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Thread Number: 27226
/ Tag: Recent Vacuum Cleaners from past 20 years
I used an Oreck XL for the first time! |
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| Post# 305100 11/6/2014 at 23:15 (3,448 days old) by niclonnic (Bonney Lake, WA) | ||
I can't stop talking about vacuums in commercial settings! Today I started another new volunteer job, this time at a recreational center. That afternoon, I got to use an Oreck XL Commercial vacuum. I've always been curious about these, and here are my impressions:
- Very lightweight - Very LOUD - Picks up everything on the first pass - Easy to maneuver under furniture - Grooms carpets very well - Handle is comfortable - Bags are HUGE To my surprise, I like this vacuum! However, one design flaw I've found is that the brush roll bristles are very soft. I don't think this will deep clean carpets, but it would make a good touch-up vacuum, like if you want the carpet to look nice before guests come over. In addition, there is a belt storage area on the bottom of the cleaner. This is convenient! However, I'm not sure how long belts last on these Orecks. Actually, to be honest, I wouldn't want to use an Oreck as my daily driver, or spend $250 or more on a new one. What do you think?
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Post# 305110 , Reply# 1 11/7/2014 at 01:40 (3,448 days old) by tolivac  (Greenville,NC) |
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The Oreck SCREAMER!!the houskeepers use these at work-in the morning you hear it firing up on the otherside of the building!But have to admire these machines-they take a licking but keep on screamin! | ||
| Post# 305131 , Reply# 2 11/7/2014 at 05:31 (3,448 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2) | ||
I find they do deep clean - the bristles are compacted up enough and quite thick compared to "thin strip bristles."
Infact it is the only thing I like about Oreck uprights in general; the brush rolls are excellent and groom carpets very well. I owned an XL once. I will never own an Oreck XL again unless they improve the design considerably and lower the motor noise! | ||
| Post# 305163 , Reply# 3 11/7/2014 at 08:40 (3,448 days old) by spiraclean (UK) | ||
For what they are, and their original intended use, they really aren't all that bad and they certainly have their place. I got a good deal on a brand new one back when I had my housecleaning business, and decided there was nothing to lose by giving it a go. After what I'd read about them I was expecting it to be awful, or perhaps so-so at best, but I was pleasantly surprised.
Wouldn't be my first choice for deep shag carpeting, but on low pile it cleans just fine. Brilliant on pet hair, and picks up well enough on hard floors that I expect most users would be perfectly satisfied with it. What I really liked was that it could be used on rugs without inhaling them or chewing them up, while still doing an acceptable job. I didn't find it particularly noisy, but it does have a rather unusual high-pitched whine which changes in pitch as you go from one surface type to another. Downsides? No edge cleaning, despite the side brushes, and while the disposable bags are large they are a tad expensive. No onboard tools either; I can't abide onboard tools personally, so the separate canister was a more than acceptable substitute in my book, but I can see a lot of people not wanting to deal with that. In daily use I found it quite robust, certainly more than you would think so by just looking at it. Take the cleaner apart however, and you soon realise it's massively overpriced when you consider how simple it is. For the same money or less, you could easily buy a very nice, fully-featured cleaner from numerous other brands if weight wasn't your absolute primary concern. | ||
| Post# 305177 , Reply# 5 11/7/2014 at 09:13 (3,448 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2) | ||
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My old Oreck XL used to chew up rugs that weren't fixed to the floor/permanent. Well, when I say chew, rugs used to get stuck in the Oreck and bang went the belt. So handy having that belt recess on the underside but hardly worthwhile when the bigger pocket on the back was so much better for hiding spare belts.
A design element that Vax have also copied with their VCU-02/TTi/Hoover Signature and various models. | ||
| Post# 305258 , Reply# 6 11/7/2014 at 17:51 (3,447 days old) by super-sweeper (KSSRC Refurbishment Center) | ||
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| Post# 305268 , Reply# 7 11/7/2014 at 18:52 (3,447 days old) by niclonnic (Bonney Lake, WA) | ||
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Thanks!
Nice hearing about all your experiences with Oreck vacuums! Yeah, these vacuums are screamers! I think it is the loudest vacuum I've ever used. However, I don't need ear protection.
Sebo_fan, are there differences in the UK models of the Oreck XL? I've read that Oreck was sold to TTI (Techtronic Industries, owners of Hoover and Dirt Devil) last year. Spiraclean, yes, on the underside of Orecks, the brush roll doesn't have edge-to-edge coverage. There is a big gap on the left side, where the belt runs, and a smaller gap on the right. This isn't true edge cleaning on both sides! | ||
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Post# 305291 , Reply# 8 11/7/2014 at 22:23 (3,447 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640) |
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I have an older one | ||
| Post# 305333 , Reply# 9 11/8/2014 at 07:55 (3,447 days old) by Ctvacman (CT) | ||
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The xl21 or platinum series are much better all around. They are a whole lot quieter and clean far better, while still grooming nicely. | ||
| Post# 305336 , Reply# 10 11/8/2014 at 08:26 (3,447 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2) | ||
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| Post# 305339 , Reply# 11 11/8/2014 at 09:42 (3,447 days old) by cuffs054 (monticello, ga) | ||
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GottaHave, you forgot "subterrainian sucker" | ||
| Post# 305340 , Reply# 12 11/8/2014 at 09:44 (3,447 days old) by Dustin (Jackson, MI) | ||
I've used several, and to be honest, don't think I would buy another one. I've owned 2, one older model, and one from about 1997 or so. I sold both fairly quickly. Yes, they are very lightweight, but I haven't been impressed with the cleaning performance (except on flat pile carpet), and the noise is awful. I used an older model commercial at a church I used to attend, and it was terrible. The bags wouldn't stay on the holder, it was near deafening to use, and it didn't pick up well. Shortly after, it was replaced with an XL2 (in about 2007), which was much better, and not quite so loud. Small, high RPM motors, small fans, and narrow air passages make it more of a carpet sweeper with a fan than an actual vacuum cleaner.
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| Post# 305344 , Reply# 14 11/8/2014 at 11:50 (3,447 days old) by Orecklover () | ||
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Oreck I'm glad you like it! I have many orecks and they are my favorite! | ||
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