when did Hoover get so crap?

[gsheen]

The point is that for everyone here their is a point at which Hoover got lost the plot, For me I love the windtunnels and Elites, yes sure they creak as you use them but I still love them, I can imagine that way back in the day their were allot of people who thought Hoover's quality had gone down with the launch of the Convertibles , I mean Compare a 750 to a convertible, The quality is hugely different.

A better point is is Hoover the market leader is always was. In the 50,s 60 ,s 70,s Hoover was the dyson of its day, The vacuum all the housewives wanted, THe vacuum all its competitors wished they had.

In my market place Hoover lost its edge in the 80's , When Electrolux launched the 506 and 560 range it was light years ahead of anything hoover had, By the time Hoover caught up on our market with the turbo power, Electrolux launched the 610 and 612 with their on board tools again leaving hoover out to dry.
Today though I think allot of their products are better than the norm, Better than their direct ( cost ) competitors.

 

[kenkart]

I think the argument can be made...

Hoovers very finest hours were before they quit door to door sales....for instance the 150, which sold for 82.50 in 1936, would be comparable today to a Kirby and Rainbow, after the Convertible came out they became just another store vacuum, I think the 150 is the very finest thing they ever built,and quite possibly the best upright of all time, it was so far ahead of everyone else it was mind blowing...think of the fact it had a automatic height adjustment that not only worked then...but works on todays carpets that were not even thought of 80 plus years ago, it had a 2 speed motor, a plug in hose converter that had better suction than any other machine it made afterward up until the Convertible in 1958, 22 years later!!it had the industries first time to empty signal, something not on all machines eve now, made of lightweight magnesium and designed by one of the worlds most acclaimed designers....and yet today, it will clean as well or better than anything today...there really is no comparison with the plastivacs of today.

 

[gsheen]

I have a 750 in 220v . Its a great machine , considering its age it clean's very well. I also have a 262 that has amazing suction. I am missing a 150

 

[gottahaveahoove]

Hans, you are so right.

That vacuum was declared 'over-engineered' at the time. True... it can clean a rug of today not even dreamed of back then.
I DO have a special fondness for Convertibles, however....especially the metal ones...1960--1970+. They were made to last...and have lasted. Everyone is competing now, reinventing the wheel, as it were. Sadly, Hoover's finest hour is not right now. But, when things were humming on Maple Street in North Canton...........it was a different thing all together. Now....cookie cutters with badges on them .
John

 

[real1shep]

I sure.....

liked the Convertible I bought in the 70's. Wouldn't die.....my future mother-in-law was helping me clean up a house I rented and unbeknown to me, she took my Convertible into a carpeted room where I reloaded for rifles/pistols. Pretty quickly there was a BANG, BANG, BANG!! She had run over some primers that had fallen on the floor from the reloading process. The beater bar had triggered the primers. She talked about that until she passed....fun times.


 


Kevin

 

[shrink1982]

Hoover went crap around the time everyone else did. And it wasn't just with vacuums. Most appliances are not built to last as long as they once were. My grandmother had her Whirpool dryer for 35 years. After it finally died, she went through three other dryers in 10 years. They don't make appliances to last anymore. Apparently, it wasn't a good business model. They make more money when you have to replace something every few years. And because everyone does it, no reason for anyone else to be the exception to the rule. I will say, at least with vacuums, Kirby, Miele, Sebo have been the exception although I am worried Miele may take a dip south. I have heard some of their components are now made in China and the build quality, while still good, isn't as good as Sebo.

 

[real1shep]

A lot of....

truth in that. There was a general quality decline in most household appliances and auto related items all about the same time. When building things with pride in the US morphed into the corporate bottom line and the bean counters decided what we could have for our hard earned $$$$.


 


And don't even get me started on corporation executives and how they feel they dominate and rule over the masses. For generations now, advertising executives have indoctrinated the masses into believing that convenience is key and that should come to you through "bargain" items with a price point. At this point in history, China must view us as their savior; they supply the price point crap and we buy everything they make. 


 


Kevin

 

[turbo500]

My god, this thread is OLD. I was barely 18 & still living at home when I started it, I'm now 27 & practically married.

 

[fan-of-fans]

I like the older Hoovers in general, but to me the 70s ones were better before they went to all plastic canisters and Convertibles in the 80s. The attachments were also better in the 70s. I think some of the 90s Hoovers were still good though.

The Concept series and PowerMax were still good machines, good performers.

I like the design of the Elites but they were TOO LOUD. The machines sold today sound better to my ears at least.

Though Hoover still had some interesting models like the revived Constellation in the late 2000s, there weren't a lot of great ones, IMO after Maytag took over. No more bagged machines other than commercial.

The Z was an interesting machine I have to admit. Have seen a few at Habitat Restore and they are HEAVY!

I'm glad the Convertibles are still made in commercial lines at least. That's one of the good things. And the Portapower as well. So at least some old models live on.