I remember how upset my ma would kit with me... She had a brand new Bissell canister machine that I despised using. Yes, it would pick up a bowling ball, and would probably suck start a Harley. But, havin to drag it around all of our stuff was a pester. She also had a Kirby upright that would pull itself around depending on whether you were pushing or pulling the handle. But, alas, I always liked the old brown trimmed Kirby built in 1960-1970 something. It make nice mechanical sounds, and didn't sound like fellatio gone wrong. My question is, other than looking neat, why would someone want to use a canister vac? Is it mainly for folks that have stairs? I'm not downing anyones preferences, I'm just not informed enough to understand it...
Why canisters?
- Thread starter chad
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I personally
DO NOT like uprights, I do have a few very vintage ones, but normal day to day vacuuming, I ALWAYS use a tank or canister,an upright is ok for a run thru the middle of the floor, but a canister gets under and around furniture much easier...of course I use a straight suction machine most of the time.
DO NOT like uprights, I do have a few very vintage ones, but normal day to day vacuuming, I ALWAYS use a tank or canister,an upright is ok for a run thru the middle of the floor, but a canister gets under and around furniture much easier...of course I use a straight suction machine most of the time.
I use BOTH machines--upright for carpet(Kirby,Royal,Sanitaire,Tacony tandem air) for carpets-Canisters for anything else.(NSS M1,Sebo D2,Meile,TriStar,Compact)
suckolux
Well-known member
I use both also, but the canister has more flexibility? I can reach and get to things that an upright has no chance at.I also do not have wall to wall carpet to deal with either.
hydralique
Well-known member
IMHO nothing beats a good Kirby for carpets and rugs where you need a revolving brush. Some of the canister powerheads may clean as well but I've not seen one with the convenience of the Kirby toe-tap height adjustment that makes getting a good rug seal simple and quick.
However, there are plenty of instances where suction is needed and a brushroll won't work: crevices, furniture and walls that need dusting, etc. Kirbys (and other uprights) usually have hoses but most are nowhere near as convenient to use as a canister, even if they attach easily you can't pull an upright around like a canister. Most uprights have less suction too. So you really need both, plus it's a great excuse for more than one vacuum!
You might keep an eye out for a good Compact or classic (early) Tristar canister. They are really small and lightweight, built as well as a Kirby, easy to repair and have fantastic suction. I'd rather drag one of them out when I need a hose than mess with the Kirby hoses, and the Compact has better pure suction too.
However, there are plenty of instances where suction is needed and a brushroll won't work: crevices, furniture and walls that need dusting, etc. Kirbys (and other uprights) usually have hoses but most are nowhere near as convenient to use as a canister, even if they attach easily you can't pull an upright around like a canister. Most uprights have less suction too. So you really need both, plus it's a great excuse for more than one vacuum!
You might keep an eye out for a good Compact or classic (early) Tristar canister. They are really small and lightweight, built as well as a Kirby, easy to repair and have fantastic suction. I'd rather drag one of them out when I need a hose than mess with the Kirby hoses, and the Compact has better pure suction too.
Vacuummania
Active member
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2015
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Just like the others said...
Uprights are great for carpets, or quick touch-ups, but canisters can fit under or around things that you'd have to move so your upright could get there.
I prefer canisters on my bare floors, even though some uprights allow you to turn off the brushroll for bare floors. Straight suction wands and brushes just do the job better and with less weight.
Also, they're great for cleaning couches, around the edges of walls and other tight spaces.
I hated to use our canister growing up because I wasn't holding the hose properly. When you do it like this picture, you only need to pull a bit with your left hand/arm and the canister follows you easily.
Uprights are great for carpets, or quick touch-ups, but canisters can fit under or around things that you'd have to move so your upright could get there.
I prefer canisters on my bare floors, even though some uprights allow you to turn off the brushroll for bare floors. Straight suction wands and brushes just do the job better and with less weight.
Also, they're great for cleaning couches, around the edges of walls and other tight spaces.
I hated to use our canister growing up because I wasn't holding the hose properly. When you do it like this picture, you only need to pull a bit with your left hand/arm and the canister follows you easily.
dysonman1
Well-known member
Canisters have all the advantages as far as attachment use goes. Uprights simply cannot compete. Canister vacuums are the preferred machine for people who dust with their dusting brush, who vacuum the sofa each time they come to it, who use the crevice tool every time they clean, and who vacuum their floors with the bare floor brush. People who vacuum ceiling fan blades, dust shelves, walls, and ceilings. People who clean their car, stairs, or under beds. People with Rainbow canister vacuums can mop floors, unclog drains, blow up balloons, dry spots on the rug, and suck up car barf with no ill effect on the machine. Upright just clean rugs. They are terrible with attachments - the stretch hoses are a nightmare. Uprights are heavy, much louder, and much bigger when used with attachments. They also fall over.
Ideally, a home would have a canister vacuum for "cleaning house" and an upright to maintain the carpets.
I have always used a canister (although I have uprights for 'quick cleaning', I grew up with the wonderful Rainbow and go to know about ALL its uses. So far, I've never seen any other vacuum that could do MORE than a Rainbow. In fact, I've never seen any other vacuum that could do as much as a Rainbow either.
Ideally, a home would have a canister vacuum for "cleaning house" and an upright to maintain the carpets.
I have always used a canister (although I have uprights for 'quick cleaning', I grew up with the wonderful Rainbow and go to know about ALL its uses. So far, I've never seen any other vacuum that could do MORE than a Rainbow. In fact, I've never seen any other vacuum that could do as much as a Rainbow either.
For me it's just a preference. I bought a brand new Shark Powered True Pet and for the most part I liked it. I prefer my canister the most just because regardless it's easier for me to clean around the furniture, up the stairs, up the walls knocking cobwebs. Uprights just don't give me the flexibility that I need when cleaning. I use my Rainbow more than I use my Shark, just because it's a preference for me. When I do use the Shark I use it mostly as the lift away or upright because the hose is hard to work with. Most uprights today the hoses are difficult to work with which is why I chose to use a canister.
human
Well-known member
It really depends...
Up until the past few months, during which I fitted my PN1 with a new brush roll and acquired a nice PN2, I used my upright Kirby G5 and G6 machines for the carpeted areas and my Electrolux metal canisters (1205 and Super J) for the hardwood floors. Now, I'm just as likely to use an Electrolux on the carpet because it's lighter and more maneuverable in tight spaces. I've also recently acquired a Hoover Quik Broom Supreme that I use on the hardwoods, even though a broom and dustpan work just as well.
When it comes to using other tools, I'll always reach for the canister because it's more convenient to just disconnect the power nozzle and maybe the wand as well, and put on whatever tool I need. Not only is it more convenient, but the Electrolux hoses and tools are all far superior in quality to their Kirby counterparts. When I was nine years old, I was mightily impressed when the Kirby salesman who demoed a Classic Omega in our living room showed how easy it was to turn it into a 'canister' but as an adult more than 40 years later, I find that conversion process on my own Kirbys to be a total pain in the posterior and not worth the trouble. I use them for what they're best at--vacuuming carpets in an upright position--and use an Electrolux canister for everything else.
Up until the past few months, during which I fitted my PN1 with a new brush roll and acquired a nice PN2, I used my upright Kirby G5 and G6 machines for the carpeted areas and my Electrolux metal canisters (1205 and Super J) for the hardwood floors. Now, I'm just as likely to use an Electrolux on the carpet because it's lighter and more maneuverable in tight spaces. I've also recently acquired a Hoover Quik Broom Supreme that I use on the hardwoods, even though a broom and dustpan work just as well.
When it comes to using other tools, I'll always reach for the canister because it's more convenient to just disconnect the power nozzle and maybe the wand as well, and put on whatever tool I need. Not only is it more convenient, but the Electrolux hoses and tools are all far superior in quality to their Kirby counterparts. When I was nine years old, I was mightily impressed when the Kirby salesman who demoed a Classic Omega in our living room showed how easy it was to turn it into a 'canister' but as an adult more than 40 years later, I find that conversion process on my own Kirbys to be a total pain in the posterior and not worth the trouble. I use them for what they're best at--vacuuming carpets in an upright position--and use an Electrolux canister for everything else.
suckolux
Well-known member
That works!
vintagerepairer
Well-known member
In the UK you will find that the love of canister cleaners is usually amongst those who find it so much easier to get them in & out of spaces in our tightly packed, small, cluttered homes.
As a nation, we are one of the few where upright cleaners have always been a popular choice, because of the mass of fitted carpets we have. But in recent years the trend has been towards hard-flooring. Whether this has seen a shift to the purchasing of canister cleaners, I don't know as I don't have any statistics to hand. What does surprise me is that some die-hard upright users I know have homes with virtually no carpets and yet the upright cleaner is still their first choice.
I have always liked uprights for carpets, and canisters for everything else, including the edges of carpets. The convenience and power I find in a canister when used for the tasks I have outlined has yet to be found in an upright when using a vacuum cleaner for any length of time.
As a nation, we are one of the few where upright cleaners have always been a popular choice, because of the mass of fitted carpets we have. But in recent years the trend has been towards hard-flooring. Whether this has seen a shift to the purchasing of canister cleaners, I don't know as I don't have any statistics to hand. What does surprise me is that some die-hard upright users I know have homes with virtually no carpets and yet the upright cleaner is still their first choice.
I have always liked uprights for carpets, and canisters for everything else, including the edges of carpets. The convenience and power I find in a canister when used for the tasks I have outlined has yet to be found in an upright when using a vacuum cleaner for any length of time.
dartman
Well-known member
I have a couple of the older Royal canister vacs
Like said I have the older 413 power tank a Kirby guy sold me almost new back about 90, and a newer Starks/Royal 4650 with the nice Panasonic power head I found on Craigs list for 25 bucks.
As a family we had a few Kirbys and they were fine but very loud and heavy, plus I don't think any of ours were the newer propelled models.
Then later as houses and finances changed we got a couple of good canister vacuums with the better power heads and they are quieter, lighter, and easy to manuver and get under all the crap I have.
The power head on the 4650 will really seal to the carpet nicely with like 4 foot settings from auto, low, medium, and high, plus it has power head off and on on the handle, and motor/suction control slider to turn it down on delicate surfaces, and like said all the tools are right there on the back of the vac.
Now not saying if I found a smokin deal on a good Kirby or Royal upright I wouldn't get it but the canister, especially that 4650, I think does as nice a job as any of the Kirbys I remember using, though it has been a long time. Plus the better canisters seem to be all over used for cheaper then the uprights, though the old school Royals and others can be just as much depending on how fond the seller is of them.
We also had a rebadged Tristar I remember that worked very well and was just cool looking and the bag was easy to change, dump, clean. It also had a pretty good power head though not as nice as that latest Royal I found.
Like said I have the older 413 power tank a Kirby guy sold me almost new back about 90, and a newer Starks/Royal 4650 with the nice Panasonic power head I found on Craigs list for 25 bucks.
As a family we had a few Kirbys and they were fine but very loud and heavy, plus I don't think any of ours were the newer propelled models.
Then later as houses and finances changed we got a couple of good canister vacuums with the better power heads and they are quieter, lighter, and easy to manuver and get under all the crap I have.
The power head on the 4650 will really seal to the carpet nicely with like 4 foot settings from auto, low, medium, and high, plus it has power head off and on on the handle, and motor/suction control slider to turn it down on delicate surfaces, and like said all the tools are right there on the back of the vac.
Now not saying if I found a smokin deal on a good Kirby or Royal upright I wouldn't get it but the canister, especially that 4650, I think does as nice a job as any of the Kirbys I remember using, though it has been a long time. Plus the better canisters seem to be all over used for cheaper then the uprights, though the old school Royals and others can be just as much depending on how fond the seller is of them.
We also had a rebadged Tristar I remember that worked very well and was just cool looking and the bag was easy to change, dump, clean. It also had a pretty good power head though not as nice as that latest Royal I found.
suckolux
Well-known member
I love to use a good upright on the carpets, but they are room rugs?? so after that there is over half the house still not cleaned, need a hose! Happy I have both of course.On the long weekly clean it's a cannister/ powerhead so I can do it all.Used to take me half a day, now I am done, as in tired of it at about 2 hours.
We were always upright vacuum people in our family.
Although I know attachments aren't the strongest, for everyday, they're fine.
However, for canister cleaning, I DO appreciate the Constellation.. great suction, great tools, etc. I have a Connie plugged in at all times, ready to go. I even like the Celebrity..... looks like a crushed, (compressed) Connies......... excellent suction, large bag, Ultraflex hose (L O V E that hose), etc.
John
Although I know attachments aren't the strongest, for everyday, they're fine.
However, for canister cleaning, I DO appreciate the Constellation.. great suction, great tools, etc. I have a Connie plugged in at all times, ready to go. I even like the Celebrity..... looks like a crushed, (compressed) Connies......... excellent suction, large bag, Ultraflex hose (L O V E that hose), etc.
John
suckolux
Well-known member
Our whole family was canisters! One had a Kirby, my first play with an upright.
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I like the Constellation and Celebrity machines very much, although the Celebrity makes an awful racket. But it's really cool looking -- just like a classic flying saucer from a 1950s UFO film!
I've had a few different machines come and go over the years. Currently I have one Celebrity (orange "economy model") and three Constellations -- orange, turquoise and yellow (the one that's tilted). The turquoise is my favorite although I really like the tilted look of the yellow one.
(Sorry, being more a Kirby & Electrolux kind of guy, I don't know the model numbers of very many Hoovers.)
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I like the Constellation and Celebrity machines very much, although the Celebrity makes an awful racket. But it's really cool looking -- just like a classic flying saucer from a 1950s UFO film!
I've had a few different machines come and go over the years. Currently I have one Celebrity (orange "economy model") and three Constellations -- orange, turquoise and yellow (the one that's tilted). The turquoise is my favorite although I really like the tilted look of the yellow one.
(Sorry, being more a Kirby & Electrolux kind of guy, I don't know the model numbers of very many Hoovers.)
You've got to love
Miss Connie Hoover. Here are a few of mine.
Miss Connie Hoover. Here are a few of mine.
turbo500
Well-known member
Personally, I find you get far more flexibility with a cannister vacuum. Going from hard floors, to thick carpet, to stairs, to upholstery, to dusting, to cleaning the car all without having to change machines. I don't think I've found a surface yet that can't be vacuumed with a cannister.
Uprights are far better for larger areas of carpet. Of course, over the years, uprights have developed dramatically in terms of on-board tools for above floor cleaning, but I find using an upright for hose use can be quite cumbersome.
At home, I usually have both an upright and a cylinder on the go for various jobs. The urpright is my go-to quick clean up machine. The wider cleaning head and upright position make a nice mid-week tidy up very quick and easy. But when it comes to doing the big clean up on the weekend when I do all the dusting and vacuum behind the furniture, the cylinder and all the tools come out to play.
Uprights are far better for larger areas of carpet. Of course, over the years, uprights have developed dramatically in terms of on-board tools for above floor cleaning, but I find using an upright for hose use can be quite cumbersome.
At home, I usually have both an upright and a cylinder on the go for various jobs. The urpright is my go-to quick clean up machine. The wider cleaning head and upright position make a nice mid-week tidy up very quick and easy. But when it comes to doing the big clean up on the weekend when I do all the dusting and vacuum behind the furniture, the cylinder and all the tools come out to play.
