Thread Number: 19402
Weird Ugly plastic vacs...
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Post# 215031   1/20/2013 at 23:08 (4,085 days old) by stricklybojack (Southern California)        

stricklybojack's profile picture
Here is one i've never seen before,
Eureka Vacuum Model 4885:


Post# 215032 , Reply# 1   1/20/2013 at 23:15 (4,085 days old) by stricklybojack (Southern California)        
Another...

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this one actually is kinda cool, looks like a commercial unit,
Eureka Contour:


Post# 215036 , Reply# 2   1/20/2013 at 23:35 (4,085 days old) by stricklybojack (Southern California)        
Ge Dual Cyclonic

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Pumped up lookin'...

Post# 215046 , Reply# 3   1/21/2013 at 01:56 (4,085 days old) by dysondestijl (east midlands, UK)        

God people make some ugly vacuums

Post# 215060 , Reply# 4   1/21/2013 at 07:17 (4,085 days old) by madabouthoovers ()        

Plenty of ugly vacs to choose from, but I'd have to say that this is the most horrible vac ever made by Hoover - a universal flop here in England and terribly renowned for burning out quickly!

Hoover - The One:



Post# 215066 , Reply# 5   1/21/2013 at 08:28 (4,085 days old) by kirbylux77 (London, Ontario, Canada)        

kirbylux77's profile picture
That GE upright appears to be made by TTI, & looks like a altered Dirt Devil Reaction.

Rob


Post# 215077 , Reply# 6   1/21/2013 at 11:05 (4,084 days old) by super-sweeper (KSSRC Refurbishment Center)        

super-sweeper's profile picture
Always wanted one of those GE uprights...
But i do have the eureka in the first picture :D

-Alex.


Post# 215103 , Reply# 7   1/21/2013 at 13:15 (4,084 days old) by compamac ()        
Fantom Wildcat

These are great vacuums but are in my taste a little ugly

Post# 215104 , Reply# 8   1/21/2013 at 13:19 (4,084 days old) by dysondestijl (east midlands, UK)        

If you want an ugly vacuum go for vax's power 6 cylinder machines, they aren't too bad but they aren't too good either...

Post# 215111 , Reply# 9   1/21/2013 at 13:42 (4,084 days old) by sbakerde (Millsboro, DE )        
I had one those GE vacs

I had one of those traded in at the store. After cleaning it and servicing it up really well i played with it for a bit and it was horrible. It isn't a full size vacuum more like an electric broom. The suction/ airpower was pathetic no matter what I did to it and it clogged up in minutes. I eventually trashed it because it wasn't worth trying to sell or use.

Post# 215156 , Reply# 10   1/21/2013 at 17:13 (4,084 days old) by TheHooverMan (United States )        

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That eureka is the Whirlwind Ultra

Post# 215182 , Reply# 11   1/21/2013 at 18:52 (4,084 days old) by stricklybojack (Southern California)        
Toshibolux (see link)

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Isn't ugly or plastic but i'll include it anyway because i found it when i googled "ugly vacuum".

Hoover The One, Abstract art vacuum gone wrong...or just wrong enough to be good?


CLICK HERE TO GO TO stricklybojack's LINK


Post# 215189 , Reply# 12   1/21/2013 at 19:25 (4,084 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

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As soon as the Escargot migrates to North America I will be snapping one up, as long as features are not de-contented or converted to a rechargeable.
Far from being ugly, I find this to be a stylish design statement that stores in very little room. This is a must in crowded cities with tiny apartment restrictions.

Something similar in concept is the Black & Decker ORB vacuum (known as the ORBIT overseas) that has made its way to our shores.

Although it is a rechargeable I think this softball sized unit would be perfect and stylish for touch ups in a car trunk, carpets and seat seams.

Dave


CLICK HERE TO GO TO aeoliandave's LINK


Post# 215191 , Reply# 13   1/21/2013 at 19:40 (4,084 days old) by superj (cos cob,ct)        

What is the eureka in the first pic

Post# 215194 , Reply# 14   1/21/2013 at 19:51 (4,084 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)        

sebo_fan's profile picture
Robert, the Eureka Contour is also the Electrolux Hilight upright vac and typically in the UK, there is no headlight. Slightly flimsy plastic but does the job and feels heavy compared to the flimsier Powerlite upright I used to own and quite liked despite the build. John Lewis department stores in the UK had one under their own name for a few years - they were taken off line from their website but I spotted one on sale earlier this year in the Oxford Street branch, London. As with both, they have no piston valve indicators for the bag or any other measure.






Post# 215236 , Reply# 15   1/21/2013 at 22:29 (4,084 days old) by stricklybojack (Southern California)        
Commercial hit with the ugly stick

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I love commercial vacs but this one, i dunno, i wince now but if i saw it at a thrift store i'd probably pick it up & grow to appreciate it's, "keep it simple stupid" design ethic.

I was so against plasti-vacs after a Target bought yellow Eureka bagless that burned through belts & 'hurt my eyes open' into the arms of a metal Royal. Fast forward to sometime later when i 'got' what makes at least some Orecks great while finding a new vac for my 84 year old mother...you have to consider what job the vac was originally built to do. Now i have a whole new appreciation for these big box everyman vacs, you just got to be careful what one you get & keep your expectations in check...and lastly, buy it after a massive mark down or two. Then sit back & enjoy all the 'ghee-gaws' & bright colors.


Post# 215300 , Reply# 16   1/22/2013 at 11:35 (4,083 days old) by dysondestijl (east midlands, UK)        

A friend has an orb vac, it's really small

Post# 215312 , Reply# 17   1/22/2013 at 13:10 (4,083 days old) by thekirbylover (Warrington, cheshire )        

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these dont perform on carpets bad, but anything else you use it for is useless its build quality is pretty bad also

Post# 215327 , Reply# 18   1/22/2013 at 15:20 (4,083 days old) by director12 ()        

That Eureka Smart Vac bagless reminds me of the machine I had when I was a kid.

Post# 215338 , Reply# 19   1/22/2013 at 17:07 (4,083 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

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Been deep researching the ORB vac. I really want one.
runs on a full charge for only 8 minutes but has a surprisingly powerful suction. Best video has it pulling in popcorn kernels.

Good enough for quick car cleanups, keyboard dust busting and fast cleanups in the kitchen. What a cool thing to have on display by the couch for snatching up those potatoe chip fragments and other crumbs.
Slightly larger than a softball, looks real cute and makes for a cat toy ball when closed up off the charger. What's not to like? Whee!
Here in Canada it seems to be readily available at Home Hardware and I'm going out looking tomorrow.
Dave


Post# 215345 , Reply# 20   1/22/2013 at 17:42 (4,083 days old) by petek (Ontario)        

I'm 90% positive I saw those Orbs at Canadian Tire the other night on clearance for something like $19




Post# 215347 , Reply# 21   1/22/2013 at 17:50 (4,083 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)        

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that orb reminds me of my Flex

Post# 215350 , Reply# 22   1/22/2013 at 18:36 (4,083 days old) by TheHooverMan (United States )        

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the orb reminds me of a snail lol

Post# 215364 , Reply# 23   1/22/2013 at 19:48 (4,083 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

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Pete our CanTire had those too about 6 weeks ago. When I returned to get one the next day they were all gone. Yes, it was a clearance item - a loss leader - that appear for a week and are never stocked again.

If your CanTire still has them please get me two. They retail at Home hardware at like $45!

I know it's a toy with limited uses but I want one.

Dave




This post was last edited 01/22/2013 at 22:50
Post# 215403 , Reply# 24   1/22/2013 at 22:40 (4,083 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)        
Re: Hoover Turbopowers

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There are about 12 shops in my local town. 4 of them have old Hoover Turbopowers, mostly the red U2724 and the model after that with the built in hose. They are very badly scraped on the hood and to the sides - but if they are still being used, the build quality isn't that bad at all.



Post# 215422 , Reply# 25   1/23/2013 at 05:50 (4,083 days old) by thekirbylover (Warrington, cheshire )        

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yes but the things you cant see are probably broken i had 1 side of the bag housing snap off that little round thing that holds the bag housing in, they are almost certain you will find a crack, they rattle because parts haven't been sealed on and get loose

Post# 215477 , Reply# 26   1/23/2013 at 15:17 (4,082 days old) by director12 ()        

Since when does Toshiba make vacuums?

Post# 215510 , Reply# 27   1/23/2013 at 20:23 (4,082 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        
First Vacuumland Review

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Today I went to our Local Home Hardware and they had one ORB left on the shelves and on clearance sale at $27. I snatched it up.
As you know I am the furthest thing from an impulsive 'easy sell' consumer but opening the box I knew I'd made an excellent choice.

I am very impressed with the build quality , weight, balance and attention to minute details. The plastic is a shiny tough, almost vinyl-ish ABS with a nice tactile feel in the hand, not cheap brittle styrene.
There are no loose joints and even rubber button cushions under the fold out handle and nozzle to prevent them from impacting the body when retracted. The cup filter is washable and reusable. The bagless dust compartment holds slightly over 1/2 cup of ingested debris (rice) with a rubber flap valve to keep that debris from falling out of the intake nozzle.
The putty-gray colour accents are pleasant to look at, I also like the look of the Green and Blue ones but I would not care for the Ruby Red version.
Color-matched rubberized trims surround the handle portion for a secure grip.
The motor is relatively quiet - it does not scream - and as demonstrated in the videos quite strong suction for a mini-handvac.
The motor runs only when the power button is held down, saving power when you set it down to answer the phone.
The Owner manual even has a full and illustrated page on how to change your own batteries in future! That's a plus we haven't seen since the 1960s.

It unpacked with dying rechargeable internal lithium batteries and so as recommended I ran it down to depletion (which I will repeat 3 times) to lock in a full charge capacity. It must be on the charger for at least 12 hours for this first charge and so it sits on the table until I can fully test and play with it tomorrow. Looking forward to having it strut its stuff.

I can already tell that it will be the perfect stow-able minivac for cleaning the car carpets and seats or fast touch-ups around the couch, as well as whisking over the mainframe keyboard which as we all know collect and trap dustbunny crumbs and shed off beard hairs & skin cells every day.

Just did a test with the old Vac-U-Tronic Suck-O-Meter. The Orb pulls 12" of water lift. Not too shabby for a mini vac.

Dave




This post was last edited 01/23/2013 at 23:18
Post# 215512 , Reply# 28   1/23/2013 at 20:26 (4,082 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

aeoliandave's profile picture
Toshiba is a major player in all home appliances in Japan and the eastern Oriental nations since before WW2 and since, including vacuums.

Dave


Post# 215524 , Reply# 29   1/23/2013 at 21:23 (4,082 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)        

sebo_fan's profile picture
Toshiba's floorcare range is mostly restricted to sell in Japan only, but some Toshiba models have made it to Europe.

Post# 215804 , Reply# 30   1/25/2013 at 14:36 (4,080 days old) by stricklybojack (Southern California)        
Bissell PRO-Lite

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Walmart isn't stocking this vac any longer, & i have never seen one in person, but dang(!) this thing looks to be monumental achievement in plastic vacuum architecture.

Post# 215903 , Reply# 31   1/25/2013 at 23:54 (4,080 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)        

sebo_fan's profile picture
Unusual look but reminds me of the Vax AVC/Bosch merged bagless upright we had in the late 1990s. That pedal release doesn't look like it will last either!



Post# 215920 , Reply# 32   1/26/2013 at 02:51 (4,080 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

Just about any of the bagless,low priced,upright vacuums look weird to me.Like the higher priced bagged,metal or higher quality plastic ones better.

Post# 215928 , Reply# 33   1/26/2013 at 03:50 (4,080 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

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I'm not one for new modern plastic bagless vacuums generally but I have a few examples that speak to me of superior or uniquely wacky design that lifts them above the ugly dime-a-dozen chinavacs on display at Big Box stores and national chains, so awkwardly styled and garishly coloured you have to turn your eyes away with a derisive snort . :-)

True, good design is in the eye of the beholder but I do know what pleases my eye.

This upright caught my eye two or three years ago when it appeared in the lineup at our local Sears Canada. First attracted by it's colour scheme of platinum & palest green, the reverse-mounted large capacity cyclone dust chamber in back of the full length handle enclosing a 36" long aluminum wand for above the floor, the smoothly integrated tool storage and light weight also made it stand out as something to keep my eye on.

Under the Kenmore Sears nameplate, the PREMALITE vacuum is actually an LG design.



Post# 215930 , Reply# 34   1/26/2013 at 04:05 (4,080 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

aeoliandave's profile picture
Something notably sensible is the direct central airflow & debris path from brushroll to wand to dust chamber, the blinding 6 bulb LED lighting mounted low on the head, and transparent easy access bottom plate - held by clips rather than screws - to clean out the brushroll.

Is there really a need for the convoluted exposed plumbing most bagless vacs employ to force the air flow around sharp corners, promoting is not guaranteeing blockages, while dazzling the consumer with its 'Modern' design? Clearly this LG/Kemore re-thought not.


Post# 215931 , Reply# 35   1/26/2013 at 04:12 (4,080 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

aeoliandave's profile picture
easy to break down for maintenance, the premalite has a round pleated washble after motor hepa filter in the base under the dust jug.
It collapses flat to the floor for maximum penetration under furniture.


Post# 215932 , Reply# 36   1/26/2013 at 04:13 (4,080 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

aeoliandave's profile picture
reserved for post #4

Post# 215989 , Reply# 37   1/26/2013 at 12:03 (4,079 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

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L have two housecats, one a 4 year old behemoth Felix and the latest edition Badger a 16 week kitten.
Felix, having already had a mild bout of urinary chrystals - common in older fixed male cats - now needs food formulated to combat and prevent this condition.
Badger on the other hand is a hungry growing creature that needs cat food for kittens. At this point he would probably eat anything I set down even potato chips and sawdust with shoelace clippings...LOL

Because i had 3 bags of different kibble in current use mixed together in the self-feeding dispenser I observe this smart behaviour.

There is one kibble that neither cat will eat and in fact they sort it out from the mix and fling it across the floor.

I still have a 1/4 bag of this food but will not abuse my cats by insisting they eat it. But it is already premixed. I will never buy this food again but stick to the two that they gobble up addressing their individual needs.

The ORB vac is ideal for fast daily cleanups around the food dispenser.


Post# 215991 , Reply# 38   1/26/2013 at 12:07 (4,079 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

aeoliandave's profile picture
The water dispenser I discovered while considering the needs of two cats (I used to fill a stainless steel bowl every day) and saw the logic of is a sort of serenity fountain that spills filtered water over the top of a mushroom shaped plate.

They love it! Cats drink by lapping and the mushroom platform is the very thing to keep them drinking healthily whenever they like. I've also seen them splash each other playfully tho not excessively.

Gawd, cats are amusing.

Dave


Post# 216062 , Reply# 39   1/26/2013 at 19:36 (4,079 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        
Oops, missed my window. So, Part 4 of the Kenmore Premalite

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How did I come to own two Premalites?

I regularly walk through Sears in the big Mall with our Canadian Tire store at the opposite end. I always take a route by the appliances section.

Originally priced at $529 at Sears Canada, after a few months it dropped to $250 on clearance.

But still too pricey for a brand new vacuum when one has over 300 at home to choose from.

Then the Premalite disappeared from the shelf display.

At this same time I was talking about the vacuum at work and a galpal said "oh, I've seen that - they have a few at the new Discount Store on the edge of town in that industrial mall."

 

Really?!

 

This is a very new discount place that had the trappings of a fly-by-night just-fell-off-the -truck operation.

But sure enough there were two Premalites with their Kenmore labels stripped off. In fact there was a lineup of many various vacuum cleaners icluding Dysons, Eurekas, Dirt Devils, Hoovers, etc and all had their brand identification tags removed or blacked out with magic marker. They were in such clean scratchless condition I doubt they were demonstrators. There were other cheap small appliances and racks of questionable 'fashion' clothing, etc.

 

Well I took one for a spin - they had a test carpet - and felt the power, light weight maneuverability and was thoroughly impressed.

Markdown price? $50! Yes $50! and it was 50% off day. $25!!!

After playing with it at home and becoming more and more entranced with its features and Spaceship styling (this is a vacuum you could leave out on view in a room as almost a Bracussi Sculpture - I went back the next day and purchased the second one. Total cost $50 for $1000 worth of vacuums as originally priced.

 

The only negative is the flimsy clear vinyl hose, the kind that kicks back and retracts if you momentarily block the opening. Yes it allows for a 8 foot stretch but more often the vacuum sneaks up on you a barks your shins.

 

My fix?

 

I had a 60 foot section of hose in the same material meant for a Motor home/trailer central vac in the spare hose bin. It was a smoky transparent gray.

 

So I separated the hose from one Premalite and grafted it to the other one. Collapsed. the hose fits perfectly in the stowage channel on the vacuum.

I made a new long hose from the gray stuff for the second Premalite.

 

Dave.

 

Result? A phenomenal 14 foot reach for above the floor.

 

Oh, and the Discount place was gone a few weeks later.




This post was last edited 01/26/2013 at 21:59
Post# 216934 , Reply# 40   1/31/2013 at 01:32 (4,075 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        

What vacuum is that on reply #15? XXX? Sharp? Carpet Pro?

Post# 216960 , Reply# 41   1/31/2013 at 11:07 (4,074 days old) by stricklybojack (Southern California)        
Re # 15: Says "Pullman-Holt" on the front

stricklybojack's profile picture
But i don't think they actually make their vacs but rather have then made by others. That having been said i've never seen anything like that vac before...

Post# 216962 , Reply# 42   1/31/2013 at 11:11 (4,074 days old) by stricklybojack (Southern California)        
Hoover Z

stricklybojack's profile picture
i wonder if this design could have been refined into a break through product...

Post# 216963 , Reply# 43   1/31/2013 at 11:14 (4,074 days old) by stricklybojack (Southern California)        
Miele Art

stricklybojack's profile picture
How do these perform?

Post# 216967 , Reply# 44   1/31/2013 at 12:24 (4,074 days old) by stricklybojack (Southern California)        
Likely Magic Eraser candidate...

stricklybojack's profile picture
Love the Conquest model Hoover.

Post# 219708 , Reply# 45   2/18/2013 at 20:12 (4,056 days old) by stricklybojack (Southern California)        
The wierd thing is...

stricklybojack's profile picture
this plasti-vac actually looks pretty good & it's an Eureka to boot.

Post# 219747 , Reply# 46   2/19/2013 at 06:57 (4,056 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)        

sebo_fan's profile picture
I referred to that one in a previous post (see www.vacuumland.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-...)

They are a pig to work on despite the top hood coming off to replace the belt and they're very heavy uprights.


Post# 219768 , Reply# 47   2/19/2013 at 14:42 (4,055 days old) by dysondestijl (east midlands, UK)        

i saw that vacuum in reply #45 in a second hand store today. priced up at £15. i passed it up though.

Post# 219776 , Reply# 48   2/19/2013 at 15:22 (4,055 days old) by stricklybojack (Southern California)        
Funny dysondestijl,

stricklybojack's profile picture
That pic is from an ad i found selling the white eureka for $15

Post# 221067 , Reply# 49   2/27/2013 at 22:17 (4,047 days old) by stricklybojack (Southern California)        
Kenmore Quick Clean

stricklybojack's profile picture
Nothing to see here, move along...

Post# 259525 , Reply# 50   12/14/2013 at 21:12 (3,757 days old) by director12 ()        

Some vacs are made ugly because they can.

Post# 259531 , Reply# 51   12/15/2013 at 00:44 (3,757 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)        

gsheen's profile picture
That Kenmore is sold in South Africa and some Europe country's as a Samsung

Post# 259539 , Reply# 52   12/15/2013 at 03:51 (3,757 days old) by parwaz786 ( )        

Argos value range cheapo bagless and bagged cylinders, EURGH

Dyson DC41 looked ugly, but now I like the looks?
bissell easy vac BLEH!!!!!
Vax (those cheap uprights that retail at £8- like the swift etc)


Post# 259554 , Reply# 53   12/15/2013 at 07:28 (3,757 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)        

sebo_fan's profile picture
Well the Argos ones are branded Hoover and Vax in Australia.

Post# 259561 , Reply# 54   12/15/2013 at 08:23 (3,757 days old) by director12 ()        

Some of the short-lived Euro-Pro Shark vacuums look ugly.

Post# 419968 , Reply# 55   2/13/2020 at 10:39 (1,505 days old) by Rdwdcp (UK)        
gsheen

We had a samsung vacuum just like that at my school but it was for a little house that was near the school I think the house belonged to the school


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