vacuum cleaners

[yorke]

How much can you expect to pay for one to do a good job?

I bought a bagless upright for under 60 bucks and that included delivery to WA to my door. They have containers of them so if you're not in a hurry and live around NSW you could probably pick one up midweek for less then 40 bucks including the delivery. Works as good as a Dyson and is just as much a PITA to empty as a Dyson.


http://cgi.ebay.com.au/BRAND-NEW-ZA...ping?hash=item518bc8c23a&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

 

[belleran]

Yes, Blue Card was thinking the same thing. Was surprised mods hadn't moved it by now.

 

[Perp]

Without doubt, far better then the Wertheim.

For sure, individual models and experiences can vary enormously.

Man up and get a Wertheim, they are better than Dysons ... Use it for kicking the *** of any dust that dares get in your house.

Hello my fellow Wertheim fan, you gave me a laugh, thanks!

The upright we had before the Dyson was a PowrFlite, bought through a carpet cleaner, and the carpet would literally shake for about a foot in front of it. It was fantastic, but alas, got old and finally got so loud that the dog was packing his little hanky on a stick, so we had to ditch it.

LOL, wylie. Our Wertheim is amazingly powerful, too, and also "shakes". Our dog's petrified, and so are the kids for that matter. I sometimes worry that it's sucking the dye off the carpet fibres.

I once got too close to the edge of our loop carpet, and the Wertheim found a cut end. Before I knew it I had about four metres of carpet fibre wound around the mechanism. I tell the kids "imagine if that was your hair"... (Wonder why they're scared of it? )

 

[AlmostBob]

Used to work for Godfrey, the wertheim blokes, they suck like steam engines,
but by far the best vacs <200 they had were reconditioned electrolux 7xx series, 700 720 725 735, quiet powerful unbreakable steel bodies
nobody who worked there bought other in the cheqap range
nobody who worked there bought other than werhteim in the expensive range
loved the ducted vac with powerhead though, empty it once a year

 

[skater]

We bought a Dyson about 10 years ago. We found that, same as Elfy, it clogs continually.

It clogs at the slightest hint of dust

I once got too close to the edge of our loop carpet, Before I knew it I had about four metres of carpet fibre wound around the mechanism.

I have to be careful of carpet as well for this reason.

It also gets all sort of matter stuck inside of it too. It is a real PITA sometimes.

The only reason we have kept the thing is that we have polished floors & tiles, so it hardly gets used. Basically it only really gets used on a reno or cleanup after a tenant.

 

[lizzie]

wertheim (sic)
big powerful powerhead sucks anything out of the carpet or furniture.
mine was around $1200 but worth every cent given that my oversized husky loves to lay all over the furniture.

i have one of those too - regardless of how full the bag is, it still sucks like buggery. even plaster dust doesn't seem to bother it. paid $1000 for mine and after using some useless cleaners in the past, it's worth every cent.

the secret is not to buy the brand name bags - pick up the disposable paper ones instead.

 

[Witzl]

2nd hand Dyson DC05 for me
Just replaced the filters, dismantled and cleaned it, and it works like new.
Cost $300 all up.

It's been pretty severly beaten over the past 3 years, but still works just fine. The turbohead is stuffed now though, so could use a new one of those ($100).

Dysons work VERY well, but you must not forget to wash the filter every 3-6 months!! Otherwise they can clog up and burn out the motor.

 

[sunshine]

Dysons work VERY well, but you must not forget to wash the filter every 3-6 months!!

I got the DC04 about 6 years ago, on special for under $400. It just kept stopping, and I didn't know that you had to clean the filter. I find the filter has to be cleaned very regularly now.

So I upgraded in Jan this year to the $800 odd one (doesn't have a number on it) which I got on special for under $600. Works fantastic.

We were thinking about selling the DC04 but it still comes in handy for the extra dirty reno/garage work.

Sunshine

 

[RumpledElf]

My old vacuum was a wertheim. It was about 12 years old and had some broken bits so the hose and some other parts would clog up (at least you can unclog those pretty easily) when hair and stuff got caught on a bit of broken plastic. The poor thing really was quite worn out. In the end it got a very nasty clog and actually blew up ...

We know about the Dyson filters, but more like every time you use them not once every 3-6 months. Interestingly the filters are blue, first time we washed it we were surprised. It was kind of off-white when we took it out of the vacuum ...

 

[Minxdamanx]

The Dyson has a filter?

I've only had it about 18 months!

By the way I love it - don't know the model but it's a little yellow and grey pull around jobby. It only clogs up when it sucks up something like a piece of paper and then things get caught behind it. It never tips over, no matter how rushed I am and emptying it is a breeze.

 

[Witzl]

Minx - probably a DCtwentysomething or DC19. Best way to tell the model is look at "dyson" on ebay

Dunno about the new models, but the old DC0* models have two filters - one HEPA non-washable filter, and another washable filter (for the bigger dirt). I wash my filter once every 6 months, and it keeps the little dyson happy as larry.
My sister has my spare DC05 (i bought two on ebay - it was a deal!), and she didnt wash her filter ummm, ever. Came to me on the weekend complaining that it kept on stopping.... i took out the filter and it was BLACK.
Wash with water, and comes up a nice bright blue... dry it overnight, and good as new (well she hasnt called me up to say its not working yet!)

Here is where the washable filter is on the DC05:

 

[Minxdamanx]

Thanks Witzl.

I'll check it out tonight.

If a vacuum cleaner can survive me - it's probably worth buying!

 

[RumpledElf]

i took out the filter and it was BLACK.
Wash with water, and comes up a nice bright blue... dry it overnight, and good as new (well she hasnt called me up to say its not working yet!)

Hehe, our filter was WHITE the first time we washed it.

We'd been cutting a limestone wall inside.

Ah, the first of many clogs ...

 

[Deena]

Would not have anything other then a Wertheim now, no more cheap vacumn cleaners for me.

 

[eXc]

havent read the whole thread, but i just bought a pacvac after doing lots of research, it's fantastic, strong enough that it doesn't need a powerhead, it's a backpack which makes life easier. and it's a commercial grade.

cost me $380 local, coulda got it online for $370...

 

[Tizzy]

Wertheim ET2000

Bought it once the reno was completed and gave the very old embarrassingly shabby Nilfisk to Mr Tiz for the boat, car and Shed!!

Werheim was recommended for my mainly hard tile floors, sucks like crazy so dial has to be turned down. I had problems at first getting the powerhead attachment to stay on. Cord is way too short, so always has an extension cord attached. Plus it runs over its cord all the time so not as smooth to be dragged as I'd like. It is very very loud!!

Apart from that, I'm happyish.

 

[Minxdamanx]

Minx - probably a DCtwentysomething or DC19. Best way to tell the model is look at "dyson" on ebay

Dunno about the new models, but the old DC0* models have two filters - one HEPA non-washable filter, and another washable filter (for the bigger dirt). I wash my filter once every 6 months, and it keeps the little dyson happy as larry.

Wash with water, and comes up a nice bright blue... dry it overnight, and good as new (well she hasnt called me up to say its not working yet!)

H

Thank you Witzl. Model is DC08 Origin. Filter now clean and drying.