lot easier to put on a service cart than a big Sanitaire or Royal commercial.
Cheers!
Doug E.
vac_whisperer
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- 1,312
INFO ON MY NEW ORECK
I did some looking last night, and it turns out to be an XL2600. Still need help identifying model.
Best regards, VW
Happy Sunday!
I did some looking last night, and it turns out to be an XL2600. Still need help identifying model.
Best regards, VW
Happy Sunday!
vintagevaclover
Well-known member
I just bought this one...
Does anyone know anything about this particular model?
Does anyone know anything about this particular model?
durango159
Well-known member
Honestly most Orecks have about the same guts inside and function the same!! They all have a small fan chamber and soft bristled brush roll. The motors aren't powerful enough to handle any sort of slightly firmer brush roll. Yours is a single speed with foot pedal access on/off switch, which is an older style. Some Orecks are dual speed with the lower speed being lower than that found on the single speed series and it's even less powerful of a machine.
Orecks are best for commercial grade carpet. They still really do only ok on that. Filtration is poor on an Oreck because the bag clips for the paper bag and also the seal for the bag cloth bag to the handle is poor.
Be careful if you take that unit apart. I've seen some Oreck housings basically fall apart-- as the compartments for the screws can basically just break off with such ease in hood removal!
Orecks are best for commercial grade carpet. They still really do only ok on that. Filtration is poor on an Oreck because the bag clips for the paper bag and also the seal for the bag cloth bag to the handle is poor.
Be careful if you take that unit apart. I've seen some Oreck housings basically fall apart-- as the compartments for the screws can basically just break off with such ease in hood removal!
vintagevaclover
Well-known member
I like it a lot so far!
For what it is anyway, I know it's not a deep-cleaner by any means but it's good for quick clean ups in between and great for pet hair. I did take the bottom off to replace the brushroll but it doesn't seem old or brittle at in fact it's in Like New Condition pretty much, it literally looks like it was used maybe 5 times then put in the closet.
For what it is anyway, I know it's not a deep-cleaner by any means but it's good for quick clean ups in between and great for pet hair. I did take the bottom off to replace the brushroll but it doesn't seem old or brittle at in fact it's in Like New Condition pretty much, it literally looks like it was used maybe 5 times then put in the closet.
