It's time to replace the ancient Electrolux (I think it's a model XXX
or model 60. Probably a collectors' item, but the hose has gotten
leaky.) I've seen good advice here on a diverse range of subjects, so
I thought maybe some of you could clarify the current jumble of
over-hyped vacuum cleaners.

Top concerns would be power, reliability, and ease of cleaning. The
old Electrolux wasn't so bad, but I figure there must be vast
improvements in construction and efficiency by now.

I don't need anything on an industrial scale, but I do volunteer
animal rescue work, which does result in way more shredded stuff on
the floor than the typical civilized household. And sawdust from
building stuff for the critters. Nice to have power and capacity for
that. And nice if it's not a nightmare to clean.

I've heard mixed reviews of Dyson, so I'm not sure what the real story
is there. Miele seems to be well-regarded but expensive ($300?!). Just
heard someone talking about a low-cost brand called "Emer" but I'm not
familiar.

Any info would be appreciated.

Eric wrote:

I've heard mixed reviews of Dyson, so I'm not sure what the real story
is there. Miele seems to be well-regarded but expensive ($300?!). Just
heard someone talking about a low-cost brand called "Emer" but I'm not
familiar.

I would avoid any bagless vac or canister vac without a motorized head (the kind
where the brush is driven by airflow alone). The last vac I bought was a Kenmore
canister with a Powermate head and it does quite well. Was about $100 less than
retail at a Sears repair center. Sears has stopped the madness of using a
different bag number for every model vac they sell and now generally holds to a
single bag type for uprights and canisters.

On 12/30/10 6:28 PM, Eric wrote:
It's time to replace the ancient Electrolux (I think it's a model XXX
or model 60. Probably a collectors' item, but the hose has gotten
leaky.) I've seen good advice here on a diverse range of subjects, so
I thought maybe some of you could clarify the current jumble of
over-hyped vacuum cleaners.

Top concerns would be power, reliability, and ease of cleaning. The
old Electrolux wasn't so bad, but I figure there must be vast
improvements in construction and efficiency by now.

I don't need anything on an industrial scale, but I do volunteer
animal rescue work, which does result in way more shredded stuff on
the floor than the typical civilized household. And sawdust from
building stuff for the critters. Nice to have power and capacity for
that. And nice if it's not a nightmare to clean.

I've heard mixed reviews of Dyson, so I'm not sure what the real story
is there. Miele seems to be well-regarded but expensive ($300?!). Just
heard someone talking about a low-cost brand called "Emer" but I'm not
familiar.

Any info would be appreciated.

There's a vacuum cleaner sales/repair shop near me.

I'm thinking of replacing my very old Hoover so I stopped by with the
model number and asked him what I should replace it with. He said there
are basically 3 classes of vacs:

The crap you get at Target & X-Mart for $100 - $200.

The pretty decent stuff in the $250 - $400 range.

The really good stuff at $600 plus.

I told him that I really liked the quality of the old Hoover and that
I've tried the crap from Target, etc. He said he had a few uprights
between $250 and $300 that I'd probably be happy with. He carries
Sanitaire & Eureka, but I don't have any specific model numbers.

As far as bag vs. bagless, I won't ever buy a bagless. I don't care
about the extra expense for the bags or even the possible loss of
suction as the bag fills up. I can't stand the mess a bagless unit makes
when you empty it. I've got 2 dogs and a cat, so there's lots of dust,
dander and hair that I don't want to see again once it's been sucked up.
We had a bagless min-vac for a while and we threw it out because of the
mess it made when we emptied it.

I'm sure I'll get all kinds of responses related to that issue...so be
it. We tried a bagless and will never buy another one.

Why not Google around for a sales/repair shop in your area and find out
what they recommend?

On Thu, 30 Dec 2010 19:10:34 -0500, DerbyDad03 wrote:



On 12/30/10 6:28 PM, Eric wrote:
It's time to replace the ancient Electrolux (I think it's a model XXX
or model 60. Probably a collectors' item, but the hose has gotten
leaky.) I've seen good advice here on a diverse range of subjects, so
I thought maybe some of you could clarify the current jumble of
over-hyped vacuum cleaners.

Good luck with that. ;-)

Top concerns would be power, reliability, and ease of cleaning. The
old Electrolux wasn't so bad, but I figure there must be vast
improvements in construction and efficiency by now.

Don't count on that either. The newer ones will be lighter, but in all other
ways the older ones are likely better.

I don't need anything on an industrial scale, but I do volunteer
animal rescue work, which does result in way more shredded stuff on
the floor than the typical civilized household. And sawdust from
building stuff for the critters. Nice to have power and capacity for
that. And nice if it's not a nightmare to clean.

Sounds like you need more than one vacuum. A shop vac will be much better at
sawdust and stuff. An upright better at carpets. It depends on what you need.

I've heard mixed reviews of Dyson, so I'm not sure what the real story
is there. Miele seems to be well-regarded but expensive ($300?!). Just
heard someone talking about a low-cost brand called "Emer" but I'm not
familiar.

Any info would be appreciated.

....which brings me to the question, what types of floors?

There's a vacuum cleaner sales/repair shop near me.

I'm thinking of replacing my very old Hoover so I stopped by with the
model number and asked him what I should replace it with. He said there
are basically 3 classes of vacs:

The crap you get at Target & X-Mart for $100 - $200.

The pretty decent stuff in the $250 - $400 range.

The really good stuff at $600 plus.

Pretty much how I see things, except that some of the $600 stuff is just $400
class stuff with a lot of advertising (and I may be generous).

I told him that I really liked the quality of the old Hoover and that
I've tried the crap from Target, etc. He said he had a few uprights
between $250 and $300 that I'd probably be happy with. He carries
Sanitaire & Eureka, but I don't have any specific model numbers.

Eureka has a wide product line. Some of them are the crap you find in K-Mart.
As far as bag vs. bagless, I won't ever buy a bagless. I don't care
about the extra expense for the bags or even the possible loss of
suction as the bag fills up. I can't stand the mess a bagless unit makes
when you empty it. I've got 2 dogs and a cat, so there's lots of dust,
dander and hair that I don't want to see again once it's been sucked up.
We had a bagless min-vac for a while and we threw it out because of the
mess it made when we emptied it.

Funny. SWMBO is exactly the opposite. We have an Orec, but I got an
outstanding deal on it and only use it upstairs (only two bedrooms and a
hall). Since she got the first bagless she won't go back to a bag. She just
empties them out in the garage (into the can). They're *great* for animal
hair.

I'm sure I'll get all kinds of responses related to that issue...so be
it. We tried a bagless and will never buy another one.

We're tech opposite. Go figure.

Why not Google around for a sales/repair shop in your area and find out
what they recommend?

On Thu, 30 Dec 2010 18:19:51 -0600, "
wrote:

On Thu, 30 Dec 2010 19:10:34 -0500, DerbyDad03 wrote:



On 12/30/10 6:28 PM, Eric wrote:
It's time to replace the ancient Electrolux (I think it's a model XXX
or model 60. Probably a collectors' item, but the hose has gotten
leaky.) I've seen good advice here on a diverse range of subjects, so
I thought maybe some of you could clarify the current jumble of
over-hyped vacuum cleaners.

Good luck with that. ;-)

Anything is possible, right?

Top concerns would be power, reliability, and ease of cleaning. The
old Electrolux wasn't so bad, but I figure there must be vast
improvements in construction and efficiency by now.

Don't count on that either. The newer ones will be lighter, but in all other
ways the older ones are likely better.

Impressive that the Olde Electrolux has hung in there this long. I
think I bought it for $5 at a flea market about 25 years ago, and it
looked old then.

I don't need anything on an industrial scale, but I do volunteer
animal rescue work, which does result in way more shredded stuff on
the floor than the typical civilized household. And sawdust from
building stuff for the critters. Nice to have power and capacity for
that. And nice if it's not a nightmare to clean.

Sounds like you need more than one vacuum. A shop vac will be much better at
sawdust and stuff. An upright better at carpets. It depends on what you need.

It ends up kind of a mixed scenario. The rescue critters are often
good at creating sawdust as well. I'd love to find something that
would cover both bases, but if not, I'll settle for the more powerful
'shop-vac' type for now.

...which brings me to the question, what types of floors?

Again, some hardwood, some rug. No wall-to-wall carpet. Think slightly
closer to industrial than ritzy residential.

The really good stuff at $600 plus.

Pretty much how I see things, except that some of the $600 stuff is just $400
class stuff with a lot of advertising (and I may be generous).

Great. Well, I probably won't be fitting a $600 vc into the budget
anyway. I thought the Miele was on the pricey side at $300-400. (BTW,
does anyone know how Miele stacks up against the others? I've heard
good comments so far)

Funny. SWMBO is exactly the opposite. We have an Orec, but I got an
outstanding deal on it and only use it upstairs (only two bedrooms and a
hall). Since she got the first bagless she won't go back to a bag. She just
empties them out in the garage (into the can). They're *great* for animal
hair.

I thought it would also have some bearing on reduced suction as the
bag fills up, no? It seems to on the Electrolux, but of course that's
an old design with a cloth non-disposable bag.

Why not Google around for a sales/repair shop in your area and find out
what they recommend?

I've started to do that, but most shops here have some
brand-affiliation.

On Fri, 31 Dec 2010 04:37:08 -0500, Eric wrote:

On Thu, 30 Dec 2010 18:19:51 -0600, "
wrote:

On Thu, 30 Dec 2010 19:10:34 -0500, DerbyDad03 wrote:



On 12/30/10 6:28 PM, Eric wrote:
It's time to replace the ancient Electrolux (I think it's a model XXX
or model 60. Probably a collectors' item, but the hose has gotten
leaky.) I've seen good advice here on a diverse range of subjects, so
I thought maybe some of you could clarify the current jumble of
over-hyped vacuum cleaners.

Good luck with that. ;-)

Anything is possible, right?

There's always a first time...

Top concerns would be power, reliability, and ease of cleaning. The
old Electrolux wasn't so bad, but I figure there must be vast
improvements in construction and efficiency by now.

Don't count on that either. The newer ones will be lighter, but in all other
ways the older ones are likely better.

Impressive that the Olde Electrolux has hung in there this long. I
think I bought it for $5 at a flea market about 25 years ago, and it
looked old then.

I don't need anything on an industrial scale, but I do volunteer
animal rescue work, which does result in way more shredded stuff on
the floor than the typical civilized household. And sawdust from
building stuff for the critters. Nice to have power and capacity for
that. And nice if it's not a nightmare to clean.

Sounds like you need more than one vacuum. A shop vac will be much better at
sawdust and stuff. An upright better at carpets. It depends on what you need.

It ends up kind of a mixed scenario. The rescue critters are often
good at creating sawdust as well. I'd love to find something that
would cover both bases, but if not, I'll settle for the more powerful
'shop-vac' type for now.

...which brings me to the question, what types of floors?

Again, some hardwood, some rug. No wall-to-wall carpet. Think slightly
closer to industrial than ritzy residential.

A beater bar is really needed for the rugs, unless you can take them out and
beat them, or some such. Other than those, an upright is useless. My wife
just uses a mop thingy (Swifter?) on the bamboo floors.

The really good stuff at $600 plus.

Pretty much how I see things, except that some of the $600 stuff is just $400
class stuff with a lot of advertising (and I may be generous).

Great. Well, I probably won't be fitting a $600 vc into the budget
anyway. I thought the Miele was on the pricey side at $300-400. (BTW,
does anyone know how Miele stacks up against the others? I've heard
good comments so far)

*Some* of the $600 stuff is probably worth it. The $2000 stuff? You gotta be
kidding. ;-)

Funny. SWMBO is exactly the opposite. We have an Orec, but I got an
outstanding deal on it and only use it upstairs (only two bedrooms and a
hall). Since she got the first bagless she won't go back to a bag. She just
empties them out in the garage (into the can). They're *great* for animal
hair.

I thought it would also have some bearing on reduced suction as the
bag fills up, no? It seems to on the Electrolux, but of course that's
an old design with a cloth non-disposable bag.

She thinks they work better and replacing bags is not as clean as suggested
here. Availability of the bags is another issue.

Why not Google around for a sales/repair shop in your area and find out
what they recommend?

I've started to do that, but most shops here have some
brand-affiliation.

?
wrote
My wife
just uses a mop thingy (Swifter?) on the bamboo floors.


The wet one? I hate ours. It leaves a dull sheen on the floors, both wood
and linoleum. Great idea, but poor execution, IMO. Maybe I'm doing
something wrong.

your probably better fixing your old vacuumn which was better made
than all the new junk built for a low price.......

provided you can get parts......

On 12/30/2010 06:28 PM, Eric wrote:
It's time to replace the ancient Electrolux (I think it's a model XXX
or model 60. Probably a collectors' item, but the hose has gotten
leaky.) I've seen good advice here on a diverse range of subjects, so
I thought maybe some of you could clarify the current jumble of
over-hyped vacuum cleaners.

Top concerns would be power, reliability, and ease of cleaning. The
old Electrolux wasn't so bad, but I figure there must be vast
improvements in construction and efficiency by now.

I don't need anything on an industrial scale, but I do volunteer
animal rescue work, which does result in way more shredded stuff on
the floor than the typical civilized household. And sawdust from
building stuff for the critters. Nice to have power and capacity for
that. And nice if it's not a nightmare to clean.

I've heard mixed reviews of Dyson, so I'm not sure what the real story
is there. Miele seems to be well-regarded but expensive ($300?!). Just
heard someone talking about a low-cost brand called "Emer" but I'm not
familiar.

Any info would be appreciated.

I'm partial to my old Filter Queen, but I don't like their marketing
(similar to Kirby) and I would never pay full price for one. However, I
haven't used any other vacuum that I liked as much. As much power as a
good industrial shop vac but excellent filtration, and doesn't clog the
filter due to the cyclonic design. If you see one in a thrift store or
used vacuum shop I'd consider picking it up though.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

I found an 1940's era Kirby vacuum at a 2nd hand store for $5.

Still works great.

But you may not be so lucky... For quality, look at "commercial
vacuums"...
http://www.allbrands.com/products/abc0600.html

More, Google: commercial vacuum cleaners

Nothing sux like a 'lux.

Any sewing machine/vacuum cleaner sales and service shop will install a
new hose on your old ends, for very little money.

Stick with what ya got.

Joe

On 12/30/2010 6:28 PM, Eric wrote:
It's time to replace the ancient Electrolux (I think it's a model XXX
or model 60. Probably a collectors' item, but the hose has gotten
leaky.) I've seen good advice here on a diverse range of subjects, so
I thought maybe some of you could clarify the current jumble of
over-hyped vacuum cleaners.

Top concerns would be power, reliability, and ease of cleaning. The
old Electrolux wasn't so bad, but I figure there must be vast
improvements in construction and efficiency by now.

I don't need anything on an industrial scale, but I do volunteer
animal rescue work, which does result in way more shredded stuff on
the floor than the typical civilized household. And sawdust from
building stuff for the critters. Nice to have power and capacity for
that. And nice if it's not a nightmare to clean.

I've heard mixed reviews of Dyson, so I'm not sure what the real story
is there. Miele seems to be well-regarded but expensive ($300?!). Just
heard someone talking about a low-cost brand called "Emer" but I'm not
familiar.

Any info would be appreciated.


I fixed a friends Dirt Devil bagless not long ago. It had sucked up a
huge piece of styrofoam. It impressed me with how well it picked up and
how well it cleaned. I gave it a workout.
I've just been reading some reviews and there are a lot of comments on
how well it does with pet hair. It's probably not in the price range or
commercial quality that you want, but I'm hunting one, and I like my
current vac!

Jeff

On Fri, 31 Dec 2010 00:30:35 -0500, Jeff Thies
wrote:

I fixed a friends Dirt Devil bagless not long ago. It had sucked up a
huge piece of styrofoam. It impressed me with how well it picked up and
how well it cleaned. I gave it a workout.
I've just been reading some reviews and there are a lot of comments on
how well it does with pet hair. It's probably not in the price range or
commercial quality that you want, but I'm hunting one, and I like my
current vac!

Jeff

Not sure what you meant about price range. I'm not -demanding- to pay
a lot if I don't have to. The Dirt Devlis that I've seen are around
$150 or so, even for the cannister models. That would be great if that
would work.

On 12/31/2010 4:50 AM, Eric wrote:
On Fri, 31 Dec 2010 00:30:35 -0500, Jeff
wrote:

I fixed a friends Dirt Devil bagless not long ago. It had sucked up a
huge piece of styrofoam. It impressed me with how well it picked up and
how well it cleaned. I gave it a workout.
I've just been reading some reviews and there are a lot of comments on
how well it does with pet hair. It's probably not in the price range or
commercial quality that you want, but I'm hunting one, and I like my
current vac!

Jeff

Not sure what you meant about price range. I'm not -demanding- to pay
a lot if I don't have to. The Dirt Devlis that I've seen are around
$150 or so, even for the cannister models.

The floor vacs (which is all I have experience with) are much less.
The prices I've seen in this thread are much higher.


That would be great if that
would work.

I can tell you that it works great. I can't tell you if it will still
work in 15 years, or two. It appears to me to be the top end of the
lower end and you are looking for the bottom end (or at least
affordable) of the top end.

Jeff

On Fri, 31 Dec 2010 04:50:44 -0500, Eric wrote:

On Fri, 31 Dec 2010 00:30:35 -0500, Jeff Thies
wrote:

I fixed a friends Dirt Devil bagless not long ago. It had sucked up a
huge piece of styrofoam. It impressed me with how well it picked up and
how well it cleaned. I gave it a workout.
I've just been reading some reviews and there are a lot of comments on
how well it does with pet hair. It's probably not in the price range or
commercial quality that you want, but I'm hunting one, and I like my
current vac!

Jeff

Not sure what you meant about price range. I'm not -demanding- to pay
a lot if I don't have to. The Dirt Devlis that I've seen are around
$150 or so, even for the cannister models. That would be great if that
would work.

Dirt Devils are the bottom of the barrel, IMO.

Eric wrote:
On Fri, 31 Dec 2010 00:30:35 -0500, Jeff Thies
wrote:

I fixed a friends Dirt Devil bagless not long ago. It had sucked up
a huge piece of styrofoam. It impressed me with how well it picked
up and how well it cleaned. I gave it a workout.
I've just been reading some reviews and there are a lot of comments
on how well it does with pet hair. It's probably not in the price
range or commercial quality that you want, but I'm hunting one, and
I like my current vac!

Jeff

Not sure what you meant about price range. I'm not -demanding- to pay
a lot if I don't have to. The Dirt Devlis that I've seen are around
$150 or so, even for the cannister models. That would be great if that
would work.

http://woot.com/
Hurry though, it will probably sellout before midnght, they usually do

?
"Eric" wrote in message
...
It's time to replace the ancient Electrolux (I think it's a model XXX
or model 60. Probably a collectors' item, but the hose has gotten
leaky.) I've seen good advice here on a diverse range of subjects, so
I thought maybe some of you could clarify the current jumble of
over-hyped vacuum cleaners.

Top concerns would be power, reliability, and ease of cleaning. The
old Electrolux wasn't so bad, but I figure there must be vast
improvements in construction and efficiency by now.

Consider a new hose for the Electrolux. Or get the existing hose replaced
using the same ends. You can get them to fit models made back in the 1930's
from your local dealer or places like www.totalvac.com

At home we have a Eureka (15+ years) and Electrolux (20+ years) and it is a
toss up as to which is better. At work I bought a Panasonic upright and our
cleaning lady likes it too. IIRC, it was in the $250 range.

On Fri, 31 Dec 2010 00:43:13 -0500, "Ed Pawlowski"
wrote:

?
"Eric" wrote in message
.. .
It's time to replace the ancient Electrolux (I think it's a model XXX
or model 60. Probably a collectors' item, but the hose has gotten
leaky.) I've seen good advice here on a diverse range of subjects, so
I thought maybe some of you could clarify the current jumble of
over-hyped vacuum cleaners.

Top concerns would be power, reliability, and ease of cleaning. The
old Electrolux wasn't so bad, but I figure there must be vast
improvements in construction and efficiency by now.

Consider a new hose for the Electrolux. Or get the existing hose replaced
using the same ends. You can get them to fit models made back in the 1930's
from your local dealer or places like www.totalvac.com

At home we have a Eureka (15+ years) and Electrolux (20+ years) and it is a
toss up as to which is better. At work I bought a Panasonic upright and our
cleaning lady likes it too. IIRC, it was in the $250 range.

The Electrolux hose itself tends to get clogged. I did try to seal it,
using a silicone spray compound, and that did help. But it didn't
improve the frustrating hose-clogging problem. Maybe the newer hoses
are less prone, but I don't have my hopes up.

In any case, the replacement hose is around $70 to $100+, which would
amount to a down payment on a new vacuum cleaner.

The baggless vacuums, even the cheaper ones work great IF you
can empty them outside. They can make a mess when emptying
and some have filters you have to brush clean.

You can buy three of these cheaper than one overpriced Dyson.

On Dec 31, 10:44*am, wrote:
The baggless vacuums, even the cheaper ones work great IF you
can empty them outside. They can make a mess when emptying
and some have filters you have to brush clean.

You can buy three of these cheaper than one overpriced Dyson.

Empty it into where? A garbage can so that every time I toss something
else in there I'll get a puff of dust/hair/dander all up in my face?

I keep my garbage can in my garage and I don't need the "mess" you
mentioned in the garage anymore than I need it in the house.

I won't fault anyone for using a bagless if they are willing to put up
with the dumping part of it, but it's just not for me.

On Fri, 31 Dec 2010 08:13:23 -0800 (PST), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Dec 31, 10:44*am, wrote:
The baggless vacuums, even the cheaper ones work great IF you
can empty them outside. They can make a mess when emptying
and some have filters you have to brush clean.

You can buy three of these cheaper than one overpriced Dyson.

Empty it into where? A garbage can so that every time I toss something
else in there I'll get a puff of dust/hair/dander all up in my face?

I bag my garbage. Nothing flies around when I add another.

I keep my garbage can in my garage and I don't need the "mess" you
mentioned in the garage anymore than I need it in the house.

If I dumped it on the floor I wouldn't notice it in my garage, for all the
sawdust.

I won't fault anyone for using a bagless if they are willing to put up
with the dumping part of it, but it's just not for me.

Changing bags isn't as clean as you pretend.

On Dec 31, 11:42*am, "
wrote:
On Fri, 31 Dec 2010 08:13:23 -0800 (PST), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Dec 31, 10:44*am, wrote:
The baggless vacuums, even the cheaper ones work great IF you
can empty them outside. They can make a mess when emptying
and some have filters you have to brush clean.

You can buy three of these cheaper than one overpriced Dyson.

Empty it into where? A garbage can so that every time I toss something
else in there I'll get a puff of dust/hair/dander all up in my face?

I bag my garbage. *Nothing flies around when I add another.

As do I. Do you also bag the dust/hair/dander from the bagless vac? If
you do, that solves the "all up in my face" issue, but if I'm going to
bag the stuff from a bagless vac, I'd rather just start with the bag
in the vac.

I don't want to go through the hassle of grabbing a bag, going
outside, dumping the vac canister into the bag, dealing with the dust,
tieing it off and tossing it in the can. Heck, I don't even like
emptying my shop vac if it contains anything other than sawdust
because of the dust it throws around! Again, that's just me. Again, I
fault no one that doesn't mind doing that.


I keep my garbage can in my garage and I don't need the "mess" you
mentioned in the garage anymore than I need it in the house.

If I dumped it on the floor I wouldn't notice it in my garage, for all the
sawdust.

Again, if that works for you, that's great. It's just not for me. My
shop floor has the sawdust while my garage is more for storage, an
entrance into my side door and the occasional larger scale project if
I need more room.

I won't fault anyone for using a bagless if they are willing to put up
with the dumping part of it, but it's just not for me.

Changing bags isn't as clean as you pretend.

I don't recall "pretending" anything. However, I'm pretty sure that we
can agree that changing bags is considerably less messy than dumping
an open canister into a bag and/or a can. I haven't done the requisite
testing, but I'm pretty sure the air quality in the general vicinity
of a bagless vs. a bagged unit after a change/dump would vary
considerably.

As I said before, I've tried both and I don't want to deal with a
bagless. The rest of the world is free to make their own choices with
absolutely no pushback from me. I'm not defending nor denegrating
either type of vac. I'm simply talking about what I prefer.

"DerbyDad03" wrote

As I said before, I've tried both and I don't want to deal with a
bagless. The rest of the world is free to make their own choices with
absolutely no pushback from me. I'm not defending nor denegrating
either type of vac. I'm simply talking about what I prefer.

I have about six vacuums. I PREFER one or the other depending on what it is
that I am doing, as no one vacuum performs all the functions.

When I want to vacuum up a lot of drywall or concrete dust or waste, I use
my shop vac. I toss the canister contents, then toss the filter up in the
air, letting it hit the ground three or four times, then take a stick to it
to knock all the stuff off that's clogged in the folds. It is a messy dusty
thing.

I have a good Riccar that does floors, but doesn't do floors very well. It
says it does, but it doesn't. It does do carpet well, though. It has a
hose and attachments, and it is good in some places.

I have a Mighty Mite that I use a lot, you just can't fit much in it as it
has a small bag. I took the 1" x 4" head and put velcro around the edges,
and that works fine for cleaning my pool table.

When I see the prices for some of the new bagless types, and read about
people who don't like them, I figure I'll continue using what I have, or buy
a yard sale replacement, and for the difference, I can go on a vacation.
Most vacuums are overpriced and underperform.

Steve

On Fri, 31 Dec 2010 09:29:45 -0800 (PST), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Dec 31, 11:42*am, "
wrote:
On Fri, 31 Dec 2010 08:13:23 -0800 (PST), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Dec 31, 10:44*am, wrote:
The baggless vacuums, even the cheaper ones work great IF you
can empty them outside. They can make a mess when emptying
and some have filters you have to brush clean.

You can buy three of these cheaper than one overpriced Dyson.

Empty it into where? A garbage can so that every time I toss something
else in there I'll get a puff of dust/hair/dander all up in my face?

I bag my garbage. *Nothing flies around when I add another.

As do I. Do you also bag the dust/hair/dander from the bagless vac? If
you do, that solves the "all up in my face" issue, but if I'm going to
bag the stuff from a bagless vac, I'd rather just start with the bag
in the vac.

Sure, just open one of the bags in the garbage bin and dump the vac in it.

I don't want to go through the hassle of grabbing a bag, going
outside, dumping the vac canister into the bag, dealing with the dust,
tieing it off and tossing it in the can. Heck, I don't even like
emptying my shop vac if it contains anything other than sawdust
because of the dust it throws around! Again, that's just me. Again, I
fault no one that doesn't mind doing that.

You're making things far too complicated, just to make your point.

I keep my garbage can in my garage and I don't need the "mess" you
mentioned in the garage anymore than I need it in the house.

If I dumped it on the floor I wouldn't notice it in my garage, for all the
sawdust.

Again, if that works for you, that's great. It's just not for me. My
shop floor has the sawdust while my garage is more for storage, an
entrance into my side door and the occasional larger scale project if
I need more room.

I don't have a shop, yet (working on it this week, but it'll be at least
another year).

I won't fault anyone for using a bagless if they are willing to put up
with the dumping part of it, but it's just not for me.

Changing bags isn't as clean as you pretend.

I don't recall "pretending" anything. However, I'm pretty sure that we
can agree that changing bags is considerably less messy than dumping
an open canister into a bag and/or a can. I haven't done the requisite
testing, but I'm pretty sure the air quality in the general vicinity
of a bagless vs. a bagged unit after a change/dump would vary
considerably.

No, we don't agree.

As I said before, I've tried both and I don't want to deal with a
bagless. The rest of the world is free to make their own choices with
absolutely no pushback from me. I'm not defending nor denegrating
either type of vac. I'm simply talking about what I prefer.

You don't have to justify your preferences to us!

Eric wrote:
It's time to replace the ancient Electrolux (I think it's a model XXX
or model 60. Probably a collectors' item, but the hose has gotten
leaky.) I've seen good advice here on a diverse range of subjects, so
I thought maybe some of you could clarify the current jumble of
over-hyped vacuum cleaners.

Top concerns would be power, reliability, and ease of cleaning. The
old Electrolux wasn't so bad, but I figure there must be vast
improvements in construction and efficiency by now.

I don't need anything on an industrial scale, but I do volunteer
animal rescue work, which does result in way more shredded stuff on
the floor than the typical civilized household. And sawdust from
building stuff for the critters. Nice to have power and capacity for
that. And nice if it's not a nightmare to clean.

I've heard mixed reviews of Dyson, so I'm not sure what the real story
is there. Miele seems to be well-regarded but expensive ($300?!). Just
heard someone talking about a low-cost brand called "Emer" but I'm not
familiar.

Any info would be appreciated.

Don't laugh.

A wet-dry shop-vac, with the proper attachements, will out-perform most
"regular" vacuum cleaners.

I've got a Rigid that I bought on Black Friday. That sumbitch sucks better
that the French Horn player I dated in college.

Aside: I recently scored a Roomba from Craigslist (for $25.00!). After
replacing the battery, it works swell. Of course it only "sweeps," not
vacuums, but it gathers an amazing amount of debris.

I hate to admit it, but it's somewhat entertaining to watch the gizmo scurry
around a room like a drunk trying to navigate the mirrored-maze at the
circus midway. When it encounters the fringe on a rug, it goes as nutty as
the third monkey on Noah's gangplank. Most of the time, after a lot of
to-ing and fro-ing, and twitching and turning, and beeping and honking, it
manages to disentangle itself from the rug and continue on with its mission.

On Dec 31, 12:42*pm, "HeyBub" wrote:
Eric wrote:
It's time to replace the ancient Electrolux (I think it's a model XXX
or model 60. Probably a collectors' item, but the hose has gotten
leaky.) I've seen good advice here on a diverse range of subjects, so
I thought maybe some of you could clarify the current jumble of
over-hyped vacuum cleaners.

Top concerns would be power, reliability, and ease of cleaning. The
old Electrolux wasn't so bad, but I figure there must be vast
improvements in construction and efficiency by now.

I don't need anything on an industrial scale, but I do volunteer
animal rescue work, which does result in way more shredded stuff on
the floor than the typical civilized household. And sawdust from
building stuff for the critters. Nice to have power and capacity for
that. And nice if it's not a nightmare to clean.

I've heard mixed reviews of Dyson, so I'm not sure what the real story
is there. Miele seems to be well-regarded but expensive ($300?!). Just
heard someone talking about a low-cost brand called "Emer" but I'm not
familiar.

Any info would be appreciated.

Don't laugh.

A wet-dry shop-vac, with the proper attachements, will out-perform most
"regular" vacuum cleaners.

I've got a Rigid that I bought on Black Friday. That sumbitch sucks better
that the French Horn player I dated in college.

Aside: I recently scored a Roomba from Craigslist (for $25.00!). After
replacing the battery, it works swell. Of course it only "sweeps," not
vacuums, but it gathers an amazing amount of debris.

I hate to admit it, but it's somewhat entertaining to watch the gizmo scurry
around a room like a drunk trying to navigate the mirrored-maze at the
circus midway. When it encounters the fringe on a rug, it goes as nutty as
the third monkey on Noah's gangplank. Most of the time, after a lot of
to-ing and fro-ing, and twitching and turning, and beeping and honking, it
manages to disentangle itself from the rug and continue on with its mission.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You have a Roomba, but do you have any pets?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf9wH...1&feature=fvwp

DerbyDad03 wrote:

You have a Roomba, but do you have any pets?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf9wH...1&feature=fvwp

That was hilarious.

Years ago I heard some meowing in a strange voice. Investigating, I found a
wee feral kitten who had wandered in through the open door looking for the
never-empty food bowl. He found it, but ...

His tail was a mess; no fur, black, necrotic...

Scooped him up and off to the vet.

"Yep," said the vet. "Tail's gotta go."

That's how the kitten got his name.

Fast forward to yesterday. Bob (the cat) watched the Roomba do its thing
with some curiosity. He finally got tired of the silliness and pulled an
Elvis by leaving the bedroom.

I don't hold much hope for him riding on it.

On 12/31/2010 4:34 PM, HeyBub wrote:
DerbyDad03 wrote:

You have a Roomba, but do you have any pets?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf9wH...1&feature=fvwp

That was hilarious.

Years ago I heard some meowing in a strange voice. Investigating, I found a
wee feral kitten who had wandered in through the open door looking for the
never-empty food bowl. He found it, but ...

His tail was a mess; no fur, black, necrotic...

Scooped him up and off to the vet.

"Yep," said the vet. "Tail's gotta go."

That's how the kitten got his name.

Fast forward to yesterday. Bob (the cat) watched the Roomba do its thing
with some curiosity. He finally got tired of the silliness and pulled an
Elvis by leaving the bedroom.

I don't hold much hope for him riding on it.



I've been keeping my eyes open at the thrift stores and yard sales for
an early-model Roomba at the gag-gift price point, to leave at my
sister's house to exercise and amuse the cat while they are both gone
ten hours a day. (rescue cat, already declawed when they got it, so
outside is not an option.) Roomba doesn't even have to suck any more,
just wander around. Cat was a skinny little thing when they got it, but
it is starting to pork up now, living the easy life.

--
aem sends...

aemeijers wrote:

I've been keeping my eyes open at the thrift stores and yard sales for
an early-model Roomba at the gag-gift price point, to leave at my
sister's house to exercise and amuse the cat while they are both gone
ten hours a day. (rescue cat, already declawed when they got it, so
outside is not an option.) Roomba doesn't even have to suck any more,
just wander around. Cat was a skinny little thing when they got it,
but it is starting to pork up now, living the easy life.

Have you looked on Ebay or Craigslist. I've seen several (and even bought
one) that the owners said were kaput when all each needed is a new battery.

If you can find one with a "scheduler," so much the better. You can program
it to come on a couple of hours after you leave, further freaking-out the
cat.

P.S.
I'm a firm believer that God put Aggies* and kitty-cats on earth so the rest
of us would have something to torment.

------
* Graduate of Texas A&M University.

Aside: A&M may not win all their football games, but they always win the
half-time! Here's an example of the world's largest (400+) military band.
The band begins and ends each show with the "Aggie War Hym" which accounts
for the cheering at the beginning and end of the performance):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o29Q7T3oBV8

"Eric" wrote in message ...

I've heard mixed reviews of Dyson, so I'm not sure what the real story
is there. Miele seems to be well-regarded but expensive ($300?!). Just
heard someone talking about a low-cost brand called "Emer" but I'm not
familiar.

We're looking to replace our Bosch when it cooperates by breaking down (it
lacks some features we want like a powered carpet brush), and Miele is the
brand we're leaning towards based on enthusiastic user reviews on various
websites. Dyson doesn't do too well when it comes to frequency of needing
repairs, and frankly I think it's an overpriced brand.

Consider talking to the folks at the local vacuum repair place, maybe take
them a big box of donuts and see if they'll tell you what they'd buy.
Repair techs usually have a good idea of what is well made and what isn't.

In the US I have only used the bags.

But my employer (the military) sent me to Germany for several years,
and I found a used bagless at a thrift shop. I can't remember the
brand but it may have been a Bosch. I needed something that could run
on 220V.

That experience was enough to convince me that bagless is by far the
way to go, provided you have a decent machine. The German one was so
well designed, it was easy to empty without making a mess.

On Fri, 31 Dec 2010 16:07:54 -0800, "DGDevin"
wrote:



"Eric" wrote in message ...

I've heard mixed reviews of Dyson, so I'm not sure what the real story
is there. Miele seems to be well-regarded but expensive ($300?!). Just
heard someone talking about a low-cost brand called "Emer" but I'm not
familiar.

We're looking to replace our Bosch when it cooperates by breaking down (it
lacks some features we want like a powered carpet brush), and Miele is the
brand we're leaning towards based on enthusiastic user reviews on various
websites. Dyson doesn't do too well when it comes to frequency of needing
repairs, and frankly I think it's an overpriced brand.

Consider talking to the folks at the local vacuum repair place, maybe take
them a big box of donuts and see if they'll tell you what they'd buy.
Repair techs usually have a good idea of what is well made and what isn't.

Thanks DG (and everyone). I've been hearing the words Dyson and
Overpriced together pretty often.

I'll probably make a trip to the local Electrolux place to see what
the old thing actually is. The manager there seems pretty honest, but
of course he's not going to sell me on another brand.

And I'll ring up a few repair shops, as recommended.

Miele was the other brand that at least hasn't eliminated itself yet.
DG, are there any particular models that you thought were decent?

On 12/30/2010 6:28 PM, Eric wrote:
It's time to replace the ancient Electrolux (I think it's a model XXX
or model 60. Probably a collectors' item, but the hose has gotten
leaky.) I've seen good advice here on a diverse range of subjects, so
I thought maybe some of you could clarify the current jumble of
over-hyped vacuum cleaners.

Top concerns would be power, reliability, and ease of cleaning. The
old Electrolux wasn't so bad, but I figure there must be vast
improvements in construction and efficiency by now.

I don't need anything on an industrial scale, but I do volunteer
animal rescue work, which does result in way more shredded stuff on
the floor than the typical civilized household. And sawdust from
building stuff for the critters. Nice to have power and capacity for
that. And nice if it's not a nightmare to clean.

I've heard mixed reviews of Dyson, so I'm not sure what the real story
is there. Miele seems to be well-regarded but expensive ($300?!). Just
heard someone talking about a low-cost brand called "Emer" but I'm not
familiar.

Any info would be appreciated.

I have two Shelties, so I can relate to the shedding issue! My current
vacuum is a Bissell "lift off" that I got at Target several years ago.
(I mention that because I think the models vary depending on which store
it is). The box specifically mentioned pets. So far I'm really happy
with it - that thing sucks up an amazing amount of dog hair! (I'll
admit, my dogs' hair blends in with the carpet so I don't always notice
it, and can go too long between vacuum sessions). It fills that canister
right up. I have not had any problems with emptying the canister,
probably in part because the dog hair sticks to itself and comes out in
"clumps", rather than as dust. The only real maintenance problem I've
had is that occasionally the hair can manage to tangle itself around the
brush, and I have to free it up so it can turn.

I've always wanted a Dyson, but not the price. For me this does a good
enough job and it was a much more reasonable price. I want to say around
$130 on sale a few years ago.

As an aside, have you ever tried a rubber "rake" for cleaning up the
shedding? I bought one years ago at a dog show and it is great for
picking up hair and other small bits of stuff, like pieces of paper. It
looks somewhat like:
http://www.shammysolutions.com/site/...product/100-10 (that's not
the brand that I have (I cannot find that brand anywhere) and I am not
familiar with this company; it's just an example). The only drawback is
that it's all manual, but probably a good workout.

Years ago, my parents vacuum cleaner didn't work very well.
I think it was Electrolux. Horizontal machine with a hose on
the end. Looked like a hot dog on a roll. I took it to a
shop. The guy there plugged it in, and put his hand over the
end. Said the vac was fine. Sold me a new hose for a couple
bucks. Maybe you can find a vac cleaner store near you, and
buy a new hose, since you seem pleased with the vacuum
cleaner you have.

I like an upright with a beater bar for carpets. Shop Vac
for everything else.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Eric" wrote in message
...
It's time to replace the ancient Electrolux (I think it's a
model XXX
or model 60. Probably a collectors' item, but the hose has
gotten
leaky.) I've seen good advice here on a diverse range of
subjects, so
I thought maybe some of you could clarify the current jumble
of
over-hyped vacuum cleaners.

Top concerns would be power, reliability, and ease of
cleaning. The
old Electrolux wasn't so bad, but I figure there must be
vast
improvements in construction and efficiency by now.

I don't need anything on an industrial scale, but I do
volunteer
animal rescue work, which does result in way more shredded
stuff on
the floor than the typical civilized household. And sawdust
from
building stuff for the critters. Nice to have power and
capacity for
that. And nice if it's not a nightmare to clean.

I've heard mixed reviews of Dyson, so I'm not sure what the
real story
is there. Miele seems to be well-regarded but expensive
($300?!). Just
heard someone talking about a low-cost brand called "Emer"
but I'm not
familiar.

Any info would be appreciated.

On Thu, 30 Dec 2010 18:28:13 -0500, Eric
wrote:

It's time to replace the ancient Electrolux (I think it's a model XXX
or model 60. Probably a collectors' item, but the hose has gotten
leaky.) I've seen good advice here on a diverse range of subjects, so
I thought maybe some of you could clarify the current jumble of
over-hyped vacuum cleaners.

Top concerns would be power, reliability, and ease of cleaning. The
old Electrolux wasn't so bad, but I figure there must be vast
improvements in construction and efficiency by now.

I don't need anything on an industrial scale, but I do volunteer
animal rescue work, which does result in way more shredded stuff on
the floor than the typical civilized household. And sawdust from
building stuff for the critters. Nice to have power and capacity for
that. And nice if it's not a nightmare to clean.

I've heard mixed reviews of Dyson, so I'm not sure what the real story
is there. Miele seems to be well-regarded but expensive ($300?!). Just
heard someone talking about a low-cost brand called "Emer" but I'm not
familiar.

Any info would be appreciated.


I've had Hoover's for the past 20+ years, two of them. The first one
still works but the better half wanted to replace it anyway so we got
a new one and it's somewhat more powerful. Although I take whatever
Consumer Reports says with a grain of sand, they do consistently rank
Hoover's as among the top vacuums. Most of the heavily advertised
ones, such as Eureka and Oreck and Dyson don't do all that well in the
CR tests. I don't believe you get much extra by spending more then
$300, there's only so much you can do in making a vacuum, the rest is
just fluff. The Hoover we have now has a green and red light that
senses "dirt" and I first dismissed it as nonsense but it actually can
be pretty useful in telling if you have really gotten all the grit
out. It mainly reacts to small grit/sand/soil type stuff, not animal
hair or other fuzzy stuff. It uses both a vacuum bag and a HEPA panel
filter. And it's self propelled. My experience is that if you get
good suction you may well want to get self propelled because the
suction will hold the head down to the carpet. It's less important on
a cheap crappy vacuum because they don't have much suction.