Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Kenmore has three new uprights.  Two top-of-the-line -- I use top of the line -- because they're teh highest priced -- are Panasonic clones that employ "direct drive" brushrolls.  Sear' sales pitch herre is, "No belts to buy."  I have yet to leanr form the indie operators here if that's reality or myth.. 

One model, the Intuition 31810 Upright bagged employs the bag air flow enhancement that Panasonic/Kenmore has been pushing as of late.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02031810000P?vName=Appliances&cName=Vacuums+%26+Floor+Care&sName=View+All&UnitNumber=&storeOpenDayInd=today&prdNo=11

 The other, the Intuition 31811 Upright bagless claims cyclonic technology.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02031811000P?vName=Appliances&cName=Vacuums+%26+Floor+Care&sName=View+All&UnitNumber=&storeOpenDayInd=today&prdNo=15

They have foot adjusted height mechanisms and dirt sensors. the Kenmore diirect-drive models have received good scores andI assume that these will also.  Both versions are priced at $332.49.

Ala Miele,the last, the Kenmore Progressive Glide 30100 upright, is basically a stick vac on steroids with a power nozzle that has a swivel connection. This vacuum also offers a 14-inch cleaning swath.

However . . .  one of the sales ploys is it's "greeness". It contains recyled plastic (???) and uses 17 percent less juice than a 12 amp machine.  This is where they lost me and made me mad.  Are we that stupid?  This machine and others of the same nature could work well using 50 percentless electricity -- 5 to 6 amps.  They are also trying to pass off this 12.9-pound machine as ultra light.  Shame on you Sears/Kenmore.  Why not just call us fools outright?

The Glide could also use a sever price drop. A hundred and seventy bucks is more than enough for this machine.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02030100000P?keyword=glide+vacuum&prdNo=8&UnitNumber=&storeOpenDayInd=today#ppspecs

Venson

Ive lost count of the many Vorwerks Ive seen on EBAY UK. The problem with their stick vacs is that bags and filters are commonly available and parts/spares can also be expensive to buy.

The U.S seems to have plenty of stick vacs that we don't have. UK buyers don't tend to buy stick vacs, anything smaller would constitute as a dust buster with a long handle.

Venson wrote:  I did share about Panasonic's technology when it was first introduced years ago.
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As for the Glide, "What's old is New again".  A more up to date version of a HOOVER w/full-size power nozzle.  This vacuum cleaner will be a good performer.  It will be good for those in small apartments, who want a small, bagged upright.  It is about time.

Well, as for the "could use a severe price drop", this vacuum had already been up on the website before you looked at it.  It had gone down to a sale price of $162 and something cents.  Looking at it right now, it is at $199.99 reg price. How much do you think that HOOVER stick vac, from the 70's would be priced if it were sold now?  This is a good price for what one is getting.  Like I have always said, prices will drop as the product has been around for a while.  This vacuum is not even available until September, so just wait and see.

CarmineD wrote:
Sears jumped on the "bandwagon" way back in the day and you could say David Oreck helped.  Now, how did they copy ORECK's model name?  I do not recall an ORECK vacuum cleaner of the same name.

IMike_W wrote:

Hi Mike,

I personally owned the Hoover stick in mention and found it satisfactory.  The power nozzle, same as used with Hoover cans at the time, was good and probably leaps and bounds ahead qualitywise than anything you could buy now.  The machine also used decent-sized disposable bags.  However, machine plus power nozzle pulled no more than 500 watts or so. 

Bissell and Regina also offered stick vacs fitted with powerheads and,  Regina especially, was considered not a lighweight but worthy of the place of sole vacuum by many living in small households.  It wasn't high electrical draw machine either but still a good performer..

What you've overlooked here is that I have made no negative commentary about the Glides possibility of performing well.  What I have expressed is my great irritation at the sales pitch malarkey the Glide's  "green"  claims is based on.  Sitting just around 12 percent below the electrical draw of a 12 amp vac is in no way green.  Hopefully,  the public isn't that dumb.

Thus to my mind the Glide will remain a glorified stick vac.  Had this been a 5 or 6 amp lightweight vac with PN I'd have been impressed with talk of its being green.  Nonetheless,as the machine per its advertising statements has a draw two times higher 500 watts I ain't impressed and won't  be.

By the way, when I bought my Hoover stick with PN I think it cost about $69.95, the price of a good straight suction can or upright at the time.  Of course no one made note at the time how "green" it was.  For what it was, a machine for flooring only I'd not spend more than a $120 on it now -- the going rate for it's slightly less sturdy counterpart the, Navigator -- another glorified stick vac.

Best,

Venson

Mike_W wrote:

As the ORECK ads state [see ORECK web site and side banner here]:  ORECK Platinum Pilot with 360 degree GLIDE. 

That's how SEARS copied the model name verbatim from ORECK. 

Carmine D.

The beltless pano/kenmore was always a decent vac just awkward to use, the couple I had apart seemed as though the did not want you fixing the brush motor if damaged

CarmineD wrote:
It is being used as a common word and not a registered trademark.  It is not the name of a vacuum cleaner.  If you were right, then ORECK would have copied it from Dirt Devil and before that Singer.  In the middle, ORECK would have copied it also from a feature from part of an  electric iron.  I am thinking T-Fal.

Mike_W wrote:

And if you were right, I would agree with you.  But alas thank goodness I don't.

Carmine D.

I'm just curious; how would you folks rate the current crop of Kenmore/Panasonic uprights/canisters? Do the do the Kenmore units use inferior parts and/or motors compared to the Panasonic indie equivalents?

iMacDaddy wrote:

 switched over to Riccar but the Panasonic vacs were always simpler which means better, the new cans are all poor quality compared to a couple years ago