Vacuum cleaners

[idun]

I seem to remember last year or the year before there was a mention of good reliable vacuum cleaners.

And if my memory serves me well, there was mention of a vac from Germany or maybe a scandinavian country that was very very good and reliable.

 

I have looked on the web but none of the names ring a bell. I would be quite intersted in looking at them.

 

I have a Henry, but my panasonic, which has been good is not as good as it was, so I fancy replacing it.

[JohnRoss]

We invested in two iRobot products last year and so far are very happy with them. iRoomba as a replacement vac cleaner and iScooba to wash our tile floors. Still need an ordinary one for the odd place the robots cannot get into. Cats like them too see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ-jv8g1YVI&feature=related .......................JR

PS We talked about vacs last year see http://services.completefrance.com/forums/completefrance/cs/forums/2418596/ShowPost.aspx

[pouyade]

Sebo - we have 3 all working well at 25, 20 and 10 years old respectively, with regular tlc obviously. Spare parts v easy to get - brushes, filters etc - and easy to fit.

Pouyade

[idun]

Many thanks, much to look at now.

[woolybanana]

Try Nilfisk, Swedish, very much used in UK. Good quality, seem to go on forever.

[idun]

So Sebo and Nilfisk to look at now.

 

I think that the problem with the panasonic is the animal hair. I suspect that all the internal filters are clogged with animal hairs, the hoover equivilent of a fur ball........[Www] and even the Henry (well mine is a James, but same same) is not working as well as it did. I don't know how to take them apart and service them. 

As we 'just' have one cat now, I hope that whatever I buy next will last longer.

[osie]

I bought several henry's ... all from UK... much cheaper than the ripoff french prices.

The decision was based on weight / efficiency robustness.

[Loiseau]

Here in the Vendee I notice that vacuum cleaners are the No 1 suggestion in the local hypermarket as a gift for Mother's Day! Grrrrr.

Angela

[woolybanana]

I am all in favour of giving a girl the best quality appliances which enable her to peform her duties better, so she has more free time to do the little things she so enjoys, like digging the garden, decorating, perhaps a little embroidery.

[idun]

I once had a mini four bought as a gift.

 

I don't think I swore, words failed me really. IF a look could really kill, mine would have been lethal. It went back and a serious lesson was learned.

 

 

 I almost agree with Wooly in so far as, good quality appliances, for any of us to use, for a very easy life, but never ever ever as a gift. As they say, diamonds are a girl's best friend, but some Lingot d'or would be just as good, not that I've ever been given either, but they are two gifts that would be quite pleased with.

[mint]

Well, id, just for you, I went back to that thread of mine that JohnRoss has so kindly given us the link to and I must tell you that the one I bought http://www.vax.co.uk/air-upright would still be my choice today.

I don't know what it costs now as I have just lifted the link from page 6 of the thread mentioned.

And, don't forget, as you live in the UK, you get 6 years' guarantee if you register it.

As for you two wonderful persons who brought it out for me, thank you once again, and I certainly haven't forgotten your kind services.[kiss][kiss]

[just john]

[quote user="pouyade"]Sebo - we have 3 all working well at 25, 20 and 10 years old respectively, with regular tlc obviously. Spare parts v easy to get - brushes, filters etc - and easy to fit. Pouyade[/quote]

I second that, my Sebo is a mere 12 years old and still going strong with no tlc required, recommended as the one to have by  johnlewis.Sebo

 

[idun]

I've had two Vax and for all they were brilliant at picking up dog hair, both went back. Long story, but there was a design fault with both.

 

I think I'll bite the bullet and check on the Which web site, see what they have to say.

[mint]

[quote user="just john "]

[quote user="pouyade"]Sebo - we have 3 all working well at 25, 20 and 10 years old respectively, with regular tlc obviously. Spare parts v easy to get - brushes, filters etc - and easy to fit. Pouyade[/quote]

I second that, my Sebo is a mere 12 years old and still going strong with no tlc required, recommended as the one to have by  johnlewis.Sebo

 

[/quote]

JJ, I TOLD you, the Sebo's handle is too high for a small person to use comfortably! Id, I hope you are a taller person than I am, then you can buy a Sebo.

[idun]

So how long is the handle on a Sebo. I must say I've never had an upright and was looking for non-upright!

[Russethouse]

My Sebo is an upright, but you can take the hose off and use it like a non upright

I can recommend their customer service

Ps. I'm 5ft7in and it's Ok for me.......

[Rabbie]

We have 2 Miele "Cat & Dog" vacumm cleaners for the house and Vet surgery. They do a very good job. You can adjust the amount of suction. They have been the most reliable we have had.

BTW Nilfisk are danish and not Swedish. Electrolux is the Swedish make.

 

[powerdesal]

[quote user="idun"]

So Sebo and Nilfisk to look at now.

 

I think that the problem with the panasonic is the animal hair. I suspect that all the internal filters are clogged with animal hairs, the hoover equivilent of a fur ball........[Www] and even the Henry (well mine is a James, but same same) is not working as well as it did. I don't know how to take them apart and service them. 

As we 'just' have one cat now, I hope that whatever I buy next will last longer.

[/quote]

It seems a bit OTT to buy a new cleaner if all that's wrong with the old one is a blocked filter, after all, filters are meant to be cleanable.

[idun]

I have cleaned all the external filters, not that I ever let them get clogged up to start with. And I dare not take the thing apart my self to clean it all out. It isn't new either and I've been quoted approx £60 to look at it and it may not make a difference anyway. So I am wondering if that money may be better spent on something 'better'. All boils down to money really.

[Gardengirl]

[quote user="Loiseau"]Here in the Vendee I notice that vacuum cleaners are the No 1 suggestion in the local hypermarket as a gift for Mother's Day! Grrrrr.

Angela[/quote]

I'd definitely fall out with my family if they tried such a thing! I'm always happy with flowers though.

A local lingerie shop has a sign in the window suggesting some lovely undies for Mothers' Day. I suppose it depends on the mum!

[Quillan]

[quote user="idun"]

I've had two Vax and for all they were brilliant at picking up dog hair, both went back. Long story, but there was a design fault with both.

 

I think I'll bite the bullet and check on the Which web site, see what they have to say.

[/quote]

I would be very interested to know the top three choices they give. I did look at Dyson but their method of finding the right machine does not take in to account the fact that we have only tiled and wood flooring. All they offer is 'multi floors' which have some sort of powered head that 'senses' the floor type and automatically adjusts. Seems to me it is a bit of gadget that I don't really need and something else to go wrong. Discovering the best for me therefore has become a bit too complicated and I have given up.

Being a B&B owner our current Miele has had a right old bashing, we have had it for 10 years now and I did invest in a special 'head' that is only for tiled and wooden floors. Can't say how good it is on carpets as we don't have any and anyway we have always had Hoovers for them in the past, they are pretty good but on our current floors it is really very good. It's getting a knackered now and the motor changes speed all on its own so I don't know for how much longer it will last and should I get it fixed or buy a new cleaner. My mum and dad always liked Electrolux but that many of the current cleaners they are now made in Asia I believe.

Seems to me you either get a very good one at a high price of go for 60 Euro 'special' at the local supermarket on the basis that when it fails you throw it away.

[Will]

The one we have in France is a non-upright Miele, which, like Rabbie's, has proved by far the best at picking up animal hair, and in a house with up to four dogs and a score or so of cats at various times, it has been tested to well over the limit. Q please note - it came with hard floor and carpet heads and is particularly good on rugs. Various Dysons have been consigned to the vacuum graveyard (or cleaned out and flogged to AngloInfo users, which is probably a worse fate). We haven't had a Sebo. but by all accounts they are excellent as well.

In England we are currently using a Vax bagless upright which came as part of a deal with a carpet washer, so was virtually free. It's surprisingly good, too.

[water rat]

We have a Henry which was inherited after a new panasonic couldn't cope and have tried Hoover and Dyson. Have been using it here for 9 years without any probs.I bought a cloth bag as this dwelling is like the Flintstones cave and we would have got through paper bags at a rate of knots. It has the strongest suction I know of ( having to cope with stones sometimes) ,a robust thick plastic casing and a smile ,of course!