[NA] Kirby Vacuums - Looking for experiences

[Greebo]

So yesterday I come home to find a Kirby salesperson (a 2nd year college student) demoing the product to my wife.

Now neither my wife nor I thought we'd be at all interested - she let the student do the demo because doing the demos helps her with a scholarship program or something like that.

But we were unilaterally impressed with the Kirby, and we've been extremely unhappy with one of our two hoovers - the newer, windtunnel whizbang model thats so snazzy looking but does a crappy job of cleaning compared to the OLDER hoover we have that is a basic model no bells and whistles.

The kirby pretty clearly kicked our hoover's butt...and so we decided to go ahead and buy it.

Well, since MD has a mandatory 3 day law for home sales, I figured I'd ask around and do some research now - cause we've got 3 days to change our mind for any reason.

So - anyone got Kirby experience? Good, bad, indifferent?

Are we saps or have we made a good investment?

 

[dwh]

Chuck
The experience I have had with the Kirby vacum is that they are very good and they last a long time. Should for the cost. You can always get them fixed. My wife has allergies so we put in a built-in vacum in the house or we would probably have one. They work better because they have heavy duty motoer running the suction fans and they are built to last.

 

[poadeleted3]

I used to sell these things, until I had issue with my distributer paying me.

The good news is that the things are built hell for stout. They will last years, or decades. They clean at least as well as Kirby claims they do. If a salesman ever drops by my house, I'll buy one unless I hate the dude. If you have issues with the distributer bringing you supplies, contact Kirby directly. They were having a huge push re: customer satisfaction, and would pee on the parade of folks who didn't support the customer.

The bad news: The scholarship line was almost certainly a line of bull to get them in the door. They gave me a picture to use to tell people I was trying to win a honeymoon for my wife, younger folks used the scholarship line.

 

[Dean]

Chuck,

My ex-wife and I bought a Kirby several years ago and found that it was over priced for what you get. The price started out at like $2000.00 and we ended up buying it for $750.00 They do a trick where they vacuum with your model, then go over the same spot with the Kirby and pick up more dirt. This is a sales trick and can be done with any type of sweeper.
If it was me, I would pass and use the extra money for flight time or buy something nice for the wife. if you want a new vacuum, look at the Dyson.
Dean

 

[Lawreston]

Chuck,

My ex-wife and I bought a Kirby several years ago and found that it was over priced for what you get. The price started out at like $2000.00 and we ended up buying it for $750.00 They do a trick where they vacuum with your model, then go over the same spot with the Kirby and pick up more dirt. This is a sales trick and can be done with any type of sweeper.
If it was me, I would pass and use the extra money for flight time or buy something nice for the wife. if you want a new vacuum, look at the Dyson.
Dean

Precisely what Dean said. The sales reps. are well-trained and smooth. The "student" accompanying the salesman is "because of the incredible growth rate of our system. I just can't get to see all the appointments on my calendar".

I heard the pitch 30 years ago, only proving that the sales team has been successful in asking for -- or should I say -- demanding the sale. Usually, pushy. Just my 2 cents.

HR

 

[Whirlwind]

A very nice lady tried this on my Mom a few years ago... Kirby's are indeed well built, but expensive even for that. Well of course a brand new heavy duty vaccum is going to pick up more than a 5 year old vaccum with a 3/4 full bag is going to, duh.

And yes, the scholarship line is just to get your way in the door. A friend of mine used to sell these, he would buy a case of cheap steak knives for $2 to give away in exchange for a demo. He would say that his boss was down the street watching and he had to do 3 more demos today or he was fired. So please just take these steak knives and let me do a demo. He sold tons of them.

 

[Flyboy]

We bought an Orek 3 years ago and it's the best vac we'ver ever had. I've resisted the kirby pitch due to the price but I've no doubt they are good vacs.

 

[Brian Austin]

The Dyson outperforms the Kirby and is 1/2 the price. I don't want my vacuum to outlast me. Technology changes and I'm willing to buy a better vacuum in 5-10 years to take advantage of it.

 

[mikea]

If you really want a Kirby why not visit your nearest vacuum cleaner repair shop and buy a refurbed one? I've got a shop a half mile away that always has them. Being that they haven't changed the design in 50 years you could only get a better model by getting an old one.

 

[fgcason]

Good, bad, indifferent?

Are we saps or have we made a good investment? [/QUOTE]

No clue actually. Probably sensible though.


I'm just a cheap ba$)#$@. I took one look at prices and it almost invalidated my medical right there in the store so I went with the Suck-O-Matic model# 17027 and a dirt devil carpet attachment I picked up at a garage sale for 50 cents. $100 and change.

When I build my place there will be NO carpet. Can't stand the stuff.

 

[Kyle Thornley]

To quote Little Orphan Annie's dog "ditto arf". The Kirby is a great vacuum, but the original price tag is huge. You will be amazed at how low they will come to get you to buy. Even when they get down, you are still left wondering if they might have gone lower if you pushed a bit more. On the other hand it does a great jo0b and for the most part is bulletproof.

I'm with Frank on the carpet thing, our whole house is hardwood floors. The problem with that is you can see and feel what would have been hidden in the pile of the carpet, making the wife believe she has to vacuum more often than she would if we had the carpet, so she is pushing to cover them. I keep telling her that its the same amount of dirt, but it falls on deaf ears. Her Dad also has her convinced that the carpet makes the house warmer in the winter, maybe I need that special 10K BTU carpet....

 

[Flyboy]

The Dyson outperforms the Kirby and is 1/2 the price. I don't want my vacuum to outlast me. Technology changes and I'm willing to buy a better vacuum in 5-10 years to take advantage of it.

I wouldn't have believed that until I saw and episode of BIG where they built a HUGE dyson replica that actually worked.

And it did a great job of separating the particles from the air.

 

[Brian Austin]

I wouldn't have believed that until I saw and episode of BIG where they built a HUGE dyson replica that actually worked.

And it did a great job of separating the particles from the air.

It's basically a portable cyclone with some additional filtering. Cyclones have been used for years in shops and factories waste systems. They are very efficient. Instead of "sucking" the air, they move the air through the system, carrying the particles in the airstream (which requires higher CFMs than a vacuum). Once in the cyclone, the heavier particles get flung to the outside, where the air velocity is lower and fall to the bottom of the cyclone (usually a big barrel or dumpster in industrial shops).

 

[Henning]

So yesterday I come home to find a Kirby salesperson (a 2nd year college student) demoing the product to my wife.

Well, since MD has a mandatory 3 day law for home sales, I figured I'd ask around and do some research now - cause we've got 3 days to change our mind for any reason.

So - anyone got Kirby experience? Good, bad, indifferent?

Are we saps or have we made a good investment?

Chuck, in 1994 I had a Kirby that was made in 1964, it worked great until a casting was cracked during transport in a van. I had a new NOS part from Kirby in 3 days. It worked great, and may still be working. I have on a boat now an Oreck (actually 2, a big one and a hand held). I am happy with both of those as well.

 

[Henning]

I'm with Frank on the carpet thing, our whole house is hardwood floors. The problem with that is you can see and feel what would have been hidden in the pile of the carpet, making the wife believe she has to vacuum more often than she would if we had the carpet, so she is pushing to cover them. I keep telling her that its the same amount of dirt, but it falls on deaf ears. Her Dad also has her convinced that the carpet makes the house warmer in the winter, maybe I need that special 10K BTU carpet....

Why would you vacuum hardwood floors, it's so much better of a job to sweep them (or swiffer like unit) and then give them a mop over with lemon oil which puts oils back into the finish but doesn't produce a slick surface, also freshens the smell of the boat. This is what I do on Teak and Holly as well as Marble soles on yachts. Leaves a beautifull finish, is minimum work, minimizes floor refinishes, and best of all, I don't have to hear a vacuum cleaner, I hate those things but everyone likes carpet in the cabins. I make the stews warn me before the vacuum, and they dang well know better than vacuum near my cabin when I'm sleeping, it can wait.

 

[wsuffa]

Or as the old DBase ad started: "Everyone knows that vacuum cleaners suck...."

 

[gismo]

I've managed to resist the Kirby pitch, mostly because I'm sure their cost of sales is way higher than Wall Mart etc. and I don't see the point of paying their huge mark up. Everything I've heard says it's a good and reliable product, but just not worth it and possibly a long way below cutting edge.

I bought a Dyson last winter and it performs quite well. The only nit I have with it is the hose wants to collapse back into the unit whenever you block the inlet much. Once it darn near pulled me off a ladder.

Bottom line, if you paid more than $500-600 there are better deals out there.

BTW I will NOT ever buy a vacuum from Sears again (where I got the last three). I have a perfectly good canister Vac from them except that the hose has deteriorated and they don't offer a replacement. IOW a $300 vacuum is trash for lack of a $30 expendable part.

 

[Bill]

If you really want a Kirby why not visit your nearest vacuum cleaner repair shop and buy a refurbed one?

That. My Mom wanted one, walked into the Kirby dealer and looked at a used refurb one (with all attachments), they wanted $250. She offered $150, they balked, she turned and walked. Didn't make it out the door, they took her $150. Thirty years later, the thing still runs like new.

 

[Jim Chumley]

You can't go wrong. The Kirby is a very good machine. We bought one new with our first house 33 years ago. We still have it and it still does a wonderful job. Yes, it was expensive and it still is. But it'll last and do a good job for you.

Now, this is not to say that other vacs are not as good and less expensive. Look in Consumer Reports.

Jim

 

[Greebo]

Thanks folks - based on the general response and the wesearch (new word: hybrid of web and research - meaning a half-assed form of doing research by trusting google) on the vac and the company, I think I'm for keeping it, even with the higher cost.

Quality does cost..and while that other new vac looks interesting, you know - cutting edge isn't something I want in a vacuum - they haven't been around long enough to know how long they will last.

 

[sierra]

My parents had a kirby. it DID work better than anything else *except* a Rainbow (now who remembers those)? but it was WORK to use. Heavy as all get out. I hated it! So when i moved out I got an Orek. Orek is light but one has to be careful of stuff getting stuck in it (which it NEVER did in the Kirby).

Re: sales people, I used to get a real kick out of them.

"come let us demo our product on your carpets".

"well, i really don't have any carpet".

"what? none?"

"well, some area rugs".

"Let me come and do your area rugs, then"

So i would, they would, it looked fine. Then i'd send them on their way because I really didn't need a Kirby for a home with all hardwood floors and a couple of area rugs!


I hate carpet. I had a child with breathing problems when he was young, so whenever I rented i rented hardwood floors. When i bought, i ripped out the carpets... have you looked at what is stuck *under* your carpet? It is an allergy heaven. And no matter what vaccum you use, you will not get it out. At least with an area rug, you can vacuum it, roll it up, clean under it, vacuum the back side, and be reasonably assured that your floor is only contributing minimally to the immunological response inhibiting breathing of your loved ones.


How quickly i am able to get off topic and into science geek land~

 

[Greebo]

The Kirby is somewhat heavier than our other vacuums, but the model we bought actually has a drive unit built in. When engaged, when you push forward on it, the handle slides forward a bit and engages the drive, and the vacuum rolls forward. Likewise when you pull back on it.

So you can do the whole floor with it with two fingers, just like holding a yoke.

(Bit heavier, otoh, when you lift it up in "hand held mode" to vacuum the mattress... (yes, the sales girl offered to demo that...we declined ))

 

[sierra]

So you can do the whole floor with it with two fingers, just like holding a yoke.

so it really is an aviation related thread?

 

[flyingcheesehead]

My parents had a kirby. it DID work better than anything else *except* a Rainbow (now who remembers those)?

I was just gonna suggest checking out a Rainbow as well. They are still alive and well and have a relatively new model that has a slow speed for leaving on constantly as an "air cleaner" type deal. Quite the cool machine, supposedly as reliable as brand K but kind of a different concept (filtration via water rather than bag) and certainly easier on the lungs.

 

[Ghery]

We had one years ago. Kept eating blades off the impeller. I got tired of fixing it. Really don't remember what we did with it, but it isn't occupying closet space in our house. Central vac installation, now that I like...

 

[Maverick]

So yesterday I come home to find a Kirby salesperson (a 2nd year college student) demoing the product to my wife.

Now neither my wife nor I thought we'd be at all interested - she let the student do the demo because doing the demos helps her with a scholarship program or something like that.

But we were unilaterally impressed with the Kirby, and we've been extremely unhappy with one of our two hoovers - the newer, windtunnel whizbang model thats so snazzy looking but does a crappy job of cleaning compared to the OLDER hoover we have that is a basic model no bells and whistles.

The kirby pretty clearly kicked our hoover's butt...and so we decided to go ahead and buy it.

Well, since MD has a mandatory 3 day law for home sales, I figured I'd ask around and do some research now - cause we've got 3 days to change our mind for any reason.

So - anyone got Kirby experience? Good, bad, indifferent?

Are we saps or have we made a good investment?

Chuck, I've had two Kirby's and I won't buy another one. Don't get me wrong they are built tough but the things are so heavy and I don't feel they work that much better to warrant the hefty price tag. They have a lot of neat attachments that most people never use also.

Last summer I bought one of the Dyson vacuums and I absolutely love it. I bought the Animal model because I have a dog and the difference is a couple of extra attachments that, so far, I've only used once. You can get a Dyson for $500 and if you ever get the 20% off coupons for Bed Bath and Beyond, you can save $100. That's what I did. The Dyson has great suction, in my opinion better than the Kirby, and it is so easy to empty it's just incredible. No bag, no muss, no fuss. You could vacuum your house in a tux or evening gown and empty the thing without getting dirty. Not that anyone would really dress that way to vacuum but I think you get my point.

Good luck and I hope it's not too late to get out of that deal. Think of all the avgas that Kirby will buy for you.

Jeannie

 

[Earthroamer]

Same thing happened to me. I was out flying one night and came home to my wife buying a Kirby. They are great little vacumes. I have had it for six years and not one problem with it. I was more ****ed that she let someone in the house while I was gone. She quickly argued that she had five loaded guns in different parts of the house and was a country girl enough to shoot. She also said that she had my .50 cal Desert Eagle in the back of her pants while he was inside. HEHEHEHE what a girl.

Brent

 

[poadeleted3]

Same thing happened to me. I was out flying one night and came home to my wife buying a Kirby. They are great little vacumes. I have had it for six years and not one problem with it. I was more ****ed that she let someone in the house while I was gone. She quickly argued that she had five loaded guns in different parts of the house and was a country girl enough to shoot. She also said that she had my .50 cal Desert Eagle in the back of her pants while he was inside. HEHEHEHE what a girl.

Brent

Dude! Buy her a smaller gun! She's liable to fall over backwards with that monster back there.

 

[Earthroamer]

Dude! Buy her a smaller gun! She's liable to fall over backwards with that monster back there.

LOL. For some weird reason she likes the bigger bore guns. I had her shoot a 9mm and she didn't like it what so ever. Her favorite is a snub nose .357 but it was in her purse at the time and she didnt want to seem that obvious. Joe, she's the smallest of the family at 5'11" and 120lbs. I think she can hold up to it. LOL

To the management. I had just came off of a 14hr day. Sorry for the language.

Brent