The Electrolux 502 cleaner - cleans better, faster

[turbo500]

Hi everyone,

I got this very lovely Electrolux 502 today, completed with boxed set of tools, manual and even a magazine advert. Aside from some light scratches on the hood which are to be expected, it's in lovely condition.

The 502 was launched in 1975 and replaced the original 500 as the entry level of the 500 series. There was a smaller, clean air Electrolux sold alongside it as a budget upright.

Very popular in it's day and advertised with a very memorable ad campaign featuring Katie Holland...although, I'll be honest, I've never been able to figure out who she is.

This one is dated week 51 of 1979, so it's a very late example. The 502S replaced the 502 in 1980.

 

[turbo500]

Here's some shots of the cleaner - front, rear and a close of the hose port/suction control

 

[turbo500]

Here is a shot of the toolkit and showing how it connects to the cleaner. Friends in the US will recognise the famous butterfly tool - one of the few things that Swedish Lux and Aerus Lux had in common.

 

[turbo500]

Here is the handy storage box supplied for the tools. The tools came new in a long box (like the one in the second pic). The owner could cut it in half, fold it over and it became a tool caddy.

 

[turbo500]

A quick shot of the paperwork included. I'll hopefully scan these in properly at the weekend

 

[turbo500]

And finally, here it is alongside my 302 from 1974. 2 classics. The 302 was made in Sweden, whereas the 502 was made in Luton, England.

 

[gsheen]

Very nice. I have one too, Busy finishing it off. Mine didnt look that good when I bought it but looks great now.

IN SA these and the 506/560 vacuums are what brought Electrolux to the forefront of vacuum technology, At the time these were launched all Hoover had was a ageing senior range that while great for us collectors was looking very outdated next to the new Electrolux range.

 

[turbo500]

 


The classic TV advert, plus a catalogue shot from Great Universal 1978. The 502 was retailing for £67.50, the equivilant of £375.33 in today's money.

 

[turbo500]

Not disimilar in the UK, Gareth. Whilst Hoover had attempted hardbag, clean air with the Convertible (Dial-A-Matic in the US), they were expensive and never really took off. When the 500 came out in 1971, it certainly showed Hoover up - more convenient in just about everyway. Easier to attach the tools with stronger hose suction, sleek, stylish hard bag design, filtered clean air, lift-out bags that were easier to replace instead of the awful bottom fill Hoover bags.


 


Whilst probably not as much of a good performer on carpet as Hoover's were, the Lux 500's give a much better all round clean. Slightly compromised (only slightly, mind) on carpet cleaning, but far better above floor cleaning. A very happy compromise.


 


A friend of mine was born and raised in SA, she grew up with a 504.

 

[gsheen]

I have all my 500 series on display in my shop, Almost every customer that comes in either had one or remembers a Aunt or Gran that had one, Especially the 506/560 That is when they really took off. I have so many 506/560 its amazing. People just keep giving them to me

 

[turbo500]

[No message]

 

[paulinroyton]

Electrolux 502

Chris,

Your 502 is in excellent condition, the 502 is one of my favourite cleaners, they pick up well, not heavy or noisy.

I have the 504, but she is in the loft at moment.

 

[vintagerepairer]

The smaller cleaner was the Electrolux 170 (formerly 152 and then 160) but it was not a clean-air machine.

 

[turbo500]

Hi Benny,

Indeed it was! I do like these, but don't think they clean as well as the 500's. Those models were later replaced by the 400 series machines which I always felt were better cleaners.

Love that 504, Paul. Very nice indeed. My favourite of the 500's is probably the 502S. I have one, but it's got the wrong motor in it.

 

[vintagerepairer]

Indeed it was the 170 or it was clean-air as you said originally? Katie Holland was a popular woman at the time as she had been the face of the Oxo TV advertising for sometime - not that I saw much of it as I didn't get a TV set until about 1979. The Electrolux adverts followed on from Oxo. I'm not sure why she stopped doing the Oxo adverts.

It says in one of your pictures that she has four children. For a woman who has given birth at least four times (assuming they were her own children) she has a remarkable figure.

 

[turbo500]

Thanks for the info on Katie Holland! Bit before my time, I only really remember Lynda Bellingham doing Oxo adverts.

I didn't say that the 170 was clean air?

 

[hoovermatic]

Looks in great condition, my all time favourite Electrolux. Good all round cleaner with style.

 

[vacuumlover]

Very nice find.

 

[paulinroyton]

Electrolux Z170

Electrolux Z170

Here is my Z170.

 

[vintagerepairer]

Turbo500, in your very first message you wrote "There was a smaller, clean air Electrolux sold alongside it as a budget upright".

 

[turbo500]

Oh crap, so I did! I meant to say "there was a smaller, lightweight upright sold alongside it...".


 


Sorry about that, my mind was clearly elsewhere.

 

[collector2]

Just a bit of trivia on the 502 and 504 that I have come across. Apparently the first accessory kits for them had a Dusting brush and, in the case of the 504 - the handgrip (not sure if that was done on the 502) in a colour to match the machine / trim. At some point this was discontinued in favor of the all white you have. I don't have a picture of the matching 502 brush (Although I have seen one) but here are the matching 504 parts from an ebay pic. (Note they match the bumper of the machine)

 

[collector2]

The same parts were used with the Dometic 505 which was sold in Canada. This is the one in my collection.

 

[vintagerepairer]

The 502 original kit did have a dark brown grip to match the bumper strip but no suction control, and a white dusting tool. Then came the plain white. The problem in the UK with these tool kits is that many times they were sold separately to the cleaner and one might end up with a tool kit that was a lot older or a lot newer than the cleaner they owned, depending on when the tool kit was purchased and what the retailer had in stock.

 

[suckolux]

I love how those look, clean lines.

 

[electroluxxxx]

David, I totally agree! Extremely clean and not to mention but I have always been a fan of the logo that these machines have. Such a modern looking logo and a superior product to boot!

 

[rdwdcp]

Nice

 

[gottahaveahoove]

Poor, Katie lololol

I must say, ye have meticulous places!!!!!!

 

[gottahaveahoove]

We should start a story about Katie

kinda like the ones we did about "Charmaine"...the "Glamourine girl".