We Bought a Sirena!

[bobbi]

About a month ago we headed to our local vac dealer intending to buy a refurb E2 Rainbow, and we came home with a Sirena instead. Why did we choose the Sirena instead? The warranty and package deal we got by going with the Sirena. To get a refurb Rainbow in the same price range would have given us a 5-year warranty vs. the 10-year warranty we get with the Sirena. Additionally, our dealer threw in a new Hoover hard floor scrubber, which I LOVE, since Rainbow offers a hard floor scrubber attachment that I wanted had we gone with the Rainbow.

My review - Let me preface my review by stating I have never owned a Rainbow or other water vac. I have been using a Kirby G5 that I bought new 19 years ago, and the Kirby is the only vacuum that my floors have ever seen. So part of my review is marveling at the marvelous technology of water vacs while part is on characteristics of the Sirena itself. Also, I want to mention that we have had a dog for the past 5 years, and he is the main reason I wanted a water vac - to get rid of stinky vac bags.

I wish I had gotten a water vac instead of my Kirby years ago. Initially I thought that my carpets would not be "bad," as in excessively dirty, because I thought my Kirby was a great and very capable vac. Well, I can't overstate just how wrong I was. The Sirena performs admirably. Does it perform like a Rainbow? I don't know nor care, because I can see how well my Sirena performs every time I vac and empty the basin. In my opinion, a water vac is light years ahead.

The very first carpet I tackled was my bedroom. Let me tell you something - I could only vac in 4'x 4' sections at a time, because that is how fast the basin became full!! I simply could not believe the inch-thick sludge and gook I saw floating on the water, nor the filth in the water below it. The solids at the bottom of the basin were thick just in the small area I vacuumed. I was sold that instant. I took the basin outside to show my husband as he was mowing the grass at the time. And I took out several more basins to show him the unbelievable filth that has been living in our carpet. I thought, "how could this be? - I've been using a Kirby all these years!" Well, the filth in the basin doesn't lie. A month later, and I am still going around the house deep cleaning with this miracle of a machine. At first, just as other first-time water vac users proclaimed, I felt overwhelmed. If this kind of filth is in a small 4x4 section, I have an entire house full of carpet that is filthy!

I did a head-to-head test of the Kirby vs. the Sirena, and there was no comparison. Maybe the newest Kirby's are better, but I don't want to deal with the stinky bags. The Sirena can come into a room immediately after my Kirby has been ran and still pull gobs of dirt. There is just no comparison.

I think all the attachments and the unit itself are of decent quality and will be durable - but that remains to be seen over time. There are only a couple complaints I have about my Sirena. The attachments are very easy to get on the hose end, but that little button to remove them is a force to be reckoned with. Also, I think the basin is made of a lesser grade plastic than Rainbow, because we used some essential oils one time (I don't care for artificial fragrance) and it etched the plastic a bit. Bummer! I know others on the forum have stated that they use essential oils in the Rainbow, so the fact that we can't is a bummer .....but NOT a deal breaker. Maybe someone has a suggestion? Or maybe we can suggest to Sirena that a line of natural vacuum fragrances can be developed.

 

[rvarley]

Thank you for your review!

Agreed, water vacuums do away with stinky bags and that is a great thing. I have a Rainbow, but it doesn't get constant use because of the time it takes to setup and clean. But you can't beat the pleasant smell it makes while vacuuming.

I do think water vacs and bagless make it appear that bagged vacuums leave a lot of dirt behind because you see the dirt when you're finished and it doesn't get compacted like it does in a bag. I'm sure any properly running Kirby cleans about as well or better than most other vacuums, bagged or otherwise. I've little doubt I could vacuum with my rainbow, then go over it again with my Kirby 560 and come away with an emptor full of stuff pulled out of the carpet (including a lot of carpet fibers). And the reverse would be true. Kirby first, then rainbow and the rainbow water would still be dirty.

As for floor cleaning attachments, I think a dedicated machine such as a cheap hoover steamvac probably do a better job than rainbow or kirby attachments. And it's a lot less fussy to setup and use.

 

[myles_v]

I wonder if the Kirby needs a new belt or brushroll, often I'd expect a Kirby to clean better than a vacuum with a bypass/clean air system. 19 years of constant use is quite a time to go if the brushroll hasn't been replaced at all.

Of course, carpets are never really truly clean so you'll keep pulling more and more dirt out, if you use the Kirby after the Sirena you'll still pull up more dirt with it.

 

[wyaple]

Glad you're happy with your Sirena

but I have to wonder if your G5 was really in serviceable condition. If you've never had your brush roll replaced and/or don't replace your worn belts at least annually, you may be experiencing vastly decreased performance. If you really are pulling out "gobs" of dirt so much so that you have to stop and empty the Sirena every dozen square feet or so, your G5 definitely isn't working properly. BTW, I own a Rainbow in addition to several Kirby's and rotate through them regularly to see what gets picked up every time I vacuum twice a week.

Before you dismiss your G5 entirely, get it properly serviced and make sure the height adjustment is properly set for your carpet type.

To get rid of the dreaded "bagged vac stink", Kirby now has charcoal cloth bags which I am now trying out. Washing the outer bag in a washing machine every 6 months or so will really help with reducing any musty odor.

Bill

 

[rainbowguy2016]

I've been wanting a Sirena since they first came out them but was worried they wouldn't hold up like a Rainbow . Kirbys are great but I don't like having to buy bags .

 

[dysonman1]

I have a Sirena as well. LOVE IT. Store it OFF the basin, clean the separator after every four uses, and replace the HEPA filter once every three years, and you'll be just fine. Congratulations on a great unit.

 

[floor-a-matic]

Will there be a shampooer or squeegee?

 

[moderneezer]

I've been looking into websites involving Sirena products and I'm interested in them. I was thinking about comparing a Sirena model with those of competing brands in the same price range and consider getting a Sirena if I have the money.

You, Bobbi, would most likely recommend a Sirena over a Kirby but would it also be a better choice than an Aerus, a FilterQueen, a TriStar, a C3 canister from Miele, a D4 canister from Sebo or any of the tandem-air uprights from Riccar or Simplicity?

 

[bobbi]

Thanks for the advice on improving performance of our Kirby

It most likely is in need of a brush roll. The belt has been changed regularly, but not yearly. We still aren't going to get rid of the stinky bag problem due to the dog,and I already bought a replacement vac. We have kept the Kirby to clean the vehicles, so I will just be using the mini brush anyhow, and using the vac outside.

 

[bobbi]

Moderneezer - That's a good question, and I am probably not the one to answer it. I would recommend a water vac over a bagged one after my experience. I'm no vac expert by any means.

Does a Sirena compare with the other brands you mentioned? I just don't know. My vacuum shop had the high end uprights, the Sirena, and a Rainbow, and we only compared the water vacs in head to head testing. Perhaps a local vac shop has some of the brands you mentioned so that you could do some head to head tests? We went with the water vac because of the stinky bag problem and apparent loss of suction with using bags (I know that bagged vacs losing suction is controversial!), and I am very impressed and happy with our choice.

 

[moderneezer]

Are there other people who can answer my question about the comparison between a Sirena and models of other brands?

 

[bobbi]

Floor-a-matic - I do not know if they will offer a shampooer or squeegee in the future. I already have a Hoover Steamvac shampooer with lots of spare parts to keep it going. On the Sirena, the small upholstery brush attachment has a removable brush that makes it flat to suck up spills, and the Hoover FloorMate hard floor scrubber that he threw in the deal has a squeegee, so I am covered there.

 

[rainbowguy2016]

Sirena

I have used essential oils in my Rainbow before but I don't use any citrus oils because it can over time eat away at the plastic . So if your gonna use essential oils in your Sirena avoid any citrus oils . So if you used citrus oils in your Sirena that's probably why the plastic is etched . So would you say the Sirena is better then the Rainbow? How do they compare?

 

[bobbi]

Rainbowguy - We had used cedar oil.
I cannot compare the Rainbow and Sirena, because I have never really used a Rainbow long-term. All I can say is that during the head to head test we ran while at the vac shop, they appeared to perform equally. That was a very limited test, however.

 

[myles_v]

Moderneezer

I've never used a Sirena, but I'd expect a tandem air or a direct air vacuum to perform better on carpeting than the Sirena, simply because those types typically do perform better than canisters or strictly bypass uprights because of their airflow, fan location, etc.

 

[kirbysthebest]

I own a Sirena, and they are not a bad vacuum.  I will agree that more than likely a Direct air, or tandem air would do as well or better. 


 


I think the wow factor of the Sirena, Rainbow, or bagless machines are that you see your results immediately, rather than waiting a few days, weeks, months before changing a bag. 


 


Also it is amazing how little is really required to tinge the water to looking dirty.  I think someone once mentioned something like a teaspoon of dirt will make the water mucky, but I have no proof of that claim.


 


The main thing with the Sirena, or any vacuum is, If you are happy with it and it is doing the job you want it to do; it's a good vacuum.

 

[rainbowguy2016]

I do agree any upright would preform better any canister . I personally like canisters better but i really like Kirbys . Also not fan of anything Riccar or simplicity.

 

[myles_v]

My problem with using one of my Rainbows is that the water never seems dirty enough when I vacuum my own house with it. I vacuum just about every other day, often with a Royal or my central vacuum, so on the occasion that I use my D4 the water isn't very "mucky." It's about as see-through as lemonade. Kinda like brown lemonade, with bits of leaves and a bit of cat hair in it lol.
It's a silly reason for me to not use it often, but vacuuming a relatively clean house with it defeats the novelty I guess. It is nice to be able to use it on wet or dry messes, though. I pour water with some floor cleaner on the hard floors and then I use the hard floor brush (which seals to the floor way more than it should) to scrub and suck up the water. It works pretty well, and leaves the floor relatively dry.

 

[rvarley]

You may not see results immediately with a bagged upright, but you will likely smell them - in the form of that nasty bagged vacuum odor. I still use a bagged vacuum on occasion, but the bagless and the rainbow don't have the noxious odor of the bagged machines. And yes, it is gratifying to see the results when the bin or water is dumped.