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Thread Number: 19489
Made in the USA, does it matter? What is truly built to last? |
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| Post# 216409 , Reply# 1 1/28/2013 at 08:51 (4,097 days old) by utahprideBoy (Southern Utah) | ||
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yes american dose mater I love Aerus but i still think a Kirby is one of the best and longest lasting Vacuums out there! i feel there still built to last 30 or more years with proper maintenance! there still made with metal parts and american quality this is My Thoughts! | ||
| Post# 216411 , Reply# 2 1/28/2013 at 09:10 (4,097 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA) | ||
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| Post# 216414 , Reply# 3 1/28/2013 at 09:24 (4,097 days old) by Blackheart (North Dakota) | ||
Longevity
Frankly i think keeping the design simple really effects longevity. It seems like a lot of newer machines that have circuit boards develop issues in them, and when you look back vacuums rarely had circuit boards and without them to go wrong and a good solid motor they would run for years on end.
As for which vacuums hold up well i would say Kirby does Sebo does i could see silver king and patriot lasting a while as well. Now does american made matter? It more matters that the company tries to make a long lasting vacuum, though typically the ones made in american are pretty high quality | ||
| Post# 216419 , Reply# 4 1/28/2013 at 10:36 (4,097 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut) | ||
Made in America, Kirby!
In the front talk of the Kirby demo, we used to stress that the Kirby was a division of the Scott & Fetzer company which had it's main factory in Cleveland, Ohio, and a die casting plant in Andrews Texas. Also on the packing box were the words 'Made in Cleveland, Ohio.' And in later years, 'Made in America!'
To learn more about the 'front talk' go to the thread 'Do you work or own a vacuum shop' in off toppic, where I've been telling about my years as a Kirby training manager. | ||
| Post# 216428 , Reply# 5 1/28/2013 at 11:31 (4,097 days old) by kirbyvacuum (Long Island New York) | ||
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Kirby all the way Hi All My fanily has a Kirby 1935 that still works Also a 1949 still working fine. With care Kirby will last at least 30 years. My best friends dad sold Kirbys for years he would always say during a demo If you take care of your Kirby it will take care of you so true Doug | ||
| Post# 216447 , Reply# 6 1/28/2013 at 14:39 (4,097 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut) | ||
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Hi kirbyvacuum.
Take a look at thread 19312 in off topic. As the question is 'What's it like to own/work in a vacuum cleaner store?' I've been posting a lot of my memories as a training manager for Kirby.
The 1939 Kirby you speak of is the model 2-C, and was basically the design used up to the Kirby Classic when the rug nozzle was enlarged. I've always liked Kirby's and aside from my love of Electrolux for style, design and a fantastic bag ejecting system, it's Kirby all the way! Aside from Electrolux, Kirby is the only other brand I have the history of, though others are in various stages of completion. If you want to talk Kirby, send me an email. My history of Jim Kirby goes back to his childhood. Alex Taber. 
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| Post# 216449 , Reply# 7 1/28/2013 at 14:47 (4,097 days old) by luxman107 (USA ) | ||
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I go out of may way all the time to buy made in America or more specifically wont buy made in china products. | ||
| Post# 216450 , Reply# 8 1/28/2013 at 14:47 (4,097 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut) | ||
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The Kirby display | ||
| Post# 216452 , Reply# 9 1/28/2013 at 15:02 (4,097 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada) | ||
 I have 14 different Kirby models and here are 12.
I'm in a 50/50 quandary over Kirbys. On the one hand they are extremely well made all polished metal vacuums with a myriad of options when i comes to accessories. In the other hand...they are heavy and cumbersome particularly in a small house, condo or apartment.
If I had a very large house with generous room proportions and acres of carpet, the Kirby would be ideal, power-drive or not.
The cumbersome aspect is the likely reason most of my Kirbys have been tossed-to-the-curb finds, with the others gifts from Petek, who finds them cheap at ReStores and such.
Once the contemporary housewife inherits Gramma's Kirby they find out for themselves what a complicated boat anchor it is and out to the curb it goes.
I rarely use them; they are display sculpture of the first order. The models prior to the Blue are much more like other uprights of the day and are a relatively lightweight pleasure to pilot. From Blue (or whichever had the first wide nozzle) on they are Man-scaled Vacuums and good for forearm muscle development.
We must, we must, build up the bust!.
Dave
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| Post# 216455 , Reply# 11 1/28/2013 at 15:09 (4,097 days old) by GM1982 () | ||
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Lot of Kirby thumbs up.... Interesting, so is a Kirby also good for hardwood floors? Is it able to get underneath beds (Attachments are separate I see) | ||
| Post# 216496 , Reply# 13 1/28/2013 at 17:28 (4,097 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut) | ||
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Great display Dave!
The six from the right are models I have (in storage). I also have a G-4 and several earlier models.
While I agree, for the smaller house, apartment, mobile home, etc. the Kirby IS huge, I also agree that it can be a monster! Heavy, hard to push, and a beast to lift (if not done right), but the earlier models work great. I live in a house with hardwood floors and large area rugs my daily driver is my Electrolux LX (duh!) and a Kirby 517 to deep clean the rugs. I guess it comes down to what works best. I know a friend who's not into vacuum cleaners, and loves his Kirby Classic Omega, (got it from his mother) but uses it in tank/canister mode with the long handle and heavy rug nozzle still in the box. | ||
| Post# 216513 , Reply# 14 1/28/2013 at 20:17 (4,097 days old) by RainbowD4C (Saint Joseph, Michigan ) | ||
In my own opinion...
Any vacuum is going to last a while. It's all a matter of upkeep and how well you treat your vacuum. Yes some maybe built better than others but even a cheep Bissell will give you a few years of good service.
For myself I say Rainbow and will always say Rainbow. When I got mine it had only maybe been used once which was to see how well it worked. It happen to be stashed away in a corner in a basement and was found when the salesmen was heading into his retirement. He filled it up turned it on and it worked. I bought it and that was back in 1997. I've had it ever since. I have forgot how many moves that vacuum has gone on how many times I took it over to friends helping them clean and having two vacuums instead of one but all the same it just keeps going and going and going. And it's made in my home state of Michigan. | ||
| Post# 216566 , Reply# 15 1/29/2013 at 01:00 (4,097 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut) | ||
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Right RainbowD4C.
I forgot about that, Rainbow is made in Troy, Michigan. Started out as Rexair. I have the first two models the B which I think was black, and the C, which I recall is Hammeertone Gray. Going on memory as they are in storage.
I've got a few friends in Fenton, Michigan, and spent a year there in the early 1970's. Here a look at my last display room, and some of my classic canisters. 
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| Post# 216567 , Reply# 16 1/29/2013 at 01:07 (4,097 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut) | ||
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Another picture of | ||
| Post# 216581 , Reply# 18 1/29/2013 at 06:16 (4,096 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London) | ||
@ Dave | ||
| Post# 216582 , Reply# 19 1/29/2013 at 06:21 (4,096 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London) | ||
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@ Alex | ||
| Post# 216615 , Reply# 22 1/29/2013 at 10:59 (4,096 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut) | ||
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Remington and Filtex.
There's little I know about either machine other than the Remington was a tank made by Apex, and the Filtex dates back to about 1945. Both of these I got just for fun, at different vacuum cleaner shops on a few trips. Whenever I go to a new city or town I try to get a souvenir vacuum cleaner, these were two of them. Somewhere I have the instruction book for the Filtex, but that, like everything else in in storage in another state. In both cases, I got just the base machines not the hose, wands or attatchments.
If any of our members want to chime in, I'd welcome learning about these myself. | ||
| Post# 216656 , Reply# 23 1/29/2013 at 15:46 (4,096 days old) by Diabeticdoode (Tulsa, Ok) | ||
Like others have iterated, I feel that any brand will last you years on end with proper maintenance. I'll argue with anyone on here who says that Bissell is the worst current brand you can buy, I know for a fact that if you take care of them and not abuse them, they will last. They are surprisingly serviceable should a problem arise, and if you go to their website, almost all their replacement parts for any of their machines are relatively affordable. I think it's just a question of people's perception. Even if everyday knew that they could get replacement parts for their vacuum (any brand really) in this day and age I don't think people would (obviously so, which is why so many vacuums end up in the garbage.) I think it's just hows today's society has advanced. Shame.
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| Post# 216669 , Reply# 24 1/29/2013 at 18:03 (4,096 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut) | ||
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Vacuum cleaner abuse.
Having loved vacuum cleaners since I was 2 years old (60 years and counting) I have great respect for the vacuum cleaner, as do the members of this club. However, most people, do not. It really angers me to hear about the way a lot of people abuse their vacuum cleaner.
The first time I encountered this was back in 1968, at a demo for a new Electrolux 1205. I was up against a badly dented and scratched model E. "How did it get these dents?" I asked. "I don't know, must be from my tossing it down the stairs" she said. (Grrrr!) Other people have told me they lifted the vacuum by the hose, kicked it from room to room, yanked the cord from the wall socket, or let the kids ride it like a pony. When I was selling Kirby's there were brush rolls wound with string, fishing line, or dog/cat hair so thick at the ends, that it could hardly spin, (and they wonder why the belt wears out so fast?) I sold a Kirby to a woman because there was no suction from her tank machine. Back in the office, I found the problem, several of her husbands socks were in the hose. More times than I care to remember, I've heard this comment. "It's just a vacuum cleaner, why should I be gentle with it?" | ||
Post# 216859 , Reply# 25 1/30/2013 at 14:56 (4,095 days old) by jfalberti  (Visalia, CA) |
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How about Filter Queen ond Oreck? | ||
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Post# 216870 , Reply# 26 1/30/2013 at 15:26 (4,095 days old) by KirbyUltimateG (Troy Ohio 45373 USA) |
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IMHO, Kirby/Rainbow/Filter Queen/Thermax/Aerus Electrolux/TriStar/Riccar/Simplicity are equal in build quality and reliability. They are the best vacuums currently being made today. | ||
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Post# 216874 , Reply# 27 1/30/2013 at 16:14 (4,095 days old) by KirbyUltimateG (Troy Ohio 45373 USA) |
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Sadly, The build quality and reliability of Royal/Hoover/Eureka/Sanitaire is not like it used to be in the 1980s. | ||
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Post# 217538 , Reply# 34 2/4/2013 at 14:41 (4,090 days old) by jfalberti (Visalia, CA) |
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I believe | ||
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Post# 217666 , Reply# 35 2/4/2013 at 23:47 (4,090 days old) by KirbyUltimateG (Troy Ohio 45373 USA) |
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Tom Oreck stepped down as the CEO of Oreck back in 2010. Doug Cahill replaced Tom in 2010. | ||
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Post# 217677 , Reply# 36 2/5/2013 at 02:55 (4,089 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC) |
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Kirby Filtrete bags are made in China-says so right on the front of the package.Strangely-the Filtrete matrial is made in the US and shipped to a Chinese factory that makes the bags-then shipped back to the US.TiStar bags are made in China,too. | ||
| Post# 375053 , Reply# 37 7/9/2017 at 03:09 (2,475 days old) by crazykirbydude (Lexington, KY) | ||
Aerus is still made in the USA or at least some models are assembled here. other models are completely made here, such as the Lux Legacy and Lux Classic tanks, as well as the Guardian and ProLux uprights. other units such as the Guardian, Guardian platinum, FreshEra and centralux are assembled in the USA from domestic and imported materials. All of them are still very reliable machines, I can back up the USA part because I have seen the info plate on all of them.
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| Post# 375085 , Reply# 39 7/9/2017 at 21:22 (2,474 days old) by AlexHoovers94 (Manchester UK) | ||
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Post# 375095 , Reply# 40 7/10/2017 at 00:39 (2,474 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC) |
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The box my Aerus Guardian Platinum came in just says "assembled in the USA" but doesn't tell where in the US.Guess Bristol,VA? | ||
| Post# 375099 , Reply# 41 7/10/2017 at 03:17 (2,473 days old) by Mike811 (Finland) | ||
I would say definitely:
- Kirby - Nilfisk - Lux (not Electrolux) | ||
| Post# 375104 , Reply# 42 7/10/2017 at 08:37 (2,473 days old) by AlexHoovers94 (Manchester UK) | ||
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Mike811 | ||
| Post# 375105 , Reply# 43 7/10/2017 at 08:38 (2,473 days old) by AlexHoovers94 (Manchester UK) | ||
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| Post# 375106 , Reply# 44 7/10/2017 at 08:48 (2,473 days old) by Mike811 (Finland) | ||
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| Post# 375112 , Reply# 47 7/10/2017 at 11:39 (2,473 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
I have to echo the sentiment of Blackheart in reply #3. Circuit boards are the root of all evil in modern appliances. As I've said numerous times in various threads, they're little more than self-destruct mechanisms, an intentional weak link designed to force consumers to replace otherwise reasonably durable appliances on an unnecessarily frequent basis.
For most of the 20th century, there was little question or choice for most American consumers but to buy American because we had most of the world's manufacturing capacity and shipping costs made imported items more expensive, often prohibitively so. But domestic manufacturing peaked somewhere in the late '60s or early '70s as manufacturing costs crept up and shipping consts went down. By sometime in the '90s, the equation had reversed itself to the point that cheap overseas labor and falling shipping costs made it prohibitively expensive to manufacture products domestically and that downward pressure on price led to a corresponding downward pressure on quality. When it comes to vacuum cleaners, one thing that boggles my mind is manufacturers' commitment to messy bagless models. By doing this, they're basically cutting out a steady revenue stream for consumables. I guess it's more profitable to sell a consumer another plasticrap vacuum cleaner every two or three years instead of another package of disposable bags every few weeks or months. All that said, I do believe 'Made in USA' matters. I also opt for older, second hand items over newer, inferior products whenever its feasible. Why pay $50 for a plasticrap vac from Walmart when I can pay $10 for an Electrolux in great shape from Goodwill? | ||
| Post# 375133 , Reply# 49 7/10/2017 at 19:26 (2,473 days old) by AlexHoovers94 (Manchester UK) | ||
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Post# 375152 , Reply# 52 7/11/2017 at 09:51 (2,472 days old) by n0oxy (Saint Louis Missouri, United States) |
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backpack vacuums made in the U.S.A. If you're a fan of backpack vacuums as I am, you have a few options for U.S.A. made models. Powr-flite is owned by Tacony and makes their vacuums here. The Sandia backpacks are also made in the United States, and the Mosquito backpacks are made here as well. Mike | ||
| Post# 375264 , Reply# 56 7/12/2017 at 22:52 (2,471 days old) by HooverMan123 (Ohio) | ||
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Kirby G6 Rebuild This may be off topic but I found a Kirby G6 at goodwill for 2.00$! Should I send it off to get it refurbished or should I do it my self the unit itself works but it defiantly will need techdrive work. What should I do? | ||
| Post# 375289 , Reply# 57 7/13/2017 at 12:59 (2,470 days old) by pr-21 (Middletown, OH) | ||
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| Post# 375293 , Reply# 58 7/13/2017 at 15:08 (2,470 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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HooverMan,
Two bucks for a Kirby is an absolute steal! The route you take fixing it up really comes down to how much you're willing to spend vs. how much satisfaction you'd derive from doing it yourself. My understanding is Kirby's rebuild service runs $300-$400 if you aren't the original owner, but as Bud said, it'll come back essentially as the equivalent of a brand new machine. You may also be able to find a better deal on a rebuild from a third party and you will certainly save money doing it yourself as you shop for the best deals on parts and you pick and choose what does and does not need replacing. Despite their complexity, G-series Kirbys are easy to work on if you have some decent screwdriver skills and a little bit of patience. I bought a G5 a couple of years ago and gradually replaced the worn or damaged parts for about $80 and it's now functionally just as good as either of my Gsix Kirbys. I may have spent too much on it, compared to what I have in my two Gsixes combined, but that's okay. I had fun working on it and more importantly, I learned a lot by doing it. | ||
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