Is the Aerus (electrolux) brand disappearing?


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Thread Number: 16491
Is the Aerus (electrolux) brand disappearing?

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Post# 175962 4/5/2012 at 08:38 (4,397 days old) by GM1982 ()
Checkrate/Likes Hi, was curious to know from other members and owners if the Aerus brand is disappearing. Are stores closing rather than opening? Is competition hurting or the product quality not the same?

Post# 175964 , Reply# 1 4/5/2012 at 09:11 (4,397 days old) by Trebor ()
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Aerus is struggling...* When Electrolux America sold their name back to the Swedish group, it was all over. The selling price was 55 million, Joe Urso's initial investment. His take for the three years he held the reigns: about 50 million. Initially, the branch managers were asked to pay 250,000 for their branch. Now the price is 10,000. The Perfect clones are better machines, and less expensive. It's sad. Why would someone pay 2000.00 for a new Guardian when there are so many other, and better choices for less money? Sara Lee bought Electrolux during a period when diversification was the corporate philosophy, and sold it when the fad was streamlining. It was a bad move for everybody. Under Charles Mckee, the company flourished, with only 4 machines, 1205, L, CB, and B-8. If Sara Lee had stayed the course, kept Lux, and if Lux had stayed the course and kept the branch system (with a couple of minor alterations) Electolux would be the dominant brand in the US today.

Post# 175970 , Reply# 2 4/5/2012 at 09:52 (4,397 days old) by rugsucker (Elizabethton TN)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Electrolux was different* Before Aerus,for years Electrolux had a relativly simple system that woked well for everyone from factory to customers across America.All branches were company owned and all employees from the president to the newest salesman were employees of Electrolux unlike other door to door companies who could have a good product but completley different organization.There was a simple easily understood lineup of machines for any home,business or cleaning need with a one price policy as they were consigned to branch and salesmen untill sold to customer.Electrolux did their own financing and every branch had service department.And then different ownership,different management,more models,more price points,Elux in Sams club,a short lived program for Elux in Sears(I think they did appear in 1 small catalog),Purelux water filters added,some employees no longer with company benefits,and more.--My opinion-If they still had $299 upright(Discovery)and $399 canister(LE with power nozzle)they could not build them fast enough!!

Post# 175981 , Reply# 3 4/5/2012 at 11:25 (4,397 days old) by danemodsandy ()
Checkrate/Likes 1 *So Many Mistakes!* It's my feeling that the company has made so many mistakes it may not be salvageable. The first was that damn silly "Aerus" name, which is absolutely meaningless to most consumers, and does absolutely nothing to help people make the connection that this was once American Electrolux. Something with "Lux" in the name (Vaculux? Homelux?) would have been a far better choice. The move to franchises was another mistake. The old Electrolux system kept the consumer experience very stable, very uniform; there were systems in place to detect any deviation from company standards. Now, consumers are more or less at the mercy of a franchisee. Aerus stores are not uniform; some locations are as upscale as you'd expect for such a pricey product. Others are not, and some locations (like in my city) don't even have premises; the franchisee operates out of his home. That is hardly reassuring to prospective purchasers of a $2000 vacuum cleaner! The price points of Aerus vacs are a problem, too. Not because premium vacs aren't worth it; they certainly can be. The Electrolux 1205 would go for around $1400 in today's money. But there is a huge amount of competition, and Aerus has done nothing to deal with it. You can compete two ways. First is price, which has traditionally not been the way Lux plays the game. The other is mystique, a game Miele, for instance, plays very well indeed. But Aerus can hardly romance customers with guys operating out of their homes. The last is lack of advertising. You just don't see anything besides the Aerus Website, which is ridiculous. Here is Aerus with an unfamiliar brand name, a heritage most people don't relate to products they ARE familiar with, and a pricey product - and you don't see diddly squat in the media. That isn't merely a bit lacking, it's insane. I think - given present marketplace conditions - that Aerus would do best to dismantle its dealer network and go with vac shop sales, like Miele. They could hardly do worse, seems to me.

Post# 175982 , Reply# 4 4/5/2012 at 11:41 (4,397 days old) by twocvbloke ()
Checkrate/Likes I don't think Aerus did themselves any favours when they split from the parent Electrolux company in Europe, they could have changed their name back then and had been a success, being completely separated from the Electrolux name and not having to return it to the rightful owner a few years ago... And, some Aerus dealers haven't done the Aerus name any good either by posting images in their stores about the "fake, cheap and inferior" Electrolux AG products being sold in the US, I think I saw one example of that here on this forum, basically trying to steer customers away from the Electrolux name, even though they used to be called Electrolux, which just causes confusion and people see the Aerus brand as a bunch of slandering rednecks... But, at the end of the day, mistakes have been made, names have been changed, and as someone living in Europe (not by choice, mind), to me the Electrolux name will always have this logo:

Post# 175986 , Reply# 5 4/5/2012 at 13:21 (4,397 days old) by joshdonnell ()
Checkrate/Likes *Aerus* The stores here are doing fine

Post# 175988 , Reply# 6 4/5/2012 at 13:55 (4,397 days old) by danemodsandy ()
Checkrate/Likes *Josh:* "The stores here are doing fine" I'm glad to hear that, but they aren't doing fine everywhere, and that's a real concern for those of us who love Luxes. If the company goes belly-up for lack of good sales nation-wide, the supply of certain parts may dry up forever. I personally would not like to rely on aftermarket hoses for my Luxes; the genuine Aerus hoses are greatly superior to anything I've seen from the aftermarket. I remember areas where you saw a lot of AMC cars, because dealers in those areas were very good at selling. But that wasn't true everywhere - or even in most places - and eventually the company went under. That's what I fear with Aerus.

Post# 175989 , Reply# 7 4/5/2012 at 14:08 (4,397 days old) by GM1982 ()
Checkrate/Likes *Experience* I did not have the most pleasant experience when buying my vacuum. These supposedly franchise stores are like dealing with the used car salesman. The high price and tactics pulled makes me say look at a different brand. I feel there is no cohesion and accountability. I was told my vacuum was okay several times by the franchise owner when the indicator light was clearly malfunctioning. I called corporate they referred me back to the store. It was a joke. Plus when I searched store locations, thinking to try another area location for service, I found out they had closed! So...what is the real brand to have?? Getting tired of attaching\reattaching the hose . I have the upright model.

Post# 175990 , Reply# 8 4/5/2012 at 14:17 (4,397 days old) by danemodsandy ()
Checkrate/Likes 2 *George:* I would urge you to consider vintage if you want a vacuum that will last, as well as costing a reasonable amount of money. Despite what I've said about Aerus, there is still great support for vintage machines back to the Model L and 1205. It gets kind of spotty prior to those machines, but lots of people have Model Gs and the like, and keep them in good repair, even if they have to work at it a little harder. The TriStar CXL is a GREAT vacuum with excellent filtration. Parts are not difficult to come by, though dealing with TriStar Canada is preferable to TriStar in the U.S. I should mention that TriStar is owned by the same company that owns Aerus, though. You can have a very expensive vac that will last a very long time for less than $200 if you will go this route. Even if you restore one to perfection and spend more money (as I did with my CXL), you should still get out for under $500, which is nothing for a TOL premium vacuum nowadays. And my CXL should be around for many years - make that decades - after I'm gone.

Post# 175993 , Reply# 9 4/5/2012 at 14:57 (4,397 days old) by kloveland (Tulsa)
Checkrate/Likes *Stores seem to be fine here as well.* My local Aerus store is very close to my house. I've bought bags, belts and clean sweep chips from them numerous times. I�ve yet to see a decline in business. The woman who has worked there, for as long as I can remember said �they were still going strong�. Tulsa, Oklahoma was one of the original branch offices. I've seen the old store printed on some of the older Electrolux literature.

Post# 175998 , Reply# 10 4/5/2012 at 15:25 (4,397 days old) by luxman107 (USA )
Checkrate/Likes 1 I hope not because I love electrolux products...But I don't have that warm fuzzy feeling that they will be around that much longer. The store I went too for years in now closed as long as the one up by my cabin in north Ga is now closed also

Post# 176001 , Reply# 11 4/5/2012 at 16:06 (4,397 days old) by GM1982 ()
Checkrate/Likes It seems the stores that do well/operable are the ones in Texas or nearest Texas by the main corporate headquarters....maybe there is better oversight, but the ones by me in the New York area seem to be closing. As I mentioned, I am just not thrilled with the hose connection for the upright, its becoming inconvenient, wish I never bought it. I am going to look at the new electrolux Ultra Silencer or someone mentioned TriStar, never heard of it. Probably should have just did the Miele from the start. S7

Post# 176002 , Reply# 12 4/5/2012 at 16:34 (4,397 days old) by danemodsandy ()
Checkrate/Likes 1 *George:* TriStar is a brand that has been around in one form or another since 1940. It was originally called Compact, invented by the Interstate Engineering Company of Anaheim, California, which was primarily a manufacturer of aircraft components. IEC needed to be able to clean up the interiors of airplanes after they had finished installing their components on them, and so they came up with a lightweight (for that era) and small vacuum made of the same magnesium-aluminum alloy used for their primary products. Eventually, someone at IEC got the bright idea to sell the cleaner to the public, as a way of diversifying the product line, so as to help IEC weather the ups and downs of the aircraft business. The cleaner was dubbed the "Compact," and sold under that brand name for many years. Compacts were always sold door-to-door, but there was a retail version - identical except for the brand name - called Revelation, sold in stores. Eventually, IEC sold off the Compact line to a company called Figgie International, which in turn sold it to the same Texas holding company which now owns Aerus. The machine was re-named TriStar. The original Compact design, with detail changes and the addition of a power nozzle, was sold through about 1998. The company then introduced a new design, based on the old one, but more modern-looking and cheaper to produce, called the MG Series. The later Compact-based machines made in the last dozen or so years before the MG Series was launched are very desirable vacuums, with metal bodies, as well as metal wand and tool systems (except for upholstery nozzles, dust brushes and crevice tools). They have a quadruple filtration system: Air first passes through a cloth dust bag, then a paper one that fits inside the cloth bag. Next comes a motor pre-filter, and last comes an exhaust air filter. Below is a picture of my restored TriStar CXL, which is complete with everything it had originally, plus extra wands. It is my opinion that no finer classic canister vacuum has ever been made. You would enjoy having one immensely! P.S.: If you ever look at a TriStar CXL, check out the suction - you will not believe it.

Post# 176003 , Reply# 13 4/5/2012 at 16:38 (4,397 days old) by danemodsandy ()
Checkrate/Likes *P.S.:* Here is a link to the TriStar Website; be sure to click on the "About Us" link and take a look at the "History of Products" page: CLICK HERE TO GO TO danemodsandy's LINK

Post# 176004 , Reply# 14 4/5/2012 at 16:46 (4,397 days old) by danemodsandy ()
Checkrate/Likes *OOPS!* Sorry, I mis-spoke about the filtration path on TriStars. Air passes through the paper bag FIRST, then the cloth bag, then the other two filters mentioned. Mea maxima culpa. Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault....

Post# 176008 , Reply# 15 4/5/2012 at 17:08 (4,397 days old) by GM1982 ()
Checkrate/Likes *Tri Star* Looks good, I like the new one in grey....where do you buy these? Looks expensive if its going to come with a lifetime warranty. Are they quiet.

Post# 176010 , Reply# 16 4/5/2012 at 17:09 (4,397 days old) by GM1982 ()
Checkrate/Likes No upright for Tristar?

Post# 176011 , Reply# 17 4/5/2012 at 17:26 (4,397 days old) by danemodsandy ()
Checkrate/Likes 1 *George:* No uprights - TriStar has always stuck to canisters. A vintage Compact-based TriStar is a much better bet than the new MG Series machines. The new machines have less suction than old ones, and a less expensive motor has been substituted for the former Ametek unit. Accessory quality is far lower than before; plastic wands now substitute for metal ones, and the former cast-aluminum rug and floor tools have been replaced with ordinary plastic versions. Given that an MG Series TriStar goes for between two and three grand, depending on the deal, this feels unacceptable. The great thing about Compact-based TriStars is that they are built to LAST, not to require constant upkeep in the form of replaced wands and tools. Vintage machines are plentiful, on eBay all the time. While owners tend to keep their TriStars forever, what's happening is that older owners are dying off, and the kids don't know that the vacuum is anything special. If you look at vintage ones, hold out for the most complete example you can find; replacement parts for any TriStar are expensive. I ended up with about $400 in my CXL, because it was missing some tools and needed a few replacement parts and a hose. Again, current TriStars just don't have the reputation for durability that the older ones have.

Post# 176012 , Reply# 18 4/5/2012 at 17:30 (4,397 days old) by danemodsandy ()
Checkrate/Likes *Buying a New TriStar:* George: If you'll look on the TriStar Website, there's a toll-free number on the "Contact Us" page of the "About Us" link. TriStar is sold by home demonstration only, so a rep would have to come see you at home or office. Call the toll-free number to have a rep schedule with you.

Post# 176019 , Reply# 19 4/5/2012 at 18:19 (4,397 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)
Checkrate/Likes I will always buy vintage Eureka and Sanitaire products from 1990 or earlier, if possible. ~Ben

Post# 176021 , Reply# 20 4/5/2012 at 18:39 (4,397 days old) by GM1982 ()
Checkrate/Likes *Buying...* thanks for the info....so you have to have an in house demo and negotiate I assume. Also, what do you think of the Riccer upright or the canister one, says they come with metal wands and metal plate, durable?

Post# 176024 , Reply# 21 4/5/2012 at 19:21 (4,397 days old) by danemodsandy ()
Checkrate/Likes 3 *George:* Yes, that is the way new TriStars are sold. I don't personally care for Riccars, but then they're plastic, which something I avoid in vacs, at least as far as the main body is concerned. Plastic - of whatever kind or of whatever quality - ages, becoming distorted and brittle over the years. It makes new vacs very affordable, but it also makes another new vac a near-necessity sooner or later. If you want an upright capable of going for years and years, there's always Kirby. If you buy a new one, you're registered as the owner, and they'll refurbish it for you any time you like, for a fee, putting it back into like-new condition. The only catch is that they use "equivalent" parts when refurbishing, not necessarily the exact items or colors that were on the vac new. This does not matter to many owners, but people like the collectors here - who can spot a substituted belt lifter from across Madison Square Garden - care a lot.

Post# 176028 , Reply# 22 4/5/2012 at 19:51 (4,397 days old) by joshdonnell ()
Checkrate/Likes *Ehh* ill just stick to my plastic. Thanks tho

Post# 176030 , Reply# 23 4/5/2012 at 20:10 (4,397 days old) by fan-of-fans (USA)
Checkrate/Likes I agree that one of the major issues that happened is when the name and logo were sold to Swedish company. I think most people think that the Electrolux machines that are sold in big box stores are related to the original Electrolux, and know nothing of Aerus. I certainly didn't, and there are no Aerus stores near me that I know of. Aerus would probably be a totally unheard of brand in my area. Another thing I don't get is why Aerus doesn't seem to update the machines much. They don't have a lot of features that many other brands of vacuums have, not to mention being much more expensive. They seem kind of stuck in the past and haven't updated with more modern features. Is a reason to buy an Aerus over a Kenmore, Miele or other brands?

Post# 176034 , Reply# 24 4/5/2012 at 20:23 (4,397 days old) by danemodsandy ()
Checkrate/Likes *Cole:* That's another problem - the lack of visible updates. Just making different colors isn't really enough. When American Electrolux was at its height, it took great care to update the overall looks of the machines regularly - look at the 1205, the Golden J, the Super J, Olympia, Silverado and so on. Then you get to the Diamond Jubilee, and the changes stop - it's really just color changes from that point forward to the Grand Marquise/Ultralux. I don't think that did sales any good. I KNOW it didn't do the excitement factor any good.

Post# 176038 , Reply# 25 4/5/2012 at 22:00 (4,397 days old) by em-tor64 ()
Checkrate/Likes 1 *simple system* "Electrolux had a relatively simple system that woked well for everyone from factory to customers across America.All branches were company owned and all employees from the president to the newest salesman were employees of Electrolux......There was a simple easily understood lineup of machines for any home,business or cleaning need with a one price policy as they were consigned to branch and salesmen until sold to customer.Electrolux did their own financing and every branch had service department." Always wondered why Kirby did not use this same type of system......

Post# 176039 , Reply# 26 4/5/2012 at 22:03 (4,397 days old) by kirbyloverdan (Egg Harbor Twp . NJ aka HOOVERLOVERDAN ❤️)
Checkrate/Likes *I think all D2D* Vacuum companies have all been doing color changes and tweaks here and there. TriStar , Filter Queen , Kirby , Miracle Mate and many others all are guilty of it not just Aerus .Aerus in NJ is doing very well there are no TriStars sold in the Southern part of the State I am not sure about the rest of NJ but no one even knows of the brand .

Post# 176041 , Reply# 27 4/5/2012 at 22:27 (4,397 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada)
Checkrate/Likes I still say Aerus should upgrade their rather loose relationship with Switzerland's Lux International. It would be a real novel addition to the vac market in North America to see a cool "Lux Intelligence" canister vacuum cleaner over on this side of the Atlantic.

Post# 176047 , Reply# 28 4/6/2012 at 01:58 (4,397 days old) by bimmer740 (Long Island, New York)
Checkrate/Likes 1 The Aerus dealer that is only about 5 minutes from my house still seems to be doing well. They have been in the same location for more than 20 years and the sign above the store was never changed (its in a strip mall) and still says ELECTROLUX. Aerus/Electrolux vacuums have always been very propular here as they are easy to use and often lasted for many years. I was in the Aerus store two weeks ago to buy 2 chrome wands and replacement brush strips for the combination floor tool, had a nice converstation with the sales lady who has been there forever, and walked out with $78 less in my wallet. The wands are made nicely and I know they will last forever so I guess their price of $27 each was justified. Electrolux/Aerus did make a HUGE change in their product line up when they introduced the Renaissance back in 1994. It was a completely new body style, with a design reminiscent of the model XXX, and it was completely different from any machine Lux was producing at that time or had been making previously. While not everyone was thrilled with the plastic wand set up, it was a new innovation, as well as the digital handle controls that now allowed the user to control every function of the machine at their fingertips. And lets not forget the longer cord, finally a Lux tank with a cord longer than 20 feet! Although the reliability of the first Renaissance machines wasn't up to par with other Lux vacuums, they did sort out most problems with the machine. As for why Electrolux would have gone through all the trouble to produce this machine and then totally abandon the R-style machines is something we will never know. The Renaissance body, even though it dates back to 94, is the most recently designed body style, and Lux could have improved further upon this machine. With some minor improvements it certainly would have been a solid TOL machine to compete with others on the market as well as justify its premium price tag. I have always loved Electrolux vacuums, it�s the vacuum that started it all for me, but the Aerus corporation really leaves me scratching my head wondering what the hell they are thinking!! If only one of us in this club could be in control of the company, then Lux could be restored back to its former glory. I guess that�s just wishful thinking though.

Post# 176059 , Reply# 29 4/6/2012 at 06:07 (4,396 days old) by GM1982 ()
Checkrate/Likes What is the deal with the tri star bag, how do you dispose of it without dirt not getting everywhere? Its appears its an open circular bag, does it seal? As for the Aerus machine, and previous mentions on this posting, I think they are way overpriced and lack premium features. My upright lacks on board tools... I would be entertaining TriStar if I can see one, Riccar or a Miele this time around.

Post# 176066 , Reply# 30 4/6/2012 at 07:13 (4,396 days old) by twocvbloke ()
Checkrate/Likes 1 The Tristar bag you just lift out and toss out, unlike bags with a small opening where if you squeeze it you get a dust cloud poof out of it, the Tristar bags don't have that issue, I do tend to fold the top and roll it down with mine though before lifting out, but it's no more fiddly than any of my other vacs, but has bags more power for all cleaning jobs... :)

Post# 176076 , Reply# 31 4/6/2012 at 08:52 (4,396 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)
Checkrate/Likes One of the reasons that d2d vacuum company's here are not doing to well is that most people have wooden flooring now, With underfloor heating its just as warm as carpet and doesn't get as grimy. I love carpet. My builder looked at me funny when I told him to rip up tiles in our lounge and fit thick plush carpet. But most people prefer to have the wooden floors. when you only have a few carpets in the house why would you buy a super sucker for $ 2000.00 when a $ 500.00 vacuum will do just as good a job. you don't need super suction for hard flooring

Post# 176077 , Reply# 32 4/6/2012 at 09:58 (4,396 days old) by danemodsandy ()
Checkrate/Likes 1 *George:* I'm seconding David - the TriStar bag is not any trouble to change, and does not let dust fly around. The way I change mine is to get one of those plastic grocery bags, open the canister, lift the bag out, and sit it in the grocery bag. Then I tie up the grocery bag and take it to the trash. The TriStar bag is HUGE, and the vacuum does not lose suction very much as it fills, so you can take advantage of its full capacity. You will also enjoy the benefits of TriStar's quadruple filtration - when you're through vacuuming, you don't see dust again for quite a while, unlike single-filtration machines (like Lux) where dust reappears soon after vacuuming.

Post# 176099 , Reply# 33 4/6/2012 at 13:14 (4,396 days old) by Trebor ()
Checkrate/Likes *What on earth do you mean...?* and not having to return it to the rightful owner a few years ago... Electrolux America legitimately struck a deal with Electrolux AG of Sweden for the exclusive use of the name 'Electrolux' in the USA and Canada. It was valid, legal, and binding. In fact Lux of Sweden regretted the deal after Lurelle Guild designed the model XXX, it was such a huge seller, but the deal was done until Joe Urso stupidly sold it back so Kelly Rippa could hawk Electolux washers and dryers, etc. on television. The deal was made in perpetuity, so until Electrolux LLC sold it, they were indeed the rightful, moral, and legal owners of the name Electrolux in North America.

Post# 176103 , Reply# 34 4/6/2012 at 13:35 (4,396 days old) by vacuumfan96 (South East Michigan )
Checkrate/Likes *Aerus electrolux* I have an Aerus Electrolux dealer about 2 miles from my house.

Post# 176124 , Reply# 35 4/6/2012 at 15:45 (4,396 days old) by Trebor ()
Checkrate/Likes *If only one of us...* in this club could be in control of the company, then Lux could be restored back to its former glory. I guess that�s just wishful thinking though." Yes, it is. In 2000 I was flown to Lux HQ in Bristol, VA by James McCain, then chief of operations. I am the only person from the outside to ever address the engineering team. He was excited, and wanted me to head up a product development team from the field. His belief was in 36 months the company could be at the top of the heap once more. But when you are owned by a corporate raider whose only interest is in dismantling the company for profit, nothing matters

Post# 176183 , Reply# 36 4/7/2012 at 02:21 (4,396 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)
Checkrate/Likes The "mixed" flooring and hard floors is hurting Kirby-Who needs an upright when you have such floors-The canister machines DTD ones or other are more useful.This trend is hitting the area I am in.Most new homes have all hard floors-no carpets.The WTW carpets are becoming a thing of the past-my place has WTW carpet-my place was built in 1972.

Post# 176184 , Reply# 37 4/7/2012 at 02:22 (4,396 days old) by bimmer740 (Long Island, New York)
Checkrate/Likes *@Trebor* It's such a shame you weren't able to work some magic at Lux. One of the nicest features of Electrolux canisters in the past is their simplicity. For years Electrolux had the most current technology, yet were still well made, and straight forward to use. I don't think you could ask for anything more, and what average person really wants to deal with an overly complicated vacuum when they probably already find it to be a dreadful appliance. Aerus doesn't really need to do all that much to their machines so they can properly compete with the rest of the market, but they seem to be opposed to change and prefer to revert back to older and less costly ways of doing business. If the Aerus wants increase their bottom line they are going to have to spend some money first on their product line-up before they will receive the largest amount of profit, unless they really are just trying to run the company right into the ground.

Post# 176185 , Reply# 38 4/7/2012 at 02:43 (4,396 days old) by bimmer740 (Long Island, New York)
Checkrate/Likes *gsheen* Gareth, is that Mercedes SL a new addition to your fleet of cars? I can't believe that body style of the SL can be considered a classic now, since they came out more than 20 years ago.

Post# 176189 , Reply# 39 4/7/2012 at 06:02 (4,395 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)
Checkrate/Likes Steven You make me laugh, fleet of cars and all.From what Ive read on car post on this forum I own to little ( we have 4 my old and much loved 94 E, this sl500, a range rover sport and my wife's beloved Hyundia atos ) Yes that is my new toy, In my spare time I buy and sell cars from auctions which makes me a bit of $$ on the side, Mainly mercs , jags and range rovers. This one I am keeping. I always wanted one so when the chance provided itself I jumped at it> It is one of the last ones made and a true beauty, Funny thing is that kirbyloverdan and I bought sl's on the same day, he has the newer shape though. As old as it is it turns heads even in white

Post# 176190 , Reply# 40 4/7/2012 at 06:09 (4,395 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)
Checkrate/Likes Back on the d2d company's though I think many people are going for more premium mass produced vacuums than d2d machines because of the wooden floors. I was chatting to our local rainbow shop here and he said that he now supplies the rainbow without the pn but with extra dusting attachments. wooden flooring creates more airborne dust because it cannot trap the dust like a carpet does. every time you walk on wooden flooring you stir up the fine dust that is on it spreading it around the room. My one mate who ones a tv shop reckons that hard flooring coming back in was the best thing for his business. the amount of tv's that blow due to to much dust in them is amazing. also people who have wooden flooring tend to vacuum less and sweep more making the problem even worse

Post# 176302 , Reply# 41 4/8/2012 at 08:23 (4,394 days old) by GM1982 ()
Checkrate/Likes *So I have an Aerus Guardian Upright to get rid of...* which is the best way to get rid of my vacuum... Sell or trade it in?? I want a vacuum that is much more convenient to use, and parts/bags will be readily available. I am liking the Riccar or Miele line, which do you recommend? Originally was thinking of trading this in for a canister version, but I fear so many of these Aerus (old school lux) stores are shutting doors. Also, the retail store is like negotiating for a used car. its a joke of an experience, let alone the high price I do not think is justified for the product you get. I paid $850 with a trade for the Aerus in 9/2011, after hammering the sales person down from $1300

Post# 176303 , Reply# 42 4/8/2012 at 08:25 (4,394 days old) by GM1982 ()
Checkrate/Likes *PS...* I never understood why they would not put tools on board for this machine, let alone it does not swivel or pivot. odd at this price point...right?

Post# 176310 , Reply# 43 4/8/2012 at 09:36 (4,394 days old) by sarasvacshack ()
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Aerus...* still has many options left. The franchise setup may not have been the best route to go. Dealers are really limited in not being able to offer any other brands, which is very difficult with a retail setup. They could go retail and still have a very competitive price point, or go back to d2d sales. Aerus machines are not going away, there is still a very good market for them.

Post# 176351 , Reply# 44 4/8/2012 at 13:50 (4,394 days old) by danemodsandy ()
Checkrate/Likes *Lloyd:* Aerus may not be going away, but they seem to be well on their way to becoming a "niche" machine, similar to TriStar. That's a far cry from their market position thirty-five years ago. Back then, if you had real money to spend on a canister vac, you bought a Lux or a Lady Kenmore (and you only bought the LK if a Lux salesman didn't get hold of you first, because they were experts at pointing out the differences between their metal machine and Sears' plastic one). If you didn't have quite so much, you bought a Hoover or a Eureka. In certain areas, it wasn't a question of whether you had a Lux - it was more like, "Which Lux do you have?" I don't think Aerus will ever regain that status. I do hope they're able to hang around.

Post# 176470 , Reply# 45 4/9/2012 at 11:00 (4,393 days old) by GM1982 ()
Checkrate/Likes *Particle Counters* Does anyone know what a Lux Classic (aerus) would register on a particle counter. I was at a vacuum center last Saturday and the salesperson demonstrated this device called a particle counter on a Miele vacuum showing me how it reads 0. Most vacuums emit particulates back into the room he stated

Post# 176471 , Reply# 46 4/9/2012 at 11:09 (4,393 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)
Checkrate/Likes If the particle counter read zero then he is , um , talking rubbish and trying to pull the wool over your eyes. This is one of the latest cons used by vacuum salesmen to sell a vacuum No vacuum releases zero particals back into the air second of all when air is dispelled from a vacuum it will gather more particals in the air as it passes through. so the air coming out the vacuum would gather dust particals in the air and those would be read aswell. When testing is done properly it is done in a CLEAN ROOM and even then the vacuum will emit particle's back into the room

Post# 176472 , Reply# 47 4/9/2012 at 11:16 (4,393 days old) by GM1982 ()
Checkrate/Likes The device was held right up against the air vent on the machine not a few inches away where it could regain particles in the air

Post# 176549 , Reply# 48 4/9/2012 at 19:10 (4,393 days old) by joshdonnell ()
Checkrate/Likes I I dissagree can you prove that the vacuum like miele ement dust ? The partical thing doent lie. Kirby is a dust blower

Post# 176550 , Reply# 49 4/9/2012 at 19:19 (4,393 days old) by bagintheback (Flagstaff, Arizona)
Checkrate/Likes All vacuums emit some air imperfections. Last time I checked, HEPA filters were only 99.97% efficient at 0.3 microns. The particle scanner will only read particles larger than 0.3 microns. So what about the other 0.03% of dust? The closest you will get to zero emissions vacuum is a central vac, and that's only if it's exhausted outside the living area.

Post# 176560 , Reply# 50 4/9/2012 at 20:20 (4,393 days old) by Trebor ()
Checkrate/Likes *The rate of filtration...* at the exhaust is, for all practical purposes, irrelevant when particle size is below 2.5 microns, where pollen and mold begin. The exhaust filtration is measured when the vacuum cleaner is simply pumping air. What is the rate of filtration while the vacuum is picking up dirt? The more dirt it is picking up, the more particles the filter has to trap, and the more likelihood some particles will be exhausted. Perfect filtration is an elusive goal, and a pointless one. What about putting that same particle counter on a 10 yr old Miele? What then? It doesn't matter as long as the dirt removal and filtration are sufficient to get the job done without spreading copious amounts of dirt.

Post# 176599 , Reply# 51 4/10/2012 at 00:42 (4,393 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)
Checkrate/Likes Trebor As usual you hit the nail on the head. I aways tell my customers forget how well it sucks now , How well does it suck in 6 months to a year. use that miele or any vacuum for that matter for a year and then put that particle counter on. As you said it doesn't really matter as most good quality vacuums exhauste air that is cleaner than the air we breath

Post# 176615 , Reply# 52 4/10/2012 at 09:29 (4,392 days old) by Trebor ()
Checkrate/Likes 1 *It amazes me...* how easily the American buying public is led astray by some trumped-up, misapplied, irrelevant marketing gimmick, like HEPA. It is true our houses are more tightly sealed. Sick building syndrome is a reality. But better filtering vacuum cleaners are only one part of the solution, and only to a certain point. 95% @ 2.5 microns is more than sufficient for anyone with a normal immune system, unless there is a plague. But, in the more is better mentality, people fall for the absurdity of bagless HEPA filtration. The concept itself is ludicrous. IF these tiny particles are SO dangerous we cannot allow them to escape back into the air, why risk them escaping from a dust container?

Post# 176680 , Reply# 53 4/10/2012 at 18:59 (4,392 days old) by eurekastar (Amarillo, Texas)
Checkrate/Likes *RE: HEPA and alergies* I once lived in northern New Mexico with lots of Russian Olive trees, Cottonwood trees, and Elm trees. I always thought those were the cause of my allergies. Like many, I did everything in the world to minimize the assault from the likely suspects. Then I went to Central Asia for the first time in 2000. Guess what? They had all the same trees to which I thought I was allergic. But the entire two weeks I was there, I never had a sniffle. Never took an allergy pill. I slept very well too. When I got back, I told the doctor of my experience. He said that, for many, the problem isn't with plant allergens. Instead, they're affected by chemicals in their home environment. I had no idea that plastics and other synthetic fibers in things like carpet would have that kind of effect. But every time I've been to Central Asia and other developing nations where they don't use a lot of plastics, I do fine. In fact, I spent a week in Nicaragua last month and was never bothered by allergies. I stayed in a small remote village that was pretty primitive. The air was constantly filled with smoke from burning trash too and it never bothered me. Sorry about the long tome, but I too think HEPA vacuums aren't always necessary for some who suffer from allergies.

Post# 176685 , Reply# 54 4/10/2012 at 19:33 (4,392 days old) by joshdonnell ()
Checkrate/Likes *Well* Nothings perfect! But i still choose a miele over anything! I cant have a central vac becuase i live in a Aparment, but i can tell you after owning a miele i dust less. With my rainbow i dusted more. I thought i was the other way round . I was sure wrong

Post# 176782 , Reply# 55 4/11/2012 at 15:46 (4,391 days old) by Trebor ()
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Houseplants...* clean VOC's out of the air. There is a book called "Grow Fresh Air" that gives specific varieties and the things they remove.

Post# 176786 , Reply# 56 4/11/2012 at 16:25 (4,391 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)
Checkrate/Likes Bill One other thing to check is the ac filter in your car , the whole ac system too. I suffer from major allergy's to ertain things and was always having sneazing fits in our one car ( a 2year model range rover that i bought on auction ) We figured it must be the car and I chatted to a mate who works in a lab, he sugested having the aircon unit checked , It was full of mould as the previous owner only set it to recerculate. Getting back to the vacuums or not , there are many other things in your house that can give you allergy's , sometime's I think that people today are a little to obsessed with clean. Its funny how we now have hepa this and hepa that , cleaning spray that removes 99.99% of all germs and yet every one you meet now has allergy's. years ago before this CLEAN came into effect houses were still clean and people didn't have as many allergy's as they do now

Post# 315340 , Reply# 57 2/12/2015 at 12:07 (3,354 days old) by Aerus ()
Checkrate/Likes Hello, So everything about Electrolux selling their name is true. We now go by Aerus because we have moved from vacuums to also having some of the best air and water purification on the market. For those who dont know, Aerus is greek for air. The name was sold to help finance the development of our air and water products. Honestly, we are stuggling to keep our customers because of the name switch but now we offer free efficiency checks on our products to offer information on the name switch and show other products we are now developing/ producing. IF YOU KNOW A STORE SELLING OUT OF THEIR HOME, IT IS AGAINST OUR POLICY! PLEASE CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE because we believe you should have top of the line service with top of the line machines. In no way are we going out of business. We still have over 500 locations across the U.S. and more in Canada. Visit Aerushome.com to see our new products and find a store near by. In no way is this a representation of the company, I work for one of our locations as the repair manager and I like to see what people have been writing, so I thought I could be helpful to this conversation. BTW! ANY Electrolux products you find at a chain store are not our products anymore. I feel so bad when people get confused by it and think they are buying quality items. :(

Post# 315620 , Reply# 58 2/15/2015 at 22:47 (3,351 days old) by DJub85 (Virginia)
Checkrate/Likes 5 I really feel that it was a giant mistake for Electrolux to sell their name. And an even bigger mistake was not creating some clause which prohibited the sold name from being used on vacuums. The new Electrolux is literally living off of the original Electrolux's reputation because so very many people have no idea that the name was sold. I know that you're just a repair manager, but is there any sway you have in convincing the higher ups that something needs to be done about the name? I know that it's been like 15 years now, but it's never too late for change. It may be impossible, but I think that Electrolux needs to buy their name back entirely. Or, if that's not possible, they should at least change their name to some variant like "Electrolux USA" or "Electrolux by Aerus." That would be much more clear. If I'm not mistaken, I believe that the same guy who owns Aerus also owns Tri-Star, an even more obscure vacuum company that's leeching off of Aerus's wands tools. If I owned the two, I'd sell Tri-Star to get enough money to buy back either the full Electrolux name or at least rights to call Aerus vacuums some variant of the name. And I'd use some leftover money to put together some decent advertising and redesign/replace the current plastic wand systems.

Post# 329251 , Reply# 59 7/14/2015 at 13:11 (3,202 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)
Checkrate/Likes 3 Can Aerus/Electrolux go back to the old style metal wands/hose; especially the Legacy, Guardian & Platinum? Those older style wands aren't so problematic vs. the new style wands. I also dont like the Guardian Ultra or Platinum bare floor brush have long neck

Post# 329885 , Reply# 60 7/22/2015 at 20:55 (3,194 days old) by DJub85 (Virginia)
Checkrate/Likes 1 The old metal wands are a thing of the past, for the most part, at Aerus. Even the Classic comes with plastic wands (albeit still in the friction-fit style that's compatible with their older metal wand products). I think only the Classic's power nozzle still has a metal wand. I agree that Aerus needs to bring metal wands back, but I don't necessarily agree that they should be the same type as their old stuff. The old friction wands fall apart too easily. It's aggravating having one split in half in the middle of cleaning. But the plastic click-button wands are trash, I agree. The spring buttons wear down over the years, and while they may have been high tech in 1994, they certainly aren't anymore. I think Aerus needs to bite the bullet and engineer a new steel wand setup that A) doesn't fall apart like the old friction wands, B) is telescoping/adjustable, and C) is in some way still compatible with old tools, even if through the use of adapters. And yeah--not sure why the Platinum and Ultra have such long necks on the floor tools. All I know is that they use the Tristar wands. Who knows why. I think so that people had to purchase all-new tools, but it could be just to make them seem more elite and special compared to the Legacy. Who knows. I have to say this on every Aerus post: I really believe the company needs to buy more rights back to the Electrolux name. They'd better off selling Tristar to finance the rights to putting some form of "Electrolux" back on their vacuums and storefronts.

Post# 361317 , Reply# 61 10/22/2016 at 01:26 (2,737 days old) by myles_v (Fredericksburg, VA)
Checkrate/Likes I love Aerus products but my local franchise closed a few years ago. I went to my nearest one (Richmond, VA. Riflemanray on Youtube is the owner) a few months ago to buy a box of bags and of course I got this whole pitch about the Platinum. I said I needed bags of my Rennaisance and he instantly told me that it is such an old and outdated machine and I should really get the new one.

Post# 361319 , Reply# 62 10/22/2016 at 01:56 (2,737 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)
Checkrate/Likes 1 The Aerus -Lux place is doing GREAT here in Greenville--I would challenge you to go in there and only come out with the box of bags you are going to buy!They will show and demonstrate their air purifiers-did buy one,LOVE IT!!!Also a particle meter and lightweight(Lux Lite) vacuum-like the Simplicity Freedom-corded model.The GREAT thing about Aerus Lux is they have a wider choice of products as opposed to other DTD vacuum makers.They have something for everyone.Feel they are going to be around a long time.Folks seem to trust them.

Post# 361325 , Reply# 63 10/22/2016 at 05:20 (2,737 days old) by panasonicvac (Northern Utah)
Checkrate/Likes How about the water conditioner? Our water conditioner has been getting issues lately and if we do replace it, I wonder if those are really good or not.

Post# 361327 , Reply# 64 10/22/2016 at 06:15 (2,736 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)
Checkrate/Likes They still have water conditioners-and still have replacement filters for them.The dealer in my area says they are going away from the "portable" kitchen type water purifiers to whole house ones.

Post# 361328 , Reply# 65 10/22/2016 at 06:28 (2,736 days old) by panasonicvac (Northern Utah)
Checkrate/Likes I meant the whole house type but not the kitchen type. So I wondered if anyone has ever used those before. Our water conditioner is a Northstar.

Post# 361329 , Reply# 66 10/22/2016 at 06:55 (2,736 days old) by KirbyCollector (Columbus Ohio USA)
Checkrate/Likes Omg I absolutely love Aerus! I am in total demand for them. So far I have an Electrolux Golden Jubilee and I'm getting a Super J soon.

Post# 361335 , Reply# 67 10/22/2016 at 08:40 (2,736 days old) by vacerator (Macomb Michigan)
Checkrate/Likes *It appears to me* the design, so likely the parts are shared with European Lux's and Aerus machines.

Post# 361339 , Reply# 68 10/22/2016 at 09:41 (2,736 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina)
Checkrate/Likes *Gone...* I went to the post office near my house not long ago and there were signs all over the strip center where it's located, touting the grand opening of a Hungry Howie's Pizza location. When I looked along the building to see where Hungry Howie's was, I realized I wasn't seeing the Aerus sign anymore. Hungry Howie's had taken over their space. I never did business with the Aerus dealer here, so the loss is fairly minimal for me. That said, I do miss the Electrolux that was and I'll run my three metal canisters until they'll run no more. I'm glad Perfect is keeping the metal canisters in the marketplace and proving that a company can still make things like they used to and offer them at a reasonable price.

Post# 361356 , Reply# 69 10/22/2016 at 13:39 (2,736 days old) by n0oxy (Saint Louis Missouri, United States)
Checkrate/Likes *aerus should change their sales method* If Aerus wants to survive, they need to change how they sell their products. Selling door to door is a dying breed, they need to start selling their products on line the way most other companies do. Their sales method may have worked 20 or 30 years ago, but those days are gone. Interestingly, the legacy canister is no longer on their web site, so it may have been discontinued. This leaves the classic and guardian platinum for their canister line. I hope they don't discontinue the classic, this is the vacuum that most resembles the older electrolux vacuums that they are most known for. Perfect also makes a metal and a plastic canister that closely resembles the electrolux vacuums.

Post# 361365 , Reply# 70 10/22/2016 at 16:07 (2,736 days old) by panasonicvac (Northern Utah)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *n0oxy* The lux legacy is still on the website, I was on the website last night and it's still there. I doubt the classic or the legacy would be discontinued anytime soon, unless something happens when they release their 100th anniversary models in like the next 8 years.

Post# 361367 , Reply# 71 10/22/2016 at 16:12 (2,736 days old) by KirbyCollector (Columbus Ohio USA)
Checkrate/Likes There's an Aerus Service Center just 15 minutes from me in Grove City I plan on going there soon

Post# 361403 , Reply# 72 10/23/2016 at 23:57 (2,735 days old) by kirbyvertibles (Independence, KS)
Checkrate/Likes Didn't know they still did the water stuff. I have a water system from the 80s. I'd love to have serviced and use it.

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