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Thread Number: 45993
/ Tag: 80s/90s Vacuum Cleaners
Personal Experiences with Vacuum Lifespans |
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| Post# 474660 12/18/2024 at 12:14 by bagintheback (Flagstaff, Arizona) | ||
 I recently had a vacuum death in my family. Unfortunately one of my favorites, my second-gen Kenmore Magic Blue, bit the dust this Sunday. I got it as a gift on Christmas 2005, so it lived almost exactly 19 years. It wasn't in regular use the whole time, but it has been my parents' primary vac for about 2 years now.
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| Post# 474662 , Reply# 1 12/18/2024 at 13:38 by panasonicvac (Northern Utah) | ||
Too many to list
Some lasted for quite a while, some not so much. But I also have some vacuums that were bought new I've since retired because I'm afraid they'd break down sooner than later as I like them so much. Unfortunately I recently was trying to retire my grandfather's Kenmore speaking of which and replace it with another machine after his cabin flooded but I wasn't able to secure a replacement so now I can only hope and pray that it'll outlast him since it still works. As long as I can track down parts for the Kenmore regardless if it's new or used, I think I'll be ok.
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| Post# 474678 , Reply# 2 12/19/2024 at 05:59 by huskyvacs (Gnaw Bone, IN) | ||
 My family's Kirby that was bought new in 2002, it's been broken down since 2014. It still runs, just got damage from being banged around a lot and accidentally dropped down the stairs. Also the fan might need a new one. A Eureka upright I got new at Walmart in 2016 lasted through 2020 when I stopped using it because it got stuck in the basement in an area I can't get to right now. It had nothing wrong with it, but bits of the trim and stuff started falling off (glued on). It just got trapped amidst moving stuff around and hasn't become free yet. Most "new" vacuums I see at thrift stores are anywhere from 10-15 years old for your basic Bissell and Eureka weekday warriors. I'd say 10 yrs is a good general baseline. Most people that are boutique buyers and buy for clout and because they are rich and don't care will usually have new Dysons and Sharks every single year as they launch because they need "the best model". | ||
| Post# 474680 , Reply# 3 12/19/2024 at 09:35 by dysonman1 (the county) | ||
New vacuums bought today (and in the past 10 years) will give a MAX of about 10 years with a lot of care, before they're trashed.
My mother bought a Compact C-4 in 1958 (and has always complained about the high price she paid), yet it's still in my possession and used on a regular basis. I've replaced the front ball bearing in the motor as well as the cord, but that's it. It still has the original hose. This machine was in constant use for 30 years in my parents' home. Since I repair vacuums at my store for a living, we see it all. I can safely say that a Dyson lasts no longer than a Shark. All kinds of vacuums, no matter the perceived 'quality' also break down fairly often. | ||
| Post# 474684 , Reply# 4 12/19/2024 at 09:53 by Human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
It depends...
I will admit that I am quite biased on this topic, in that I gravitate toward machines that were designed to be serviced and repaired, and were just plain built to last, mainly Kirby and Electrolux. I have absolutely no use for modern plasticrap machines with self-destructing circuit boards, that are intentionally designed to crap out after maybe 3-5 years, or just after the warranty expires, whichever comes first. Those are nothing more than landfill fodder from the moment they come out of the box. With a few notable exceptions, such as a Sanitaire S645, pretty much everything in my collection is between 20 and 50 years old, and they all run as well as they did when new. Those machines could run indefinitely, as long as parts are available. The only way manufacturers have found to kill off those classic machines is to discontinue replacement parts, so owners are forced to resort to cannibalizing other machines to fix what they have. My problem is I can't bear to do that. I rob parts of of one to fix up another, and then the next thing I know, I'm sourcing replacement parts to put the donor machine back to full working order. That's why I have several FrankenKirbys, made up of parts from different models.
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| Post# 474714 , Reply# 5 12/20/2024 at 12:20 by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada) | ||
Our vacuums were never really abused when I was growing up…our Eureka 260 Super Automatic Upright lasted 15 years (1959-1974), and our Eureka Cordaway Rugulator 2083 Upright lasted another 15 years (1974-1989).
My most recent acquisitions are heading into their 11th year: Hoover Platinum Lightweight Bagged Upright (2013 - present) and my Miele S8 CleanAir Canister Calima-Clone (2013 - present). | ||
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