What are the differences between Rainbows and Filter Queens?

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Filter queen has a paper cone shape filter and no bag. The dust collects in the cylinder and it's a pig to clean out. Yucky da!
 
Biggest one: Rainbow uses water for filtration, Filter Queen has a paper filter.

I don't find the FQ any nastier to empty than a Dyson or other bagless, but you will want a fresh filter each time. If you do that, though, they filter very well indeed.

I think Filter Queens generally develop more airflow at the hose than Rainbows, but they do lose airflow as they fill up; Rainbow doesn't. Rainbow has a better power nozzle, but I think Filter Queens have better tools in general. That said, their tools are weird, and only interchangeable with other FQs and some Royals; Rainbow tools are more standard.
 
I love them both!

The Filter Queens are better at filtering fine dust, and have better airflow in my experience. (I'm talking about old Rainbows.) However, I like the water-filtration of Rainbows better, because it is cleaner to maintain. No smelly filters, or dusty collection tanks. Rainbow today has a better PN but with comparing a D4 to a Majestic from '92 , those two clean about the same. Filter Queens and Rainbows are still excellent canisters, surpassing most canisters in quality today. I could live with a Rainbow or 'Queen as my only vacuum. I've seen Filter Queens that still have strong airflow with a full tank. Dyson may have the best in cyclonic technology right now, but he certainly has proof with Rainbows and Filter Queens that his technology wasn't as revolutionary as some may have been told. - Mitchell
 
I did use a filter queen many years ago. They are very well built excellent filtration. The PN doesn't clean close to the edge and doesn't switch off if you get anything stuck in it so the belt is vulnerable. I don't like the dusty filters and canister that have to be cleaned out.
And those paper cone things have to be changed about every week and in the UK they cost £2.50 each.

Although I haven't used a rainbow what I've seen of it, it looks the better option.
 
My mom had 2 Filter Queens and I have also owned a Filter Queen. Emptying the dirt container is really not that big of a deal. And the paper cone only needs to be changed when the dirt container is emptied, which for my use (even with 2 cats that shed), was only once every 2-3 months. For vacuuming normal household dirt, the cone does not need to be changed every week. For me, the Filter Queen was more convenient than the Rainbow (I have owned the current model and also currenlty own a model D). If you want to do a quick vacuum of the kitchen floor for instance, setting up the Rainbow is a lot more hassle than the Filter Queen which is always ready to go. Say, for example that you drop a glass and it shatters into thousands of slivered size pieces. With the Rainbow you would have to fill up the water basin, attach it to the unit, vacuum and then dump and clean the bin. With the Filter Queen you just turn on, vacuum and turn off - too much hassle for a quick vacuum in my opinion.

Gary
 
I have 3 filters in my Filter Queen

1. The cellulose cone filter (replaced once a month).
2. Under the cone is a carbon impregnated MediPure filter cone (replaced every 6 months).
3. Motor filter (replaced every 6 months).

Health Mor (makers of Filter Queen) sell maintanence kits for their machines that include 12 normal cones, 2 MediPure cones, and two motor filters.
 
The Rainbow was invented and sold way before the Filter Queen. The President of Rexair Inc. (Rainbow) and the President of Health-Mor (which sold rebadged Royal straight suction uprights) were long time friends. When Rexair's President showed the Rexair cleaner to Health-Mor's President - Health-Mor's President decided he needed to make and sell a better cleaner. Royal built the first Filter Queen model (as well as the second) for Health-Mor. Health-Mor copied the Rexair demonstration, almost word for word. The two companies have always been sales rivals.
 
May be a bit more work with the Rainbow but it's far more easier to dump the dirt. I didn't like emptying the canister on the Filter Queen and the dusty filters.

I'd prefer my Dyson to filter queen it's a better design but the filter queen has better build quality.
 

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