Answer: NEVER!

From right to left:

MC-E43 (1987-1991)

MC-E44 (1992 - 1995)

MC-E46 (1992 - 1993)
MC-E47 (1993 - 1995)

MC-E54 (1992 - 1995)

Brochure

page 2

page 3

page 3

Page 4

Page 5

Page 6

Page 7

(somebody needs to tell this lass she needs to plug 'er oovah in!)

Page 8 - the specs

Bit of info...

The cleaners pictured in the brochure are the original line-up from 1986 - the 41, 42 and 43 uprights. All of these featured a 600w motor and had the clear smoked plastic tool cover. These are pretty rare these days. 

By 1988, the 41N. 42N and 43N had replaced the original line up. The smoked plastic tool cover was replaced (they were always a weak point - prone to falling open in use and cracking) by a solid cover and the motor was upgraded to 650w. 

This line up ran for a few years with some very minor cosmetic changes, but all with the same model number. The majority of these changes were simply the letting used on the cleaners or the inclusion of an extension hose. 

In 1992, the MC-E44, 45 and 46 was launched alongside the larger, more powerful 50 series (53, 54 and 55). These style cleaners featured a 700w motor and both the 45 and 46 came with an extension hose (you had to buy it separately with the 44). The 45 and 46 were discontinued in 93 and replaced with a single cleaner - the 47 - which ran alongside the 44. Somewhere along the line, the top end 50 series MC-E55 was also discontinued, so the line up of 44, 47, 53 and 54 ran from 93-95. 

In late 95, the newly designed 400 series was launched alongside the 500 series (which was, at the time, just a 50 series cleaner with a longer hose and slightly more powerful motor, though it was eventually completely redesigned, as per the 400 series). 

Good question, Jamie.

Aside from the fact that the white MC-E44 pictured above is the machine I grew up with (the SAME machine - 20 years of use with my Mother and it still runs like the day it was bought), I just think they're fantastic overall vacuums. 

There is no denying the cleaning performance of a Hoover on carpet, and certainly no denying the suction power of an Electrolux, but the Panasonics seem to do well in both upright and tool mode - they're sort of the happy medium. Strong suction power combined with an easy to use floating head design and a decent brushroll that really does make the grit BOUNCE out of the carpet - not to mention they're incredibly reliable, easy to use, weren't too expensive and were absolutely common as muck in my childhood, so I have lots of memories behind each machine. 

here is the 1992 line up from Argos of the same year

The top of the range Panasonic at the time was the MC-E55. The 50 series were larger and more powerful than the 40 series, but not quite as popular (similar to the Hoover Junior/Senior situation). All the 50 series came with 900w variable power as standard, the top 2 machines came with cord winders and the TOL came with a headlight and LED power control display.

By this time, more and more vacuum manufacturers were adding longer and longer hoses to their cleaners. The Panasonic hoses were notoriously short. To compete, Panasonic started offering an extension hose with their cleaners. I believe the extension hose came as standard with the TOL 40 series and both the mid and TOL 50 series cleaners. It was available as an optional extra for the lower spec models via a redemption leaflet, but at an extra cost. 

Hi Benny,

Thanks for the info. 

The info regarding dates of the 40N cleaners is from the Argos scans and brochures I have from around that time. Their first appearance was Autumn/Winter 88. 

Regarding the extension hose, as I've said a thousand times before, my Mum bought the basic MC-E44 brand new in 1992, but we never had the extension hose for ours. My Dad seems to recall it being an optional extra via a leaflet. Perhaps it depended on where you purchased the cleaner as to whether or not it was included?

Thanks for clarifying the situation with the smoked plastic cover. Panasonic obviously clocked onto the problems with these pretty sharpish and replaced them. 

Chris

I purposely didn't get into too much detail with the 400's as the dates are a little blury. I also know VERY little about the later redesigned 500 series cleaners so didn't want to get into those too much

Hi Benny,

You're spot on with the 400's - I remember all 3 cleaners well. The basic white, the dark blue with variable power and TOL red with variable power and headlight.

The green model you mentioned is the MC-E47, pictured above (although it looks rather dark, it is actually green). Here is a better pic. 

This one ran alongside the MC-E44 from 93-95, and then continued as a budget vac (and later an exclusive, I believe) for maybe another year or so. 

Hi Benny,

Again, many thanks for the insight. Just checked over my catalogues for reference - the MC-E450 (basic white model) made it's first catalogue appeared in 1995 and retailed for £99.00 with the blue MC-E451 with variable power coming in at £109.00. Very similar price tags to the original 40 series.

For some reason, Argos did not stock the top end red model, so I have no reference for this (though I remember seeing it about). I presume it was because they stocked both the 450 and 451, with the larger 553 clocking in at £129. I suppose it would have been bad business practice to stock the whole line and detract from sales of the larger, more expensive machines.