Vorwerk, Who has one?

[marks_here]

Okay (out of breath)

I just used my VK155 to vacuum my carpets...what a workout!!! I forgot how much suction this thing has for such a small motor. The lines in the carpet look great, I just put in new brushes for the ET340 because the other ones were a bit worn. I actually broke out into a sweat! One day I'll have to get into the attic to find the other ones to see if there is a difference between models. Take care everyone, cheers!!! Mark D.

 

[spiraclean]

Gareth,

Never had that happen to me, but have seen several for-sale ads for late model Vorwerks where the neck is obviously defective, with both halves broken apart. Too many for it to be a coincidence. One thing I did notice was that the body of the cleaner has to be centred "just so" before being locked upright, otherwise it will topple over and come crashing down onto the floor when you let go. That can't be good for the power nozzle elbow over time.

Twin motor swivel uprights really need some kind of mechanism in the neck to prevent this occurring. Even a notch on the front of the elbow that mates with a cutout in the power nozzle hood would suffice, it needn't be complicated.

Really I never saw what was wrong with the ET340. It performed well, was reliable and had a long production run. And it still swivelled, long before Dyson and Sebo could ever lay claim to this ability. I get that they were trying to integrate the hard floor and dry cleaning functions into one head, but the added complexity meant reliability took a hit. It is convenient I admit, but I do feel more comfortable with separate heads that don't need to be treated with kid gloves. Different attachments for different tasks was always their USP anyway, and exactly what a Vorwerk is supposed to be all about.

 

[sebo_fan]

The Vorwerk may well lay claim to being a swivelling upright before SEBO and Dyson, but it doesn't exactly have a hose on board as a modern "all in one."

One could so easily say that the Hooverette stick vac offers the same design premise - the only difference is that the Vorwerk seems to offer a power nozzle AND comes with additional accessories.

I admire old vacuums - but I think modern life these days has taken over with required smaller or additional attachments that are close to hand rather than in a bag. Its a pity that the reliability is poor. When you consider Vorwerk started out around 1930, I'd have thought the company would have made more than just what they have done.

 

[rugsucker]

swivelling upright

Vorwerk,Sebo,Dyson AND ! AirWay - 1920 and later with a 2 motor.

 

[spiraclean]

Depends on your mindset. I for one don't find onboard tools especially convenient. The main objective was always to get them to fit nicely onto the vac, often at the expense of functionality. This is why we have stretch hoses that cut you no slack while cleaning, short extension tubes (if present in the first place), and often downsized tools. That's if you get the full set in the first place, because many omit either the dusting brush or upholstery tool.

Personally I'm a heavy attachment user, and will often use the hose and tools for extended periods when giving the house a proper clean. I need a full set of real attachments, not whatever can be shoehorned into whatever room there is on the back of the vac.

I understand the vast majority of people like onboard tools, and that's great, because that's what the vast majority of vacs offer. But there will always be those who aren't as keen, and that's why products such as the Vorwerk and Kirby (for example) still exist. Neither company seems interested in offering a product like anything you'd find in the shops, yet they've still managed to carve out their own niche in the market. If there were no demand and no sales, they'd have changed tack long ago.

 

[sebo_fan]

True, but a Kirby is made of metal for the most part and has always been a traditional upright vacuum cleaner for carpets. There are many great additional features such as its self driven mechanism, that helps the owner out and possibly helps to sell the upright when original thoughts about it look too heavy and bulky to push.

But the Kirby models are usually very reliable too, last for years and being made of metal are very robust. They're not indestructible but they are closer than say, products such as Oreck uprights which are still selling and are at the opposite end of the market for a lightweight upright only design. Infact when I think about it, Oreck's uprights are completely a stand alone design since there are no accessories available to turn it into suction only, let alone any cleaning tools or a hose on board.

From what has been suggested here from former posts, it would appear that some Vorwerk models aren't reliable or as well built. Its a pity then given the asking prices of those models even when they appear on auction sites. Sorry, but if the machine isn't reliable, it doesn't matter to me how long the rest of it and its tools carry on for.

 

[spiraclean]

Again, it depends. Older Vorwerk models (the direct air ones) were known for being very reliable, because they were relatively simple in construction and there was little that could go wrong with them. It's only since the change to a clean air design with electronics and an entirely new power nozzle did the teething troubles start cropping up.

I personally think the reason Vorwerk have had a bad run in recent years is because they now seem to have a policy of drastically redesigning the machine on a fairly regular basis, each time running into a whole new set of problems before there has even been time to work out the previous issues. That never happened before when the machines remained largely the same for several years on end, with only minor incremental updates.

 

[DesertTortoise]

A little bit OT, but any advantage to the Sebo over a Windsor Sensor XP? Both appear to share the same genetics and many part numbers though now Sebo and Windsor are now owned by different parent firms. The Sebos are priced higher than the Windsors for the same functionality. Not sure there is any advantage to the Sebo other than Sebo markets to consumers while Windsor is pretty strictly sold to commercial customers. Earlier Sebos had much less powerful motors than the Sensor but that is not true today.

One thing I have noticed with the Windsor that I believe is also true of the Sebo is that in deep pile carpet, even with brush at it's highest setting, it will suck down into the carpet, bog the brush and this fools the brush sensor into thinking there is a brush jam. The red "Check Brush" light comes on and the vacuum shuts itself off. This is frustrating for a premium vacuum to do this, and it certainly isn't a problem I have with my thirty plus year old Kenmore canister and Powermate.

 

[sebo_fan]

I looked at getting a Vorwerk many years ago well before I bought my Sebo Felix. I had seen one in a hotel owned by friends and thought it was amazing. However, when she told me the cost price they had bought it for, I was really shocked (they paid around £400 in the 1990s). I gave them my X1 Automatic and they wanted a straight swap - but they weren't getting it.

I would still consider a Vorwerk but only as a collector's item.

 

[sebo_fan]

SEBO entered a contract with Windsor Industries in 1979 and the XP series was sold with either manual height adjustment models or the XP models with auto sensor. The European G1/G2 was the same with manual height adjustment but it isn't sold in the UK any more.

Aside from softer cosmetics to the plastics, SEBO domestic models feature slightly higher motors, such as 1300 watts compared to the 1200 watts on the Windsor Sensor XP and extra tools if required. Im not sure if the USA have the ultra synthetic dust bags, but those are new and last longer than the paper ones. They can also be reused again..

Previous models by SEBO domestic like the original X1 Automatic had 850 watts and then increased to 1000 watts. Our domestic X1 Automatic is similar to the Windsor Sensor XP - even if the power is different, there really isn't much of a difference.

A "premium" upright in terms of it having a sensor is certainly premium - not all buyers have thick pile carpeting - that's why SEBO offer two models in most countries.

 

[spiraclean]

If you think £400 was expensive, last time I enquired the price had shot up to £1500! Way too much, even more so now the product is nowhere near as good as it once was.

Were you ever to seek out a Vorwerk for the collection, used is the only way to go. You can pick them up complete on eBay Germany for the same money as a Vax or Hoover, because they are ten a penny over there and the supply is never-ending. As long as it's a "proper" direct air Vorwerk, it will just keep on going with little to no attention.

 

[sebo_fan]

Good to know, thanks.