what is your favorite vacuum in your collection?

[vacmadman]

I know that this subject has come up before, but sometimes your fallings change over time. So, I wanted to ask what is your favorite vacuum and why? Was it from a family member? Was it a childhood memory? I would love to hear your thoughts, and stories. Also share pictures if you have them. I hope to hear from as many of you as possible.

Normally my favorite at one particular time ends up being the last one I restored. My Kenmore Deluxe was one of the last I've done, and it is my favorite vacuum in my collection, why? this Kenmore was all Original to this vacuum. Les and I have talked about this in the past how it's always great if you can find a vacuum with all its original parts.

It's one thing to piece back together a vacuum like my Kirby 505, and others, but it's always better if you can find them all original to start with. My Kenmore Deluxe falls into that category. Everything on it was original even the paint was in good shape as is. All it needed was a good cleaning and it turned out to be a true diamond in the rough.

I would also love to know who Anna was that wrote her name on it with a Crayola crayon. What year was it? How old was she? I think that would be fascinating to know. Imagine if you could touch something and be able to go back in time to when the item was new.

So what is your favorite vacuum in your collection, and why?

Jim

 

[thevacomaticiec]

Right now that would be my  Compact C8  and  Lux Olympia  one  .

 

[justjunque]

That is a beauty, Jim! Thank you for posting the pictures again, in a "before and after" style.
I wish I could answer your question. But, I've just never been able to pick a "favorite" anything.
Childhood toy? Nope.
Car that I've ever owned? Nope.
I'm the same way to this day, with my vacuums.
I like my recently acquired 40th Anniversary Orecks, because I can't believe I found both versions, in such a short time, after previously not even knowing they existed. Also, the fact that I've successfully made small repairs to both of them.
I like my Eureka 2010, even though I've never even heard it run, because it's nearly identical to one my mom had in my earliest vacuum memories.
Same with my Hoover Portable. Although mine is a different color combination, that was the other first vacuum I remember from my childhood.
I like my Hoover PowerMax canister, because I successfully just about rebuilt the power nozzle, the vacuum works great now, and I like the color.
I like my plastic bodied Electrolux/Aerus machines, because I remember when Mom bought her first one, and how upscale I thought it was; even scenting the room as you vacuum, because of the "Clean Sweep" chips. I still use those too, but only in the Aerus and Electroluxes.
I like my Hoover Celebrity, because...come on...it's round! I got it for free, it's very complete, it cleaned up pretty nicely.
I could probably go through every vacuum in my collection like this. I won't, but I probably could.
But, what I can't do, is pick one favorite.

 

[human]

Can't pick just one...

It's hard to pick just one, so I'll pick two, a canister and an upright. The canister would be the Electrolux 1205 that Dad pulled off of a neighbor's trash pile when I was in high school in the early '80s. I lost track of for a few decades, then found in their attic when they were moving to a retirement community. It had a leaky hose and had never had a power nozzle until I fitted it with a vinyl replacement hose and a PN-4 power nozzle, thus unleashing its true potential, and inspiring me to also replace its broken handle and put it into active service, instead of using it as a parts donor for my other 1205.

My upright of choice would be the Kirby Heritage 1HD that I got to replace the one I loaned to a now ex-girlfriend and never got back. It was in pretty decrepit shape when it first came to me, and the dump bag simply had to go; in fact, when I assembled it after delivery, I never put it on the machine. I instead fitted it with a spare Heritage II bag assembly I had on hand, but it was just too gray. I later got it a proper orange bag from a generous fellow vacuumlander, and fitted it up with a Heritage II style mini em-tor and fill tube assembly. I also replaced a few other worn and broken parts along the way, and polished the hell out of it. Looking at it now, it's hard to believe it's actually the same machine. I lost count of the hours went into that renovation project, but in the process, I put so much of myself into it that I could never get rid of it.

 

[2011hoover700]

As of right now my favorite vacuum in my collection so far is the hoover model 750. I'll have to aquire a model 900 to see if it sounds like the 750 however I'll want a unit with a hedlite. I might favor both for different reasons.

 

[suckolux]

Well as usual, I tend to agree with Edgar a bit, my neighbor had a 1205, My first experience with a power nozzle so I looked for one of those for years when I could and ended up with a Silverado. But it's really a tie between that and my Kirby heritage two

 

[hoover706]

My favorite vacuum is

My Kirby model C. I picked it up recently for only $35 and when I got the machine, it was an utter mess. The whole thing was covered in some sort of brown dust, the brushroll was covered in hair, and the bag is filled with dog hair. The good thing about the machine is that it is all original, and even has the patents pending on the side of the Sani-EmTor. After a little wipe down the metal was a dull grey, but after a little polish, it shines. This is my favorite machine because I have always wanted an early Kirby. A model C was always on my wish list, but I never thought that I would find one. Nor did I think I would find one that is all original. It is still a work in progress, and the motor needs new bearings, but I will post some pictures later.

 

[hygiene903]

I Agree With Barry and Edgar!

It's hard to pick just one! There's so many in my collection that I kind of favor for many different reasons, including performance, looks, family connections, etc. So if I may, I'll share several here. First off is my 903 Electro-Hygiene, which would probably be my overall favorite if I have to pick one. It's powerful, durable, maneuverable, looks good, and is frequently the driver at our house. It was also the current upright model when I sold them in 1974 and again in 1976. I have 4 of them, and the one pictured is the newest of them, built in 1983.
Next is my Electrolux XXX. Mom had one when I was growing up. She bought it new about 4 years before I was born and had it until I traded it in for a 966 Electro-Hygiene tank for her while I was selling them, so the one in my collection isn't hers. But it is equipped the same as hers was and brings back memories when I run it. Beautiful, powerful, and so quiet!
My model 82 Hoover Constellation is very special, as it belonged to my maternal Grandmother. Grandpa bought it for her for their 40th Anniversary on April 10, 1955, which was their last Anniversary before he passed away on Feb. 29, 1956, just 4 1/2 months before I was born. She moved in with us when I was 9 years old, and from then until she passed away it was only used to clean her room, so it's in exceptional condition, except that the tool caddy is kind of beat up, bristles are worn on the carpet nozzle, and the hose is permanently stretched from hanging on a hook all those years.
My Hoover 475 is one of my favorite "coffee can" Hoovers. It was a gift several years ago from Tom Anderson (Thanks again Tom!), and was the first "coffee can" Hoovers in my collection. It is a joy to run, and I love the polished aluminum and the orange and black color scheme.
My 512 Kirby was an early restoration project, and before & after pics are shown here. It was given to me by a neighbor who found it in a dumpster. I polished it and added a cord (unfortunately not the original with round end), nozzle, complete attachment set, sprayer, and polisher. There's many more I could list, but I guess this is about enough for now. Enjoy!
Jeff

 

[vacmadman]

Thanks

Thanks

To you all who posted here. Jeff thanks so much for the pictures and your stories. I hope we get more posts here, thanks again.

Jim

 

[kloveland]

If I had to narrow the list to three it would be:

1. Electrolux 1205 - My grandmother had this one.

2. Kirby Classic III - because my grandparent's had one.

3. Convertible 69 - another one from my childhood that relates to my grandmother. Used as prop in the Wizard of Oz (she was a high school drama instructor).