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Thread Number: 28597
/ Tag: Recent Vacuum Cleaners from past 20 years
Five Reasons why Kirbys are guy vacuums |
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| Post# 319120 3/23/2015 at 11:50 (3,314 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
As I was messing with my latest thrift shop find yesterday--a rather pristine Kirby G6--the thought occurred to me that even though Kirby consistently depicts women using their machines in their owner's manuals and videos, the machines are actually designed to appeal more to men. At the risk of sounding misogynistic, which I am not at all trying to be, I even came up with a few reasons this would be true:
*They're heavy--Men prefer the term 'substantial'. It's a sign of quality and and often equated with power. Women are trained from birth to prefer things that are delicate and light weight, even if they're less powerful and less durable. *They're made out of metal--Men see metal construction as a sign that a thing is well made and meant to last. Women often see metal construction as a sign that a thing is bulky, heavy, and hard to handle. Over time, they may also see it as ugly as the polished aluminum begins to oxidize. *They have lots of parts--Men love gadgets, the more the better. The ability to turn a vacuum cleaner into a sander, for instance, represents added value. Many women will see this as needless complication. *They can be configured in many different ways--Men love to take things apart and put them back together again. If you can put it together more than one way, so much the better. Women usually don't like this. That's why they like plastivacs with onboard tools. *They're designed to be rebuilt--Men like the idea of buying something and making it last. It's a badge of honor to keep something running for 20, 30, 40 years or more. A large part of Kirby's value proposition--and high price tag--centers around the notion that one is making an investment for a lifetime (at least until the next model comes out). Women--and I know I'm likely stepping on some toes here--seem to have an innate tendency to purge. They love getting rid of old stuff to make room for new stuff, even if it's new, cheap plastic stuff. The odd thing--at least to me--is they don't see it as being wasteful. So there you have it. Five reasons Kirby vacuum cleaners are actually designed more for males than females. | ||
| Post# 319121 , Reply# 1 3/23/2015 at 11:53 (3,314 days old) by Kirbysthebest (Midwest) | ||
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You may be on to something Very astute. | ||
| Post# 319123 , Reply# 2 3/23/2015 at 11:57 (3,314 days old) by marcusprit () | ||
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I must be in touch with my feminine side then cause I see it as bulky heavy and hard to handle.A bit like my wife haha And I like to get rid of old stuff to make way for new stuff :-) This post was last edited 03/23/2015 at 12:26 | ||
| Post# 319132 , Reply# 4 3/23/2015 at 14:12 (3,314 days old) by Kirbysthebest (Midwest) | ||
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I wonder what Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor would do? I bet he would make a Kirby Four Wheel drive, with a V-8 engine. Whoo-Whaaa. | ||
| Post# 319142 , Reply# 6 3/23/2015 at 15:18 (3,314 days old) by marcusprit () | ||
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Do you think they cud add a propeller so it cud fly up the stairs? Or maybe an attatchable rotor? | ||
| Post# 319151 , Reply# 7 3/23/2015 at 17:56 (3,314 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine) | ||
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| Post# 319167 , Reply# 8 3/23/2015 at 20:39 (3,314 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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| Post# 319188 , Reply# 10 3/23/2015 at 23:10 (3,314 days old) by cb123 (Mobile, Al.) | ||
 I would pray venture, if we'd all task our minds to it, possibly hundreds, if not thousands of compelling reasons would support using such a fantastic machine. I really can't come up with any rational excuse why not to use a Kirby, except, now, this, however, can only be representative of only a smidgen of the arguments: My Momma raised me up on a Hoover, or something like that, therefore, the supposition is: I'm biased; imprisoned by my past. This is, of course, my personal favorite: It's too heavy; I got no upper body strength! Even if it was too heavy, my bravado would keep me from saying it. Oh, well! But that's just me. Each to their own as they say. But even still, Kirby on my friend, and remain forever crazy for Kirby's!
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Post# 319195 , Reply# 11 3/24/2015 at 02:26 (3,314 days old) by tolivac  (Greenville,NC) |
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Years ago a Kirby salesman pointed out to me that MEN liked Kirbys more so than women-often it was the man of the house that decided to buy the machine after the demo. | ||
| Post# 319197 , Reply# 12 3/24/2015 at 03:18 (3,314 days old) by parwaz786 ( ) | ||
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Am I the only one on VacuumLand who LOVES heavy, bulky vacuums and ones that are really hard to push?! | ||
| Post# 319208 , Reply# 14 3/24/2015 at 07:09 (3,313 days old) by marcusprit () | ||
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Yes having the motor or motors in the floorhead or ball and floorhead in a Dyson lowers the centre of gravity and makes the cleaner easier to push and feel lighter in use. | ||
| Post# 319220 , Reply# 15 3/24/2015 at 10:58 (3,313 days old) by dysonman1 (the county) | ||
We see thousands of people at the Vacuum Cleaner Museum in St. James, Missouri every year. They are from all over the country, many on Route 66 road trips. They stop because of the billboards on the highway. Also, word of mouth brings folks in for a tour.
Of the thousands of women I've had the pleasure of speaking with, NONE have had anything nice to say about the Kirbeast. Not a single one. Many own them, or have owned them. Hatred for it would be a good way of putting it. I believe the 'beast' was developed for MEN to SELL to women. The Rug Renovator was developed as a way to get in the door. "Free Shampoo" in exchange for a demo is still touted today. If you can't dazzle them with dirt, then baffle them with BS. The many useless attachments (like the light bulb remover/dandruff remover attachment) are designed to build 'value' so the price can be justified. I actually sold Heritage II's door to door for a few months (and did sell about 20 of them). I never felt bad for having sold them, but I'll bet dollars to donuts none of those people still have those machines. I have one of each model Kirby made in the Museum, and I actually broke down in a moment of weakness and used my lovely Dual 80 to clean with last week. It did a fantastic job, but I had to go home and take a nap when I was done - I was worn out and tore up from the floor up. | ||
| Post# 319221 , Reply# 16 3/24/2015 at 11:15 (3,313 days old) by marcusprit () | ||
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| Post# 319222 , Reply# 17 3/24/2015 at 11:18 (3,313 days old) by cb123 (Mobile, Al.) | ||
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| Post# 319224 , Reply# 18 3/24/2015 at 11:24 (3,313 days old) by marcusprit () | ||
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They probably won't reach 90 then! :-) | ||
| Post# 319225 , Reply# 19 3/24/2015 at 11:25 (3,313 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine) | ||
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| Post# 319228 , Reply# 20 3/24/2015 at 12:04 (3,313 days old) by Kirbysthebest (Midwest) | ||
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Tom Maybe you have Iron Poor Blood. Lawrence Welk always touted Geratol. This might help you with your muscle weakness and lack of stamina. | ||
| Post# 319231 , Reply# 22 3/24/2015 at 12:51 (3,313 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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Heavy Metal!
I'm not much into heavy metal music, but love it when it comes to vacuum cleaners. Until I rescued my first Kirby from a dumpster (a G6 that needed a bag and a belt) two years ago, I used an Electrolux 1205 canister, which I still have and use, as my primary vacuum.
The more I mess with (and, it seems, accumulate) the Kirbys, the more I appreciate their design and performance. They're powerful, well-built machines that are also dead simple to work on if you have some basic screwdriver skills (and a set of Torx screwdrivers for the newer ones). THAT's what makes it a guy vacuum, in my opinion. Like Danielsand, I would never pay retail for one, but at thrift store prices, they're a no-brainer. FWIW, my girlfriend has had my Heritage 1HD on "permanent loan" at her apartment for about two years and shows no sign of turning it loose. She loves the power, compared to the Oreck she used to have. | ||
| Post# 319234 , Reply# 23 3/24/2015 at 13:36 (3,313 days old) by parwaz786 ( ) | ||
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Oh, can I get a Kirby which is hard to push? :D Also whats the heaviest Kirby? BTW I still want the Sentria or Avalir tho | ||
| Post# 319238 , Reply# 24 3/24/2015 at 13:51 (3,313 days old) by marcusprit () | ||
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Like to build up a good sweat do you Tayyab :-) | ||
| Post# 319242 , Reply# 25 3/24/2015 at 14:23 (3,313 days old) by parwaz786 ( ) | ||
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Lol, IDK btw I want a Heavy machine | ||
| Post# 319244 , Reply# 26 3/24/2015 at 15:06 (3,313 days old) by cb123 (Mobile, Al.) | ||
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I must totally agree, even an idiot can manipulate all the vast and wondrous functions of a Kirby! I would, furthermore, gamble that you wouldn't even need an IQ more than room temperature to master it. I only used the word " Gamble, " because there seems to be some weak nincompoops out there, who've long since master the ancient art of the Kung Fu style of the simpleton. You have much to learn, Little Grasshopper! | ||
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Post# 323460 , Reply# 27 4/27/2015 at 15:10 (3,279 days old) by kloveland (Tulsa) |
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My Kirby is heavy
I saw this video on youtube and I thought it applied to this thread. Im so tired of hearing the My Kirby is heavy comment from people. This guy compares the weight of a Kirby to a Hoover Windtunnel self-propelled guess what? The Windtunnel is heavier. Has anybody actually compared the weight of a Kirby to a Rainbow? With its water basin filled? Im pretty sure the Rainbow is heavier. However I never actually hear people complaining about dragging around their Rainbow. Just something Ive been waiting to say for the longest time when I hear people bash Kirby.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO kloveland's LINK | ||
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Post# 323475 , Reply# 28 4/27/2015 at 16:39 (3,279 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640) |
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Well..... | ||
| Post# 323489 , Reply# 29 4/27/2015 at 19:09 (3,279 days old) by Jeschbac (Texas) | ||
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GottaHave.... ...you nailed it brilliantly! | ||
| Post# 323490 , Reply# 30 4/27/2015 at 19:31 (3,279 days old) by cb123 (Mobile, Al.) | ||
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| Post# 323496 , Reply# 31 4/27/2015 at 21:47 (3,279 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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Yeah, and 'Avalir' sounds kind of like 'cavalier' without the 'C'.
Interesting about the weight of a Kirby vs. a Hoover. I never would have guessed. When I bought my most recent G6 at Goodwill a few weeks back, it was really amusing to see how quickly the couple who were looking at it when I got there dismissed it as "too heavy" and moved on to look at some cheap, plastic Dirt Devils while I stepped in and nabbed the Kirby. | ||
| Post# 323505 , Reply# 32 4/27/2015 at 23:43 (3,279 days old) by cb123 (Mobile, Al.) | ||
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| Post# 323506 , Reply# 33 4/27/2015 at 23:46 (3,279 days old) by cb123 (Mobile, Al.) | ||
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| Post# 323525 , Reply# 34 4/28/2015 at 09:34 (3,278 days old) by oliveoiltinfoil (England, UK) | ||
Everyone is different, but I would say I speak for the majority when I say I want a vacuum which performs well but it easy to use, efficient and gets the job done with minimal fuss. It is quite sad that Kirbys are considered "mens" vacuums just because they are bulky, heavy, expensive and made of shiny metal. So does that mean a ladies vacuum is small, fragile and inferior ? No one has actually said that yet but that's what it insinuates to me anyway.
I didn't think sexism has yet found its way into the vacuum cleaning industry and I am certainly not a politically correct person, but surely vacuums should appeal to both men and women ? She likes her Numatic henry because it is powerful and easy to use, he likes it because it is tough and durable and didn't cost a fortune. And I am sorry, but does that mean only men want something "substantial, made of metal and quality"? I know plenty of ladies who also want something well made and durable. Several decades ago when it was more of a woman's job to do the vacuuming, they used big, bulky, made of metal vacuums, only cost cutting and a bid to save weight means they are now plastic. | ||
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Post# 323553 , Reply# 35 4/28/2015 at 15:06 (3,278 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640) |
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I remember the Hoover "Z"...was clearly designed to | ||
| Post# 323584 , Reply# 36 4/29/2015 at 01:32 (3,278 days old) by cb123 (Mobile, Al.) | ||
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| Post# 323611 , Reply# 37 4/29/2015 at 10:13 (3,277 days old) by dysonman1 (the county) | ||
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Kirby is still in business because they don't sell their machines to people shopping for a new vacuum. The salesmen talk their way into a home, and put on a high pressure demonstration. The only way for most people to buy a Kirby is to finance it. It's an expensive and unwise purchase.
Meeting the general public EVERY DAY at the Vacuum Cleaner Museum, I have Kirby cleaners in each display room. Thousands of people come to the Museum every year, and have for six years now. No woman, and I mean NO WOMAN, has ever said she loved her Kirby. The constant refrain of "It's so heavy" and "Hard to use" and "wish I never bought it" is heard daily. IF the Kirby were sitting next to the Shark, Dyson, and other retail vacuums, the chances are slim people would buy it. While it is a well built and durable machine, it's not user friendly. | ||
| Post# 323613 , Reply# 38 4/29/2015 at 10:44 (3,277 days old) by kirbyg6 (York) | ||
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| Post# 323639 , Reply# 39 4/29/2015 at 16:32 (3,277 days old) by cb123 (Mobile, Al.) | ||
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| Post# 323705 , Reply# 41 4/30/2015 at 15:44 (3,276 days old) by anthony (leeds uk) | ||
you tell my mum 
her kirby is a mans vac and she would wrap it round your head and say now tell me again what is it ? My grandma cleaned a local cinema with a hoover comercial[one butch looking vacuum] and thought nothing of running up stairs carrying the thing of course both these women are form an older generation that were used to hard work and we also have to remember pushing a heavy vacuum was still a far cry from cleaning with brooms
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| Post# 323708 , Reply# 42 4/30/2015 at 16:33 (3,276 days old) by parwaz786 ( ) | ||
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Where I live nobody would wanna touch a Kirby except for scrap metal dealers! It's all Dyson, Vax and Henry lovers here XD | ||
| Post# 323712 , Reply# 43 4/30/2015 at 16:57 (3,276 days old) by kirbyg6 (York) | ||
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| Post# 323727 , Reply# 44 4/30/2015 at 20:23 (3,276 days old) by cb123 (Mobile, Al.) | ||
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Well, we can't help that you have poor taste in your neck of the woods! But I can tell you this, where I'm from, the plastic scrappers scrap Dysons instead, and let me tell ya somethin', they don't make a whole lot of money at it either. They pretty much quite often have to collect aluminum cans on the side of the roads, to help make ends meet. And let me tell ya somethin' else, there's a lot of crosses which marks the spot where they got t-boned by a monster truck. Kinda makes you want to stay in school and get an education, because, MAN, a Dyson will put you under Boot hill faster than a plastic Vac can breakdown...And that's a fact, Jack!
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| Post# 323747 , Reply# 46 5/1/2015 at 02:17 (3,276 days old) by cb123 (Mobile, Al.) | ||
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| Post# 323809 , Reply# 47 5/1/2015 at 20:40 (3,275 days old) by Jeschbac (Texas) | ||
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cb123... love your posts. You tell it like it is! | ||
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Post# 323812 , Reply# 48 5/1/2015 at 20:54 (3,275 days old) by Durango159 (State College, PA) |
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I'd prefer a Royal Power Tank for a Man's Vac!!
I've only tried one once but I think a machine truly for a man is the Royal Power Tank!! It meets many of your categories above of lots of parts, lots of metal. The Royal also has lots of power, adjustable power, fingertip controls, a long hose and being a canister it's awesome for the car, cleaning under beds and other things.
Even as strong men, things don't have to weigh tons just to be liked. They just have to feel solid, and be well constructed. They have to perform well and with ease without a lot of configuration. We want the biggest tool to get the job done faster. Below is a link to a good one in a gorgeous Navy blue with decent power nozzle! CLICK HERE TO GO TO Durango159's LINK | ||
| Post# 323825 , Reply# 49 5/1/2015 at 22:26 (3,275 days old) by Marks_here (_._) | ||
I really like | ||
| Post# 323843 , Reply# 51 5/2/2015 at 07:05 (3,274 days old) by Kirbyloverdan (Egg Harbor Twp . NJ aka HOOVERLOVERDAN ❤️) | ||
Rex  | ||
| Post# 323892 , Reply# 52 5/2/2015 at 13:07 (3,274 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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Back when I lived in an apartment complex, I would see plastic vacs out by the dumpsters every week. I rescued a few of them, replaced bags and belts and either sold them, donated them or gave them away. One Dirt Devil Featherlite I rescued is still in use at my church. But in 10 years at that complex, I only saw one metal vac--my first Kirby G6--by the dumpsters. And that's what set me down this strange and twisted road of accumulating vacuum cleaners.
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| Post# 323949 , Reply# 53 5/3/2015 at 01:52 (3,274 days old) by cb123 (Mobile, Al.) | ||
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Post# 324118 , Reply# 54 5/5/2015 at 04:09 (3,272 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC) |
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I would like to see the Royal Power tanks and Prince hand vacs revived!!!Some of the vac shop customers ask about these machines and want them. | ||
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Post# 324137 , Reply# 55 5/5/2015 at 10:01 (3,271 days old) by Durango159 (State College, PA) |
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I have a Prince
I just found this at my Goodwill not long ago. Already got it cleaned up. It is powerful and quiet. Came with original box, tools, belts, bags and paperwork! It was originally bought for around $85!
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| Post# 324223 , Reply# 58 5/6/2015 at 09:06 (3,270 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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I have one of those Royal Prince hand vacs. Got it at a thrift store last winter for about $3. The bag was filthy inside and it needed a belt (conditions that have since been corrected), but other than that it's in perfect condition. My first reaction on picking the thing up off the shelf was to think it must have some Kirby DNA in it. I wasn't familiar with the metal Royal uprights at the time, but they certainly share much of the same design philosophy as Kirby's vacuums.
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