Vax Air Force U89-MAF-T

[keiththomas]

I have seen this machine looks impresive but another design from Vax to try to beat Dyson What you think. I have seen and used other Dysons and they are awful with those nasty cheap car filters instead of try cyclonic action

 

[turbo500]

I'm not quite sure what you mean here. 


 


If the "car filter" you're referring to is the cyclone design used in cheap, low efficiency cyclone cleaners, then yes I agree that they're awful cleaners. However, they're not Dysons. As much as I have my issues with Dysons, I cannot fault the cyclone design - it's the most efficient and well designed cyclone on the market. The only reason the low efficiency cyclone machines exist is because they're cheap to make and because Dyson slapped so many patents all over the original dual cyclone, that nobody else could use it. 


 


However, since this patent has expired, Dyson have moved onto making root cyclone cleaners and now Vax, Hoover, Electrolux and Morphy Richards (although the latter are rebadged US Shark's) have all started manufacturing machines with higher efficiency, dust separation cyclones similar to those used in the DC01 and DC04. Although not as efficient or effective as Dyson's designs, they're a huge step up from the dreadful low efficiency, direct filter cyclones used on so many cheap, bagless vacuums. 


 


The Vax Mach range do use a proper cyclone. The Mach Air range have been particularly popular due to them being incredibly lightweight but still very powerful and they come with a full 6 year guarantee. I actually quite like the Mach Air's and would highly recommend them to anyone needing a lightweight but high performing machine. 

 

[sebo_fan]

Here, here Chris - well responded! When I read "car filters," I immediately assumed those paper pleated cone filters. If you have the patience you can get a good use out of them provided you maintain the filters after each clean, or dependent on the amount of dust you suck up with these kinds of filters. Over the older Hoover Dustmanager split box idea with the HEPA filters at the top though, I'd sooner pick the pleated cone filters if I was after a cheap upright vacuum. However, as Chris rightly notes, Vax et al's recent update to multi-cyclonic design prevents short term filter cleaning, prolonging the need to clean the filters after each use, and more longevity - unless of course your home is really dirty and suction gets cut by two or three uses.


 


The only downside to the Vax Mach Air is the bin capacity where the Air Force upright is concerned. The Air Force upright has twice the capacity at 3 litres, but it doesn't seem to get favourable reviews on Amazon UK, if the ones I've just read are anything to go by. 


 


The problem I find with Vax and many other TTI Dirt Devil models that use the control height adjustment manual knob is that for a lot of people, these kinds of uprights are hard to push - yet if you remove the rubber squeegee strip before or after the brush roll, gliding steadily improves as the rubber no longer builds up a sweeping resistance on carpets and other materials. The problem also occurs on models that don't necessarily have a height control adjuster. This was another issue I found with Bissell's Easy Vac upright - difficult to push - unless the squeegee strip is removed.


 


 



http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vax-U89MAFT-Mach-Force-Total/dp/B0067ZGHMC

 

[dysondestijl]

I HATE pleated filters! they clog all the time, the only one i like is on my Hoover Hurricane as that has a mesh over it. the vax power models with the pleated filters are crap, you can open them up if you fold back the pleats, so they're not even glued!!

 

[sebo_fan]

I had one like the Hurricane - a Vax V-045 Widetrack that was also sold in the U.S under the Shark label and possibly Dirt Devil. Also sold as a Morphy Richards "Essentials" Family upright.

It prolonged a bit but still needed washing and cleaning. After all these years I really don't think the mesh filter in front does any good. Its yet another thing to wash. AEG/Electrolux installed a similar one in the Ergorapido stick vacuums - the original models had a cotton filter inside, now replaced by the paper pleats. The easiest way of cleaning out pleats is with a thin dry paint brush and another vacuum to suck out the excess dirt. Quicker than constantly washing the paper pleat filters and then waiting for a day for them to dry completely.

 

[baglessball]

Woah!!! Air Force, not air!

These are not the same cyclonic design!! The Air Force is terrible. It doesn't have the same shroud at the air so all the cyclones block up, loosing all suction - in every cleaning session!

The way the hose and cord is stord is also really disappointing on these machines.

Stay away!!

Love the Mach airs though. I cannot understand why they're the cyclone design so different!? Bad move vax.

Hope this helps.

Oh, the bog standard pleated filter in bin assembly is much better /easier to maintain than the air forces'

 

[sebo_fan]

OMG that's horrific and shame on Vax for disguising the front lift off section - it looks like the same from my Vax Mach Air until you take off the top. I wasn't expecting to see such a thin material filter at the top. 

 

[baglessball]

I used the machine daily for 3 months

And it never got any better! I emptied it daily and banged out the filter. Weekly I had to take all those little cyclones apart as the entry ports would block up. It's a shame - It could be such a good cleaner!

 

[sebo_fan]

NO wonder Vax didn't use the Mach Air name - shame on them for ripping consumers off. One could assume that model uses the same tech if a buyer/owner required a much bigger bin capacity.