Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

CarmineD wrote:

Hi Carmine,

That's really a hard one.  LG is a new kid on the block when it comes to vacuums in the U.S.  Though I am not a fan of Dyson, it has the obvious advantage of longer, larger press and market exposure and certainly way more word of mouth.  Bagless vacs are now of growing interest to shoppers.  LG's advantage is the offering of two somewhat less expensive bagless uprights with potentially useful features and longer than usual warranties for non-niche vac brands.  I've been speaking to folks here and there and lot of them have a hard time wrapping their heads around the idea of three-, four- or five-hundred dollars for a vacuum cleaner.

Maybe it's due to locale.  I'm not up on what costs are like beyond my immediate area.  In New York City, everything is expensive.  If you're keeping a car, premium gas is about $3.10 a gallon while across the river in New Jersey it runs as low as $2.69.  If you're walking, the subway's $2.25 a trip and  I won't even get into rent, food and clothing prices. Oh yeah -- sales tax is 8.875 percent.  With all that in mind, launching two new vacuums in the $300 to $400 range could prove a daunting task. 

What I'd like to see is LG get on the bandwagon and take a chance on HSN.  They'd get to sell and advertise nationwide in one fell swoop.  However, since HSN demos, sells and spotlights product, what are the gains and losses of the manufacturers making use of it?

Venson

Venson wrote:

My error -- the LuV300 is on HSN at standard $399 price.

Venson

Venson wrote:
Well I dont think every manufacturer is doing that though Venson. I think some brands are looking at similar ways to SEBO or Dyson to remove stuff from floor heads. Certainly Vax have the right idea on their Mach Air lightweight vacuum, one of the better functions on it for example is that the floor head cover just comes off via two plastic clips when the roller brush requires cleaning.

Venson wrote:

Hi Venson:

I'm not surprised to learn HSN is selling the latest LG upright.  Tho I've not seen it debut on the air/demoed by HSN.  I suspect it will once the LG vacuums are more pervasive in the big box retailers in the USA. 

You've touched on a number of cogent points with regard to LG and dyson.  LG is in my view looking not just for the new bagless customers but those disenchanted with existing bagged and bagless vacuums including dyson.  Hence, the additional LG selling features, like cord winder, motor suction controls, and dirt bin compression to reduce trips to the trash can.  With a price, tho high by BBR standards, competitive with the competition.

WRT LG name recognition for vacuums.  A smart seller will say LG makes and brands bagless vacuums for SEARS and has for quite sometime.  LG is a huge presence in large  household appliances and electronics worldwide while most vacuum makers are just limited to vacuums.  This has sales appeal to most buyers especially those with LG appliances already who are happy with them. 

Have to wait and see if indies become interested in the LG bagless. 

Carmine D.

vacmanuk wrote:

Hi vacmanuk,

Nice idea but not much of an answer to my desires.  My S7 can easily be flipped over and the scissor guides (thank you Lucky1) on the body of the brushroll to make cutting away thread and hair easy enough without removal of the base plate.  Nonetheless, the brushrolls and belts are not removable for maintenance or replacement by users regarding the Miele S7 or Vax's Mach Air series.  (See the link to the Mach Air manual.) If problems arise, I have to call Miele and Vax owners have to get in touch with Vax.  That's not my idea of convenient.

http://www.vax.co.uk/downloads/pdf/u90-u91-ma_series_user_guide.pdf

Please see page 7.  Vax goes so far as to say "IMPORTANT: for your safety, never try to access / replace brushbar drive belt."  This to me is just another way of making procedures that should literally be no-brainers for users overly complicated, inconvenient and of unnecessary cost even if we're merely speaking of the a drive to an authorized place of repair. 

Venson

Venson wrote:
I do hope your desires aren't going over loose threads to test the destructibility of your machine! It is also fairly easy to speculate the problems you would incur, but what have you incurred so far?
There was a time when I would agree with you - after all, as a SEBO owner the roller brushes on both the K/D/ cylinders with electric heads, Felix/Dart and X models are far simpler to remove to clean etc. BUT, the SEBO company have always been a commercial vacuum company first and foremost - as you are aware - so their machines have easy enough to remove components by the owner to maintain their vacuums.

Miele and other brands are different though since they are domestic brands that have little commercial range outside their niche markets. I believe that makes all the difference in this respect - although it is clear where Miele have cut corners since their cylinder floor heads have easy to remove screws on their base plates should anything get tangled/needs maintained. The Vax Mach Air has a reset button on the floor head - so if it does seize up, the floor head can re-brake itself. I've only had one problem with my Mach Air in this respect and once the button was pushed, the roller bar came back to life.

vacmanuk wrote:

Hi,

Not at all!  I have no problems with loose thread, long tresses or pet fur mucking up the works with my vacuums but many do.  Thus maintenance should be simple.  And . . . if an owner hopefully has his or her machine for a good amount of time and feels a brushroll change is in order that should be simple too.  Other than to buy the replacement piece, there should be no need for a run to a vac shop over the matter.

As for the auto-shutoff for brushrolls -- it should be a given in any clean-air upright vacuum.  Long hair, thread, etc., will usually not stop a brushroll.  The unseen sock, kid's toy, fringe on rugs or the edge of a scatter rug will.

Venson

Venson wrote:
Well, that's why there's a reset button on the Vax floor head - any fringes etc, kid's toys. I think sometimes though as an owner logic has to take over. Owners after all dont put rocks in their washing machine, or towels in their dishwasher!

vacmanuk wrote:

Never underestimate user "ingenuity".  There was once a cookbook composed of recipes that could be cooked (wrapped in foil of course) in your dishwasher as you ran a load of dishes.  I've made tea and grilled cheese sandwiches with a travel iron.  But that's not the issue.  My point is that this sudden trend for having to bring a vacuum back to a shop over what should be small issues is needless.  Burned out carbon motor brushes, short circuits, breakage all are more in order for shop visits but belt and brushrool replace or management should never be.

Venson

User vacuum maintenance wrt brush roll and belt is a double sided coin.  It doesn't aid IMHO in the initial sale of the vacuum but allows for longevity of product use.  To be user friendly, the product must first allow for easy access to the parts and easy replacement.   More importantly the parts, brush roll and belts, must be affordable and readily available to users.  Both [easily accomplished and readily available at affordable prices] are needed if the brand/model is to be owned/used by homeowners for the long haul. 

Some brands/models warn users up front not to tackle replacement although they may make access easy.  They advise seeing an authorized dealer.  Other brands/models clearly show users "how to" but may use 4-6 standard screws for the job to get done.  In the final analysis, if the parts are inexpensive and available, and users are so inclined they will go with doing the replacement themselves regardless of the screws, clips, and/or both.  I lean toward the latter for product longevity and usage for the long haul.

Carmine D.