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Thread Number: 44892
/ Tag: Brand New Vacuum Cleaners
Why is it taking Kirby so long |
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| Post# 466015 9/10/2023 at 17:48 (249 days old) by Kirbyg6 (York) | ||
Why is taking them so long to launch a new model I know they usually bring one out every three years or so but it’s been nearly 5 years or over to bring one out I know the sentria had a long run but usually when they bring out a second version of the same model it takes them a year or two before the next one comes out I know people get annoyed when this gets asked but surely they must have a new out soon
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| Post# 466027 , Reply# 2 9/10/2023 at 20:51 (249 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
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| Post# 466040 , Reply# 4 9/10/2023 at 22:41 (249 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
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There
Is a YouTuber kirby enthusiast who does every type of video you can think of for kirbys'.
I'd like a different kirby but very highly unlikely. With the new ownership trying to force out avalir 2's means they're trying to liquidate inventory and have cash to do something. Having a bypass motor on a kirby with a hose built in instead of disassembling the vacuum would be nice. They could even go high end Bagless and have a dump bin instead of a bag. Idk I'd do the dump bin idea but change would be good. | ||
| Post# 466047 , Reply# 6 9/11/2023 at 00:07 (249 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
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| Post# 466048 , Reply# 7 9/11/2023 at 02:03 (249 days old) by Kirbyg6 (York) | ||
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| Post# 466061 , Reply# 8 9/11/2023 at 11:25 (248 days old) by panasonicvac (Northern Utah) | ||
I just reached out to the Consumer Relations Manager at Kirby. Right now there isn't a new model planned to be released anytime soon. The design and engineering team are still working to develop a Kirby that's supposed to be proven overall better than it's predecessor. Also, Kirby had been busy completing the transition ever since Scott & Fetzer sold them off. And they've been mostly focusing on their marketing. Kirby did a one point create a whole new design that was going to replace the Sentria but it got much more complicated as they couldn't get it working right and it supposedly wasn't as good or better than the Sentria.
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Post# 466065 , Reply# 9 9/11/2023 at 11:42 (248 days old) by kloveland  (Tulsa) |
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I seriously doubt Kirby is going bagless! The VCCC visited Kirby in 2014. One of the higher up employees told the club that Kirby would not come out with a newer model that scarifies cleaning ability. He also said that customers expect performance and a certain sound out of their machines (think of a higher end car).
With that being said. I do not foresee Kirby coming out with a bypass upright unless it outperforms the current model. The truth is nobody except Kirby knows. For years (and I mean years) I've seen postings on here from other collectors who claim to know inside information. Most of the time these individuals are wrong! And post for attention (my guess) misleading others into believing them (again for attention). Kirby keeps their new models heavily guarded. In 2008, I believe this was the big Hoover convention in Ohio (before my time) another group went to Kirby and one of our members recorded video from Kirby's testing department and leaked it (prototypes for the hard floor washer). This did not go over well. In 2014 we literally had two Kirby employees follow us in every line to make sure that we were not taking pictures or video. I imagine Kirby is stricter now than they were then. When I read that someone on this site has information on a new model. I take it with a grain of salt. | ||
| Post# 466071 , Reply# 10 9/11/2023 at 12:11 (248 days old) by Kirbyg6 (York) | ||
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Post# 466074 , Reply# 11 9/11/2023 at 15:43 (248 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640) |
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Kenny is correct When we all visited Kirby the last time, they stood on the sidewalk until the last VCCC car left the property. They were also reluctant to host us initially, but, it was because someone contacted them, badmouthing us as a whole. It didn't work, however. They were very gracious to us, including providing lunch at the "Kirby Kafe". | ||
| Post# 466080 , Reply# 13 9/11/2023 at 19:32 (248 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
I'd have to agree that I would have no interest whatsoever in a bagless Kirby with a built-in hose. The appeal to a Kirby for me is the things are built the way stuff used to be built; that is, out of metal with high quality craftsmanship and attention to detail. They're not meant to be used for a couple of years and left at the curb as landfill fodder; they're meant to last for decades, which is both a blessing and a curse for Kirby, as their biggest competition is themselves in the second-hand market. Kirbys in decent shape show up in thrift stores around here fairly regularly for $20-$30 without accessories and closer to $50 with a full set of accessories. Why would anybody in their right mind pay 40 times that much for the latest color scheme? I'm sure Right Lane is still figuring out their business model for Kirby, a model that hopefully no longer includes door-to-door sales thugs.
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| Post# 466084 , Reply# 14 9/11/2023 at 20:53 (248 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
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The
Shut off airflow to nozzle and have a hose port on top of the nozzle would be an option for a quick connect hose.
They should make a few versions. The high end would be a version similar to current version maybe lose the transmission. Then they could make a cannister/backpack version. The backpack/cannister could make it a clean air machine backpack/cannister would be ideal for the commercial market. Then a basic vacuum similar to the old 13" nozzle kirbys. If they could get a 7 amp motor vacuum under 15 lbs would put supralites/ orecks and other lightweight vacuums on notice. Then a battery powered vacuum similar to 15 pound version but no cord. Then d2d sales and sell them in vacuum shops or Costcos. This is a dream because 4 different versions of vacuums coming from a company that has had 2 (janitronic/American Lincoln) at one time. They basically have 1 model and that's it. | ||
| Post# 466104 , Reply# 16 9/12/2023 at 12:31 (247 days old) by vacuumdevil (Vacuum Hell ) | ||
Every so many months there's a rumor of a new Kirby model and everybody's speculates all sorts of nonsense.
We all know they're just going to change the color again and maybe a couple other cosmetic changes and leave it at that. Why is it taking so long ? Well they just got new ownership recently, I'm sure they're still sorting that out internally. | ||
| Post# 466123 , Reply# 18 9/12/2023 at 21:39 (247 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
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Woa | ||
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Post# 466129 , Reply# 21 9/13/2023 at 06:35 (246 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC) |
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Note that Kirby doesn't offer an air purifier of any sort-the other DTD companies do.Maybe they should offer one! | ||
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Post# 466133 , Reply# 22 9/13/2023 at 08:27 (246 days old) by luxlife (Under a Pecan Tree) |
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The air purifiers were a distraction….. Seems like they were just a way for the salesman to get his “foot in the door” and show you the vacuum. Kirby salesman always had a more direct, full frontal approach to gaining access to your home. I’ve heard the stories… | ||
| Post# 466160 , Reply# 24 9/13/2023 at 20:08 (246 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
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Read
I said backpack/cannister. Backpack commercial cannister residential.
Ypu don't bent over using a backpack vacuum. You know a proteam can clean twice as much area in the same amount of time. Backpack vacuums aren't heavy and are twice as fast. Your using a hose gliding over the floor. Pushing a vacroom across a surface with tech drive strains t Your arms and upper back. The backpack puts evenly distributed weight on your back(should be one of the strongest parts of the body. Vacuuming floors is way more taxing in the body for twice as long. | ||
| Post# 466171 , Reply# 25 9/14/2023 at 11:55 (245 days old) by panasonicvac (Northern Utah) | ||
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If Kirby wanted to sell backpacks, they should start by leasing a company to privately label them to see if the market would pick up on it or not. It'd save alot versus developing their own backpacks. Sandia has a private label program that both Bissell and Oreck had contracted with before. They're made in the USA that I'm sure Kirby would really like and I think they make the best backpacks on the market today. Personally, I don't really like backpacks. I agree with Rex as they feel uncomfortable for my back. When I was a volunteer janitor at a local elementary school, backpacks were easier to get around desks and chairs unlike the Windsor Sensor upright or even the NSS M-1 PIG canister they also had. But I remember having a hard time with using both the ProTeam Super CoachVac and the Sandia Raven 10 Quart on my back. They just aren't my cup of joe. The only time I'd ever see myself using a backpack would be climbing up a ladder and vacuum out dust from windows or ceilings.
sandiaplastics.com/private-label... | ||
| Post# 466199 , Reply# 26 9/15/2023 at 06:33 (244 days old) by Kirbyg6 (York) | ||
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| Post# 466206 , Reply# 27 9/15/2023 at 11:23 (244 days old) by kirbylux77 (London, Ontario, Canada) | ||
I don't see Kirby developing a new model at all. What I do see is they either stick with the G Series platform, or they go out of business entirely.
The sad reality is, a Kirby does not work in modern homes! The machine does not do area rugs and hard floors as well or as easily as a modern bypass clean air upright. And the fact that you have to convert it to use attachments and other accessories, along with the fact that the only filtration the machine has is the HEPA Cloth bag, means that most consumers would consider it a bulky, heavy, hard to use, outdated relic of a machine. Yes us collectors love Kirbys, but the reality is most of the distributors would have a hard time selling it in the home. The only things the company can count on now is it's excellent cleaning performance and name recognition. The other problem Kirby has that most other D T D brands have is form factor. Brands like Aerus, Rainbow, Kirby and Filter Queen all have a certain shape and design that they have used since the company's formation, and they must stick with for the product to be recognizable to consumers. If you designed a new Filter Queen model to look like a Miele clone, consumers wouldn't recognize it and probably dislike it as it isn't what they are accustomed to. Therefore, the company must stick with the general basic design they have used all along. This is where the Kirby design has it's greatest downfall - to stick with that general direct air upright design leaves very little room for modern improvements to make it more convenient to use. Hate to say it, but it's about time the Kirby design dies and the company is laid to rest. | ||
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Post# 466210 , Reply# 28 9/15/2023 at 14:37 (244 days old) by Kloveland (Tulsa) |
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Rob, I agree! Kirby is already a mature product. And if they make it into something else. Customers would not recognize it. I don’t see how they could make it clean carpet any better than it already does. The guy at the factory said any newer model would have to clean better than or equal to the preceding model or something like that.
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| Post# 466219 , Reply# 30 9/15/2023 at 23:27 (244 days old) by kirbylux77 (London, Ontario, Canada) | ||
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Kenny - Yes, I agree! The cleaning performance isn't the issue, it's the design of the product. Yet they have their hands tied behind their back a bit because they also can't deviate from the design too much.
Eric - Yes, they could improve the fan or brushroll. But the carpet cleaning performance is already excellent. That's not the issue. The issue here is making the Kirby convenient to use and fit into today's modern homes and consumer's lifestyles. I think the answer could lie in the Royal design. Eliminate the flat belt and center motor pulley, make a powerhead with the motor on top or behind the brushroll housing, with a geared belt. Or, possibly incorporate a design like the Kenmore/Panasonic Direct Drive brushroll with the motor in the middle. Replace the belt lifter assembly with a metal cap that removes to insert and remove the hose for above the floor cleaning. On the front of the handle, design a tool caddy to hold a dusting/crevice/upholstery tool, and on the back incorporate a stretch hose. And then a additional long hose and tool caddy like they do now for those consumers that prefer a non stretch hose. As for the machine's filtration, if they made the motor vent on the side by the height adjustment a little bit bigger & incorporated a Miele AirClean cloth microfibre type material to capture carbon dust from the motor, and if they either improved the outer bag material for added filtration, or made a hard case outer shell with a HEPA Filter for the bag, that would improve & modernize the Kirby's filtration. As for improving the floor cleaning, perhaps narrow the brushroll cavity a little bit, put a brushroll on/off switch somewhere on the powerhead, and change the powerhead baseplate to plastic or put some kind of soft touch material like velour or felt on it, so it would allevate consumer's concerns a metal baseplate would scratch wood floors. The prototype Kirby we saw leaked years ago was nice, but was a bit too radical from the present design to be accepted by consumers. These changes would basically be a more tame redesign like that, but still styled like a traditional Royal/Kirby design while having some modern features added in. As for Filter Queen, they have a couple options to modernize their design. Either ditch the paper filter cones for HEPA Cloth filter cones, or even better, replace it entirely with the Optima design they came out with years ago with HEPA Cloth bags. They nearly had it right, all they would have to do is redesign the motor intake in the bag housing so the bag wouldn't get sucked into it & inhibit airflow. Also, ditch the vents on the motor housing, put a longer handle on top, and add a HEPA Filter onto the blower port to modernize filtration. And of course that junky powerhead they use now would have to go! | ||
| Post# 466221 , Reply# 32 9/16/2023 at 05:38 (243 days old) by huskyvacs (Gnaw Bone, Indiana) | ||
 panasonicvac: "I just reached out to the Consumer Relations Manager at Kirby. Right now there isn't a new model planned to be released anytime soon. The design and engineering team are still working to develop a Kirby that's supposed to be proven overall better than it's predecessor. " ----------------------------------------- Well that's good they are doing something, and it proves there is a new model coming (which was just speculation for the past many years). Let's just hope all of us will still be alive to see it now...... I can guarantee they will be making it lighter, that is the #1 complaint with Kirby vacuums. The other is the tool attaching. I still think if they can make the tool attachment feature some magnetic attachment system where it just clicks on and stays on - maybe some kind of diverter valve to switch from floor to hose - that would likely ease the conversion process and also would be an extra benefit to protect the fan blades from metal bits being sucked up. It would be totally hilarious if their new design just ended up looking like the Bison, which was actually brilliant for that time period if it wasn't so poorly built. | ||
| Post# 466237 , Reply# 33 9/17/2023 at 07:27 (242 days old) by Kirbyg6 (York) | ||
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| Post# 466239 , Reply# 34 9/17/2023 at 08:39 (242 days old) by juju93 (South Georgia) | ||
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Assuming thats all true about the attach hose, how will they implement that function into using the system in other cleaning modes, like the shampooer, blower mode, ect? | ||
| Post# 466240 , Reply# 35 9/17/2023 at 09:22 (242 days old) by Kirbyg6 (York) | ||
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Post# 466289 , Reply# 37 9/18/2023 at 00:05 (242 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC) |
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Amodel fans have problems with heat-If you use the hose on the Kirby in blower mode with the inflator tool-can cause the Amodel fan to melt or deform.Same thing will happen if you let the disposable bag get too full.Go back to the metal fan,PLEASE! | ||
| Post# 466298 , Reply# 38 9/18/2023 at 12:07 (241 days old) by panasonicvac (Northern Utah) | ||
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Honestly | ||
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