Thread Number: 15954
Sanitaire Sc886 Vs. Kirby Sentra (Oatmeal/Rice Test)
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Post# 170105   2/19/2012 at 10:32 (4,420 days old) by henriquesousa7 (California)        

My Sanitaire Sc886 Commercial Vs. My Moms Kirby Sentra (Picking Up Rice and Oatmeal Mixed)

In My Opinion It Was A Fair Tie But What Yours?


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Post# 170120 , Reply# 1   2/19/2012 at 12:43 (4,420 days old) by redgeminipa (Altoona, PA)        
Um...

Running any machine that fast won't give you the best results. Anyone who does really isn't cleaning... they're just doing it so they can say the ran the sweeper. ;)

Reminds me of when I was a kid, and my mom said I had to run the sweeper... I ran it, but...


Post# 170197 , Reply# 2   2/20/2012 at 06:30 (4,420 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

Yes I second the motion--SLOW DOWN with both.did you check their bags to see which one picked up the most?

Post# 170202 , Reply# 3   2/20/2012 at 07:46 (4,420 days old) by redgeminipa (Altoona, PA)        
Why is it so hard...?

Oh, and it's a Kirby S E N T R I A. Why does it seem everyone forgets the *I* when they spell it? That poor little guy is gonna get a complex some day... ;)

Post# 170210 , Reply# 4   2/20/2012 at 10:10 (4,420 days old) by henriquesousa7 (California)        
I Checked Both Of There Bags And Flipped Them Over!

Sanitaire Had everything In The Bag And Kirby Still Had Rice On The Brush-roll:/

Post# 170347 , Reply# 5   2/21/2012 at 10:49 (4,418 days old) by redgeminipa (Altoona, PA)        

Sounds like something's restricting airflow in the Kirby, if there was still rice on the brush roll. Maybe an inefficient bag? Something doesn't sound right.

Has the Kirby sucked up Carpet Fresh (or similar) on or near damp carpet? That'll clog the fan chamber really bad. I got a G6 to refurb/sell and it was used to suck up iced tea and Carpet Fresh... what I found inside was disgusting.


Post# 170350 , Reply# 6   2/21/2012 at 11:44 (4,418 days old) by baglessball ()        

I have never used or even seen a sanitaire! I have used many a Kirby. I shall have to keep looking on the eBay..

Post# 170351 , Reply# 7   2/21/2012 at 11:54 (4,418 days old) by twocvbloke ()        
"I shall have to keep looking on the eBay.. "

Good luck with that, they're rare as hens' teeth here in the UK, took me several months to find my ZC-880, even the predecessors, the C12 and C16 (12" and 16" nozzles respectively), are hard to find, though they're more common than the Sanitaire is... :S

You'd probably be better off getting a US model (and a 110v transformer to run it) if you want to play with a Sanitaire, as they're plentiful over there... :)


Post# 170352 , Reply# 8   2/21/2012 at 12:02 (4,418 days old) by twocvbloke ()        

Hmm, seems if you have the money, there's three to choose from, two C12s (One a Shakout bag, one a Disposable bag), and one Columbus-Dixon (shakeout):



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Post# 170365 , Reply# 9   2/21/2012 at 14:30 (4,418 days old) by baglessball ()        
Twocvbloke

Good effort! I can only find one though? (the shake out, granted I havnt scrolled for very long so will give that a shot, duh!?)

We have a make over this neck of the woods called perfect, which looks to be a rebadged sanitaire.

How much tax do you have to pay for shipping electrics from overseas? I still want to do it for a dyson DC17. Thing I thought was if I don't like it, I'm kind of stuck with it, after paying a lot for it!

What's the difference between the brushrolls on 'taires? It's note field and leaves my confused! And which one is best, and why?

Enough questions? For now. Yes.

Cheers!


Post# 170370 , Reply# 10   2/21/2012 at 15:29 (4,418 days old) by twocvbloke ()        

Well, any item shipped overseas is taxed if it's value is declared as over £18 for anything sold commercially, and anything sent as a gift has to be over £40 (though I think that value may be changing soon) in value before the HMRC start extracting money from you... :S

It's where having a good friend or two over in the states can be handy to help source and ship such things... :)

The "Perfect" vacuums are chinese clones of Sanitaires, and I've read a few low opinions of those, some do like them (probably for their disposability), but the majority who have used a real Sanitaire do not, so probably best to not consider those... :\

As for brushrolls, some prefer a VibraGroomer1, others a VibraGroomer2 and some the Distribulator, it just depends on what you use the vac on and how often. The differences, well the VG1 is an aluminium spiral, with removable brush and beater strips (allows for different combinations of brush & beater setups), the VG2 is a chromed steel, hollow-tube brushroll with integrated beaters and with removable brush strips, of which you can buy softer or harder strips to match the surface you're cleaning, and lastly the Distribulator is a wood brushroll with plastic beater strips and bristles stapled into the wood... :)

Personally, I have VG2 brushrolls in all three of mine, and in those I use VG3 bristle strips which vastly improve the brushroll's sweeping ability (I have no idea where to get those strips, I just got them from a friend over in the states!!)... :)


Post# 170374 , Reply# 11   2/21/2012 at 16:00 (4,418 days old) by baglessball ()        

Thankyou so much for all that! It's nice to get direct advice! :D

How much have your 'taire's cost you?

What percentage is tax?

I told you there would be more questions!


Post# 170444 , Reply# 12   2/22/2012 at 00:54 (4,418 days old) by twocvbloke ()        

I can't remember what the ZC-880 was, I think it may have been £40 plus postage (from within the UK, as it's a UK model), the S663 was sent over from a friend as parts (and the ZC-880 donated it's motor to, which will be undone soon cos I'm got a 120v motor arriving soon (it's stuck at Heathrow customs at the moment, so not sue when it'll arrive exactly)), and the C12 was 99p (plus train fare from Colne to Bolton for a day out to collect it, before we moved to Co, Durham of course)... :)

The tax is just the usual 20% VAT that the conservatories in charge forced upon us, just as you'd pay on anything you buy in a shop or online... :)


Post# 171012 , Reply# 13   2/26/2012 at 12:52 (4,413 days old) by henriquesousa7 (California)        
My Mom Got The Kirby In October.

and It's Always Sounds Like That. The Kirby Sale's People FORCED US TO BUY IT!

Post# 171023 , Reply# 14   2/26/2012 at 15:24 (4,413 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)        

gsheen's profile picture
Sorry mate I know SOME Kirby salesman can be lets say not very honest but how on earth does any sales man force you to buy it. I own a vacuum shop and am always bemused by this comment. We have customers coming in to trade in there kirby's and rainbows and they always say the salesman forced them to buy it?????? If you don't want it say no. If you bought the machine because you felt obliged to then its still your choice you chose to buy it. RIGHT ???

Post# 171026 , Reply# 15   2/26/2012 at 15:52 (4,413 days old) by twocvbloke ()        

When you're caught on the receiving end of a Kirby salesman's spiel, you'll understand, it's why my dad left Kirby as he got so depressed having to try and force sales of their machines onto people, because that is their way, if they don't get a sale, they don't get paid, so they have a lot of pressure themselves to make any money at all... :\

Though I do wish they'd get into the 21st century and at least try to offer them in a retail situation rather than door-to-door sales like a lot of other manufacturers who have their own shops or have licensed dealers...


Post# 171058 , Reply# 16   2/26/2012 at 23:54 (4,413 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)        

gsheen's profile picture
I have had a few Kirby demo's in my life time, I will admit they are pretty persistent as I normally tell them I am not interested but when they keep on I have no problem letting them in and embarrassing them when they try there little bag of tricks.However it is still your choice to buy it or not.


Post# 171080 , Reply# 17   2/27/2012 at 07:54 (4,413 days old) by twocvbloke ()        

Oh yeah, it's always your choice to buy anything, but when they persist with elderly people who cannot use the machines, and they end up selling one to them because the elderly person just wants rid of them, then it's a whole different kettle of fish... :\

And there have been cases over in the states where there have been so-called salesmen using force to get the sales, on I recall involving the use of a gun, so, there are a few who don't exactly follow the rules, hence why I'd prefer to see them go into the retail sector and have shops or licensed dealers... :)

If they tried it with me though, I'd be all too happy to let them in, but then I'd be all too happy to get all my vacuums out to play with Mr. Kirby Salesman, including the Kirbys I already own, cos I'm just a git... :P


Post# 171089 , Reply# 18   2/27/2012 at 09:30 (4,413 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)        

gsheen's profile picture
Yes I must admit I do love messing with them too if they carry on persisting I will give in just to have some fun. I love the look on there faces when I, after having some fun, take them to my workshop and show them all the test riggs and stuff. The funny thing is I always offer to put the kirby/ rainbow/thermax/retello on to the test bench but they always decline LOL

Post# 171115 , Reply# 19   2/27/2012 at 14:13 (4,412 days old) by venson ()        
When is someone going to attempt to do a test re subsurface

Hi,

Henrique, most respectfully, sorry, but I have to agree -- you vacuum way too fast. The object is to let the machine do the work. Also, a very boring detail, but for an upright used at a more relaxed pace, four passes per square foot is said to constitute "thorough" cleaning.

Unfortunately, picking up oatmeal and rice doesn't prove much. I have a 30 buck Dirt Devil stick that will get oatmeal and rice off the top of my carpeting in short order. What's needs to be known is how well either of the machines your demonstrating get at grit and dirt that gets worked down into the rug by everyday household traffic. And that kind of stuff is what promotes carpet wear -- not the fluff, dust and debris you merely suck up off the top of a rug. If you're going to spend money, deep cleaning is certainly worth the paying for.

However, testing for that is usually done by weighing the material you'll use as a "soil" facsimile, vacuuming and then reweighing the vacuum bag or dust container to learn exactly how much of what you put down on the test rug was recovered by the vacuum you used.

A lot of tests do not prove much about a vacuum cleaner. I know this because I signed on to do demos at a local Sears spring of last year and had to the, "Oh look, this little machine can hold up a bowling ball!" schtick. I managed to do it with a straight face because I really needed the money.

Kirbys, especially the latter G models are darned good. However, if they are to be challenged it should be more over the issue of price. Their price is high NOT because the cleaners are phenomenally expensive to produce but because of an expected return for the door-to-door people they send out (let loose?) in the field. While I was in college I bought a Tradition way back in the late '70s -- brand new and legal with the aid of a legitimate vacuum shop -- for $350, about the cost the distributors charged vendors for stock at the time. My estimate could be off a little but I don't think I'd be too far off the beam if I guesstimated the actual cost from distributor to vendor to now be somewhere near the $625 mark. Lay that against the price your last Kirby DTD person laid on you and do the math. Even if the actual cost of a Kirby is 50-percent of the sale price, its still way too much.

I won't commit to an actual price estimate for either make but I'd say the same scenario applies to Rainbow and Aerus. Selling is all about what the market will bear -- not about fair profit or being "nice" to the folks you're looking to get money from.

Venson


Post# 171117 , Reply# 20   2/27/2012 at 14:31 (4,412 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)        

gsheen's profile picture
Just to let you guys know how ridiculous kirby's pricing is in SA a new Kirby will set you back $ 3300.00 at the current exchange rate. to put that into perspective a miele s7 cat dog will cost $ 500.00 with all the added attachments ,

Post# 171120 , Reply# 21   2/27/2012 at 14:40 (4,412 days old) by twocvbloke ()        
"When is someone going to attempt to do a test re subsur

Someone did, but people didn't appreciate the hard work they put in to make the videos doing such tests, so they're consigned to history and the memories of those who did get to watch them...

Post# 171127 , Reply# 22   2/27/2012 at 16:15 (4,412 days old) by venson ()        
@twocvbloke . . .

Hi twocvbloke,

Thanks for the heads-up. I'm sorry to learn I missed viewing them.

gsheen, if your talking the equivalent of $3,300 USD that's about 24,932 in South African Rand, correct? Wow! Well, if you want a laugh, I'll tell you what I've been told -- "It costs to bring you quality." :)

Best,

Venson


Post# 171358 , Reply# 23   2/29/2012 at 10:33 (4,410 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)        

gsheen's profile picture
@ venson
yep that's correct rainbows are even more worse yet both only have a 1 year guarantee here. Quality ??? yes that did make me laugh, if they were made like the legend's then yes that was quality, sentria not so much, sure its better than most but its not that much better. Its would be like buying a $ 80 000 dollar Toyota Camry sure its well made and will never break down but you wouldn't buy it for that would you



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