Vacuums that make you satisfied

[sebo_fan]

The K series was always the compact/"Kompakt" version of the C series which like Miele had three small cleaning tools as standard.

The K series was supposed to be the "lower" cylinder vac in the SEBO range by bag capacity as the C series used the bigger X series dust bag, keeping costs of manufacturing down until sales and profits came in to fulfil the need for a smaller, more compact and more powerful cylinder vacuum.

This is why, compared to the C series which have been on sale for some 17 years, the K series has only had two tools as standard that fit on the body and the clip on dusting brush option. That was the design brief all along - SEBO never intended for the K series to be an upmarket vacuum other than fit it with the option of the PN nozzle derived from the SEBO C3 which first had the electric hose set up and old ET-H floor head - the same one that is still sold today with the UK market SEBO K3 Premium. Other markets have the more modern Felix ET-1 floor head, as well as the D4 Premium in the UK.

To maximise cleaning versatility, the T shaped slip on upholstery tool was developed to slide onto the long crevice tool - the same one that is supplied on the Felix. SEBO wanted to keep costs down as well as keep the K series simple -which is why it has a slide on tool as opposed to the separate T shaped tool that came with the C series.

Even now the D series which replaces the C series comes with 3 standard cleaning tools. The long extension crevice tool on the K series, derived from the C series sees service on the Felix and the X series are designed to offer an extension tube/crevice in one.

Therefore it is clear to see SEBO like to keep things simple and its how they have managed so far without going further to enhance the vacuums with as many accessories that Miele supply.

 

[madabouthoovers]

But how many people actually buy any extra accessories from Miele for their canisters? I'd imagine not many. Your average Mrs Groggins from down the road isn't likely to go on Miele's website for an Accu Nova battery brush for her little 6210, or anything else really other than bags - and that's if she cant get them at the local Currys store. I'd also imagine that a good many people don't even use the standard accessories supplied with the cleaner, especially if they don't store in the cleaner, and then subsequently get lost.


Miele can supply as many accessories as they want - but its whether people actually buy them and use them that counts.


 


For me, the most used and useful accessories are the full size turbo brush, mini turbo brush and the small dusting brush. That's about it, I rarely use a crevice tool, or the T tool

 

[sebo_fan]

Miele wouldn't list the accessories on their site, Steve if customers weren't aware of them! Currys used to sell the Miele tools a lot until Miele listed them on their site due to customer demand.

You assume a lot about owners in general but if you have ever bought a Miele vacuum yourself, you get more than just a user manual and due to the cost price, not many owners DONT LOOK at the user manual.

There's often the additional "free accessories" leaflets etc and the UK user manuals do have links to cost optional accessories. Owners are aware of them.

 

[madabouthoovers]

On the subject of accessories, Nar, I heard somewhere that Sebo now only supply the ET-1 head with the K3 Premium, and that's only a recent thing, as many sites still show the old type motorised head with it, even Sebo's. But if you look at the UK issue instruction book, the latest version, (07/13) in English as well as German, it shows the ET-1 power head:



http://www.sebo.co.uk/support/downloads/manuals/K_Manual.pdf

 

[sebo_fan]

Thats good. I sent an email to SEBO complaining about that a long while ago. As you know I have the original ETH with my K3 Premium - it is heavier, noisier, older and not as good at pick up - the twist dial at the back does very little to adjust to the height - so it is good to see Sebo now offering the K3 with the ET-1 at last.

 

[madabouthoovers]

The thing is though - if you order one from anywhere, there stands a chance it could be old stock and still have the old type of power head. I though about this when I ordered my K3 vulcano, as I was toying with getting a K3 Premium instead. Its still shown on most sites with the old style power head and this will cause confusion, although they could be doing this as they still have old stock to sell, and don't want to show the later ET-1 head if they have only got those with the old head in stock. Hit and miss really whether you get an ET-1 or an ETH

 

[sensotronic]

Sebo does show the ET 1 with the K3 Premium on their website and has done for several weeks now.

Before buying my X5 I emailed Sebo asking if they knew of a retailer who would have the latest version of the K3 as all the websites show the old power head. I had a rather unhelpful reply suggesting I tried John Lewis, who don't even sell the K3 Premium, or buying it direct from Sebo. I knew it would cost a lot more to buy direct, so I decided to get the X5 and wait a few months before getting the K3 when hopefully the new version will be in most online retailers.

 

[madabouthoovers]

So it does - but the brochure doesn't though:



http://www.sebo.co.uk/support/downloads/brochures/K_Brochure.pdf

 

[madabouthoovers]

Roger, could you not contact Freenet and ask them to look at a box they have in stock? They may have the newer ones?

 

[sensotronic]

I won't be buying a K3 until June and will contact a few retailers nearer the time to enquire if they have the latest model if the pictures on their website haven't been updated.

 

[madabouthoovers]

I'll look forward to your video review on it - a nice long one like the D4 Premium! Now that IS an impressive cleaner, with lights like something of Doctor Whoooo! lol

 

[sensotronic]

Yes it will be a long one, ooh err misus!

I had a K3 Premium a few years ago and really liked it, but sold it when I was short of cash, knowing that I would buy another at some stage. Since I had mine, the power has been increased from 1800 to 2100 watts and it has a longer hose. I never really liked the ETH power head and used the head from my Felix with my K3 which gave a better performance. I still have an ETH head with my C3 Power Plus, but I fit the ET 1 that came with my D4 when I use my C3.

The D4 is excellent but rather bulky, and I feel that the K3 Premium will offer similar performance in a much more compact, lightweight cleaner. I have always preferred cylinders with power heads as they are much easier to push than a straight suction nozzle, even if they are a lot heavier.

 

[madabouthoovers]

That's the main reason I didn't go for the D series - its for very large houses, and I live in a 2 bedroom Victorian terrace. Whilst its very good, I do actually prefer the looks of the K series, and its unusual bag loading system, which seems a lot more robust than the bag door on the S6 series. I think the K is an understated and undersold vac - when you've used on for a while you get to appreciate that its a very competent little machine, and with the bags at half the price of Miele's I don't mind that its only a 3 litre capacity, as in my house, with just me and my cat, it will still take a while to fill one up.


What would have made the Vulcano perfect, is if Sebo would use a radio controlled remote handle, like on the Miele versions with remote handles, and that on my S8730. It would do away with the hose internal cable, so that only the K3 Premium would need it.

 

[sebo_fan]

Well, I ended up having to replace the bag door on my first SEBO K1 - a light blue 1800 watt Komfort that I bought from John Lewis many moons ago. The doors tend to last a long time and I had that K1 Komfort model for a few good years before I bought my SEBO Felix. The door however eventually began to wear down and had to be replaced as it began to get difficult to close the door over - it was fairly easy to get a brand new spare door as I found out as I wasn't aware I could get spare parts like that.

The K series is a very competent vac and it is largely understated and probably due to negative reviews in the past from buyers who have reported that the cords got stuck inside the machine.

Another issue seems to be the side on hose mount on the body. It can allow the machine to move "one sided" and not in the way the owner wants the vacuum to go. I have noticed this aspect myself on older K series models before SEBO improved the castors with bigger wheels as shown firstly on the K3 Vulcano before SEBO went and changed the colours with the 2100 watt motor upgrades

Even the base K1 Airbelt has the bigger wheels now.

 

[madabouthoovers]

The only thing I could see that could get worn is the lugs on the bag door that engage the bag holder assembly, which, as you push the door closed, push the bag housing up against spring pressure so that the bag hole presses up to the inlet pipe. I little grease on these lugs would help prevent wear on them. That's the only thing I thought straight away as a future failure point. The other being the failure of the cable inside the hose. Once that fails, the motor will run at full speed all the time, the same as if you remove the hose and switch the machine on.


Where the hose enters the handle, there are 3 copper contact rings with spring contacts, so enabling the hose to twist in the socket through 360 degrees. I don't know why they didn't do this at the other end of the hose where there is no swivel. Possibly cost reasons?


I have noticed though that the orange Airbelt has now developed little black marks over each little hole in the rubber mount underneath, where the air blows through - I presume that it is carbon dust staining, although I don't see how, as the post motor filter is supposed to stop this from reaching the air belt.

 

[sebo_fan]

It could well be the dirt in your home/air. Mine went like that as well, but a damp cloth can remove it, provided you take the air belt off - and is easy to push and fold back on.

The beauty of the SEBO K is that is so much better built than any Miele vacuum that I find rivals, it though. Even when the lid of a Miele vacuum is opened up just after use, the AAC or HEPA filter pops out and if it is removed you get black fingers from the carbon on the underside.

SEBO's filters lack that, so there's no dirt and none of their other filters "pop out," either.

 

[madabouthoovers]

I've never noticed the filter pop out on the Miele, although I've heard stories about it on ebay and reviews, but I assumed that was because the seller had used crap quality bags and they had clogged up the exhaust filter, which is why it blew off in use.


 


I'm leaving my Airbelt as it is - if I clean in, then it will only get black spots over it again in a week or so, so I presume they are meant to do that - what it does show is that there is more exhaust holes down one side of the cleaner  than the other

 

[sebo_fan]

If you still have a Miele cylinder vac, Steve, remove the hose, lift the lid and switch on - the filter on top may well pop off.

 

[madabouthoovers]

Yes, it does, they all do. The lid is designed to hold the exhaust filter housing down in place. As the bag compartment develops negative (suction) pressure, it pulls the lid hard down at full power, which counteracts the positive (blowing) pressure build up behind the (unclogged) filter cassette and holds it down.


The problem comes when the filter is clogged, so not enough airflow can pass through it at higher power, this creates not enough negative pressure in the bag compartment  but enormous positive pressure behind the filter, and even with the lid closed and catched, it is not enough to hold the filter down, and the filter distorts the lid, and dislocates itself from its housing.  The seal between the exhaust housing and the bag compartment is then disrupted allowing air to pass between them, thus the motor breathes again (by recirculating the same air over and over) but the cleaner wont have any suction at the hose, which is the problem that sellers on ebay have when they don't change the exhaust filter on time, or use cheap bags which cause the filter to clog prematurely, and this is more a problem with the Active Air Clean and Active HEPA filters as people often don't realise they need to buy new ones every year, and continue to use the cleaner until the above situation occurs.

 

[sebo_fan]

Or that they have forgotten about the date they wrote on those filters in the first place? No wonder the Super Air Clean filter grid is often fitted as standard.