I have been thinking since I started selling rainbow.. What will the next machine look like? I think the current model gives us a clue. This is purely speculation, but I believe rexair will try to make the rainbow smaller in size. Currently, in my opinion, the canisters are fairly bulky. The "clue" the current gen rainbow gives is the exhaust hole in the exhaust cover port aka lower portion of cord wrap. In past e series the cover here has been solid and filtered exhaust air was diverted to passages on either side of the machine, leading to vents. Now, however, there is a hole for the exhaust directly in front of it behind the bottom cord wrap. The vents on either side are still present but have no air passing through them because of this new vent in the cord wrap. This leads me to believe that the next rainbow will eliminate these passageways that add bulk to the rainbow and that the company wil further try to cut down on the machines size. I personally think this is a logical progression as setting my e series next to my rexair model c, the e series seems ridiculously over sized. Again, these are just my thoughts and I really have no idea what the future of rainbow is. Anybody else have any ideas?
What is the future of rainbow?
- Thread starter kirbyduh
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My opinion is,, that they will indeed make it smaller and more streamlined, maybe even change the shape a little make it look more like a Meile or that sort. I would like to see a different color. Maybe a brighter color instead of the black maybe like an aqua color or something a long those lines. It looks like they have the motor for the future that will carry on well into the 2020s. I have to say I like the way the current model looks like to be honest. but a model that is 20% smaller would be cool too.
rainbowjoel
Well-known member
I agree that E2 is quite huge. I have E2 speed gold series and D4c, and D4 is much smaller than E2. I hope they make it smaller and even more powerful. But more power it is the noiser it gets?
ralph123
Well-known member
If you're selling Rainbows you have to quit thinking about defects/imperfections/problems with Rainbows. You need to pretend that you live in an alternative universe where the Rainbow is the only cleaning system that works. It's not just a vacuum, it's a way of life. If you don't run your Rainbow cleaning system 24 hours a day, you'll absorbed into a big pile of filth and choke. Without a Rainbow running, you're at risk of your beverages being turned into mud before your very eyes. You get the idea.
As for expecting frequent changes, forget about it. (Google Rainbow vacuum history - Tom Gasko wrote a nice one, and look at the number of models Rainbow since inception in 1922. I was surprised that they moved the belt from center to side on the power nozzle recently.
As for expecting frequent changes, forget about it. (Google Rainbow vacuum history - Tom Gasko wrote a nice one, and look at the number of models Rainbow since inception in 1922. I was surprised that they moved the belt from center to side on the power nozzle recently.
My favorite era of Rainbow was from 1974 to 1980, when they used a power nozzle made by Eureka, model #R1024. It was an option for models D2, D2A and very early into the D3A run.
~Ben
~Ben
I love my Grandma's It is a D2 chrome top. I will never let that go. I still am amazed how you can see the windings of the motor,, and the water below it. I know the spinning air and separator does it's job,, but still Exposed windings over water?? I like the D3 as well. The D4 I am not much into. But the newest one I want. I think that a color change would be great. Lighter colors like teal or an aqua or something of that sort. Or a color that means "clean" Black is so overdone on everything.
One of the improvements I would like to see on the Rainbow is to have a swivel connection at both ends of the hose. A more compact, lighter design would be nice also.
Gary
Gary
vacuumman206
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2012
- Messages
- 355
I would like to see a d4 style machine, with a dolly that is circular like the machine, and not much bigger than it. That and 1 other thing is the only thing I have against the older rainbows(my favorites); the dollys smack into and get caught on everything. The other thing, which I don't know if they've improved on the e-series, is the ease of cleaning out the water basin. No matter how hard I try, I can never get all of the water out of them without wiping thourghly(even though I know that should be done anyway)
The dolly..
Needs to be perfectly round like a Filter Queen, then it wouldnt catch on everything, also make the machine the same size as it used to be, they have finally got a machine with real power, now fix it so its user friendly, Kirby likewise needs to scale down that monstrosity they make, make it the size and weight of a D-80 and I would want one!
Needs to be perfectly round like a Filter Queen, then it wouldnt catch on everything, also make the machine the same size as it used to be, they have finally got a machine with real power, now fix it so its user friendly, Kirby likewise needs to scale down that monstrosity they make, make it the size and weight of a D-80 and I would want one!
dysonman1
Well-known member
My mother never used the dolly on her Rainbow and neither do I. It pulls around just fine on it's pan and doesn't need those wheels vibrating and getting in the way. The Chrome Dome was the best of all the models for ease of use and compactness.
Another great thing would be to find a way to protect the machine from water damage from the idiots that seem to think they are able to store them with water still in them. I store mine never on the water pan, I always store it on it's side.
kirbysthebest
Well-known member
I like the Rainbow, I honestly do.
However, the main draw back is their pricing system, their unwillingness or inability to deal on the machines, and (at least in our area) the wham-bam and you never see them again mame sales tactics. They have an office in ICT, but you can't ever find anyone there, they never answer the phone so service and consumables are done by third parties or internet.
My Niece fell into their trap a few years back where she was supposed to be paid $50 per (qualified) demo for two weeks then go strictly commission. The entire time she was earning a free machine of her own that she could sell for pure profit. yadda-yadda. They (disqualified) all but one of her demos, as if getting inside isn't already hard enough, so hence wasn't paid but for one demo, they tracked her like they were NSA. One demo she did she had a sales contract and they refused it because the person lived in a condo and she was supposed to be selling to owner occupied homes. The condo was in the $250K range and was owner/occupied. We are sure the sales supervisor later delivered the machine and took the sale from her.
As for the machine itself, I don't have a lot of complaints. The weight is a factor, but I can see where that is hard to whittle down due to the weight of the water in the basin.
However, the main draw back is their pricing system, their unwillingness or inability to deal on the machines, and (at least in our area) the wham-bam and you never see them again mame sales tactics. They have an office in ICT, but you can't ever find anyone there, they never answer the phone so service and consumables are done by third parties or internet.
My Niece fell into their trap a few years back where she was supposed to be paid $50 per (qualified) demo for two weeks then go strictly commission. The entire time she was earning a free machine of her own that she could sell for pure profit. yadda-yadda. They (disqualified) all but one of her demos, as if getting inside isn't already hard enough, so hence wasn't paid but for one demo, they tracked her like they were NSA. One demo she did she had a sales contract and they refused it because the person lived in a condo and she was supposed to be selling to owner occupied homes. The condo was in the $250K range and was owner/occupied. We are sure the sales supervisor later delivered the machine and took the sale from her.
As for the machine itself, I don't have a lot of complaints. The weight is a factor, but I can see where that is hard to whittle down due to the weight of the water in the basin.
dysonman1
Well-known member
It's so different here in Missouri. Two of my best friends are vac shop owners in different counties. Both are also Authorized Rainbow Service Centers and can sell brand new Rainbows in their shops. You don't need an 'in home' demo to buy a new Rainbow, and the service during the 8 year motor warranty is done at the vac shop. Here's a picture of my very good friend, Evan Rogers, who bought my vac shop when Tacony opened the Vacuum Museum. He's just rebuilt a fifteen year old Rainbow, and does an amazing job. At least in the greater St. Louis area, Rainbow service is easy to obtain and very professionally done.
kirbysthebest
Well-known member
Tom
I messaged you several years ago on another forum regarding a rebuild of my now 40 year old D2.
I would be interested in contact info for your friend as would gladly ship if he could rebuild, and still find parts. It's biggest problem is I loaned it to by brother and he cleaned an entire room without water in the baisn. Now it vibrates something terrible.
I messaged you several years ago on another forum regarding a rebuild of my now 40 year old D2.
I would be interested in contact info for your friend as would gladly ship if he could rebuild, and still find parts. It's biggest problem is I loaned it to by brother and he cleaned an entire room without water in the baisn. Now it vibrates something terrible.
man114
Well-known member
Oddly I was wondering the same thing, and I just started selling Rainbows with my wife as a team.
A brief history here first, I've been a believer in bagless vacuums since the early days of Fantom and have more vacuums than any normal person (I've got 3 Kirbys and a Fantom Cyclone XT in my garage at the moment).
Shortly after we bought our house back in 2009 we ended up getting a Rainbow D4 via inheritence, complete with everything except the powerhead.
About a year later I scored an E Series in like new condition at a thrift store for $19.96. I literally ran to it and grabbed it when I saw it. Even around the local Rainbow office everyone is envious of that find.
We actually approached the Rainbow dealer a couple of weeks ago to see about getting fragrence oil since we didn't know where the local distributors were. The guy offered to demo us the new one and take a look at ours in case it was in need of service.
When he got here he saw the D4 and E Series and he took a look at them which were obviously in impeccable shape since I take care of this stuff. Gave us a 15 minute or so rundown of the new model and asked us if we wanted to sell them as a team. My wife loves the thing and despite both us having full time jobs here we are selling them. We don't really need the money I think its the fact we're the exact demographic they're looking for to sell to young married homeowners.
It does what it claims to do and costs a lot. I guess it depends on your logic as a buyer, Rainbow stands behind it well and it holds its value. Most average people never set foot in a vacuum store unless they need a part. Most go to Wal-Mart or Kmart and plop down their $75 every year or two for a new machine.
Rainbow's sales tactics are both good and bad because a lot depends on the local distributor. A good distributor is honest and upfront showing the machine's merits, the others are sketchy and pushy. We have two locally one has a 5 star rating and the other a 2 star.
Like Kirby the thing here is the vast majority of the population is not going to walk into a store to purchase an expensive vacuum. Heck even Dysons are a tough sell. You really have to get the person to realize that that $49 Bissell is going to be a yearly investment unless your house is tiny and you only vacuum once a week.
I see the logic behind retaining a door to door type business. If you put it on the shelf at Kmart I guarantee you no one would touch it. It is too expensive to sell in that fashion, I'm sure its not an easy sell at a higher end vacuum shop with used models.
I don't even do most of the vacuuming, I'll ocassionally do so if my wife is sick or something. I'm not the biggest guy maybe 5"11 just shy of 200lbs but that Kirby is a heavy as heck, I only use them to vacuum the garage carpet. At least the Rainbow is manageable.
Usually we alternate between the Dyson DC07 upstairs and the Fantom Thunder, Dyson DC33 downstairs and the Rainbow doing both every other time. The biggest sole advantage is you don't get a massive dust cloud emptying in the bin. Like any of the other machines it doesn't lose suction, and anyone claiming it doesn't filter well is more than welcome to come here and see the nice white never changed filter on my E Series.
I think Rainbow could transition the design to an upright which might appeal to a larger demographic. Making a durable upright would probably be fairly heavy.
The other thing they could do is redesign the water pan, I'm sure there are many ways this could be done, to make it easier to remove, fill and drain.
The Rainbow is one of those things you either like or don't. Despite its high cost I don't consider it a bad deal since they tend to hold up well and retain their value well.
A brief history here first, I've been a believer in bagless vacuums since the early days of Fantom and have more vacuums than any normal person (I've got 3 Kirbys and a Fantom Cyclone XT in my garage at the moment).
Shortly after we bought our house back in 2009 we ended up getting a Rainbow D4 via inheritence, complete with everything except the powerhead.
About a year later I scored an E Series in like new condition at a thrift store for $19.96. I literally ran to it and grabbed it when I saw it. Even around the local Rainbow office everyone is envious of that find.
We actually approached the Rainbow dealer a couple of weeks ago to see about getting fragrence oil since we didn't know where the local distributors were. The guy offered to demo us the new one and take a look at ours in case it was in need of service.
When he got here he saw the D4 and E Series and he took a look at them which were obviously in impeccable shape since I take care of this stuff. Gave us a 15 minute or so rundown of the new model and asked us if we wanted to sell them as a team. My wife loves the thing and despite both us having full time jobs here we are selling them. We don't really need the money I think its the fact we're the exact demographic they're looking for to sell to young married homeowners.
It does what it claims to do and costs a lot. I guess it depends on your logic as a buyer, Rainbow stands behind it well and it holds its value. Most average people never set foot in a vacuum store unless they need a part. Most go to Wal-Mart or Kmart and plop down their $75 every year or two for a new machine.
Rainbow's sales tactics are both good and bad because a lot depends on the local distributor. A good distributor is honest and upfront showing the machine's merits, the others are sketchy and pushy. We have two locally one has a 5 star rating and the other a 2 star.
Like Kirby the thing here is the vast majority of the population is not going to walk into a store to purchase an expensive vacuum. Heck even Dysons are a tough sell. You really have to get the person to realize that that $49 Bissell is going to be a yearly investment unless your house is tiny and you only vacuum once a week.
I see the logic behind retaining a door to door type business. If you put it on the shelf at Kmart I guarantee you no one would touch it. It is too expensive to sell in that fashion, I'm sure its not an easy sell at a higher end vacuum shop with used models.
I don't even do most of the vacuuming, I'll ocassionally do so if my wife is sick or something. I'm not the biggest guy maybe 5"11 just shy of 200lbs but that Kirby is a heavy as heck, I only use them to vacuum the garage carpet. At least the Rainbow is manageable.
Usually we alternate between the Dyson DC07 upstairs and the Fantom Thunder, Dyson DC33 downstairs and the Rainbow doing both every other time. The biggest sole advantage is you don't get a massive dust cloud emptying in the bin. Like any of the other machines it doesn't lose suction, and anyone claiming it doesn't filter well is more than welcome to come here and see the nice white never changed filter on my E Series.
I think Rainbow could transition the design to an upright which might appeal to a larger demographic. Making a durable upright would probably be fairly heavy.
The other thing they could do is redesign the water pan, I'm sure there are many ways this could be done, to make it easier to remove, fill and drain.
The Rainbow is one of those things you either like or don't. Despite its high cost I don't consider it a bad deal since they tend to hold up well and retain their value well.
mark40511
Well-known member
I Agree
...I can't think of any major improvements of the new model other than it being smaller or lighter while maintaining it's cleaning ability and build quality.
Do the current Rainbow dollies vibrate? They look like they are designed a little better than my Gold 2 speed but I've never had a problem with it vibrating at all.
I'm not really sure about the local Rainbow Distributor here in Lexington, KY. I know they have been here over 20 years and the 2 times I've been there in the past 8 years someone was always there. The owner was friendly on the phone the few times I called with questions. When I initially bought mine, I actually called and negotiated price over the phone and told her I didn't need a demo but just wanted to buy one. Even still, with her knowing I was going to buy one, she continued to try to talk me into a demo. I never understood that.
...I can't think of any major improvements of the new model other than it being smaller or lighter while maintaining it's cleaning ability and build quality.
Do the current Rainbow dollies vibrate? They look like they are designed a little better than my Gold 2 speed but I've never had a problem with it vibrating at all.
I'm not really sure about the local Rainbow Distributor here in Lexington, KY. I know they have been here over 20 years and the 2 times I've been there in the past 8 years someone was always there. The owner was friendly on the phone the few times I called with questions. When I initially bought mine, I actually called and negotiated price over the phone and told her I didn't need a demo but just wanted to buy one. Even still, with her knowing I was going to buy one, she continued to try to talk me into a demo. I never understood that.
