Okay... it's bad enough that they are taking over Hoover... they might as well since Hoover has been crap starting in the 90's anyway... I can't wait to see the monstrosities that will be coming about... someone on another forum mention they heard that Dirt Devil's parent company will be making Kenmores now instead of Panisonc/LG... is that true? I hope it's just a vicsous rumor. If not, we might as well call the end of the world this instant.

MY friend who owns a vacuum shop told that to me.

When is it going to happen?

Yes-its true-read it in an issue of what I beleive was "Floor Care News"at the vacuum place near me.Too bad.Get the Panasonic based machines while you can-a word to prospective Sears vacuum buyers.Dirt Devils are "Dumpster vacs"

That's really too bad. I have always regarded the Kenmore machines as the best you can get without going to an independent vac store. The LG's showed promise too, namely the Magic Blue and Iridium. I wonder what drove them to this conclusion? TTI machines are terrible, and I hate the fact that they have now taken 3 American institutions--Royal, Hoover, and now Kenmore.

TTI owning Milwaukee and Homelite. American Icons too.

I'm not too happy about this either. I have always recommended Kenmores to people looking for a moderately priced, quality vacuum. No more.

I've got to start looking for another brand of vacuum to recommend now. Most likely the Sebo. Eureka, even though owned by AB Electrolux, is kinda cheap except for Sanitaire. Still, Eureka is based here.

My 2 cents on this TTI invasion. Too bad there isn't a way to stop them. Hoover and Kenmore RIP.

Joe

I'm still praying that Hoover products will improve, and if not that, continue to remain the same as the quality is evident in some machines, such as the new Constellation, but it just doesn't seem like it will be going that way. As long as I can remember, I've always thought Dirt Devils were horribly crappy machines, so bad that like the Reginas, we can form an accurate opinion on the type of people who own them. The new machines are nothing to write home about; I saw that Reaction D2 or whatever the hell it's called (with its faux-chrome handle that is SO painfully obvious) and it doesn't hold a CANDLE to the Dyson or Windtunnel 2 as far as looks are concerned. The best way I can describe it is a cheap machine at a failed attempt to look high-end. I could probably think of some other analogies as well...

When I was at Sears last Friday, I was shocked at how cheaply made the Kenmore vacuums, uprights and canisters alike (but especially uprights) have become. These were certainly not the same Kenmores I made a beeline for when I was 5 years old! One of these days I'll have to hit one of the shops and buy a Whispertone upright (with a metal handle no less), for nostalgia's sake.

Sidenote: It seems like TTI is the WCI of the vacuum industry, swallowing up otherwise good brands and eliminating all traces of quality until there is no more to swallow up. For those of you who don't know, White Consolidated Industries single-handedly caused the demise of at least three unique (and well-made) automatic washer designs (centric-action Kelvinators, 'flapper-style' Philcos, and most importantly the Frigidaire Jet-Action design in 1980) as well as other brands and replaced them with their own horrible machines. Electrolux Sweden purchased WCI in 1986 (I can't remember exactly when), but the machines themselves remained the same, except when they cheapened even MORE over the years. Much like the Dirt Devils...I'm beginning to see some similarities here!

What I AM interesting in seeing are the changes that occur when the patent for the dual-cyclone technology expires next year. I'm willing to bet that quite a few manufacturers will be junking their ineffective single-cyclone/filter designs immediately.

--Austin

Maybe the new Hoover Constellation was made by TTI. After all it is made in China. Just a guess. It maybe was a trial or the way the deal with Whirlpool started. TTI does make the classic Royal upright, why not other vintage styles as well.

I'm with you, convertible68, on the name thing. Another name group is Sultan (spelling correct?) They own alot of defunct brands like Big Ben alarm clocks and I think, I may be wrong, Sunbeam MixMaster. These once great names are now just slapped on anything no matter what the quality. I'm afraid Hoover is heading down that path too. Kemore will always be Sears, but if quality goes, so will its reputation.

Any small appliance looks like its made from the same Chinese factory too. No matter what brand. I looked all over locally for an American made toaster. No luck. I ended up buying a vintage Grants toaster from the 70's that looks Proctor Silex to me. Works like a charm. USA made.

Soon there will be no small appliances designed or made in the USA if they are not all gone already.

Enough thread drift...........back to vacuums.

Joe

OMG! Very sad news!

My understanding is that TTI will be making the K-Mart model Kenmores, and that Panasonic will still be making the sears models.

I believe most, if not all, of those Kenmore uprights I saw at Sears would look better on a KMart shelf.

At least Panasonic machines are still of good quality, right? I for a long time thought they were sliding down the abyss of poor quality. (with the ones made in spain and all)

Ian

I saw some yesterday at Sears and thought the same thing. The ones this I saw were such lousy quality that the handle on the upright would bow when you put a little weight on it. These are Dollar General speicals.. Surely Panisonic did not make them!