What comes closest today to a 1960 canister Electrolux?

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cochitin

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I have always had Electrolux canister vacs and my current one (1960s Model 1205) is on its last legs. I am looking for something NEW that cleans like the old Electrolux vacs did. With excellent suction power, separate attachments for bare floors, carpet, furniture. Also something with a long warranty and built like a tank (i.e., limited plastics).

Looking at the high-end canister vacuums out there now, I suppose my choices are Sebo, Miele, Simplicity, Riccar. Does anyone have any experience with these brands? Seems like Riccar with its horse hair brushes is the most similar to the Electro, but Riccar seems to have supply issues (hard to get vacs and parts), which concerns me. Miele is very plastic-y. Dunno bout the others.

Thanks for your help in advance!
 
From my experience, switching from an electrolux to any other machine would be tough. The 1205 is an amazing machine. I have one I still use. I also use a 6500 Lux as a daily driver and really like it. I still love the 1205 better. I love the attachments and how they work together ect. Plus I am so used to them. You can find good used Electroluxes on Ebay ect. I have been very happy with my plastic 6500. I think with anything if you take care of it it will last you a lifetime. Good luck!
 
Yeah, the thing is I really want a new vac. I have been buying vintage Electroluxes for decades and now I really want to treat myself with something new, that doesn't have any odors, etc.

I forgot to say I vacuum pretty much every day and I have 50% stone floors, 25% carpet, 25% hardwood. And a hairy border collie.
 
the Perfect power team

If you want a vacuum that is very similar to the older metal Electrolux models, the Perfect metal canister is worth considering. It looks almost exactly like the Electrolux metal canisters, but uses an Ametek motor. It's a very nice machine, I have one and really like it. Looks like the metal one has been discontinued, but evacuum store apparently has some open box models left if you want to get one.
https://evacuumstore.com/p-197-power-team-perfect-canister-vacuum.aspx
If you want a plastic one instead, it's a bit lighter to carry and uses a one stage motor instead of a two stage, that one is still being made, both of these use the style C bags that the Electrolux vacuums use.
https://evacuumstore.com/p-14188-power-team-perfect-plastic-canister-vacuum.aspx
Miele, Sebo, and Riccar are also very good vacuums. If you want a Riccar vacuum, I would suggest the Prima, it's an awesome canister.
Mike
 
After being in the floor care most of my life, I wold still recommend a new Aerus Electrolux, I would go with the Legacy, it is a fine machine, still built here in America, has good suction and is convenient to use. Second choice would be a Miele, they work well, just not as advanced as an Aerus when it comes to bag changing and ease of use. Simplicity and Riccar, both the same machines made by Tacony Corp are decent machines, but they don't hold up as well as the Miele's, they say they are "built" in America, but the guts are all Chinese. For longevity, I would stick with an Aerus Electrolux.
 
If you're handy and the site is mostly dedicated to those that are.....I would find a low hr Diamond J. I picked this model for two reasons; one, I bought a new Diamond J set-up in '83 for about $1,300...that was a LOT of money for a vac back then. And it didn't disappoint. They had some motor problems but you have to assume any surviving examples got replaced motors or the motors are OK (you'll get two different 'stories' on the motor). Two, it's still a metal body tank and they are plentiful on Craigslist where you'll find some real deals....like $75 or less for the works.


 


I've resotred a dozen of these and given them to family & friends. When it comes to cleaning, they are a 'force of nature'. A good motor will pull 80 inches and they have good CFM at the hose end.  They will take a HEPA bag and you can put a motor prefilter between the bag and the motor. You'll get carbon brush dust though....no filter for that.


 


For hardwood floors, it's hard to beat the retro Hoover Connie....fully filtered but you have to learn to use the exhaust in your favor or it can blow floor crap around. The Diamond J would do most everything for you that the most expensive tanks would do today...except filter the electric brush dust.....and the used pricing is extremely favorable.


 


If you insist on 'new' go with a top line Aerus as was mentioned.


 


Kevin
 
As an owner of a Perfect

I can attest to how amazingly powerful this machine is! It will just about suck the paint off the walls. NOW, with that said, there are some things I want to point out to you, especially coming from an Electrolux 1205. As I said, this thing is stupidly powerful, BUT it’s also a LOT louder than your 1205. I believe mine has a 1200 watt motor in it, so that pleasing Electrolux “hum” is gone! The next thing, I don’t care for the hose OR the power nozzle. My hose whistles and doesn’t seem to match up quite right with some Elux peripherals such as the sidekick. I’m not the only person to have this problem either, search the VL archives and you will find similar complaints from other owners! As for the power nozzle, it’s almost too aggressive or something. I have mainly area rugs and laminate flooring so I only use the PN on the large area rugs. It seems to dig into the rug and big the motor down to the point I fear I’ll break a belt or damage the PN motor. To make my system work, I took a vinyl Electrolux hose and a PN Omniflow from a Marquis and I’m now completely satisfied with how it performs. The louder motor, well that’s just something you have to get used to.....on the bright side, it’s still not ear piercing as modern Eurekas, Hoover’s, etc.

I said all that to say this......the Perfect Powerteam will cost you $899 brand new, which is fine if you can live with the nuances I’ve mentioned above, or if you have enough Electrolux parts to start swapping things out on it. Or for just a little bit more, you could go ahead and get the Aerus Legacy (or Guardian Platinum if money is no object!) and you’ll have an amazing cleaning machine that works straight out of the box! The newer Aerus motors aren’t as soft and quiet as a 1205 or such, but they’re not completely obnoxious, and the Platinum is actually really quiet! The other thing you get with an Aerus product is a good warranty and excellent customer service! I believe the Legacy carries a 15 year warranty, and the Guardian carries a 20 year warranty...... Good luck with whatever you choose, but hopefully there is a vac shop close to you that will allow you to test drive several models before you make a final decision!

http://www.aerushome.com/Site/FloorCare
 
You'll be hard pressed to find a new vacuum that compares to the Electrolux 1205 you were using, without dropping a lot of cash. If you are worried about smells in a vacuum, get a second hand Electrolux from a vacuum store. They typically sanitize the machines they put up for sale, or you can take apart a used model and clean it yourself; they aren't that difficult. Aside from a brand new Aerus, you likely wont find one that will last as long as the original or be as powerful or have that "hushed" tone they produce.

Good luck in your search!
 
While it looks nothing like an Electrolux, you might look at the Sebo D4. It's plastic, but high-quality, solidly built plastic. It doesn't feel cheap and plasticky to me at all. The only construction element I'm at all dubious about is the suction channel leading from the motor into the lid - there's a gasket around the intake, and I'm not sure how well that gasket holds up over time. If that gasket started leaking, you'd lose a fair bit of airflow. That said, I've never heard a Sebo D4 owner complain about it, and the vac shop near me that sells Sebo says they've never seen problems with it. (OTOH, they'd like to sell me a Sebo, so maybe they'd say that regardless.)

The Simplicity Wonder and Riccar Prima (same machine, practically speaking) are quite good too. Also plastic but solidly built, and I think they have better power nozzles than Sebo, in terms of cleaning performance. (The Sebo ET-1 can't be beat for maintainability, though. Thumbs up to their engineers for that one.)

Other than the Perfect and the Aerus tanks mentioned above, there aren't a whole lot of mostly-metal canisters made any more. Maybe the Filter Queen Majestic, the Fairfax or the Metropolitan canister. The Metropolitan doesn't seem bad - it's a durable steel tank machine similar to a Sani-Clean or a Royal tank - but it comes with a lackluster power nozzle and doesn't have HEPA bags. The Filter Queen, well, it's a Filter Queen. If you've seen one, you've seen the new one, give or take. Great machines, but the disposable filter setup is basically all the headaches of both bags and bagless machines. I like FQs, but they're not Electroluxy in the slightest. The Fairfax is similar, but it uses a bag. I think they still make those - they did a few years ago, leastwise.

Opinions seem divided on the new Aerus machines. They seem to have good airflow and they do appear to be well-made, but some folks don't like the plastic. I've heard the power nozzle is mediocre, but I don't have any data to back that up. Does anyone have experience with the new Aerus nozzles as compared to say, Sebo, Miele or Riccar?
 
Yup, thats's my problem with the Aerus Lux Guardian, all that plastic. Specifically the power nozzle. It's just one long plastic L-shaped wand. I have no problem paying 2 grand for a new vac, as long as it's built like my 1205.

I mean, that's basically what I am looking for. A new version of my 1205, at whatever price!

As far as sanitizing old vacs, in my experience, and I have had many many Electros sanitized, the odor always comes back. I have been sort of putting up with that for decades. And now I'm just wanting a new machine to avoid that.
 
The perfect canister is definitely probably the best clone and closest to what you're looking for in physical size and shape.

If you're wanting to jump into a modern canister I would highly recommend the sebo E3 with the ET-1 power nozzle. The price ,quality , handling and performance.
Will wow you!
 
Highly Recommend Simplicity or Riccar!

I own 150 plus new/current vacuum cleaners, and although I don’t know about vintage Vacuums or Electrolux (heard great things) I do know I’m blown away by the Simplicity Wonder Power Team canister I own. The Riccar (Twin) is the Prima Power Team. I own a Sebo, Miele and Simplicity canister vacuums, all close in cost.. but the Simplicity Wonder far outperforms the other two. It’s super (extremely) quiet, the Wonder has extremely strong suction and it’s built strong and durable out of high quality materials. I never have the “odor” issue you mentioned and I have a Chihuahua Corgi mix who sheds a lot. I love the attachment tools, natural horse hair and a wonderful bare floor nozzle with a soft microfiber insert, that is great for delicate and high shine floors. The funny thing is the dusting brush/upholstery tool folds and reverses similar to Electrolux.. it doesn’t become the crevice tool though. ;-) All together I found an excellent dealer in a near by state who offered me a huge discount, so I bought all the extras too. I’d highly recommend the Tandem Air nozzle too (unfortunately when I bought mine it wasn’t available yet, but I really Love the power nozzle I did get) if your finances allow, as well as the electric power mini brushroll tool for upholstery and carpeted stairs, or the more affordable “Fur Get It” pet hair removal tool.. it works great! So made in the USA, the 5/3 year warranty is great but from the words of the largest Simplicity dealer in PA, he rarely has repairs on Simplicity and when he does they are not as costly (his words) also, compared check online as Miele (No hate or shade as I have Many Miele Vacuums and LOVE them) has a higher repair rate than most canisters. Also, per your comment if you find the right dealer (the larger the better) replacement parts are Not an issue. You can easily order parts and have them shipped to you also, or if an internal fix, all dealers can get parts without hassle now. If possible I Recommend you find a Simplicity or Riccar dealer store, try all the canisters out and I think you’ll be VERY satisfied. Just my opinion but I am very critical/picky of my Vacuums as a lot of current Vacuums lack the quality of vintage.. BUT I own many Riccar, Simplicity and Maytag (all made by Tacony) and I Love them the most, and their my most often used Vacuums. I hope this helps

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I see the Miele reviews are 5 stars all over the Internet, with everyone from Consumer Reports to people on this forum extolling their virtues. But I just can't get past those horrible, cheap-looking attachments.
 
The perfect canister is definitely probably the best clone and closest to what you're looking for in physical size and shape.

If you're wanting to jump into a modern canister I would highly recommend the sebo E3 with the ET-1 power nozzle. The price ,quality , handling and performance.
Will wow you!
 
Aerus Classic mentioned above--

--would be a must see and test drive if it is still the standard model similar to the LE/2100 with the metal Power Nozzle wands,separate wands for hard floor brush and same type quality small attachments that were used from the 50s including the 1205.The plastic body has all the quality but less weight than the metal body.In addition to the same type C bags it adds an after filter.As with older models you could use your choice of Power Nozzle with the metal wand and 2 wire cord connection but give the new PN(still has gear belt,reset & adds an off position) a chance.
There is much good information above including the Perfect and others but if you want a new version of the 1205 go to Aerus and see their plainest,less expensive tank and NOT the deluxe,heavy,plastic wand,remote switch expensive model.
 
more about the Aerus classic and others

Yes, the Aerus classic is the current model that is similar to the 2100, embassador, diplomat, etc. It no longer uses the two stage motor that was used in these machines though, it's a one stage motor, I think made by Johnson but not sure on that. The hose and electrical connection is standard so you can use any of the older Electrolux power nozzles, or even hook up a power nozzle from another brand such as Sebo, Lindhaus, Centec, etc. If you want something new that is made by the same company that made the 1205, at least as close as it gets, the Aerus classic is the one you want.
The Perfect power Team is also a very good machine. Interestingly, the plastic version of this machine uses the hose from the older metal Electrolux models. The one issue I have seen with the hose is that the suction relief slider does not stay closed, it's very loose and I ended up having to tape it shut. Either the Aerus classic or Perfect Power Team are the closest vacuum that is currently made that resembles the older Electrolux.
The Metropolitan canister is a good machine, it's long like a tank machine and is made of metal. There are a few things I don't like about it though, it's very loud, not so much from the motor itself but the air blowing out of the exhaust port is quite noisy. The bags are paper rather than cloth, and the power nozzle is average at best, it's the Dustcare PB 11. Again, the hose on this machine is a standard fit and standard electric plug, so attaching better power nozzles to it is easy.
The Riccar Prima and its twin the Simplicity Wonder are great machines as are the Sebo power team canisters. Some think the Sebo power nozzles do not clean very well, but this has not been my experience. I have found that they clean really well and move very easily.
I do agree that you should check out the Aerus classic machine, I think you would really like it. One web site I would suggest that you check out is greatvacs.com
They sell refurbished high end vacuums and they usually have several Electrolux models, along with Rainbows.
Mike
 
If you are dead set on getting a brand new vacuum (aside from new old stock), you simply won't find a vacuum with the same build quality or amount of metal components as the older Electrolux or other vacuums from yesteryear. The Perfect canisters are the closest match. Someone had mentioned the Simplicity models, but I think you'll be disappointed with its construction and build quality coming from the 1205 Electrolux. You'll have to compromise somewhere.

By the way, what types of odors do you typically get from used models you have purchased and used in the past? I once bought a very, very, very dirty Electrolux Epic upright vacuum that someone allowed the dust bag to overflow and it had all sorts of dog hair and other stuff everywhere. It all smelled very bad! Anyways, I took it apart and cleaned it all out (vacuumed, wiped out what I could) and installed a new bag and belt. I also sprinkled Oreck Aroma Crystals on the carpet and also placed one scent tablet in the empty bag and I never once had a trace of the former smells from that dirty machine. I have cleaned up all of my thrift store purchase that way (with the exception of my aunt's Oreck that she apparently used to vacuum up dog doo - that one I took completely apart and soaked everything except the motor and in diluted Mr. Clean lemon scented cleaner in the bathtub and the odor was completely gone and did not come back.
 
The only way I can describe the odor is "dirty socks" or "smelly feet" odor. Eventually all of my Electroluxes get that odor. And this is not because I have a dirty house, because as I said I vacuum daily or every other day, mop, have my dog groomed, and I take at least two showers a day! I'm a neat freak!

Maybe I need to get some Mr. Clean?

I see that the Mieles now have a 10-year warranty (better than anything else except the Aerus). That is attractive. Maybe I can buy some after market horsehair attachments for the Miele?

I would get an Aerus but that all-plastic wand/power nozzle is a deal breaker for me.
 
Here's a pic of my baby, the 1205.

Issues are:

It smells like feet
The cord on the power nozzle is fried
The suction is at like 50% of what it was


I have another Electro in the background that I got as a gift but dunno its condition yet. Plus another Electro canister in the carport that is fried, have not gotten around to fixing.

cochitin-2018010911523908058_1.jpg
 
I always liked the color scheme of the 1205 and the Silverado models. I upgraded the original hose on my Silverado to a vinyl hose after the woven hose started to develop leaks and it improved the suction greatly! Yes! In know what you mean when you say the "dirty feet"; smell. That is exactly how that Electrolux Epic smelled when I got it. Part of the smell you experience could in fact be the old woven type hose. Couldn't hurt to try an inexpensive replacement.

Also, try disassembling the 1205 and clean out what dirt/dust you can, including blowing out the motor assembly with canned air. Mine had a lot of dirt/fuzz that had accumulated around the motor over the years. You could wipe it out with some of the Mr. Clean deodorizing cleaner to see if it helps some, but I wouldn't put any on any of the electrical components. Does the motor on your 1205 still sound good? If it does, I would try the cleaning route versus replacing it. Also, the Oreck Aroma II Crystals are about the best I have found in keeping vacuum odors at bay that can generate from the bags over time. In addition, I think the Perfect branded Type "C" bags work very well at filtering the air. They are made out of a cloth type material but not sure how they compare to the genuine Electrolux/Aerus bags. They seem to be very well made.

https://www.oreck.com/crystal-aroma-ii/AROMAII.html

http://www.vacuumbags.com/pevacstpchev.html
 
"I would get an Aerus BUT---"

The Aerus Classics I have seen do NOT use the 2 square plastic wands and troublesome swivel elbo on PN.Instead they have the 2 metal wands with plastic sheath on the upper wand and separate wands for other attachments very similar to what the 2 Elux in your closet had.Also the newer, more flexible hose is a big improvement.I feel that if you LIKE your 1205 when you see the standard Aerus you would LOVE it!
 
Lux Replacement

Hi,

I am not sure I like any of the machines avail as well as I liked the last all metal machine Lux made in 1992 and I sold a lot of the plastic canisters on the streets of Boston part-time over the years. I always thought the Silverado Deluxe/PN-5 was the best overall vacuum they ever made in terms of ease of use and overall durability.

My pick would be from the following: Miele Marin/SEB236, Sebo D4/ET1, Leftover Riccar Impeccable/Simplicity Moxie or Lux Platinum. Have three of the mentioned and had an earlier Miele. Favorite nozzle is Sebo, Like the Riccar for hose length and good performance. Love the Lux Platinum. Quieter, most powerful of the bunch, convenient, dual HEPA, best attachments. All will have something you don't like. For me it's the Lux wands but I hate the electronic membrane switches on the Riccar and tiny accessories and short cords on Miele. Sebo is clunky and the hose is stiff. All of the power nozzles clean well if you use them so it is a matter of machine preference. All mentioned are plastic except the Lux which is Stainless over plastic. Miele nozzle is a PITA to service.

Try a Downy Dryer sheet in a clean bag and change more often to control the odor. I use two bags/month having a German Shorthair in the house and the twin HEPA in the Lux works well for this issue. Another option is a Rainbow E2B which is an excellent machine and has great scent capability, performance and overall quality. It too is worth serious consideration.

Brian
 
Yes the motor on my 1205 is perfectly fine. Wheels are noisy. Power nozzle cord needs fixing. Needs cleaning, etc. Maybe the suction issue is in fact that hose.

Otherwise runs like a champ.

You guys are the absolute best thank you so much for all of your guidance!
 
repairing your 1205

First thing I would do is replace your hose with something like this one.
https://evacuumstore.com/p-2831-electrolux-metal-canister-vacuum-hose-with-swivel.aspx
You could try and repair the power nozzle, and a lot of them are available used. Or, you could pair it up with a different power nozzle entirely such as a Sebo ET1. If the suction motor stilll works well, getting this machine working again should be possible. For the odor issue, I would vacuum up some laundry crystals, I use those in my vacuum bags and they work well. The perfect bags are better than the ones that Aerus provides, they are cloth bags instead of paper.
Mike
 
I bought a new

Simplicity Wonder, used it twice and gave it away, like most new machines that clunky awful hose grip about drove me crazy, I will stick to my vintage machines! I just do not like new products, as much as I have tried, I cant do it!
 

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