when does "a few Panasonic's" become "too many Panasonic's"?

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turbo500

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West Yorkshire, UK
Answer: NEVER!


 


From right to left:

MC-E43 (1987-1991)


MC-E44 (1992 - 1995)


MC-E46 (1992 - 1993)
MC-E47 (1993 - 1995)


MC-E54 (1992 - 1995)


 


 

turbo500++10-9-2012-13-58-0.jpg
 
If I had that many Hoovers I'd be very happy indeed!

What exactly is it that you like about Panasonics compared to other brands?
 
Bit of info...


 


The cleaners pictured in the brochure are the original line-up from 1986 - the 41, 42 and 43 uprights. All of these featured a 600w motor and had the clear smoked plastic tool cover. These are pretty rare these days. 


 


By 1988, the 41N. 42N and 43N had replaced the original line up. The smoked plastic tool cover was replaced (they were always a weak point - prone to falling open in use and cracking) by a solid cover and the motor was upgraded to 650w. 


 


This line up ran for a few years with some very minor cosmetic changes, but all with the same model number. The majority of these changes were simply the letting used on the cleaners or the inclusion of an extension hose. 


 


In 1992, the MC-E44, 45 and 46 was launched alongside the larger, more powerful 50 series (53, 54 and 55). These style cleaners featured a 700w motor and both the 45 and 46 came with an extension hose (you had to buy it separately with the 44). The 45 and 46 were discontinued in 93 and replaced with a single cleaner - the 47 - which ran alongside the 44. Somewhere along the line, the top end 50 series MC-E55 was also discontinued, so the line up of 44, 47, 53 and 54 ran from 93-95. 


 


In late 95, the newly designed 400 series was launched alongside the 500 series (which was, at the time, just a 50 series cleaner with a longer hose and slightly more powerful motor, though it was eventually completely redesigned, as per the 400 series). 
 
What exactly is it that you like about Panasonics compared t

Good question, Jamie.


Aside from the fact that the white MC-E44 pictured above is the machine I grew up with (the SAME machine - 20 years of use with my Mother and it still runs like the day it was bought), I just think they're fantastic overall vacuums. 


 


There is no denying the cleaning performance of a Hoover on carpet, and certainly no denying the suction power of an Electrolux, but the Panasonics seem to do well in both upright and tool mode - they're sort of the happy medium. Strong suction power combined with an easy to use floating head design and a decent brushroll that really does make the grit BOUNCE out of the carpet - not to mention they're incredibly reliable, easy to use, weren't too expensive and were absolutely common as muck in my childhood, so I have lots of memories behind each machine. 


 


 
 
The top of the range Panasonic at the time was the MC-E55. The 50 series were larger and more powerful than the 40 series, but not quite as popular (similar to the Hoover Junior/Senior situation). All the 50 series came with 900w variable power as standard, the top 2 machines came with cord winders and the TOL came with a headlight and LED power control display.


 

turbo500++10-9-2012-14-33-34.jpg
 
By this time, more and more vacuum manufacturers were adding longer and longer hoses to their cleaners. The Panasonic hoses were notoriously short. To compete, Panasonic started offering an extension hose with their cleaners. I believe the extension hose came as standard with the TOL 40 series and both the mid and TOL 50 series cleaners. It was available as an optional extra for the lower spec models via a redemption leaflet, but at an extra cost. 
 
Turbo500, what excellent cleaners you have. I used to stock the basic model for many years. I must suggest to you that the smoked plastic tools cover was replaced with a solid colour before the introduction of the N letter on the model number and the fitting of the new 650 watt motor. As you can see in your booklet, all three models have a panel on the front of the cleaning head to accommodate a head lamp, even though it is only the MCE43 which has the lamp. The 41 and 42 have the headlamp blanked off. It was these cleaners which had the smoked tool cover. They also had a problematic roller brush, which was prone to losing the edge cleaning brush from it. Panasonic modified the cleaners so that the tool cover was a solid colour matched cover, had a new, redesigned brush roll, and on models 41 and 42 made the cleaning head a single moulding with no need to blank off the headlamp space. These all had the 600 watt motor.

As for when the N letter appeared along with the 650 watt motor, I thought it was a short while later than 1988 but I will be guided by your own references as mine is purely a failing memory for such detail. I do recall that the extension hose was included with all models across the entire range from about 1990. I think mainly because the Electrolux Contour had gone on sale and the longer hose was a huge selling point, because of course until then if one bought a cleaner with on-board tools the compromise (not withstanding the larger price tag which was also a potential deal breaker too) was the very short hose. Of the cleaners I had on show in my window, I used to hook the extension hose over the handle for display purposes.
 
Hi Benny,


 


Thanks for the info. 


 


The info regarding dates of the 40N cleaners is from the Argos scans and brochures I have from around that time. Their first appearance was Autumn/Winter 88. 


Regarding the extension hose, as I've said a thousand times before, my Mum bought the basic MC-E44 brand new in 1992, but we never had the extension hose for ours. My Dad seems to recall it being an optional extra via a leaflet. Perhaps it depended on where you purchased the cleaner as to whether or not it was included?


 


Thanks for clarifying the situation with the smoked plastic cover. Panasonic obviously clocked onto the problems with these pretty sharpish and replaced them. 


 


Chris
 

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