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Thread Number: 46073
/ Tag: Recent Vacuum Cleaners from past 20 years
Kirby Accessories are kinda weird |
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| Post# 475410 2/3/2025 at 14:00 by AmtrakSebo1997 (Vacmasterthegreats basement) | ||
This is just kind of an opinion piece, but I thought I'd share my thoughts on certain Kirby Accessories.
There are certain accessories and functions that Kirby pushed that are kind of weird/unfitting for a household vacuum cleaner. 1. The Turbo Accessory kit. It seems like a neat machine, but I can't picture myself using it with a Kirby as an actual sander. I'd probably leave that job to a Shop Vac. Everything else (buffer, scourer, and massager) I can more-or-less see someone using with a Kirby. Although, I'm not sure I'd want to listen to the deafening sound of the machine in tool mode on top of the Turbo Accessory. On the topic, the massage cup is also a little strange, as I wouldn't want to use it on my hair or body with how dirty the machine itself is from use. My dog might enjoy it, though! 2. The Handi-Butler. Again, this doesn't seem like a tool that's appropriate for a household vacuum. Reason being that I wouldn't want it to get all dirtied up from shop dust while I'm working. Maybe Kirby should've done what Electrolux did and made a separate wet/dry vacuum for all of these power tool accessories. Maybe they could've even made a carpet extraction system for it, similar to a Vax or Bissell Big Green canister. 3.The handheld mode. I can't really justify a reason to use this with a G Series. Maybe it was easier and more practical to use on a pre Tech-Drive machine, but I've tried using it on my stairs and my bed, and it wasn't great for either of them. You can kind of make the argument that you'll get better agitation with the power nozzle on stairs, but I'd rather use the Zipp Brush with the hose. That's another thing, It seems kind of unsanitary to use the power nozzle that goes on your dirty floors and carpets. Again, I'd rather just use the Zipp Brush for it (not that it's completely sanitary to do it that way either, but it's slightly more so). Thus, the only use I can see using the handheld handle is for using the machine with the hose. 4. The portable sprayer/blower. It's not that this addition is weird or next to useless, it's just that execution on it is not the greatest. This is because when you use the hose in blower mode, any dust that is caked around the inside of the hose and fan chamber will get blown into the air. That kind of doesn't matter if you're inflating something, but using the sprayer or otherwise blowing stuff with just the hose indoors is gonna spew a bunch of dust back into the air. My advice is to get a 2nd hose to only use with the blower attachments, which is probably something that Kirby should've included to begin with, along with some sort of filter for it to catch any dust in the air before it's blown out. | ||
Post# 475415 , Reply# 1 2/3/2025 at 21:35 by KirbyClassicIII  (Milwaukie, Oregon) |
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AmtrakSebo1997 | ||
| Post# 475418 , Reply# 2 2/4/2025 at 06:10 by Kirbyg6 (York) | ||
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| Post# 475422 , Reply# 3 2/4/2025 at 10:07 by AmtrakSebo1997 (Vacmasterthegreats basement) | ||
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KirbyClassiciii | ||
| Post# 475423 , Reply# 4 2/4/2025 at 10:08 by AmtrakSebo1997 (Vacmasterthegreats basement) | ||
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KirbyG6 | ||
| Post# 475426 , Reply# 5 2/4/2025 at 10:50 by Kirbyg6 (York) | ||
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| Post# 475431 , Reply# 7 2/4/2025 at 15:51 by Kirbyg6 (York) | ||
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| Post# 475432 , Reply# 8 2/4/2025 at 16:20 by juju93 (South Georgia) | ||
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the machine and the accessories overall need a major upgrade | ||
| Post# 475436 , Reply# 9 2/4/2025 at 20:44 by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
Sander
The sander is great. If your sanding wood you worry about all the sawdust. The sawdust. The vacuum sucks up the saw dust so they doesn't go everywhere.
The blower I heard melts fans. The old handi butlers are nice because there like a flex shaft. It can be used like a dremmel tool to anything under the sun. The multi surface cleaner you don't have to use something after. If you know what your doing all the tools have very practical uses. Every Kirby came with accessories. They're nice additions if u know limitations and how to use them. | ||
| Post# 475441 , Reply# 10 2/5/2025 at 12:03 by Human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
juju93 wrote: Another accessory that I think is kind of a joke is the zippbrush. I think this simply because its not sucking up the dirt and debris, its just loosening up and making the tool itself dirty, thus having to spend time cleaning it afterwards.
I reply: I agree. The Turbo Brush offered with the Heritage 1HD is far superior. The Zipp Brush makes little sense, except for scrubbing spots that have previously been sprayed with the shampoo sprayer, but you still need to vacuum up the dry shampoo, making it a three-step process. Honestly, I have been fascinated with Kirbys since I saw a Classic Omega demonstrated in our living room when I was about nine or ten years old. Kirby did their best to stretch the definition of a vacuum cleaner as far as they could, making it a versatile home maintenance system. Understandably, some accessories and functions were more successful than others. I'm glad I have a bunch of them, I'll continue using them as long as bags and belts are available. | ||
| Post# 475442 , Reply# 11 2/5/2025 at 13:53 by panasonicvac (Northern Utah) | ||
They definitely have some weird attachments, I never use them as a result. I think they made a mistake getting rid of the original turbo brush which is technically a Vacuflo Rug Rat that you can still buy today. Even their Vacuette hand vac does a better job than the Zipp Brush, I own two myself but one of them is a Kenmore.
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| Post# 475470 , Reply# 14 2/6/2025 at 23:17 by AmtrakSebo1997 (Vacmasterthegreats basement) | ||
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KirbyG6, JuJu93, and others.
-That's what I remember hearing about with the inflator/deflator tool. Maybe if they drilled a few extra relief holes in the attachment, that'd put less strain on the motor. I haven't used that tool for anything outside of trying to clean my desk and keyboard as Kirby said I could in their instructional videos, to little success. That's why I have one of those micro-attachment kits now, and it works much better for that job.
-Kirby actually does make a mop-head, and the new rendition of the CSS can be used as a mop apparently. -As I said before, the sander and Handi-Butler are probably good attachments, I just don't like the idea of using your household vacuum to power them. Those are probably best left for Shop-Vacs, similar to how lots of power tools have hose-ports so that any dust kicked up by them can be sucked up. -Personally, I think the Zippbrush is an alright attachment. It seems to agitate alright. Additionally, I think Kirby made the switch to it with the Heritage II because Kirbys (at least the Generation Series) can't spin up traditional turbo tools well. I could be totally wrong, though. -Kirby is definitely dated in a lot of ways, but I think they want to keep it that way. Maybe for nostalgia's sake, maybe for novelty's sake, IDK. That probably explains the wacky lineup of accessories. I hope in the coming years Kirby finally stops just re-selling the G3 with a new color-scheme/handle/optional accessory, and actually does some innovation with their products. More importantly, I hope they reshape their business model so that their salespeople don't have to resort to harassing the elderly and lower class, as these machines are simply not suitable for the former group. MLMs are kinda cringe ngl. | ||
| Post# 475483 , Reply# 15 2/7/2025 at 21:33 by juju93 (South Georgia) | ||
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I'm ready for something new from rexair in terms of a new system or new optional accessory. As far as kirby goes, I hope by 2030 they'll have something truly new and innovative. | ||
| Post# 475492 , Reply# 17 2/8/2025 at 11:20 by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
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Metal | ||
| Post# 475493 , Reply# 18 2/8/2025 at 13:14 by panasonicvac (Northern Utah) | ||
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I agree about the metal fans, I've seen how much it improves the performance. From my understanding and I'll say it again, Kirby won't release a new model unless it's proven to be better than it's predecessor. I'm sure by now Rexair has regretted not taking Kirby's example. I've read somewhere online from a Rainbow rep admitting Rexair made a mistake releasing the SRX model, it clearly wasn't better than it's predecessor. If I was Rexair, I'd go back to making the E2 in a different color until when or if they come out with something that's proven to be better. They already brought the old powerhead back. But regardless of what, we could see the end of Rainbow soon and I've also read this last year didn't do too well sales wise so that didn't help out. Market has changed, sale methods are different, and quite a bit of competition. I'd definitely take a Sirena over any new Rainbow. And if Royal was still around, I'd also take one over any new Kirby. Also if I was Kirby, I'd bring back Royal from TTI as their Comvac line.
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| Post# 475498 , Reply# 20 2/8/2025 at 21:27 by Caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut) | ||
Handi-Butler. | ||
| Post# 475499 , Reply# 21 2/8/2025 at 23:12 by panasonicvac (Northern Utah) | ||
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I'll be honest, I hope Rexair will still be around for many more years to come. They've made some of my favorite vacuums. I've read that part of the reason why Rainbow has been on a decline is again they've got competition. The Prolux CTX for example reviews on Amazon are saying consumers are buying that over the Rainbow is because the SRX is too expensive, not that it's getting old. And I still stand that I'd buy a Sirena over the SRX because of the price, in fact I can get one right now from Sirena's website for as low as $598. Otherwise if I was gonna pay thousands for a brand new Rainbow, I may as well get a Aqua-Air or a Drainvac Automatik central vac instead.
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| Post# 475510 , Reply# 22 2/10/2025 at 14:23 by AmtrakSebo1997 (Vacmasterthegreats basement) | ||
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| Post# 475516 , Reply# 23 2/12/2025 at 11:00 by juju93 (South Georgia) | ||
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I think we're all just ready for something truely new from both of these companies. | ||
| Post# 475540 , Reply# 25 2/13/2025 at 12:28 by Human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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As I've mentioned in other threads, I think Kirby has taken their present design as far as they can, and in the process, they have painted themselves into the proverbial corner. People have suggested that Kirby make their machines out of plastic to save weight and eliminate the need for the Tech Drive, make them bagless and give them onboard tools, but if you do all that, you will have removed everything that makes a Kirby uniquely a Kirby, and turned it into something no different from the $99 disposable plasticrap vacs from Wally World, but that's not what Kirby owners/customers want or expect when they shell out two grand for their machine. Right now, Kirby's biggest competition is itself, in the form of used machines at thrift stores, pawn shops, yard sales, and even eBay. When you can pick up a used Kirby in nice shape with all its tools for around $50, who in their right mind would pay forty times as much for a brand new one, much less twice as much for the aforementioned plasticrap vac?
Personally, I think Kirby's present owners aren't interested in innovating. They're just coasting things out for as long as can. Whenever they decide that's no longer advantageous, they'll close up shop, carve up the assets, and call it a day. The Chinese will then end up with the trademarks and slap the Kirby brand on $99 plasticrap vacs, for which they will charge $299, because they carry a prestigious American name. The buying public will fall for this in the short run, because they will think they're getting a bargain when they see Kirbys at Wally World, but wehn that wave subsides, the Chinese will start watering down the brand by slapping it on any random product they can think of, from microwave ovens to TV sets, and thus another proud American brand will take its place on the ash heap of history. | ||
| Post# 475543 , Reply# 26 2/13/2025 at 17:19 by AmtrakSebo1997 (Vacmasterthegreats basement) | ||
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TexasKirbyGuy
That's the thing, the Generation series isn't completely solid and reliable. They have a few problems that should be addressed, but they seemly haven't.
1. The cords. Whatever rubber they use for them isn't the most durable, and has apparently been known to catch fire. 2. The Tech Drive mechanism. There's a reason why self-propelled machines aren't made anymore. They add unnecessary weight to the machine, and they're another thing to break. I would know, as the pedal on my G7 fell out, and it makes the infamous clicking and grinding noises when I use it. I'm not saying that I don't like it, but that it has its major drawbacks. 3. The accessories. I mean, this entire thread is about them, but I'm mainly referring to the tool hose and carpet shampoo system. The hose on my G7 is extremely stiff and hard to use in cramped spaces. I don't know if that's just because of age, but either way, that shouldn't be the something to worry about on a $1000+ machine. As for the CSS, I think Kirby should've switched to the extraction format for it a long time ago. I personally can't speak on behalf of its performance, as the only times I used mine were with homemade Kirby shampoo, but from what I've seen and heard, it doesn't do a great job compared to cheaper carpet cleaners from Bissell and Hoover. 4. The noise level. I get that Kirby wants to be traditional, but they should really add some sound-deadening around the motor, as they're loud, especially in tool mode. In short, I get that Kirby wants to do things traditionally, and I respect that, but that being said I think that improvement in innovation is necessary. | ||
| Post# 475545 , Reply# 27 2/13/2025 at 17:34 by AmtrakSebo1997 (Vacmasterthegreats basement) | ||
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Human
I don't really think that Kirby is going to go down that route, at least not anytime soon. I've got a feeling that someday they'll come to their senses and realize that they need a successor to the G series in some way, shape, or form. If they did turn to making cheap Walmart vacs, that would kind of be the final nail on their public image. Then again, what do I know? I wasn't born when Hoover was making stuff like the Convertibles, Constellations, and Concepts, and then switched to the Elites, Windtunnels, and the TTI stuff.
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| Post# 475555 , Reply# 29 2/14/2025 at 00:22 by AmtrakSebo1997 (Vacmasterthegreats basement) | ||
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Juju93 | ||
| Post# 475570 , Reply# 30 2/14/2025 at 12:03 by panasonicvac (Northern Utah) | ||
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I agree with Edgar. Unfortunately I don't think things are looking very good with Kirby. As I've said before elsewhere, there's a reason why Scott & Fetzer sold off Kirby. There's also a reason why they're allowing them to be sold online and through big box stores like Costco. There's a reason why vacuum stores are now Kirby warranty dealers. There's a reason why Kirby is sticking with black as their primary color now. And there's a reason why Kirby is no longer allowing to rebuild for secondary owners. The way it all fits together makes total sense to me. We also could be seeing the end of Kirby which I seriously hope not but it wouldn't surprise me. At this point, I see no way how Kirby would come out with a brand new design of their own. They once tried and I've seen the design of what the new Kirby would've looked like but they couldn't get it to work right.
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| Post# 475572 , Reply# 31 2/14/2025 at 12:38 by AmtrakSebo1997 (Vacmasterthegreats basement) | ||
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PanasonicVac | ||
| Post# 475574 , Reply# 32 2/14/2025 at 18:56 by Kirbyg6 (York) | ||
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| Post# 475575 , Reply# 33 2/14/2025 at 19:51 by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
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Kirby | ||
| Post# 475577 , Reply# 34 2/14/2025 at 21:16 by panasonicvac (Northern Utah) | ||
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