Vax Mach Air - photos and videos

[vintagehoover]

And some more...

 

[rolls_rapide]

Very impressive

 

[portable]

Jack -


Gosh, very impressive. Just a few comments:

I like the deep cuts at each side of the nozzle - easy to get around furniture and such. I wonder if you can use a small turbo brush with the hose, similar to what the US Hoovers have?

Speaking of which - do you think this will make it to the US under either the Hoover or VAX names?

It's kind of quirky looking - not especialy "pretty". And that hose down near the floor is a little worrisome. It seems like it could get damaged easily being where it is located.
And - is it as noisy as it seems, or is it quieter in person?
Overall, pretty cool machine. It seems well designed.

Thanks so much for the videos and pics. As usual, you are always informative and helpful.

John L.

 

[kenmore81]

Hi Jack. Indeed it does look very impressive and I also hope to see one here in the US. I wonder why your Vax M6 and this Mach air has more "roots" (like Dyson)than our Hoover Mach's and like machines.Did Dyson's patent run out in the UK and not the US mabe?
I remeber you showing us your Mach 6 back around june,and how our Mach 3,5,and Windtunnel cyclonic only has 2 cyclones and yours has 6.Other than that our vacs are essentually the same.
(Sorry Im at work and cannot attach photo so here is a link)

http://www.amazon.com/Remanufacture...8?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1255684069&sr=8-3

 

[kenmore81]

Jack I meant to say your Mach 7, and the vids don't come out at work =(

 

[joe22]

any similar in the usa? awesome design, and great vids

 

[vintagehoover]

John:

- Yes, there's a version called the Mach Air 2 (I haven't actually seen it on sale anywhere yet, but I know it exists!), and that comes with exactly the same mini turbobrush which is supplied with many US Hoover models, as well as many UK Vax models. It also has an anti-bacterial HEPA filter.

- I'll get an answer about whether it's destined for the US as soon as I can. Since it's such a new model, it's likely that no decision has yet been made. I doubt very much that the soft brush-bar would be suited to thicker American carpets. In combination with such powerful, focussed suction, it works fine on lower-pile carpeting, but I can't see it getting deep enough into the nap of thicker carpets to really deep-clean them.

- I quite like the way it looks; I guess it comes down to personal taste! I don't think the hose is too vulnerable where it is: it never comes into contact with the floor, even with the cleaner flat to the ground. Since the cleaner is covered by a 6-year parts and labour guarantee, there shouldn't be any issue getting a replacement hose if it happens fail in that time!

- I find the noise perfectly tolerable - it's really not loud, or especially unpleasant, either. As I've been explaining to certain viewers of the videos of my Dyson fan, you can't accurately gauge sound levels through a video on your computer. There are too many variables: how close was the camera to the appliance? How loud do you have your speakers turned up? How much is the camera microphone focussing on certain frequencies to distinguish between relevant and ambient sound?

I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures and the video! I really do think it's a great little cleaner with unbeatable value for money. For £179.00, you get a heck of a lot in a very lightweight, compact, low profile package!


Kenneth:

I'm not 100% sure about the reason for the difference between the US Hoovers and UK Vax models when it comes to their cyclonic systems. Since the Hoover Platinum Collection bagless cleaners are multi-cyclonic, as well as cleaners like the Bissell Healthy Home, it seems it is possible to copy Dyson's Root Cyclone designs in the US. Maybe Hoover want to keep their most efficient system for their TOL range, and charge a premium cost for the added benefits? The lesser Hoover models use a copy of the Dyson Dual Cyclone design, which is better than filter-based bagless systems, but still not as efficient as multi-cyclonic systems.

Shown below is the latest incarnation of the Dyson Root Cyclone system, from my DC27. After the bulky debris, grit, fluff etc are separated by the outer cyclone, the airstream carries the finer dust through the shroud (the mesh section) and upwards through the central duct.

As you can see, the airstream is then split between 7 separate high-efficiency cyclones. These are tapered (ie. conical), and as the cones get narrower, the speed of the particles - and thus, the force exerted on them - is immensely multiplied, throwing the dirt from the airstream.

Meanwhile, the clean air is free to travel upwards through the vortex-finders and onto the pre-motor filter, which is there to ensure even the most microscopic particles are retained in the machine.

 

[vintagehoover]

...and here's the Vax version, from the Mach Air.

Notice the crucial difference between this and the Dyson design: instead of feeding from a single centrally-located air-duct, the Vax H-E cyclones face outwards, and each feed from individual ducts.

 

[vintagehoover]

And for comparison, here's Hoover's 'Airvolution' system.

 

[kenmore81]

Ohh I C...

I see the differance in the two, and you are right i realized (finaly) why Hoover does not use the multi-root design on U.S. Mach's and the like. Most likely Hoover wants to keep their most efficient system for their TOL range, and charge a premium like you said. Wich the platnum bagless does. It uses a multi cone design and they were 500.00 305 GBP here ( i think some stores have them for around $400.00). Still pretty expensive for me lol,Atleast till I get on my feet again.
If I or someone else (Just for conversation) were to send you money to buy and ship one here it would cost as much as a Kirby lol.Anyway take care Jack...
Kenny

 

[rolls_rapide]

Got a Vax Mach Air...

..for my mother!

The old Hoover 'Turbopower 3' was performing really badly due to its rapidly diminishing bristles. Even mum noticed that it was taking her hours to clean the house, despite the bags, filters and belts being regularly replaced. She eventually decided that she needed a new machine (the agitator has become obsolete).

I looked online, and saw that Argos had the machine listed. However, when I got to the shop, there was no sign of it in the catalogues. A shop assistant had a look at her stock computer and saw one solitary model in the store room. She keyed the code number into the till and I bought the machine.

The machine is very lightweight to use (mum thinks it looks like a space-age toy!). She has used it, and likes the way the carpet pile is reactivated. It gets a lot of grit out of the low-pile looped kitchen carpet, which is a good sign.

She is less keen on the hose attachments:
the stretchable hose is a little too short for her,
the hose is lacking a decent handgrip,
the multi-function tool is awkward for her to grasp and use, and it lacks the angles of a more conservative Hoover style of dusting brush. So...

...I decided to experiment, and found that the old Hoover 'Turbo 3' tools and tubes will fit onto the Vax hose. Therefore this problem is solved.

A slight design flaw I noted:
when placed upright when turned on, the agitator stops - as it should. However, when using the tools in this mode, slight flexing movement of the 'spine' of the cleaner allows the agitator to switch on and off. This also occurs if you lift the machine when it is turned on - the 'foot' has a wee bit of flexibility - just enough for the agitator motor to re-engage. When placed on the floor, the brush stops again.

 

[frkirby511]

Purchase Vax Mach Air in the United States???

Is it possible to purchase the Vax Mach Air shown on this tread in the United States? I have searched the web and do not find this model for sale here?

Bruce,
Memphis, TN

 

[rolls_rapide]

I think that model is a UK exclusive.