Vacuumalex's List of Upright Vacuum Ratings

[vacuumalex]

Hey All,
Here is a list of how I would rate some popular vacuum cleaners. Please let me know what you think.
Uprights:
1. Royal Everlast/Classics (Various Models)
2. Kirby (Various Models) Rated #2 Due to Plastic Motor Fan or would be equal with Royal.
3. Hoover Elites (Not Including Bypass Motor Models)
...3. Hoover Concept One and Twos
5. Dirt Devil MVP's (Good Brush and Motor/Suction, but Cheap Construction Causing it to Fall Apart)
6. Eureka Sanitaires and Ultra Filtration Models (Similar to Hoover Convertable Models (Prior to Bypass Motor Models))
...6. Hoover Convertables(Prior to Bypass Motor Models)
9. Fuller Brush/Carpet Pro's/Riccars/Simplicity:Not including Tandem Air Models or Upper Scale Models like the Maroon and Teal models of late 1990's or Early 2000's.(Fair/Good Suction, Poor Carpet Grooming)
10. Lindhaus:Fair Suction, Cheaply Constructed,Poor Carpet Grooming.
...10. Sebo Uprightsoor Carpet Grooming/Fair Suction
...10. Miele Uprightsoor Carpet Grooming/ Fair Suction

 

[vintagehoover]

...I think you're way out on those last two.

What are you basing these ratings on?

 

[methodistbill]

Miele Uprights

Is your rating for Miele uprights based on the Panasonic designed and built models or the new German designed and built models.

 

[tristar]

I'm with Jack...

Posted in the Modern forum, but posted here again....

Um what?! Check out where the Sanitaires are located! I can pretty much GUARANTEE that even a whimpy 5 amp sanitaire with a blender motor will outclean any Elite ever made. 7 Amp Sanitaire? Please.....few vacuums could even DREAM about touching that one. Not even the Kirby.

Apparently it's not obvious that you can retrofit a modern Kirby with a metal fan? I have a Generation 3 with a metal fan from the Omega and it's amazing how much better that sucker cleans!

While the Royals do clean very well, I don't think they should be #1. Not even on this list of random models! I've never personally used a Miele, but I think they should be higher up just from what I've seen. I'm not a fan of Sebo, but they don't deserve to be at the bottom either.

In all honesty (without trying to start a war) with the vacuums listed here, the Convertible, Elite, and Dirt Devil should all be # 8, 9, and 10 respectively. The Dirt Devil for obvious reasons.

Think about this.....the Regina Housekeeper isn't exactly a slouch of a performer, but would you rate it #5? No way......if you sneeze near one it'll break! GREAT concept, TERRIBLE implementation.....

 

[ohio_tuec]

And I'm with Eric

I too agree about Royals being at the #1 spot. While the outside is still polished aluminum, quality has definitely gone downhill in the last 10 or 15 years, since they've started using sealed motors and upped the amperage. Now, they're as loud as a jet engine, and IMHO don't clean any better than their predecessors.

Hoover Concept Ones and Twos in the number 3 (or 4) spot? They were definitely a step back after the Dial-A-Matic, with its bypass motor. While it has it's flaws, I think everyone will agree it had the easiest tool conversion of any Hoover upright. The bypass motor was an advantage. It's a shame Hoover sold the patent to Panasonic. I would have much preferred seeing a Dial-A-Matic II, rather than the Concept One.

 

[briankirbyclass]

My gripe with DAMs is the suction only being on one side of the brush roll. I always wondered, what if the majority of the dirt on the floor or carpet was on the other side of the brush roll? How clean was that small suction port, on just one side of the machine end, really getting the carpet?

We had a Powerdrive DAM when i was growing up,was the cream and brown colored model,,about 1972-73, Not only was that vacuum a terribly heavy beast to lift up and down stairs, but was constantly getting clogged. I remember several times of having to try and unclog the little hose going from the front to the back of the machine. Infact it happened almost every time i used it,,,new bag or not,,was just a part of using that DAM,,,you had to stop and perform surgery on it whenever you used it.
Maybe we got ahold of a lemon?
Guess its just me but, i never thought the suction was all that great,, from either the hose, or the front, even with a newly installed bag and clean filter.
I remember having to scrub the pet hair off the furniture with the hose and upolstry tool and feed it to the vacuum, because the suction was so poor, especially when the bag was getting full. Yes the Powerdrive feature was nice,,infact i cant imagine trying to push that beast, and clean a whole house top to bottom without it.

Always thought my Grandma's Kirby 560 was far easier to use, lift ,manuver, and had far more options than Mom's DAM, not to mention suction power. Again, just MHO. I would go from using our DAM to Grandma's 560 in the same day, it was easy to see that the 560 was just plain easier to use, and did a better job.

That DAM finally bit the dust (literally!) one day in the early 1980s when dirt clogged the motor so badly it pratically bust into flames. Smoke came billowing out of the front exhaust vent with a huge cloud of dust,, My father was using it at the time, grabbed the cord out of the wall, and thru the entire machine out the front door on the lawn! Hose, tools and all, before it could burn the carpet.
Grandma's 560 is still going strong to this very day. Hmmmm.
Of course, its been Factory Rebuilt several times too.

I wonder if a DAM would have had its suction path in the center, or to both sides of the brushroll, if it would have been a better vacuum cleaner.

 

[tristar]

Hmmm...

That's interesting about your DAM. I have a model 1100 from 1963 and it seems to do a pretty good job. It's even got enough power to handily lift a rug off the floor, the suction from the tool port isn't bad (especially considering it's the first vacuum of it's kind.....EVER) and the tools seem to work well too.

My two gripes with the DAM are its STUPID bag setup.....literally when you go to change it, crap falls everywhere since it's upside down when the door is open! My second gripe is that the brushroll bristles are angled the wrong way! Apparently Hoover fixed this nuisance with later models, but in mine the brushes funnel the dirt AWAY from the suction opening! Did some engineer not notice that when it was being designed?!

Other than that it's a great vacuum and actually gets quite a bit of use in this house. It's a beast to push with no powerdrive and no height adjustment, but it's certainly lasted this long (46 years) without a rebuild! Can't say that for my Kirby 561 from 2 years earlier than the Hoover.

 

[ohio_tuec]

Hoover Dial-A-Matic

Like I say, I realize it has its flaws, but IMHO, it's still a superior cleaner to the Concept One. The clean air design not only gave it ample suction, it was also quieter. I'm curious to know what was being picked up if the machine clogged so often? I mean, things like bobby pins could very easily start a clog in the short hose leading to the bag area. I had that problem all the time with Electrolux commercial upright we used at CVS. What you say about the PowerDrive DAM is definitely true - they are heavy - which is why I tend to favor the non powerdrive models. I'd rather work a little harder pushing the cleaner than having to lug around all that extra weight when the machine is off. I'd love to know just how many were sold in the 15 years they were in production. Perhaps a Hoover expert could please tell us? For a long time you couldn't go a yard sale or church rummage sale without seeing one, and in the latter years yours truly has been picking them up

 

[kenmore81]

Oh Boy lol...

Im thinking this may get a little ugly. I must agree tho I personaly wouldnt put DirtDevil on my list. My fav DD was the BroomVac. The "mini" upright. It was great for touching up, picked up dog hair great and it lasted the longest out of any Dirt Devil I or family/friends had. I had that sucker going every 2 days about up and down stairs and it lasted 5 years. I thoght WoW Ill get another but they were NLA so I got the Dirt Devil Ultra? Upright(looked like an Elite) 1st 1 lasted 6mo the replacement lasted just over a year.I have not yet used a "real" Miele upright but even the panisonic like Miele had to be better than DD lol.
Ken

 

[briankirbyclass]

Im thinking we may have gotten ahold of a lemon with that DAM we had back in the 70s. The suction was never very good, even from the hose end, on the full suction setting, even with a brand new bag and clean filter. Too bad, sure cured me of ever wanting or having one again!

 

[xraytech]

I had a self propelled DAM for a short while, I wasnt too terribly impressed with it and I much prefer the design and cleaning ability of the Concept One over the DAM

 

[vacuumalex]

Vacuumalex Responding to Questions

Hi there,
Thanks for all the input. I just wanted to answer some of your questions. First, I don't personally own a Kirby, I have only used my friend's. It is a superior cleaner, but I think that my Royal is just a touch better. The vacuums that I have had with plastic fans didn't clean as well as those with metal fans. I do agree Royals' are not as good of quality as they used to be, it's unfortunate. I am also not a big fan of bypass motor vacuums. I think that the best one I have used is a Dirt Devil MVP. I liked it better than a Hoover Windtunnel or Eureka Boss. However, like I said, the Dirt Devil had good suction but when the brush wore out it cleaned pretty poorly. One other reason I don't like bypasses is because most of the time, the suction is only on one side, I think that the suction needs to be in the center and the brushroll casing needs to be curved like that of some other vacuums. This would direct the dirt into the suction rather that hoping the suction will pull it off to the side. I have never used a Hoover Dial-A-Matic so I can't say how they work. As for Concepts Ones and Two's, I have vacuumed some very tough carpets in my time and the Hoover Concept One by far out performed any bypass model that was used on the same carpet. This is where I have had most of my experience with Hoover Windtunnels and Eureka Bosses. It has just always been my experience that bypass vacuums while convienent with attachments, are not as good of cleaners as those like the Royal, Kirby, Concept One and Twos or Hoover Elite or Sanitaires etc. When I have shopped for new vacuums and have tested Sebos or Mieles, it took several passes to effectively clean the carpet when the same carpet was cleaned much better and quicker by other models, in particular, Royal, Riccar and Sanitaires. While Sanitaires are very good cleaners I still think the Hoover Elites of the early/mid 1990's and early 2000's had a slight edge above the Sanitaires. The situation is similar to comparing Royals and Kirbys, they are both excellent vacuums, it is only my opinion that I believe one cleans slightly better than the other. Hope that this helps clear up any confusion. Thanks! Alex