the rise in popularity of cylinder vacuums in the UK

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Chris -= respectively though just because David Oreck didn't invent anything doesn't make anything wrong. Look at Bissell - they go about lauding up the fact that they were probably first to market the carpet upright washer, yet for years they actually only came to market in the 1990s with their carpet upright washers. Not exactly "years of experience" Infact Bissell market themselves as having 135 years in the cleaning business but Im sure the average buyer would mistakenly think Bissell have been making vacuums for 135 years.
 
Turbo500;

Ok, but that is not the identical motor hood as an Oreck, as I can tell by watching the video above.
News also to me that Whirlpool was even in the UK back then.
The joint venturted with Philips in the 90's, and bought Bauknecht after that.
No European Whirlpool products are like our US domestic ones still. Unless you order a US style washer, or refrigerator there.
Only in Australia, where Omalleys built them under license.
Did you know the Canadian Whirlpool division was called Inglis?
 
Like I said, the Oreck cleaners may have evolved over time with redesigned hoods and larger motors, but the original Oreck as pictured above was a direct copy of the McDonald Electric. The ME was not in itself a popular seller and David Oreck knew that, hence he very cleverly aimed the early models exclusively at the commercial floorcare market where this type of cleaner would excel, before launching into the domestic market.

Numatic in the UK have done a similar thing, although I don't think that was ever intentional as Oreck and has happened over a much longer period of time.
 
Turbo500,

That Oreck was never sold in the states. Seems to me Mr. O-Wreck wanted into the UK market, so did a deal with McDonald.
Here in the states, by the mid 70's, Whirlpool was out of the vacuum cleaner business. Panasonic bought it.
The last Whirlpool branded machines in the 80's were made by Panasonic, also the Sears Kenmore supplier.
 
It was sold in the US as a commercial vacuum - it was never sold in the UK branded as Oreck as per the picture above, which belongs to a US collector and was posted on here some time ago. It was old sold here as McDonald Electric, which wasn't made by Oreck and pre-dates the Oreck by a good few years.

Why would David Oreck start a company in America only to sell the product in the UK? That's madness, not to mention expensive. Given that we know Mr. O was pretty much broke and bought the patent with the last of his savings.
 
Oreck cont.

That makes sense. I didn't mean he only went into business to sell in the UK, but was trying to copy Eureka, like when they sold the 1959 Parnall there. A re branded for the UK Mobile Air Vibra-Beat.
My mom had one. I called it the farter.
 
I have come to believe: uprights are best for carpets, and suction only canisters/cylinders are best for everything else. The combination machines are too heavy, bulky, complicated, over-engineered and prone to problems. Which is why you saw a lot of companies marketing "cleaning team" pairs in the 1950's.

I first use a simple, quiet, powerful suction-only Miele with an arsenal of attachments to clean a room from top to bottom. I finish the job by deep cleaning the wall-to-wall broadloom with my sleek Hoover Lightweight bagged upright Oreck clone- working from far end to entry so I don't leave any footy-prints on the carpet. My vacuum team together cost under CAD$1,000 and does not take up any more room in the closet than a power-nozzle canister.
 
two vacuum pairs

True, sounds like it works well for you.
I use a central vac for both.
The Miele uprights have hoses and plenty of suction power. Their canisters with elelctrobrushes also. Light, maneuverable. Follow close to you.
However, one advantage for you is if that Hoover goes caput, you replace only one machine at half the cost, roughly.'
Same for my CV system. Power units, hoses, and power nozzles are mainly interchangeable. I spent a grand on everything. Installed it myself.
A Miele S7 electronic costs about $800 ish. A C3 Kona $929 with the good power head. For $1049, you get the Marin with Led headlight and the best nozzle.
 
Oreck XL suction fan size

I have always liked the Oreck XL design. I mean lightweight, low profile, large bag and nice wooden brushroll.
But what I have not liked is that it is VERY loud and suction fan is tiny.
So my assumption is that the airflow isn't very good at all.

mike81-2016021819133904022_1.jpg
 
Bag sizes, Oreck

Right Mike in Finland. To me, that tiny fan makes it a carpet sweeper only.
Alex, you should see a Eureka B, or S type bag. At least 6 litres.
I saw a pick up truck yesterday with two tennis balls hanging in a mesh "bag" from the trailer hitch.
 
All very interesting and much food for thought.

In the UK, the Oreck was only ever sold direct via mail order. Adverts were shown in magazines and on TV. There was also a money-back in-home trial.

This is all very important, because when people can go to a shop to buy anything they can afford, why would they need to send away for it? People who bought via mail order (and I don't include modern online shopping in that) were often in a whole different mind-set. They bought-in to whatever it was they were looking at from the comfort of their own homes. Anything which was sold mail-order had to be unique when compared to the mainstream, and I think we can all say Oreck ticked that box, with a lightweight cleaning ensemble that resembled nothing like one could buy in the shops.

The fact that the Oreck was noisy and not especially great at cleaning would have been neither here nor there to the purchaser who liked it for what it was. They were sold in the UK for decades, in fact I see they are still for sale online., but I am sure I heard that Oreck themselves had sold the company.
 
Benny,

Yes, Oreck was sold to TTI floor care in Ohio. They also own Dirt Devil and Royal.
All from China, except the old style metal uprights if those are even still being made by Royal. Nice machines, but a step below the Kirby, made not very far from there also. Cleveland also turns out the worlds most exspensive blender, the Vita-Mix. Our daughter just got one. It cost about $400. It makes hot soups from the heat of the friction from blending at high speed. Peanut, cashew or almond butter, no problem.
Then of course, Greenville Ohio turns out eh world renouned Kitchen Aid stand mixers. Even Jaime Oliver uses one.
 
Vax

Is a British brand that took the UK vacuum cleaner market by storm during the 1980's. The original 3-in-1 cleaner was launched in 1978, and from 1983 it was heavily advertised, promoted, and demonstrated. Sales peaked around 1988 and from then on declined steadily. By 1993 Dyson had moved in with the latest 'trend' for consumers to buy.

Vax as a company and brand name was eventually sold off, and I have read with interest on this website the comments that the quality of today's Vax is nothing like it used to be, and what a great travesty this is. But what is never acknowledged is the fact that Vax as we knew it was going to go out of business unless it changed direction from making 3-in-1 cleaners(which was practically all it made), or was sold off to someone else to do as they pleased. There were not enough consumers buying the old Vax products to keep the company going.

Were it not for the fact that the Vax company was bought by another (presumably because the name Vax by then was so very well known and trusted in this country), there would be no discussion on the quality of the product, more a simple reference to another brand that had disappeared.
 
if those are even still being made by Royal.

Royal is owned by TTI Floorcare who build an exceptional all metal cleaning machine.


I have a Royal Everlast 8300 and it is extremely well built even though it was made in China. Built as well as any of my Kirby's. TTI is capable of building an exceptionally well made machine, contrary to popular belief.

sptyks-2016022012134700156_1.jpg

sptyks-2016022012134700156_2.jpg
 

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