When all you own are bagless vacuums

[niclonnic]

Do you know someone who has almost exclusively owned bagless vacuums? I know I am among one of those. This is a counter-thread to the one about only owning vintage-looking vacuums.

I have come up with a few factors. The first one is prevalence. It seems like this is the type of vacuum that younger generations (born in the 1990s and later) have become accustomed to. My parents had a bagged Eureka Ultra in my childhood apartment, but then got hit by the Dyson/Fantom bug of the mid/late 90s. They bought a Fantom Fury around 1996/97 after falling for its infomercial. I can only imagine how monumental it was for them to transition to a vacuum that operates without a bag, not to mention with tools on board. As a kid, it was so fascinating to see the dirt swirling around in the translucent collection bin. Alongside the Fantom, the old Eureka was relegated to being a "burner" vacuum for cleaning out the fireplace. In retrospect, this made sense, as my mom didn't want to clog up the Fury with ash. After moving out of the apartment and getting rid of the Fantom, my parents, as well as myself later on, have exclusively bought bagless vacuums, avoiding bagged ones like the plague, albeit with one exception. I got a cordless Oreck for Christmas back in 2020, but I later sold it after only a year of ownership.

Another factor is convenience. With a bagless vacuum, there is no need to buy bags, which saves time, money and memory (remembering the correct bag to buy). This is something that my family greatly values.

Bagless vacuums are also known for their ease of use. The clear bin enables me to see how well the vacuum is working, and I can always see when it needs to be emptied. Because of my pets, I have to empty the bin after every single use. Call it instant gratification, in contrast with a bagged vacuum. I can also see if I've accidentally vacuumed up something valuable, such as jewelry or coins. That way, I don't have to tear open a filthy bag.

Finally, Dyson's influence has played a major part. Sir James' pioneering work, combined with the brand's prominent marketing and "brainwashing" tactics, were major factors in the adoption of bagless models. This also applies to Fantom and their infomercials.

This is NOT to say that I'm boycotting bagged vacuums; these are factors I've come up with as to why bagless is the norm for younger generations. Do you agree with my sentiments?

 

[panasonicvac]

More than one person I can think of have always owned bagless vacuums at least from what I recall. They're examples of what I should NOT own, coming from someone who has mild allergies. While bagless machines don't need any bags, you're forgetting they have filters that do eventually need to be replaced unless if you have a Vacuflo true cyclonic central vacuum for example. You'd be surprised to hear by how many people would buy incorrect filters for their bagless vacuums. For saving money, well the problem with bagless machines is the cyclones and primary filter don't filter as well as a bagged machine thus reducing the life of the motor with so much dust inside of them where you'd end up having to spend on buying a new vacuum. This is why alot of commercial vacuums are bagged. Another problem is they can be a mess to clean, I don't like having to smell or even touch the dust as I maintain them. Although this doesn't happen with like a Rainbow for example but even those still have to be cleaned every time I use them. I only empty out bags once in a while like whenever the bag check indicator goes on. For my ideal vacuum to own, an MD central vacuum, I probably would change my bag out once a year or longer since they're so huge and I'm a type of person that'd keep a very clean house. I'll admit, you brought a good point where you can see what you're vacuuming up and retrieve something you'd suck up. However, I rarely vacuum up something I shouldn't. In fact I always check my floors before I start vacuuming. And with seeing what you're sucking up, I can guarantee if you went over with another vacuum it'd for certain pick something up that your bagless vacuum would leave behind even if you don't see anything else coming into the dirt bin. Whatever Dyson is preaching to me, I'm sticking with bagged machines.

 

[vac14012]

As far as I can tell, it seems Dyson is the only company that still makes a quality bagless unit. The latest (maybe last?) upright they sell, and even their stick vacuums, have fairly effectively cyclones (although I prefer pre-ball setups) that keep the filters clean, and maintenance isn't too bad.

For some reason even though a lot of their cyclone patents have expired, all the Bissels/Sharks/Walmart Shelf Brands etc still use like a shitty single cyclone setup, so all the filters get clogged instantly, and suction dies. Miele did the same thing with their stick vacuum line, almost unusable with how fast the filters clog up. So if you really need bagless, I'd say get a Dyson, otherwise bagged is the way to go imo.

I wish someone would sell a DC07 clone, i'd buy that so fast.

 

[niclonnic]

More than one person I can think of have always owned bagless vacuums at least from what I recall. They're examples of what I should NOT own, coming from someone who has mild allergies. While bagless machines don't need any bags, you're forgetting they have filters that do eventually need to be replaced unless if you have a Vacuflo true cyclonic central vacuum for example. You'd be surprised to hear by how many people would buy incorrect filters for their bagless vacuums. For saving money, well the problem with bagless machines is the cyclones and primary filter don't filter as well as a bagged machine thus reducing the life of the motor with so much dust inside of them where you'd end up having to spend on buying a new vacuum. This is why alot of commercial vacuums are bagged. Another problem is they can be a mess to clean, I don't like having to smell or even touch the dust as I maintain them. Although this doesn't happen with like a Rainbow for example but even those still have to be cleaned every time I use them. I only empty out bags once in a while like whenever the bag check indicator goes on. For my ideal vacuum to own, an MD central vacuum, I probably would change my bag out once a year or longer since they're so huge and I'm a type of person that'd keep a very clean house. I'll admit, you brought a good point where you can see what you're vacuuming up and retrieve something you'd suck up. However, I rarely vacuum up something I shouldn't. In fact I always check my floors before I start vacuuming. And with seeing what you're sucking up, I can guarantee if you went over with another vacuum it'd for certain pick something up that your bagless vacuum would leave behind even if you don't see anything else coming into the dirt bin. Whatever Dyson is preaching to me, I'm sticking with bagged machines.

Right, I completely forgot to mention bagless filters. Most of the time, I've either washed them, banged them out or brushed the dust off of them. Even then, they will degrade over time with frequent cleanings. My Dyson DC07 Animal had its pre-motor filter become faded and shrunken down slightly from all the washings that I did over the years. So, in late 2020, I hopped on eBay and bought a brand new, genuine filter for only $15. I had also purchased a new hose, since the original one ripped right near the cuff. Going back to 2018, during the time when this machine was my mom's, she replaced the clutch (with the help of her then-fiancé) and the HEPA filter. Replacing all these parts was a good move in the end, as my dad later sold this Dyson nearly a year after I had bought the new hose and filter. So I essentially fixed it up real good for the new owner.

My mom also doesn't like bagged machines. She's been very spoiled by the Fantom Fury (being the primary user of it back then). Nowadays, she uses a Shark Navigator Lift-Away with Zero-M. However, in an alternate scenario, I'd argue that bags are better for a small, one-bedroom, pet-free apartment, since I estimate that they would only have to be changed once every 3-4 months.

Yes, I agree that bagless vacuums in general are a mess to clean and empty. I tend to be careful when emptying them to minimize the chances of redepositing dust back into the space I had just vacuumed. Most cheap Bissells, like the older CleanView and PowerForce Bagless models, had foam filters that were essentially fine dust compactors. This makes for large quantities of dust when I go to shake them off (preferably outside). I even had a newer Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Lift-Off, and its primary foam filters got caked with dust, just like the aformentioned older models. But ironically, the PHE didn't lose any suction whatsoever.

As for the Rainbow, its science sounds neat on paper. But, having to rinse and dry the basin after use turns a Rainbow into a high-maintenance machine, particularly sensitive to mold and mildew. I prefer my vacuums to be nice and simple, since I tend to do quick cleanups with a hand vac.

Finally, I do always check the floors prior to vacuuming, just so I don't vacuum up something valuable. This is especially true, considering I have a Shark robot that runs every weekday downstairs. I always have to check for any dog litter, just to reduce the chances of a "pooptastrophe."

 

[cheesewonton]

There is one pretty decent bagless upright nobody seems to mention and that is Workhorse. What? It's the old Amway Cleartrak. New ones are still being made in Michigan. The vacuum sits on a steel subframe and is designed for commercial use. It is Dyson's first dual cyclone design. As long as you don't over fill one they filter well and don't lose power as the bin fills. If you over fill it however you have an ugly mess on your hands. Figure complete tear down, scrub and new filters. Old fashioned heavy duty wooden agitator with a stretch belt. Basic stuff but they seem to be durable and clean well.

 

[panasonicvac]

Rainbow's motto is wet dust can't fly, this is true when it comes to emptying out the water basin. Rainbows are the cleanest bagless machines I've used. Some bagless machines you can get away with not having to empty out every time you use them, but this is what I like about Rainbow. Rainbows don't smell, at least as long as you're using them correctly. With putting in fresh water, you won't have any nasty odors coming out of the machine. In addition, Rainbows offer scents that actually work really well. Also Rainbows don't lose suction, I always get equal amount of performance unlike Dyson where I've seen their cyclones get plugged up. And what I really like is they're truly built to last, you can even take the whole motor apart and have it completely rebuilt. Not to mention they're safe for wet pickup and can do some other things that other bagless vacuums can't. If bagged machines were outlawed and my only option was to use a bagless machine but for whatever reason I didn't had a Vacuflo central vac installed as that would be my first pick, the Rainbow would be my runner up choice since as a canister design, I can get to areas that an upright wouldn't reach like for example underneath a bed.

I love the ClearTrak, I own three myself (one of them is a CMS 1000). For an upright, that's one of my three choices to buy today but for certain it's something I'd take over a Dyson anyday. Personally for my other two picks, I'd rather buy a Sanitaire QuietClean Force or a Hoover TaskVac since both of them are more powerful and filters better than the ClearTrak. Or what I'd prefer if water filtration vacuums were out of the equation is a Kenmore 22614, yes this is actually a Kenmore I'd pick over a Miele Blizzard. Even I'd also take a Filter Queen over a Blizzard as well but they're so pricey unless if I picked one up second hand like my Rainbows.

 

[niclonnic]

I can only imagine how nice it would be to have a vacuum that doesn't smell dusty after use. Here are some other things I've noticed about a Rainbow: they are very expensive, and the water basin adds weight which may make the vacuum harder to pull around.

Another thing with bagless vacuums is the importance of the MAX line. I've always known this as a crucial thing to do, but I've had to dig a little deeper to find out. Dyson states that if you continue to use your machine past the MAX point, the cyclones won't work as effectively, leading to the filter getting soiled much more quickly. On the other hand, with dirt bins that have an open top (Fantoms and older Bissells), overfilling can lead to dust spilling out when you go to remove the bin.

Lastly, I'm just not a canister person. I have such a hard time getting used to them. I had a Bissell C4 Cyclonic, which was a bulky, heavy, multi-cyclonic, power nozzle canister. It was incredibly powerful and quiet, but I hated having to drag the main unit behind me the whole time. After using it off and on over the course of two years, I donated the C4 to Goodwill and just went back to a tried and tested upright, full-time. It doesn't matter if a slim power nozzle can reach into places I can't otherwise go under with an upright. I'd much rather have the whole vacuum in one piece.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

When I think bagless, I'm actually referring to machines with a shake-out (dump) bag, because there are no inner disposable bags to change.

Kirby and Royal were among them.

~Ben

 

[cheesewonton]

The Japanese have these cool little bagless canister vacs that look like a normal bagged canister but instead of a bag there is a removable dirt chamber with a super fine mesh screen at the back and behind that a deeply pleated fabric filter. Then behind that is another normal looking pre-motor filter. The dust bins have a sort of cork screw air duct at the entrance. Weird little contraptions. I have bought several used from Japan and am always amazed at how clean the things are inside. The dust bin will be dusty but the chamber it sits in and the pre motor filters are almost always really clean. A couple that I have even boast ULPA filtration, the clean room standard.

Attached are images of one such machine, a Panasonic MC-SXJ4000W Airsis. At just under $1,300 in 2012 it was the most expensive Japanese vacuum ever made to date. The Airsis was originally a Sanyo design. In 2010 Panasonic bought Sanyo ( really they brought it back into the family, read the history of Sanyo to understand why ) and Panasonic continued producing them for several more years, even updating this design to use a standard Panasonic hose, wands and G-series power nozzle. You might ever recognize this power nozzle as a version of it was sold by Cen-Tec as the CT-10 Quiet Response and Panasonic sold it with the MC-CG995 here. Kenmore also sold it with a bagless model. One of my favorite power nozzles and naturally no parts anywhere for them any more. Story of my life. The big round hatch under the bottom of the canister is where the ULPA filter is. It is round like a small car air filter. Replacements cost $85 and are still available. The air from the motor blows down through the center of the filter and out the sides. You can detach the hose and use the vacuum as a room air purifier.

 

[cheesewonton]

The Airsis is a trip because while its running it does a bit of a light show. The lid over the motor is translucent and there are led lights underneath. It glows in a sort of blue halo when running normally. If there is a clog a red light comes on but here is where it gets fun. On shut down a little motor inside operates a scraper that rubs across the back of that deep pleated filter to knock any dirt stuck to it back into the dust chamber. It makes this little scritching noise as it does this and the blue lighting flashes in synch with the scraper thingy.

I have an Hitachi CV-RP9000 bagged canister that has a motorized bag shaker that operates on start up and shut down to unclog the bag. It also talks to me in Japanese to coach me. Our Panasonic robot also talks. If it is full and sitting in its dock it apparently knows when I walk by and will scold me until I empty it !!!