Vacuums at my Goodwill

[niclonnic]

Last week I started volunteering at my local Goodwill, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 am to 2 pm. I help out in the back of the store, sorting out the items that customers donate.

After my shift is over, I take some time to peruse the store, seeing if there are any good electronics and vacuum cleaners. Last week, there was a rather mundane selection, but today I saw some interesting machines!

They had a Bissell Powerforce Bagless Turbo vacuum. Nothing special about it; these Bissell Powerforces are pretty common. There was also a Dirt Devil Versa Stick; it looked a lot like the Swift Stick I used to have that came as a bonus with my Dirt Devil Swivel Glide Vision back in 2001.

The two vacuums that stood out were an Electrolux Prolux upright and a Dyson DC14 All Floors. I know nothing about the Prolux upright, and the Dyson was missing its attachments. I'm kinda tempted to buy the Dyson.

Last week, I saw some Hoover machines; namely an older WindTunnel Bagless with the Twin Chamber system, a WindTunnel T-Series P.A.W.S. and a WindTunnel 2 High Capacity. I've had my fill of Hoovers, so I passed them up. I also saw a Dirt Devil Vision.

Here is today's selection. I wonder if I can get an employee discount on anything at my work?

 

[honestjoe68]

Wow... I could never work at our Goodwill because I’d get this urge to buy EVERY single vacuum cleaner I saw brought in. Lol

I only go shop at ours 2 or 3 times a month.. if I was there working every week.. I’d have to pay THEM. I typically end up buying one or two vacuums, take them home for a complete overhaul, missing or broken parts get replaced, then I sanitize the entire vacuum with OdoBan, print off the instructions online and donate it back to a different store.. Volunteers of America go to Goodwill and vice versa. I Love helping people even though it’s not much.. I still estimate I refurb 4 to 6 a month and I’ve done this almost two years. I’ve kept a few of my finds but 90% go back donated like brand new vacuums because I enjoy doing it.

That Bissell looks very clean but true, very common. I too like the Dyson and you can buy really nice “generic” brand Dyson tools that look and feel almost identical. I found that out watching Roger (ibaisaic) refurbish a family members Sebo X upright and the tools were very nice! I’ve looked online and they make generic tools for many, including Dyson.

The Electrolux is most likely a great find too.. I’m not familiar with many commercial vacuums and I don’t usually buy the “L” shaped brushroll heads.. it’s not centered and I’m odd about things like that. Lol. My Sebo Felix is the only vacuum I own with that style head but the bump out side is not very long.

Congratulations on the new job Nick, that is great you working at Goodwill and think of all the people who benefit from your hard work and help! I hope you find they give you an employee discount, I’m thinking I’ve heard someone at our Goodwill say they get a percentage off... not totally sure but fingers crossed!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[niclonnic]

Thank you!

I don't know if I'll buy any vacuums at my work, especially as my dad and his girlfriend don't like having a hoard of vacuums in our garage. They donated a couple of vacuums to Goodwill last year, and I posted about this in probably the most unnecessary thread ever created on Vacuumland. I posted about donating some vacuums, and two people asked about a vacuum, and offered to pay shipping, and I rudely refused both times. Because there's simply no reason whatever to ask about which vacuums to donate in the first place, and that it's clearly up to me to decide what to keep, I won't bother posting about donating vacuums next time, and also watch my online manners.

Anyway, I hope I can get hired at Goodwill! I just need to get in on time and work hard, which I have been doing. I've got my fingers crossed!

 

[human]

Get the ProLux!!!

The only one of those machines that remotely piques my interest is the ProLux. That's the heavy duty version of the Electrolux Discovery/Epic/Genesis/UltraLux/etc. upright. It's a twin-motor monster. The main difference between it and the household models is it has a heavier motor and longer cord. If it's got a three-prong plug, it's a commercial model. Two prongs and it's a heavy duty household model. I have two Discoveries and a Genesis. They're all great machines, but being more powerful, the ProLux would be even better.

 

[Deleted member 3733]

I agree with getting the ProLux. There are aftermarket attachment kits (and I’m sure some genuine ones on ebay or at an Aerus dealer) you can buy in order to have a full fledged home vacuum cleaner system. My Lux upright is one of my most favorite vacuums ever and I get my floor cleaning finished a lot quicker with it. It’s really strong and operates with a low noise level.

 

[huskyvacs]

You do get employee discount but you cannot buy anything until your shift is over. IIRC the discount is 20% I think.

My goodwill prices all vacuums at $29.99 and they sit there for weeks. I always wait until half off to buy a vacuum if its still there as $14 is better than $29.

Also don't get your hopes up. Every vacuum I've gotten at my Goodwill has had a near-death motor or the kind of person that thinks 1 vacuum bag will last the entire life of the vacuum.

My local Habitat Restore has a better vacuum selection as they personally use every vacuum donated as the in-store vacuum until the bag is full and then they sell it (full bag included). So they get a full test run for many months. They got a Kirby G4 in there once and it was nearly mint, I kept tabs on it by going in the store an hour before closing a couple times a month for 2 months and they were still using it. I didn't get back there until a month later and it was gone, I suspect an employee scalped it.

But yeah the biggest problem with Goodwill is the employees pricing items, you need to be experienced in old junk and the market value of items. Like not charging $29.99 for a pair of "Stereo headphones" from the 1970's because it says "high fidelity sound" on it and looks like a pair of Beats. Or $19.99 for a mixer with no beaters that cost $17 to replace the beaters. They also throw a lot of stuff in the tip. People donating brand new $200 printers in the box, they go right in the bin to be shipped off to the recycling center.

The best way to find out what thrift store makes the most of your donations is to go into one and look around at the merchandise. If you see them trying to sell old Vlassic pickle jars and modern-day plastic coffee cans for 99 cents there's a good chance they will put your donations on the floor and not in the dumpster.

I usually have fun going into a thrift store for 2 weeks after I donate stuff to see what they priced my stuff at. One time I had to buy back my own hammer I donated because I found out I actually should have kept it. lol

 

[crazykirbydude]

I'd buy that ProLux.

 

[luxkid1980]

I have to agree, the only decent machine out of the lot looks to be the Prolux. Did you by change purchase any of the machines at the asking price? $29.99 isn't bad at all for the Electrolux, provided it works The rest are pretty much junk.

 

[niclonnic]

Questions

I have a few questions concerning the Prolux.

1. I don't see any on-board attachments. How do I get around this?

2. What kind of bags does it take?

3. Where can I find the bags?

@luxkid1980 I didn't purchase any of these machines at the asking price.

 

[human]

Most Electrolux uprights have tools on a plastic caddy, similar to what Kirby offered until fairly recently when they went to a tool satchel. I have a Discovery Plus, which is the same as a Discovery II but with brackets to store the attachments onboard. Believe me, you don't want this option. While it's handy for storage, it's beyond ungainly to use as an upright that way. At a minimum, I have to take the hose off and usually the wands as well. The standard toolset would include a hose, wands, crevice tool and reversible dusting brush/upholstery tool. If the machine has a plug-in for powered accessories, the kit would also include an electrified hose instead of a standard one and a SideKick power nozzle. You can find these tool kits, or just the individual tools, pretty easily on eBay.

 

[luxkid1980]

The prolux takes "U" style bags, like these:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/12-Upright...734320?hash=item5671945670:g:0HUAAOSwJkJWjWfr

You can find the bags at any Aerus-Electrolux store. Others probably too.

Here are the attachments and caddy that work with most of the Electrolux uprights:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Electrolux...779510?hash=item3f954cd2b6:g:AdQAAOSwNWxaRO3h

 

[niclonnic]

Update

I went to work today, and the Dyson was gone, but the Prolux was still there! I didn't buy it, though. The vacuums are only $9.99 each.

In addition, I saw a Hoover Runabout canister in green. However, I didn't take any pics after work.

 

[human]

$9.99 is a STEAL for that ProLux!!! If I weren't on the other side of the continent, I'd buy it for that without a second thought.

 

[huskyvacs]

Ditto! I could clear all those out for the price of what 1 Goodwill vacuum costs here in Indiana. I just paid $18 for an Oreck XL (gold logos) with a frayed cord and homemade wooden wheels and a bag that won't stop crumpling itself up (from the "Oreck" sash ribbon). lol I only have 1 Dyson that cost me $30. I could only ever dream of getting a Dyson that cheaply.

I dunno, for some reason in my area vacuums are priced high and seldom found.

 

[tolivac]

$9.99 for ProLux----BUY IT NOW!!!!!FAR BETTER than the Dyson!!!!the little door on the top of the bag housing is where the hose plugs in.This will work as a "canister" vac but is VERY ungainly.Best to have a separate canister vacuum.Often Areus sell this like a package.

 

[fan-of-fans]

I've seen a few newer Kirbys and one or two Electrolux Renaissance vacuums at my Goodwill. Awhile back there was a teal Hoover Sprint Elite-style vacuum in good shape. Most of these have been priced at less than $20. Otherwise mostly bagless uprights. I think I did see an Electrolux Oxygen canister awhile back as well.

 

[electrolux-dude]

Jump all over that Pro-Lux!

If I saw that Pro-Lux I'd jump on it in a heartbeat!!! I frequent the local goodwill and I bought an Epic 6500 shampooer for $5.00! Awhile back I bought a Lux 9000 canister for $10.00! It needed the hose straightened out as near the handle it was crushed. A few taps with a hammer straightened it right out! Goodwill always has Kirbys, also see quite a few Kenmore canisters but I jump on the Electrolux vacuums immediately!

 

[KirbyCollector01]

I agree
Get that PROLUX!

$9.99 is a steal!!

 

[s2_82]

I agree, at that price, they're practically just giving it away to you (the prolux)

 

[luxkid1980]

Someone else is going to grab that up at that price if you don't!

 

[niclonnic]

Update #2

Today at work, the Prolux was still there, and again, I didn't buy it. I honestly don't have a use for a bagged, commercial upright vacuum at my house, due to the ongoing cost of bags.

Soon, I will be getting a vintage vacuum that I've been after for many, many years. I'm keeping it a secret until I get it.

 

[human]

Bags are cheap!

Bags for Electrolux upright (U) and canister (C) machines are among the least expensive for any bagged machines. When bought in bulk, they come in well under a dollar each. Frankly, I wouldn't have a bagless machine. They're too much of a hassle to keep clean and unclogged. The utter convenience of a bag is a very small price to pay for not being up to my elbows in dirt every time I clean the thing out.

 

[KirbyCollector01]

Trust us, you will not be disappointed in the Lux if you get it. It’s really a great machine. Plus I Second human on this. Bags are quite cheap. I really wouldn’t pass it up, honestly...

 

[luxkid1980]

If I don't need a particular vacuum I find and it is in good working order and the price is right, I often will clean them up and sell them.

 

[crazykirbydude]

Niclonnic, have you ever owned a bagged vacuum before?

 

[niclonnic]

Yes

A long time ago in an apartment far, far away....

My family had a Eureka Ultra ESP with a white hood and black outer bag. My parents used it when my sister and I were very young children. I actually posted about this vacuum about a month ago in the Vintage forum. I'm including a link to it down below.

Sometime in the mid- to late 90s, we fell for an infomercial about a revolutionary new vacuum called the Fantom Fury, which eliminated filter bags. My dad subsequently ordered it. It became the best vacuum we ever used, up until that fateful day in the summer of 2001. The cord became damaged and the entire vacuum became unusable. So we got rid of it, and I never saw the Fantom Fury again.

Upon moving into our current house in the summer of 2001, we purchased a brand new Dirt Devil Swivel Glide Vision vacuum, which came with a "Swift Stick" stick vacuum as a bonus. It was an OK vacuum; that vacuum, including all the other ones that came after it, just didn't seem to have that same magic. Despite being a little kid at the apartment, I didn't realize how much of an impact the Fantom had on us. So we've had bagless vacuums ever since. And the revolution continues....

http://www.vacuumland.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?35877_10

 

[luxkid1980]

I saw an original Fantom Fury the other weekend at the Goodwill. It looked almost unused on the floor, but its dust bin stunk so bad that I'm surprised anyone bought or wanted it. Smelled like dirty feet! It was gone by the next weekend though so someone took the plunge.

That's one of my dislikes for bagless cleaners; the terrible smell I have a feeling most will suffer from sooner or later. Its so easy to change out a paper bag on the other models. No mess to clean out, no dust cloud, no fuss!

 

[niclonnic]

luxkid1980

By "original Fantom Fury," do you mean it was a 10 amp (dark green) or 12 amp (light green) model?

 

[human]

Exactly!

Luxkid1980 wrote:
That's one of my dislikes for bagless cleaners; the terrible smell I have a feeling most will suffer from sooner or later. Its so easy to change out a paper bag on the other models. No mess to clean out, no dust cloud, no fuss!

I reply:
My sentiments exactly! I had a girlfriend who lived with me a few years ago and insisted I vacuum the house with her bagless Bissell plasticrap vac. It was a miserable experience to clean that thing after using it. It took longer to clean it than it did to clean the house! Why bother with all that when you can toss one bag and slap in another in about 20 seconds. How the industry made this ridiculously illogical shift is simply beyond me.