paulinroyton
Well-known member
Hoover Junior
Here are my 2 Hoover juniors, never been used.
Here are my 2 Hoover juniors, never been used.
The complete history of the Hoover Junior
- Thread starter turbo500
- Start date
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I know someone here that had one many years ago. Late 70's early 80's. was always curious as to how well the suction was thru the hose. I like the direct connect to the fan. She also had a Kirby 519. But didn't have the hose set up for the Jr. How did or does the suction power with the hose compare to a 4 amp Kirby or 5 amp Kirby Dual Sanitronic? I know what a commercial and domestic Royal can do with the hose attached. Not quite as good as the Kirby's of the 70's and beyond. I was never impressed with the slide in adaptors or front converter of the convertibles or eureka up rights. There was a huge loss of suction because you couldn't make a tight seal. in spite of the fact you can pick up an area rug off the floor and pull it along using the machine as an upright.
vintagerepairer
Well-known member
The seal of the hose to the fan on a Hoover Junior was ok, but never the less the suction was poor.
Despite this, one often saw tools that had been used to an inch of their life, so clearly some Junior owners used the tools a lot. Perhaps they knew no different when it came to suction power, or maybe they did but owning a cylinder cleaner as well was not an option.
I have of course seen many tool kits that have hardly been used, if indeed at all. Again the possibilities are many; did those people have another cleaner to use, or did then simply not bother with any sort of tools and relied on hand brushes to supplement their upright cleaner?
Despite this, one often saw tools that had been used to an inch of their life, so clearly some Junior owners used the tools a lot. Perhaps they knew no different when it came to suction power, or maybe they did but owning a cylinder cleaner as well was not an option.
I have of course seen many tool kits that have hardly been used, if indeed at all. Again the possibilities are many; did those people have another cleaner to use, or did then simply not bother with any sort of tools and relied on hand brushes to supplement their upright cleaner?
nate94
Member
@vintagerepairer I think most people back then had a Dustette to supplement the cleaning tools, which I do believe we're optional, as the suction was much greater on the Dustette and the tools could be attached much easier. I hope this is relevant to the question.
Nathan
Nathan
turbo500
Well-known member
Nate94, of all the people I knew of who had Juniors, not one of them had a dustette and all of them had the Junior tools. You have to remember at the time of the Junior, vacuums were not the throw away items they are today and we much more expensive to buy, so having 2 cleaners was not always an option for a lot of people.
vintagerepairer
Well-known member
The whole concept of two vacuum cleaners is something of a conundrum for me, because up until my mother bought an Electrolux 302 around 1978 or so to supplment her Electrolux 504 which was still very new at that time, I was not aware of people owning two vacuum cleaners. I didn't purchase my shop until 1979 and before then I didn't take much notice of what people were cleaning with.
My mother was a housekeep for numerous people over the years and was well liked by those she worked for. One family bought her an automatic washing machine; another -a Doctor- bought her the Electrolux 504. Up until that time she had been saving for a new vacuum cleaner, but when the 504 was given to her, she didn't go out and squander what she'd saved. Her old vacuum cleaner, a Hoover 262, was sent to live upstairs and when it finally died my mother -who by now was getting older and had found having a cleaner on each floor most satisfactory- used some of her savings to buy the Electrolux 302. She went for a cylinder as she really liked the advantages of both types and liked the idea of having one of each.
But when I had my shop I quickly realised that more and more people seemed to have another cleaner tucked away somewhere - in many cases people told me they inherited a vacuum cleaner when a relative died. But I know some did say they purchased two at different times.
But as Turbo500 says, it was not really the "done thing" at one time to have more than one of anything like that. Heaven knows some households didn't have a vacuum cleaner at all!
My mother was a housekeep for numerous people over the years and was well liked by those she worked for. One family bought her an automatic washing machine; another -a Doctor- bought her the Electrolux 504. Up until that time she had been saving for a new vacuum cleaner, but when the 504 was given to her, she didn't go out and squander what she'd saved. Her old vacuum cleaner, a Hoover 262, was sent to live upstairs and when it finally died my mother -who by now was getting older and had found having a cleaner on each floor most satisfactory- used some of her savings to buy the Electrolux 302. She went for a cylinder as she really liked the advantages of both types and liked the idea of having one of each.
But when I had my shop I quickly realised that more and more people seemed to have another cleaner tucked away somewhere - in many cases people told me they inherited a vacuum cleaner when a relative died. But I know some did say they purchased two at different times.
But as Turbo500 says, it was not really the "done thing" at one time to have more than one of anything like that. Heaven knows some households didn't have a vacuum cleaner at all!
Ok. Would you equate "poor" to the suction power of a hoover convertible with the slide in adaptor? You could feel air moving but it was like a light breeze out side. I realize the machines had small motors by todays standards 2 and 3 amp motors. I forget what the watt conversion is to compare watts to amps. My Kirby Heritage II has a 4.5 amp motor for floors and 5.5 with the hose. Much better air flow than the 50's and 60's Kirby's with 4 and 5 amp motors. just goes to show the advances in technology. At the time they were exceptional performers and still do a respectable cleaning job today. Never got to try the Hoover Jr. as I always opted for the Kirby. She had the Kirby set with the hose and used the Jr for the carpet as it was easier to push.
paulinroyton
Well-known member
vintagerepairer
Well-known member
Kirby519 I have seen comments on here from UK members who say they feel the suction of the Junior was slightly better than that of the UK Senior (your Convertible), given the arrangement with the hose connections.
hoovermatic
Member
Seeing Vintagerepairers post earlier in this thread it reminded me, My Mom had a Hoover Junior from new, the first one with the top fill bag. We never had tools until a few years later in the 80's after some badgering from me so I could hoover the car. I'd be about 7 at the time. Even then Mom never once used the tools, too fiddly to fit, instead she used to use a hand brush with stiff bristles to do the edges of the carpet and the edges/corners of the stairs. Then she would use the Junior locked in the upright position to hoover the stairs, always starting from the top. Years later with a Turbopower Junior the stair cleaning was still done in the same way and I have to admit its very quick and effective so I can see why she used to do it that way.
nate94
Member
By the way, here's my Junior 1346A, which was released as the Lark in Australia, with the set of cleaning tools. This model is from 1974.
turbo500
Well-known member
Paul, it was probably THE best selling vacuum ever. It ran from 1944 - 1988/89, and from its launch until the early 80's was the best selling vacuum in the UK, only knocked off the top spot by the Turbopower's.
boxer_rules
Active member
German add from the 70ties
Vintagerepairer
Thanks for the insight. I kind of thought it maybe along those lines. Some times tough to "get a visual" when you aren't talking in cubic feet, watts etc. My so called Yard stick of measurement has ways been based on the Kirby performance as that is my brand of choice and have used the various models. I have also used other brands as well.
One time I saw mentioned that the Kirby's you have there in the UK and European market are all single speed motors. In comparison to our two speed. Low for floors high for hose use. Is that accurate? If so any reasoning for only having one speed on the machines in your market?
Thanks for the insight. I kind of thought it maybe along those lines. Some times tough to "get a visual" when you aren't talking in cubic feet, watts etc. My so called Yard stick of measurement has ways been based on the Kirby performance as that is my brand of choice and have used the various models. I have also used other brands as well.
One time I saw mentioned that the Kirby's you have there in the UK and European market are all single speed motors. In comparison to our two speed. Low for floors high for hose use. Is that accurate? If so any reasoning for only having one speed on the machines in your market?
vintagerepairer
Well-known member
Hello again
Sadly I can tell you very little about Kirby as they are not at all popular in the UK in the same way other makes are, and it did seem that those who had them would take them to the offical dealerships to get them repaired. I only ever had experience of repairng a Hertitage Legend II once and that was 2-speed.
Sadly I can tell you very little about Kirby as they are not at all popular in the UK in the same way other makes are, and it did seem that those who had them would take them to the offical dealerships to get them repaired. I only ever had experience of repairng a Hertitage Legend II once and that was 2-speed.
turbo500
Well-known member
Kirby519, that's not correct. My parents Legend 2 was 2 speed.
kirbymodel2c
Well-known member
Hi,
<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">Steve (Kirby519) What I believe your referring to is the UK's Tradition's eneded up being single speed. It's possible that happened when they altered the saftey switch from the headlight back to the bottom again. But I'd need to check that before confirming if that was the case. </span>
<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">Classic III's back and the Heritage onwards all had two speeds. The same as yours in the USA.</span>
<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">Hope this helps.</span>
<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">James
</span>
<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">Steve (Kirby519) What I believe your referring to is the UK's Tradition's eneded up being single speed. It's possible that happened when they altered the saftey switch from the headlight back to the bottom again. But I'd need to check that before confirming if that was the case. </span>
<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">Classic III's back and the Heritage onwards all had two speeds. The same as yours in the USA.</span>
<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">Hope this helps.</span>
<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">James
Thank you.
Not sure where I saw or heard that the machines were not the same in both markets. Thought that sounded odd. But then anything is possible.
That could be that the single speed was in reference to failing safety switches
When the G3 came out the tech drive failed in many machines here. Did you have the same issue or had the bugs been worked out by the time it was rolled out there?
Not sure where I saw or heard that the machines were not the same in both markets. Thought that sounded odd. But then anything is possible.
That could be that the single speed was in reference to failing safety switches
When the G3 came out the tech drive failed in many machines here. Did you have the same issue or had the bugs been worked out by the time it was rolled out there?
kirbymodel2c
Well-known member
Hi,
<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">Steve, We didn't get the Generation 3 till 1992 over here and the G4 quickly replaced it.</span>
<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">So most of the issue's were sorted out by time we got it. I seem to remember Ken (a distributor) telling me that on the Generation 3 if you attached the hose and sat on the floor and pulled the cleaner towards you sharply when the techdrive was on, the handle would move making the drive go in to reverse and you could have a game of tug of war with it. Never tried it myself. Apparently from the G4 onwards you can't do that.</span>
<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">If you have any more questions about Kirby over in the UK market feel free to message me direct so we don't end up highjacking this thread.</span>
<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">James
</span>
<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">Steve, We didn't get the Generation 3 till 1992 over here and the G4 quickly replaced it.</span>
<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">So most of the issue's were sorted out by time we got it. I seem to remember Ken (a distributor) telling me that on the Generation 3 if you attached the hose and sat on the floor and pulled the cleaner towards you sharply when the techdrive was on, the handle would move making the drive go in to reverse and you could have a game of tug of war with it. Never tried it myself. Apparently from the G4 onwards you can't do that.</span>
<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">If you have any more questions about Kirby over in the UK market feel free to message me direct so we don't end up highjacking this thread.</span>
<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">James
@kirbymodel2c
I know I was thinking the same thing about hijacking the thread. I will try and contact you thru private messaging.
I know I was thinking the same thing about hijacking the thread. I will try and contact you thru private messaging.
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