Vacuum cleaners: DOOOOOOOOM

[seebs]

Okay, so, we needed a vacuum cleaner. Went browsing, ended up with a hoover canister that looked like it'd be okay.

DELERIOUS JOY! It's awesome. Quieter than our old vacuum, great suction, bagless mechanism works well.

Then... TRAGEDY STRIKES! Long haired people generate, well, long hair. Long hair wraps around the brush thing, then works its way over into the area around the bearing, then somehow manages to get stuck such that it friction-melts the plastic around the bearing on one side of the brush. Brush mechanism: Dead.

Now here's where this gets bad. The model is an SH40060. "Multi-cyclonic canister". Whatever. Well... That model is apparently very very very rare and unheard of, except that Target sells it. Most places that do vacuum cleaner parts don't even have a category for "SH" series vacuums. But Sears does warranty coverage for them, so I bring it in. A week later, a replacement brushy head thing shows up... and it's the wrong one.

I go look at the sears parts page. Sure enough, they have a chart of parts for this vacuum cleaner, and "powered nozzle" is part #26... And the little 26 on their chart has arrows pointing to two DIFFERENT powered nozzles, which are not physically compatible with each other. The one I had has a different notch in the electric power attachment than the other one...

No one else even has these. repairclinic (vm pimps them occasionally) has a few parts for it, but not this one. Sears has no clue; I have to call the local repair place but the guy there is apparently too busy to answer the phone. So now I have a vacuum cleaner with no brushy nozzle thing for carpets, and a brushy nozzle thing with no vacuum cleaner, and AGGAHHUHGGAHHHH.

FWIW, apart from the hair failure, it's an awesome vacuum cleaner. And that may well be a special case that happens when you have multiple long-haired people and don't vacuum much for three years because your vacuum cleaner doesn't suck very well.

[wildernesse]

Here's a tip for long hair getting caught/wrapped up in the brush mechanism. If you have a seam ripper, you can rip hair out from around the brush so it doesn't build up and be all crazy. Disgusting, but pretty much everything about vacuum cleaners are disgusting.

A better tip is to rip out all your carpets so you can just sweep. Or you could buy a rubber sweeper that could gather up the hair before you vacuum.

Good luck finding the right part.

[seebs]

We have no carpeting at all, except in the basement bathroom, and only some rugs, but we quite like them... occasionally.

[mulebear]

Dyson.

We've had one for years and it is well worth the money we paid for it. We've never had any mechanical problems.

[seebs]

I've heard not-so-great things about their quality of late, and the big thing they had as a win over everyone was patented... and the patents ran out. Which is why Hoover is now able to make a vacuum that has the same cool technology in it.

[Vivisectus]

Henry / Hetty the Hoover.

[Charmion]

I'm partial to Electrolux and Miele.

Miele Vacuum Cleaners: Powerful Floorcare Solutions (http://www.mieleusa.com/products/models.asp?cat=1&subcat=1&menu_id=5&oT=27&active=Our%20Products&subm=Vacuum%20Cleaners&thirdL=Canisters)

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

[Miisa]

I <3 my LG. But only because it is purple.

[mulebear]

I've had problems with Hoover products in the past. One vacuum cleaner, a gift from a family member, lasted less than a year. I had to replace the beater belt 3 times and eventually the beater brush fell apart. It also spit out a lot of dust. And yet, my Mom had one that lasted for years.

We've had the Dyson for almost 7 years now and it is still working as well as the day we bought it.

I've also heard very good things about Roomba. A couple of friends love their Roomba robot vacuums.

Dirt Devil, Electrolux, Oreck, and Eureka, on the other hand...
Having worked in many a showroom, store, and/or studio, I've used or seen used many of the above vacuums. All have been total pieces of shit. They constantly clogged up, broke down, broke belts, et cetera.

[Charmion]

I've had problems with Hoover products in the past. One vacuum cleaner, a gift from a family member, lasted less than a year. I had to replace the beater belt 3 times and eventually the beater brush fell apart. It also spit out a lot of dust. And yet, my Mom had one that lasted for years.

We've had the Dyson for almost 7 years now and it is still working as well as the day we bought it.

I've also heard very good things about Roomba. A couple of friends love their Roomba robot vacuums.

Dirt Devil, Electrolux, Oreck, and Eureka, on the other hand...
Having worked in many a showroom, store, and/or studio, I've used or seen used many of the above vacuums. All have been total pieces of shit. They constantly clogged up, broke down, broke belts, et cetera.

You didn't include Miele in your list. Have you tried Miele? They're made in Germany if that means anything.

[wildernesse]

We have no carpeting at all, except in the basement bathroom, and only some rugs, but we quite like them... occasionally.

If I didn't have carpet, I would probably throw out my vacuum and just sweep/dust mop and mop when needed. That's the great thing about having non-carpet, IMO. You can sweep rugs and take them outside to beat them, and then they'll be pretty clean. And you can feel like your floors are actually clean, which carpet will never be.

[Charmion]

We have no carpeting at all, except in the basement bathroom, and only some rugs, but we quite like them... occasionally.

If I didn't have carpet, I would probably throw out my vacuum and just sweep/dust mop and mop when needed. That's the great thing about having non-carpet, IMO. You can sweep rugs and take them outside to beat them, and then they'll be pretty clean. And you can feel like your floors are actually clean, which carpet will never be.

Carpets harbor a lot of odors--mold, mildew, pet odors. Bare floors eliminate that problem. I've been in public hallways that reek of mold due to the carpeting. I do like area rugs though. They're much more versatile. You can move them around any way you want them. I like braided rugs, oriental rugs and just about any rug as long as you can move it. The ones I like tend to be too expensive.

The braided rugs from Thorndike Mills are nice but they're way overpriced. I don't like the quality of Rhody braided rugs.

http://www.thorndikemills.com/

[Vivisectus]

Pooey to you all for these 2 reasons.

1: My kids can totally destroy a vacuum cleaner by using it once a fortnight, generally taking 2-3 months to achieve this. Hetty has lasted for 2 years and is still working excellently

2: it looks like this:

http://www.portablegadget.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/hetty1.jpg

[freemonkey]

I had that same problem with hair wrapping around the brush that you did, seebs. It started smoking! I called the Hoover, or whoever made the thing directly and they sent me the part right away.

I hate carpet, and had a great excuse to get rid of ours when one of the cats started peeing on it. Of course, if I'd been paid for the work of cleaning up the floor underneath I could have afforded put in a new floor.

Anyway, the vacuum cleaner I have is a Shark Navigator. It's small, powerful and easy to clean. And it was cheap. No bags, cleanable filters. The only thing I don't like about it is that it's a bit top-heavy and falls over sometimes. I've already broken off 2 of the tabs that you press to release hoses.

ETA: I just went to Shark's site to get a pic and see that they now offer one with a lift-out canister. Want! But I'd have to kill the one I have to get it.

[mulebear]

You didn't include Miele in your list. Have you tried Miele? They're made in Germany if that means anything.

I've heard of them, but I haven't had any experience with their products. Since the Dyson is still doing an amazing job, I'm really not in the market for a new vacuum. :vacuum:

[Doctor X]

You could always, you know, cut your hair?






Hippy.

--J.D.

[mulebear]

FLOWBEE ATHEIST!

[JoeP]

That sucks, seebs.

Sorry.

[Dingfod]

Fact: Kirby sucks more Dyson. While tests show the Dyson indeed does not lose suction even with it's dirt canister full, the Kirby has more suction than a Dyson, even when the bag is nearly full. More suction equals more dirt removed. We have a Kirby that is 30 years old and still sucks.