Thread Number: 32638  /  Tag: Recent Vacuum Cleaners from past 20 years
My vacuum cleaner enthusiasm story
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Post# 357770   8/16/2016 at 10:50 (2,781 days old) by Mike81 ()        

I have been interested about vacuums since I was a child. My actual enthusiasm for vacuums started about 10 years ago.
Note that first 8 years I didn't collect vacuums. I always had just a one vacuum at the time and when I wanted new I sold the old one.
My major interest now is how different vacuums clean carpets well.
What I think is the ideal vacuum cleaner. It must be: Well made, quiet, powerful, good agitation, long hose and cord (canisters).

So to my story:
I had a basic straight suction Miele canister (can't remember the model) and I was frustrated how much effort it took to clean the carpets. I thought that there must be a better way. So then I bought my first turbo brush and it improved things a bit. I went through several vacuums still using the turbo brush and thinking that I am cleaning my carpets well.
Problem was that it didn't work well at all on the high pile carpets. Then I started to watch vacuum videos from youtube and there it was. I really wanted a powerhead. Well living in the Finland means that almost all vacuums are straight suction canisters. So just finding one powerhead was a pain. Note that uprights are almost non-existent in the Finland.
Finally I was able to find my first powerhead (small Miele SEB-217). That was the major turning point. It was very obvious that I started to see clear improvement in cleaning result. I was so excited about it that I took my first "power team" (Bagless Electrolux UltraPerformer + Miele SEB-217) to my parents house to demonstrate it. And yes I filled the bin in no time. They were shocked and I even loaned it for them (my mother wanted it). They had it a several months until they returned it to me.
Next major step was my first upright = Kärcher (Sebo BS36) It was previously used in the furniture shop with wall to wall carpets. I never forget that moment when I first used it. Just hear that big brushroll to start and agitate the carpet was big thing for me.
And of course I also wanted a full-size powerhead. So finally Electrolux introduced their first full-size ph for the Europe. (USA has always had different powerheads).
So Electrolux Paragon ph is my latest purchase.

In the pictures my first and latest vacuum cleaner.


CLICK HERE TO GO TO Mike81's LINK


  Photos...       <              >      Photo 1 of 2         View Full Size
Post# 357771 , Reply# 1   8/16/2016 at 11:55 (2,781 days old) by wyaple (Pickerington, OH)        
Great Story, But Will Someone Please Tell Me

wyaple's profile picture
why, oh why, does there seem to be a lack of power nozzles available in Europe and surrounding countries?! If any appreciable percentage of a country's population has carpet, why is it like pulling teeth to get manufacturers to offer motorized brush rolls? I LOVE hearing these stories, but they drive me nuts because the consumers aren't being offered the best tools available.

To me, it would be like living in Finland with three feet of snow on the ground and some real go-getter discovers that four wheel drive works better than rear wheel drive but few dealerships actually offer them.

Bill



Post# 357775 , Reply# 2   8/16/2016 at 13:40 (2,780 days old) by Mike81 ()        
Finnish people: What is the powerhead?

Well reason is that people don't even know to demand vacuums with the powerhead. We have always cleaned your carpets with the straight suction canisters. Sounds stupid, but if department stores would begin to offer ph canisters people wouldn't buy those. All they care is how good the suction is. If people wan't better carpet cleaning performance/pet hair removal they buy turbo brush. Many turbo brushes are called "carpet beaters". Very sad situation indeed.
We do have those door to door salesmen selling Kirbys, Vorwerks and Luxes. All of those offer good agitation, but problem is that those are extremely expensive costing at least 2000€. They sell ok (surprisingly) so some people know what it takes to clean the carpets deep down.
On the other hand for example Miele and Electrolux (not Lux) are quite cheap compared to the USA. Miele Complete C3 269€ and Miele Classic C1 99€. My point is that canister vacuums with the ph shouldn't be too expensive.
Every now and then I see Kirby in the auction site. Prize usually starts at minimum around 500€, usually 1000€ and those are several years old.

Here is link to the site what is typical selection of vacuums we get:


CLICK HERE TO GO TO Mike81's LINK


Post# 357776 , Reply# 3   8/16/2016 at 13:46 (2,780 days old) by Mike81 ()        
Right link

www.hobbyhall.fi/kodinkon...;

Post# 357779 , Reply# 4   8/16/2016 at 14:13 (2,780 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640)        
wow!

gottahaveahoove's profile picture
Can you imagine their reaction after using a nice Hoover Convertible?...feeling that cleaner going over their carpets?...then changing the bag?..a very easy thing to do. type A or C..no belching cups or 'bins'.

Post# 357780 , Reply# 5   8/16/2016 at 14:19 (2,780 days old) by funnynet1231 (Maine)        
I used to be terrified of vacuums.

funnynet1231's profile picture
Until I was about 5 or so I was deathly afraid of vacuums. Then I decided to finish vacuuming my living room when I was around 5 or 6 and that completely destroyed my phobia.

Post# 357784 , Reply# 6   8/16/2016 at 14:45 (2,780 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)        

sebo_fan's profile picture
"why, oh why, does there seem to be a lack of power nozzles available in Europe and surrounding countries?! "

Because largely there is NO need for them. Most of Europe has homes with hard floors instead of carpets. Not all countries do, but the majority do.

Have a interesting read at the link supplied. It doesn't answer everything about Finland but it provides some insight in how things appear.

Also Scandinavia in general can be termed as being cold etc but they're well known for flat pack furniture and flooring (IKEA, Hello!).


CLICK HERE TO GO TO sebo_fan's LINK


Post# 357785 , Reply# 7   8/16/2016 at 15:35 (2,780 days old) by Mike81 ()        

Wow fantastic article and so true!

When I lived with my parents we had a rug in every room covering about 1/3 to 1/2 of the floor area. Nowadays bare floors are more common and wall to wall carpets: Never seen one. I personally love carpets. More the better.

Here is typical Finnish weather at this moment in celsius:


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Post# 357806 , Reply# 8   8/16/2016 at 23:11 (2,780 days old) by Real1shep (Walla Walla, WA)        

Because largely there is NO need for them. Most of Europe has homes with hard floors instead of carpets. Not all countries do, but the majority do.

Have a interesting read at the link supplied. It doesn't answer everything about Finland but it provides some insight in how things appear.

Also Scandinavia in general can be termed as being cold etc but they're well known for flat pack furniture and flooring (IKEA, Hello!).

 

^ This. Wall-to-wall carpeting is a NA phenomena...or was. More and more hardwood floors are coming back...especially with little kids. When I was in grade school, I had a friend whose father was a doc. They had that gawd awful, deep pile shag all through the house in early 60's colors *hurl*. We'd be playing with toys and seriously, they would disappear. If we wanted to find missing toys, we had to get the shag rake. Everybody I knew that had those carpets...you could see dirt and FM in them if you were a kid....no matter how much they were vacuumed.

 

Anyway, having wall-to-wall carpeting in NA was making a statement that you 'made it' for most....especially nice wool carpets.

 

Kevin


Post# 357811 , Reply# 9   8/16/2016 at 23:40 (2,780 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)        

sebo_fan's profile picture
I recall our pre school here in Scotland had a deep pile carpet. You reminded me - its where we lost most of the LEGO; another Scandic nod!

Post# 357819 , Reply# 10   8/17/2016 at 00:56 (2,780 days old) by Real1shep (Walla Walla, WA)        

Lol...you had to see those rugs to believe them. That pile turned up in a lot of vans; for the young adults that thought they had the Sexmobile with it in there. After seeing all the FM in them at my friend's, I got phobic about getting down to play on them. Occasionally I'll see the remnants of one of those rugs and it gives me chills to this day...lol.

 

Kevin


Post# 357867 , Reply# 11   8/17/2016 at 17:20 (2,779 days old) by Numatic_boy (England)        
My story

numatic_boy's profile picture
Ive always loved vacs,for nearly all my life,some of my earliest vac memories was receiving the bags for our Swan bagged cylinder,it was a massive silver and red thing that we got from Index(when it existed). I loved all vacs,then i took a shine to Numatics in particular,I would spend hours finding out about Henry and his mates,I pestered my mum for a Henry and she said,"you can get one but your paying for it."So thats what I did,I saved up from birthdays and holidays for ages,then I got one from Very,I stil have him today,my 2011 Henry HVR200A,I then got a Dyson DC02 from my British Heart Foundation for free as it was broken (failed pat test,had no wands/floor tool and it was cracked and faded)it was destined for the bins,I got the DC02 and put heart and soul in to getting it fixed and cleaned.Then it spiraled,I had Sebos,Electroluxes,Hoovers,Vaxes and the list goes on,I have had over 30,most of which have been refurbished and sold to help fund my other hobby,gaming.Sorry for this essay.





-Adam


Post# 357872 , Reply# 12   8/17/2016 at 19:22 (2,779 days old) by fan-of-fans (USA)        

fan-of-fans's profile picture
I miss how those shag carpets felt to your feet. They have made sort of a comeback with those shag rugs and bathroom mats, often green color.

Post# 357892 , Reply# 13   8/18/2016 at 08:54 (2,779 days old) by vacerator (Macomb Michigan)        
California frizze'

wall to wall carpeting has also brought bag the shag floor fashion.

Post# 357958 , Reply# 14   8/19/2016 at 11:22 (2,778 days old) by Real1shep (Walla Walla, WA)        

They did feel good on your bare feet, I'll give you that. But I'm not sure any of them could be really 'cleaned' if you looked carefully down at the base. And the shag rake.....a lot of work just so your tootsies got tickled. I was glad to see that fad end along with pink & avocado bathroom fixtures.

 

Kevin


Post# 359915 , Reply# 15   9/26/2016 at 02:00 (2,740 days old) by Mike81 ()        
All my vacuums at the moment

So i am quite new collector so I don't have huge collection. I have just these:
Kärcher Upright (Sebo BS36), Lux Royal D790, AEG Vampyr 402, Volta U258, Philips P74, Argos Value Upright and Electrolux UltraFlex + Paragon PH.


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Post# 359924 , Reply# 16   9/26/2016 at 07:45 (2,740 days old) by Rvarley (illinois)        

Americans - Please remember that Europe is a continent, not a country.


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