Vacuums That Failed To Sell Well In America

[director12]

I'm quite certain that there are vacuums that didn't sell as well as consumers would've expected. Can anyone list the vacuums that didn't sell well and why that was the case?

I know for a fact the Fantom Crosswind series and Wildcat didn't sell well due to being single-cyclonic, plus being released when Dyson declined to pay Fantom the royalties for the dual-cyclonic design. This was also because of them being made really cheap, and having parts impossible to locate.

 

[eurekaprince]

Could never understand why those beautiful Samsung Quiet Storm Power Nozzle canister vacs were so short-lived. The deluxe version was top-rated in Consumer Reports, and it seemed that the company invested a lot in bringing them to the North American market. They seemed to disappear off the radar screen after only a few years.

Another very short-lived line of highly-rated power nozzle canisters were those colourful machines from Bosch. Again, it seemed that Bosch invested a lot in launching the 120volt line in North America just about 10 years ago. Now you can't find those anywhere!

 

[eurekaprince]

Here's a link to the Bosch that had high scores in Consumer Reports testing - the blue "Electro Duo":

http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-BSG71360UC-Formula-Electro-Canister/dp/B000BWEOOA/ref=pd_sxp_f_r

 

[tolivac]

Wouldn't the Hoover "Z" series upright bagless vacuums be a good one to list here?

 

[gsheen]

The Vorwerk Range never seemed to gain popularity. I think it was too small for the USA market. The outstanding VK117 and Vk 121 series sold very well in SA despite been 3 times the price of a Hoover senior/ convertible at the time.

In the pic are the Vk 116 & 117 just about indestructible. Twin motor design always worked well Parts are scarce now

 

[tolivac]

Saw a Vorwerk vacuum system in the used machine pile at a Star Vacuum place near Wash DC back in the 70's-wasn't collecting at the time--now wished I could have bought the thing.Sort of thought--the Vorwerk system-guess German equivelent to a Kirby?

 

[director12]

The Kenmore Cyclonic didn't sell well, mainly due to the lousy rating Consumer Reports gave.

 

[davetranter]

Electrolux

Is the fabled hookline 'Nothing Sucks Like (an) Electrolux' genuine advertising, or just an 'urban myth'??

I figure someone on here should know the definitive answer..??..

All best

Dave T

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

The Hoover 115 Lightweight Upright, Lark uprights (12, 14), and the 1330/1340/1348/U1025 Lightweight Uprights... and also the Innovation... would all these count as poor sellers here?

~Ben

 

[fan-of-fans]

Hoover Z

I don't know for sure, but I can imagine why the Hoover Z did not sell well. Although it was very cleverly designed, I think it was just too heavy and bulky to use. I saw one at Habitat and found it hard to push, and another couple was talking about how heavy it was.

The new Hoover Constellation was another Hoover from that era that did not sell well. In its case I think it was because it was not well marketed and did not have a big showing in most stores. It also had the same problem of the design of its older siblings in that the air ride feature caused it to scatter dust around.

 

[tolivac]

Hoover Z-found them at Best Buy at one time-tried both models-Was like trying to push a wheelbarrow full of bricks-heavy,awkward-and trying to make the machine act as a "canister" again awkward to me-the Kirby is EASIER!!And the Kirby is lighter and just easier to carry than the awkward Hoover Z.
I wish the Hoover Larks and Jrs were more popular here-have a 115 and its pretty nice-FAR better than an Oreck!!!You would think if folks liked Orecks-the Hoover Larks and Jrs would have been more popular.
The Best Buy folks at the time said the Dysons were selling better than the Hoover Z.Then the Z's were discounted-sold at like half their orig price.Kinda like the same scene as the Royal Powercast.Both machines almost need the forklift to lift and carry them.

 

[sebo_fan]

From what I can remember when I was little (and bear in mind that we had a U.S naval base in our Scottish town) I think that most of the Americans didn't want the Hoover Junior/Lark because it was seen as being too feeble or weak. Every home either had an American Hoover upright, helped along by the local repairman who was an engineer on the naval base and who set up home here. For many years his Hoover shop provided everyone with Hoover appliances but he also brought in U.S Hoover models, or some of the military wives brought their own.

As such his shop was like an exhibition emporium of many different models that were left behind by families who moved back and fro from the U.S - I was very excited about that shop!

 

[tolivac]

The Hoover Jr doesn't seem weak to me-it is better than the Oreck-and quieter.Plus you could use it with a hose-I don't have the hose for mine.Would like to get one to try.

 

[rainbowvacfane2]

Hoover tempo baggless

It was my frist vac ever that my awsome father bought brand new at sears is my memory severs me right he payed 87.57 something like I got when I was 6 or 7 but my mother tossed it when I was 11 I was so mad till I found I am getting a new a brand new this year for Christmas XD I almost died I lover that thing soooooooo god dam much and when the ups man came my mom ran to the door and I was taking a nap in the livening room and I got a peak of the box and its even tha Same color I woke up and called my bro Dax and was so happy I scrubbed the whole house for my mom

 

[sebo_fan]

Back then in the 1970s and mid 1980s when Americans in our town still had their gas guzzling Cadillacs, everything was much bigger for them. Not many took the Lark because of its size. Most didn't think about tools either - a lot of American homes in Scotland had those Hamilton Beach blenders, metal based liquidisers and two vacuums, usually Hoover Convertibles, plenty of Constellations and a smattering of Kenmore/other American brands including Kirby.

Some homes were lucky enough to have central vacuums.

 

[tolivac]

How bout this line of vacuums--the Miele "Art" compact uprights that have no roller brush in their floor nozzles-these were designed for hard floors.Theres LOTS of hard floor in homes in the US now-but at the Miele dealer here in town--the "Arts" gather dust on their OUTSIDE waiting for someone to buy one.I have one in my collection-A pretty red "roses" model.Their bags are TINY and the tools and hose on board the machine is clumsy and hard to use.

 

[sebo_fan]

I heard the main problem with the D'Art series isn't the fact that they're all suction only vacuums but rather there's an L shaped dust channel that is inclined to clog.

If they were designed to be used on hard floors only, they should have been sent to places like Japan where hard flooring is the norm. Japan only gets the old S100 stick vacs now replaced by the S4000 and newer S6000 ranges.

 

[gsheen]

I had a black Art but found it a bit pointless If i wanted a straight suction i would use a cylinder. it would have not taken much to design in a brush roll, a missed opportunity as far as I am concerned.

 

[tolivac]

I use a canister instead of my Art.It sits in the corner-only to have the canister vac dust it off.Suppose for some-it would be the most expensive kitchen "crumb" vac.