Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

A really cool insight to the workings behind the company and how they develop what I believe to be some the most well designed vacuums with overall good-great build quality in history.

One of the regional retailers is selling DC25 All Floors ball refurbs from dyson for $279.  MSRP is $499.  Wonder to myself and others if somehow/way DC25 refurbs/dyson refurbs in general are the reason for the absence of such parts like standard brush rolls on the dyson web site for upright models.  Or, in the DC25 example presented here by Procare, selling the brush roll in conjunction with the complete head nozzle rather than as a separate part.  One way to make money off the sale of routine wear and tear parts not covered by warranty is to force customers/users to buy/pay more for what they actually need.  Seems like a recipe for giving customers a "rear deal."

Carmine D.

PS:  Out of curiosity I went to the dyson web site looking for "remanufactured" models:  Only 3 models are currently available from dyson [although there are 2081 matches]:  DC07 for $269.  DC14 for $299.  DC21 for $339.  All come standard with 6 month warranty.  Appears that dyson, based on this DC25 example, may be giving exclusive sales on some of its refurbs like DC25 All Floors to particular retailers.  Interesting marketing strategy in an industry that has been plagued in recent years with a downward trend in new sales.  Down 3 percent in 2009 and predictions of worse for new vacuum sales in 2010. 

Aviori wrote:

Halo's UV-C technology was unique and leading edge too.  Happy to see ORECK acquire after halo went belly up.

Carmine D.

Dyson in the UK may well be ahead with the "Root Cyclone system," but TTI aren't that far off in supplying similar Dual Cyclone (albeit being far older than Dyson's latest patent) procedures - i.e constant suction with little cleaning to the main filters on board cheaper priced vacuums that seems to be hitting Dyson hard.. However  Aviori - the HEPA system in my experience is a no-brainer for bagless systems regardless of what Dyson would have you believe. HEPA only maintains air that the vacuum has sucked in and filters out clean air, yet for all that HEPA is handy to have, once the dust is emptied out of a canister, you stand to breathe in air as well as re-scent the rooms (most people in the U.S I imagine empty their vacuums outside but in the UK, most use their kitchen bins inside the home) with stale sucked up dust that includes pet hair stench.

How many people do any of us know that are all that much in love with physics?

I don't get the feeling that the important folks, shoppers looking for a new vacuum, actually give a hoot or a holler about cyclonics whatever they are purported to do, however they are designed or whomever made them. This applies to the Dyson brand as well. End-users only care if the vacuum delivers by way of performance and does not give them annoying problems by way of function or economics.

You know, I happened to meet a couple a few days back who bought a bagged Kenmore canister as opposed to Dyson, their first consideration, due to its positioning in the Consumer Reports ratings. Root cyclones weren't on their minds --- cleaning was.

Cyclone talk works well mostly on techno-minded menfolk like the majority of us here at the forum but not so well on those of either gender who just want to get their flooring, etc., clean and walk away.

I'd say that the term cyclonic has been bandied about for so long and by so many that it only brings a blank-eyed, quick let-me-look-like-I-understand type nod from prospective buyer to vendor these days. No customer asks, "What's the level of your systems dirt separation between intake and "dirty air" arrival at the first filter."

And that's what counts. How much stuff -- gritty material, fuzz, lint, hair and pet fur AND fine dust do so-called cyclonic systems glean and retain from the incoming air stream before it goes on to the primary filter? (Also, not discussed is the general small collection capacity of bagless collection bins and how free travel of larger debris for avoiding hang-ups around "shrouds, etc., which can disrupt intended air movement thus causing higher levels of dust to escape the process.) It would be good to learn that Brand A's system brings about x-amount more dust capture -- not at the HEPA but before the pre-filter -- than Brand B's. Those are points of discussion I'd allege bagless vac makers in general are not prepared to broach.

Venson

Venson wrote:

Last I knew and heard Venson, there is no awarding of a Nobel prize for vacuums...........but I'm sure if there were, dyson would be in contention.  BTW I am a huge fan of physics and chemistry but I agree, like you, that when these are applied to everyday products consumers are more impressed by price and performance NOT panache.

Carmine D.

Venson wrote:
At the end of the day there's a democracy here of what people individually appreciate, Venson. I've been having a similar discussion with another forum I'm on with a certain car brand. U.S buyers it seems have an interest to where cars are made that is the major decision breaker to whether they buy the car regardless of whether they love it or like it. In the UK we don't buy cars like that. Similarly, in the U.S whilst many may argue that vacuum cleaners should function the way they should, it is America that has hyped up the models - why else do you have so many different floorcare ranges on offer - because American tastes will think differently to many different lifestyle devices to make life easier. Whereas the U.S have had self driven mechanisms built in and auto cord rewinds on uprights, (admittedly its fun for the repairers who will know the amount of repairs that need to be done) the U.K has only just been given several brands with these wonderful features added. Similarly filter systems that claim to make the air better can't always be relied upon - and it was the Germans who had HEPA fitted to their vacuums in their bagged models before the bagless brands took it on as their mantra to provide clean air - even though a bagless design is messier.

From an engineering point of view, I don't think HEPA was ever invented for bagless systems. As you say bagless brands are not prepared to broach on their own efficiencies, but rather just relate the basic premise of a HEPA filter and what it is designed to do.

vacmanuk wrote:

Hi vacmanuk,

This U.S. buyer bought a used German-made car over two years ago not for name but reputation. (Unfortunately, from what I have seen, I have not been given much to uphold the blind faith I once had in regard to American product.) Matter of fact I think I kind of lucked out because I am told that even maker of my car brand's newer models don't quite match up. I got it with 103,00 miles on it and, much to the surprise of someone who thinks he never goes anywhere, I have put on about 17,000 more to date. The mechanic I took along to inspect the car and others said I might realistically anticipate more than 200,000 miles out of this car. (I thought of the new ones I could buy here and have to dump after 100,000 miles and saw no difference except for a saving.) It's just a little wagon but it holds the road and handles like a dream and I can't help but feel blessed every time I get behind the wheel. If I could have found the equivalent American-made, I'd have bought it as long as I liked looking at it.

But lest I digress . . .

Please do not think I am suggesting that we rely on just one thing in a vacuum. What I am asking is that when makers start flipping around rhetoric they should have simple English means for backing it up and solid numbers. I am seeing daily that "cyclonics" is a loosely used term and to my mind it's time for people to insist vac makers point out the worth. Thus, as I see it, knowing if someone's so-called bagless cyclonic system has better than average scores for dust capture in the collection bin prior pre-filtration medium I may be induced to think that will mean less actual filter maintenance/replacement whether primary or HEPA. Please also note, I am not here for what I like. My wish is to see the general public get a better deal too. I don't care who makes the product or the devices it uses to work - as long as they're safe - I'd just like to see all of us getting our money's worth.

Venson

Venson wrote:.

I like to see buyers getting their money's worth too - the problem is nowadays, with so many Chinese made vacuums coming onto the market, where they should be cheaply priced and probably damaging Dyson and other major brands, some brands aren't lowering the price - or the basic design - other than a paint job or an increased motor rating.

vacmanuk wrote:

Hello Vacmanuk:

Do you have some specific brands and models other than dyson to share with us?  Stateside, median prices of big box store vacuums have declined in recent years EXCEPT for dysons which have actually gone up int he same time.  With the exception of the most recent and current year which finds dyson following suit.  It took 8 years for dysons to actually lower product MSRP and retail selling prices on its newest models and matching 20 percent retailers' discounts.  Contrarily, other vacuum brands and models, like TTI, Dirt Devil, EUREKA, BISSELL, [even ORECK selling its upright solo for $200 and stocking its combo team in big box retailers for $225-$250] have all been lowering their price offerings in the last 8 years except perhaps for one or 2 models of each brand.  Use to be $200-$225 was the median price for a full size decent up/cann in the bb retailers.  No more.  $100-$200 for most of their full size vacuum wares.  Hence, the reason tht the buyer/user of the SEARS progressive Glide wrote: For the money [$200] the SEARS Glide should offer more, like attachments.  Why?  He's been [and others] conditioned by the falling vacuum prices among big box retailers.  Dyson tried unsuccessfully for its time in the states to buck the trend of downward vacuum prices and now has joined in.  Why?  Because the competition at big box retailers is hurting dyson sales IMHO.

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

Without getting too entrenched in the micro economics, it's safe to say that the lower vacuum prices in the USA have not allowed total annual new vacuum units to stay the same at 20 MILLION or in fact go up, as one would expect, with all things being equal, and we know they never are.  Recession in America [worldwide] with 14 percent unemployment, falling housing prices and new starts, and the tanking US housing market, worked adversely on the economics of new vacuum sales staying the same and rising.  Including dyson where the US market represents 2/3 of its total annual new unit global sales.  Add to this, the US Federal Reserve, my good old friend Ben boy Bernanke revising economic growth in the USA downward from 3-3.5 pecent to 2-2.5 percent, not just for this year, but next.  Add too, the collapsing Euro overseas.  First Greece going bakrupt, now Ireland.  Next Spain?  and Portugal.  I expect a 2 tier Euro across the pond: Northern and Southern euro.  Add too, the USA monetizing our debt [after Keithner and Bernanke swore under oath to Congress never to do so] adding $600 BILLION on top of the 2 Trillion already under this current administration, and inflation is already starting to rear its ugly head.  Big time.  Setting off, no doubt, an increase in vacuum prices in the near future.  What will all these factors do on new vacuum unit sales in the USA?  Globally.  For the next 2 years and out.  Doesn't take a genius to know. 

Carmine D.