VACUUM CLEANERS AND CFM

[marcusprit]

I would like to see an accurate independent test of the airflow (CFM ) at the end of the hose of the SEBO X4, FELIX and D4 and the MIELE S7 and S8.

It would be interesting to compare.

 

[jade_angel]

If anyone's got a proper airflow meter, I'd be quite interested. I know a few folks here have Baird gauges - those aren't quite right, but it'd be a start, and I don't think I've seen readings for anything Sebo or Miele. I'd be interested in those, and also Simplicity/Riccar (I know the Simplicity 7-series manages 7.5 on the Baird gauge, but not sure about the canisters), Dyson and Panasonic.

 

[marcusprit]

I would imagine 7.5 would take some beating. But would be very interesting to know what cleaner comes out on top

 

[marcusprit]

I did read one test comparing the Kirby with a Dyson upright on the Baird gauge. The Kirby read 7 and the Dyson just 1.

 

[jade_angel]

I've seen a YouTube video showing a Royal RY8300 pulling a 10 at the hose adapter (but only a 3 at the end of the 2-meter hose, which suggests weak sealed suction but tons of airflow at the fan). One of the regulars here did a test of a number of door-to-door canisters recently, too.

Subjectively, you can get a *very* rough idea. My mother used to have a Dyson DC25. That had subjectively strong suction if you put your hand over the hose, but you had to get it pretty close to a dust bunny to suck it up. She replaced it with a Royal upright and a Riccar canister, and the Riccar seems to pull in dust bunnies from much further away. Also, it *sounds* like a bloody hurricane by comparison. My Simplicity 6970 sounds pretty similar too: with a new bag, the sound of air flowing into the hose is a dull roar.

 

[suckolux]

my airflow test is sort of the dust bunny too. I have raised edge rugs/ hardwood floors. Long hair cat/ litter. Some machines I can sit right on top of that raised edge and the litter is still there, a few machines, admittedly dirty fan machines I can get an inch or so away and it is gone.

 

[sebo_fan]

Wouldn't you have to measure readings when bags are empty and when bags are full as well as take into considerations the filters you have on board? No wonder the data isn't available for a lot of brands - you'd have to have infinite measurements of dust by weight and by type to be able to show what each vacuum cleaner can accomodate, and then measure suction strength from those variables alone.

Then tie in the filter type if it does indeed impede suction and air flow, plus tie in the infinite variables of the weight of dust as well as the extra layers of filtration of the dust bag that might further reduce suction? Clearly a baird meter only tells a quarter of the process.

Then there's also the construction and design of the hose and the parts that may allow full air flow or reduce it. Hoover's TP models and its variants would suffer, speaking from personal ownership, here!

 

[marcusprit]

You're making it sound far to complicated. Just pop in a new a bag a standard filter and stick the gauge on the end of the hose!

 

[sebo_fan]

Its not complicated, its fact.

But you can't just do that - that's not entirely fair if say the SEBO X is tested with its standard microfilter on board compared to a Miele S7 with the charcoal filter on board to any less than the Miele having its super air clean filter fitted. If the filter on board changes the rate of suction pull, then it has to be taken on board. I'd expect the Miele to have stronger lift anyway - it is fitted with an 1800 watt motor after all compared to SEBO's 1300 if using an X4. It isn't fair just putting a meter on a hose and expecting a figure. You also have to consider the bag filtration too.

You must remember that to some extend, all this fuss about lift and air watts comes direct from Dyson - again the company make great claims about 100% suction all the time as their cyclone method "eliminates" filter care and suction cut off. But it can't automatically be applied to bagged vacuums for the same "test." You're dealing with too many variables that have to be taken into account to make it fair.

Otherwise what is the point?

 

[sebo_fan]

Also when I think about it, testing Miele's S8 with the D2 would be pointless as well - the hose on the SEBO D2 measures 2.1 metres with its 2100 watt motor on board ALONE without the additional separate motor fun ET-1 attached.

The Miele S8 has a 1.8 metre hose as standard, so in effect you'd possibly get more lift due to the shorter hose and Miele's 100 watts more 2200 watt motor. It is impossible to say until someone reveals that info and even then you have to make sure that whatever filters are on board plus the general hose design that there are no suction leaks - SEBO don't have an air valve on the handle so that air flow is consistent but Miele handles do. That can also affect air flow even from the slightest opening.

 

[jade_angel]

Well, it wouldn't tell you the whole story, of course, but it would at least be part of it.

 

[jade_angel]

Royal suction/airflow testing - NOT MINE

Here's the video I mentioned above. The tools being used look like the older #303 kit with the Filter Queen-style connector, not the newer #305 with locking wands (which is what would be sold new with the RY8300) but I suspect that doesn't matter, and if anything the older tools are better.