Vacuum watts in new Argos

[turbo500]

I noticed Argos have stopped listing the motor wattage on their vacuums in the new catalogue but have started listing the airwatts generated - a massive step in the right direction

 

[jmurray01]

Really ? That's good, but then it isn't...

Reason being, if I were buying a new vacuum I'd want to check I wasn't buying a 2400W screamer!

Still, it is taking the attention away from wattage which may in the long run inspire manufacturers to lower wattages in favour of better designed motors ?

 

[vintagerepairer]

It is, because at least they all start on an even playing field this way, but it still means very little. High air-watts does not make for best cleaning and we here all know this, plus it will of course trail off significantly as bags fill and filters clog. What is needed for accurate decision making is for us all to be told how many air watts are needed to accomplish a range of every-week cleaning tasks. For instance, hard floor vacuuming and curtains are going to require very little air watts.

Then add to that the knowledge of the air-watts when the cleaner is half full of average dirt and dust. That would be useful. And as we all also know, if the floor tool is poor, this can make or break even the best vacuum cleaner.

 

[jmurray01]

That is true Benny, they should do two air watt readings.

One when the bag/bin is empty and one when it is half full, that way you can tell how much it drops when it has seen some use.

Still, there are variables in that too. If your carpet's dirt consists of mainly large pieces of dirt then the suction will remain higher as the bag/bin fills, but if you vacuum up a lot of fine dust it will clog quicker.

There is no way to really tell what it will be like for you, but at least the empty/half full idea would be somewhat close to realistic.

 

[vintagerepairer]

That is why I said an average type of dust and dirt. Unless someone has builders in or uses carpet freshener powder, there is not going to be huge amounts of fine dust to clean up in an average home. And as I also suggested, without knowing how many air watts are needed, it is very hard to translate the outcome into everyday cleaning.

 

[jmurray01]

True again, we don't actually have a number of air watts that defines "enough" and "too much".

Perhaps somebody on here could inform us ? If indeed anybody knows...

 

[thevacuumlover1]

hm

We use CFM here to measure air movement. Every vacuum cleaner company always lists it in the manual what the CFM and amperage is. I thought argos mostly sold those ugly blue, grotesque value range things. Guess i didn't look at the website quick enough... ohhh welllll.

 

[vintagerepairer]

Argos sell all kinds of products, and a good deal of different vacuum cleaners. Do you have any statistics on your side of the world which state what air wattage is useful for each task?

 

[thevacuumlover1]

hmmmmm

No, it just states the CFM and thats it. Really doesn't tell you what its good for.. I'd imagine the hose if it was a clean air machine and for a dirty air i'd imagine it would be good at the floor.

 

[fantomlightning]

Wouldn't the most important thing be how the machine puts air watts to use? Mainly with things like Tool, Hose, Brushroll, and Nozzle design. It doesn't seem to me that air watts would be the most important thing in the equation, one of high importance but not the most.

 

[sebo_fan]

Benny - well said - I couldn't agree more. Buyers only know "half" of the story where Air watts is concerned. But I don't think knowing "what level of air watts is required for certain cleaning,"is required since that would be impossible to gauge. Homes are different both on sizes, traffic from people, pets, lifestyles etc. It would be impossible to statistically state to what extent suitable air watts would be justified for each task, and before you know it, it could translate to buyers wanting to know, as pedantic as it seems, the levels of water used in a kettle to make it economically viable. Those with 3kw kettles and that daft Tefal One Cup are dreaming if they think their products are eco-friendly, even if brands promise it. 


 


IMHO Air watts is a by word from Dyson - and it only appeared in the UK under the marketing that everyone now wants to get into the act of. 


 


Noise levels are something that can only be trusted with half way too - if they are tested in a room that is void of noise, then fine, but brands like Hoover claim 79dbl is "quiet" when the machines they claim are quiet, aren't really and the tests that brands reveal aren't always consistent either. Really, it depends on your own choices, but there should be more outlets in the UK other than John Lewis where you can test run a few machines before you buy.

 

[jmurray01]

I agree with that Ryan.

There really should be more shops where you can go in and test out a Vacuum Cleaner before buying.

Of course I would NEVER use them just to test the machines then leave without buying anything...

 

[vintagerepairer]

Sebofan, thank you for your reply. Here is the number (1) I am unable to add officially to your post. But when I said about knowing what air-watts are needed, what I meant was the public could do a lot worse than being told in a very general sense that air-watts don't count for much on a good deal of jobs, like vacuuming bare floors where the slightest breeze is enough to disturb the dirt. Carpet vacuuming is the only real task which is going to need suction power, brushing action, etc. The vast majority of cleaning tasks can be done quite well on a very low suction power. Though the reality is of course that although carpet vacuuming is only a fraction of the jobs we need a vacuum cleaner for, it is the one task which is done most often.

I would still like the consumer to be shown a bigger picture though, of how many tasks don't rely on much power.

 

[Scaniabebe]

Watts and AirWatts. Why not both?

Yes, I have only just realized this after opening my new Argos Catologue just a minute ago.

Yes, AirWatts do matter, but so does Wattage. As I have said before, so AirWatts and Wattage can both be high and very good. A large, powerful motor with a large fan, is the best of both worlds. Powerful, and reliable. The only problems I see with that is that prices would be higher, and that it would be louder than a smaller fan. But, I think we'd all rather a Louder Vacuum with Awesome Suction, than a silent one with no suction? Am I right?

Really, Argos should have kept Watts, but just added a new box for Air Watts. Simple.

@thevacuumlover1 who said "I thought argos mostly sold those ugly blue, grotesque value range things.": No, they used to, back in the late 90s, early 00s. But, they sell vacuums of all types, Numatics, Dysons, Mieles, Vaxs, Hoovers, Bissells, Panasonics, Russell Hobbs and Karchers. But, they do carry their own Branded stuff, which is cheap and cr***y, and should be avoided at all costs.

Bad news, if you was going to consider buying a new Numatic HVR200-A (Henry) Autosave from Argos, the price has raised from £99.99 to £199.99. £149.99 for the Henry Extra HVX200-22, and the GVE370 (George) is now £199.97. The HHR200-A (Harry) and CVC370 (Charles) are not available from Argos.

Just thought I'd update you all on that!

 

[jmurray01]

Well in the last Argos catalogue they showed the watts and air watts.

 

[vintagerepairer]

I would not like a noisy vacuum cleaner with 'awesome' suction. I would like it to be a quiet as possible, with enough air watts to do the job. Do you know what 'enough' is? No, nor me. Suction -as is said over and over - on here, is only one aspect of what makes a vacuum cleaner do its job. During the 1980's, a good deal of vacuum cleaners on sale in the UK were quiet and yet had good suction power. So it can be done.

Incidently, if Argos are showing the price of £199.99 for the Henry, that can only be so that can 'reduce' it in future, and state a price difference. There is no way anyone would ever sell it for that, and indeed the on-line price is only £109.99.

 

[jmurray01]

£200 for a Henry!? Yes, they must be doing it for the reason Benny suggested!

It was the same with the Hoover Turbo Power. In the last catalogue they had it advertised for £250 but it was reduced to around £120 on the website shortly after.

 

[Scaniabebe]

Agh...

Sorry, my bad, I meant £119.99. Sorry about that, I was drunk on Haribos!XD

 

[jmurray01]

Oh I see! Phew, thought the people in the pricing department for Argos were a few cards short of a deck there... Well, I should rephrase that - A few MORE cards short of a deck than usual