This cleaner has changed my thinking just a bit.

Reggie and Corey are always talking up Riccar, and I've always been curious about Panasonics, so i decided to give it a try. I never thought i could be taken in...

specs...

hose in rear...

I've been told-off for using a cloth bag...

I've even done my hotel "test".

Someone scoffed when i said one of its imperfections was its taller (than Convertible) body. One or two inches makes a big difference when cleaning under tables and sofas.

I was very very pleased with how this cleaner performs. I'd always heard about how wonderful Panasonics were, but i wasnt prepared for how nimble and lightweight this cleaner would be, how well it would groom the carpet, or how quiet and cool-running the motor would be. After an hour of cleaning and all the dirt in its bag the cleaner still had good suction and the exhaust was barely warm. And uses only 5 amps!!

Now i must admire a Convertible, to regain my mental balance.

Swingette:Wow!Your Hoover Convertible looks just like the one I bought at a yard sale a month ago.Yours is in better shape-the hood on mine is cracked and bent.The Vacuum Cleaner Hospital out my way is looking for another hood for my Convertible.I like mine so much I use it along with my Kirby Sentria.I admire how efficient the Hoover Convertibles are.now looking for others I have a couple others in my collection.Those Convertibles are so effortless to push and use.They don't need self propell systems.

Yeah, it appears to be just a rebranded later model Jetflo, still good though..Panasonic design/engineering.. (of course you already know all that.)

I just hope the actual Jetflos aren't made in Taiwan (even if Panasonic setting up shop there would assist the Taiwanese economy considerably :P)

Ian

And for the record there's nowt wrong with cloth bags, at least they're machine washable, and obviously, reusable..if I was somehow running the show all upright vacuums would have em >.>

Ian

I remember a vacuum cleaner dealer that sold Sharp "twin energy" upright vacuums that sold the cloth dump bags instead of the paper ones-commercial users loved them.The sharp cloth dump bags would fit Panasonics as well.The filtering of the cloth ones was just as good if you dumpted them after each major use.Like other dump bags-don't store dirt in them.Prevents odors too.

I use an old style (early 80s) Vax cloth bag in my bottom fill Hoover Junior from 1975 (if I recall) fits like a glove.

I like being economical with bags, no need to spend money on em if you don't have to.

Riccar hasn't changed at all this is one of they're first machines and i love this model! They are great carpet cleaners and i would choose the riccar over the convertible when cleaning, not to menation that the riccar is bypass if you were to not see smoething laying on the carpet! WOW! The convertibnle in MINT. Co grats on the new (old!) Riccar find.

ps.the Riccar is from about 1985

Were Riccar and Panasonic the same company?

Well Riccar's american and since...I forget when..

and Panasonic is a brand name of Japan's Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd ;p which started in the...early 1900s I believe.

no riccar and panasonic are not related at all Riccar just stole the design

It must be early because it doesn't have any of the later Panasonic features, like the vac gauge, the brushroll on/off, full bag alert and it's got the switch on the body not on the handle. Though I think some of those new commercial ones still have the switch on the body.. will have to take a closer look next time

Certain variations of these Riccars did have more features, this was just the lower end of the line. They had a model in the same color with all of the other features, including switch in the handle.

So does Riccar actually make any of their vacuums or are they all licensed copies which this one looks to be. They have another don't they that looks like an Oreck?

I dont know about the early models, but today's Riccars are all designs owned/made by Riccar.

The Riccar canisters are now going to be made in the US factory-before they were made by Daewoo out of China or Korea.I have an 1800 canister that was built in Korea.Its a very nice vacuum.The motor is VERY powerful-reads highest on a suction guage-110+in!

Daewoo... I wondered who was making those in Korea.