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GBlist: HEPA-filter vacuum cleaners (LONG!)
To Michael Wood-Lewis:
Here's a "Consumer Reports" article on vacuum cleaners (sorry the columns
don't line up), an article from "The Wall St. Journal," and a posting (I've
deleted the original sender's name) on the Fantom vacuum, all of which I
picked up off the MCS Listserv a while back. Incidentally, I would think
that steam cleaning would not be a good idea, since the wet carpet would
promote mold growth.
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CONSUMER REPORTS: VACUUM CLEANERS
This report looks at vacuum cleaners, and includes Ratings, details and the
bottom line, brand reliability, recommendations, an overview, and sections
on brands, features, and where to call
for more information.
CONSUMER REPORTS RATINGS
The Ratings list the tested BRAND/MODELs by type. Within types, they're
listed in order of overall SCORE. Scores are on a scale of 0 to 100: 81 to
100 is excellent, 61 to 80 is very good, 41 to 60 is good, 21 to 40 is
fair, 0 to 20 is poor. If a product is both high in quality and relatively
low in price, we deem it a CR BEST BUY.
An X in the CARPET column indicates that the model is designed to clean
carpets. Carpet includes medium- and deep-pile rugs. An X in the FLOOR
column indicates that the model is designed to clean bare floors (including
low-pile carpet). A dash in either column means not applicable. Price is
the estimated average based on a national survey.
Ratings: Uprights
8 tested
SCORE BRAND/MODEL CARPET FLOOR PRICE
72 Sharp Twin Energy
EC-12TWT4
CR BEST BUY X X $ 150
68 Hoover Power
Drive Supreme
U6323-930 X - 300
68 Kirby G4 X X 1350
66 Eureka Powerline
Plus 7680AT X X 130
62 Hoover Power Drive
U6311-930 X - 250
59 Eureka Bravo! II
The Boss 7625AT X - 90
56 Hoover Turbo Power
4000 U5101-930 X - 195
55 Hoover Dimension
U5209-930 X - 180
Ratings: Canisters
7 tested
SCORE BRAND/MODEL CARPET FLOOR PRICE
72 Nilfisk GS90 X X $800
72 Miele White
Pearl S434i - X 850
70 Eureka Excalibur
6975A X X 300
61 Eureka World Vac
6865B X X 200
56 Hoover PowerMAX
Supreme S3611 X - 300
56 Panasonic Dirt
Sensor MC-V9635 - X 300
53 Hoover Futura S3567 X - 195
DETAILS AND THE BOTTOM LINE
Uprights
SHARP TWIN ENERGY EC-12TWT4 ($150) Hard-body upright with stair handle.
Hose ready for use with on-board tools. Quiet. Doesn't exhaust much dust,
so very good choice for those with allergies. Fan less vulnerable to
damage. But: Not good for side-edge cleaning. Prone to tip over when hose
is extended. Bottom line: Very good, though the sturdiness of the
power-head housing is a concern. A CR BEST BUY.
HOOVER POWER DRIVE SUPREME U6323-930 ($300) Self-propelled hard-body
upright with stair handle. Doesn't exhaust much dust, so very good choice
for those with allergies. Good side-edge cleaner. Tools on board are
covered. Easy-to-maneuver hose.
Manual carpet-height adjustment. Among the most reliable brands. But:
Heavy. Awkward to use on stairs. Bottom line: Very good overall, but bulky.
KIRBY G4 ($1,350) Self-propelled soft-body upright with stair handle.
Good side-edge cleaner. Easy-to-maneuver hose. Manual carpet-height
adjustment. Exhausts very little dust, so excellent choice for those with
allergies. Adjustable suction. But: No tools or hose on board, and hard to
convert for use with tools. Heavy (24 lb.). Bottom line: Weight and
astronomical price more than counter fine performance.
EUREKA POWERLINE PLUS 7680AT ($130) Hard-body upright with stair handle.
Essentially similar to Powerline Plus 9741AT, tested for our last report.
Doesn't exhaust much dust, so very good choice for those with allergies.
Good side-edge cleaner. Tools on board.
Easy-to-maneuver but flimsy hose. Manual carpet-height adjustment. But:
Awkward to use on stairs. Bottom line: Very good, but not among the most
reliable brands.
HOOVER POWER DRIVE U6311-930 ($250) Very similar to the Hoover Power Drive
Supreme U6323-930, except for minor features. But: Exhausts more dust than
most. Bottom line: Very good overall.
EUREKA BRAVO! II THE BOSS 7625AT ($90) Soft-body upright with stair
handle. Good side-edge cleaner. Tools on board. Manual carpet-height
adjustment. Doesn't exhaust much dust, so very good choice for those with
allergies. But: Flimsy hose. Noisy. Dirt disposal difficult and messy.
Bottom line: Very good performance, but not among the most reliable brands.
HOOVER TURBO POWER 4000 U5101-930 ($195) Hard-body upright with stair
handle. Good side-edge cleaner. Doesn't exhaust much dust, so very good
choice for those with allergies. Tools on board are covered.
Easy-to-maneuver hose. Manual carpet-height adjustment. Among the most
reliable brands. But: Mediocre suction. Noisy. Bottom line: Good overall.
HOOVER DIMENSION U5209-930 ($180) Hard-body upright with stair handle.
Very similar to Hoover Turbo Power 4000 U5101-930, except for minor
features. Exhausts very little dust, so excellent choice for those with
allergies. Bottom line: Good overall.
Canisters
NILFISK GS90 ($800) Good side-edge cleaner. Adjustable suction. On/Off
switch for beater brush. High-efficiency filter. Exhausts very little dust,
so excellent choice for those with allergies. Quiet. Shuts off
automatically if it overheats or jams. Price includes optional power nozzle
and special filter. But: No on- board tools or provision for cord storage.
Especially
inconvenient to switch from carpet to suction-only cleaning. Bottom line:
Very good performer, but inconvenient and extremely expensive.
MIELE WHITE PEARL S434i ($850) Good side-edge cleaner. Tools on board are
covered. Easy-to-maneuver hose and retractable cord. Adjustable suction.
On/Off switch for beater brush. Manual carpet-height adjustment.
High-efficiency filter. Exhausts very little dust, so excellent choice for
those with allergies. Price includes optional power nozzle and special
filter. Quiet. Shuts off automatically if it overheats or jams. But:
Inconvenient to switch from carpet to suction-only cleaning. Bottom line:
Very good overall with low emissions, but extremely expensive.
EUREKA EXCALIBUR 6975A ($300) Good side-edge cleaner. Tools on board are
covered. Retractable cord. Adjustable suction. On/Off switch for beater
brush. Quiet. Doesn't exhaust much dust, so very good choice for those with
allergies. Shuts off automatically if it overheats or jams. But:
Inconvenient to switch from carpet to suction-only cleaning. Bottom line:
Very good overall, but durability of motor and wiring and brand reliability
are concerns.
EUREKA WORLD VAC 6865B ($200) Good side-edge cleaner. Tools on board.
Easy-to-maneuver hose and retractable cord. Adjustable suction. Easy to
switch from carpet to suction-only. Shuts off automatically if it overheats
or jams. But: Exhausts more dust than most. Bottom line: Worth considering,
but dust emissions and brand reliability are concerns.
HOOVER POWERMAX SUPREME S3611 ($300) Tools on board are covered.
Easy-to-maneuver hose and retractable cord. Adjustable suction. On/Off
switch for beater brush. Shuts off automatically if it overheats or jams.
Easy to switch from carpet to suction-only. But: Exhausts more dust than
most. Bottom line: Worth considering if dust emissions are not a problem.
PANASONIC DIRT SENSOR MC-V9635 ($300) Tools on board are covered.
Easy-to-maneuver hose and retractable cord. Adjustable suction. On/Off
switch for beater brush. Manual carpet-height adjustment. Shuts off
automatically if it overheats or jams. But: Heavier than most (24 lb.).
Exhausts more dust than most. Bottom line: A good choice, but dust
emissions and brand reliability are concerns.
HOOVER FUTURA S3567 ($195) Tools on board. Easy-to-maneuver hose and
retractable cord. Adjustable suction. Easy to switch from carpet to
suction-only cleaning. But: Exhausts more dust than most. Bottom line:
Worth considering if dust emissions are not a problem.
BRAND RELIABILITY
The Repair Index is based on responses to our 1996 Annual Questionnaire,
covering more than 32,000 canisters with power nozzles and more than
125,000 uprights bought new from 1991 to 1996. A brand's repair history
includes many models and can't anticipate design or manufacturing changes.
Still, our experience indicates that you should improve the chances of
getting a trouble-free vacuum if you buy a brand that's been reliable.
Data have been standardized to eliminate differences due solely to age or
usage. Differences of fewer than 3 points aren't meaningful.
Repair Index: Upright Vacuum Cleaners
BRAND PERCENT OF REPAIRS
Electrolux 15
Hoover 19
Singer 23
Panasonic 25
Royal Dirt Devil 28
Sears 28
Eureka 29
Oreck 29
Riccar 29
Regina 35
Repair Index: Canister Vacuum Cleaners
BRAND PERCENT OF REPAIRS
Electrolux 15
Rainbow 16
Sears 19
Hoover 20
Panasonic 26
Eureka 26
CONSUMER REPORTS RECOMMENDATIONS
The models that work well on all types of floors deserve first
consideration. The quality, versatility and attractive price ($150 on
average) of the Sharp EC-12TWT4 make it a CR BEST BUY. Among canisters, we
recommend the Eureka World Vac 6865B ($200)
based on performance and price. Reliability, though, may be a concern.
OVERVIEW
Finding a vacuum cleaner is easy. But finding a good vacuum, one suited to
the floors in your house, thoughtfully designed and reliable, isn't always
easy. There are two basic types of vacuum cleaner: uprights and canisters.
Both have gained versatility by borrowing features from each other.
Uprights have the canister's hose and specialized tools. Canisters have the
upright's powered brush.
Still, there are differences between the types. Uprights are generally
cheaper, lighter and easier to store than canisters, which explains why
they outsell canisters by more than five to one. The rotating beater brush
is especially adept at beating the dust and dirt out of pile carpet.
They're less effective on hard surfaces. Their brushes may disperse debris
rather than vacuum it up. Most uprights come with a long hose and various
attachments for vacuuming stairs, under furniture, upholstery and such.
Canisters are known for their superior suction, which makes them good at
vacuuming bare floors. Most full-sized canisters include a power-nozzle
attachment with a beater brush to deep-clean carpet. Even with that bulky
attachment, canisters are still easier to maneuver around furniture than
uprights are.
There's no clear correlation between price and performance. You can pay
less than $100 or more than $1,000 for a vacuum cleaner, and some cheaper
models clean better. Spending more typically gets you more power and more
features.
The Ratings identify vacuums that work well on different types of floor.
The models we've listed include the best of the uprights and canisters from
a recent report, plus two new models we tested from Eureka and Hoover, the
dominant brands. For the first time, we also have reliability information
on brands. Overall, the vacuums in our survey were relatively troublesome
machines, with one out of four needing repair, usually a belt replacement.
Among
the brands, Electrolux was the star of the uprights, and it fared well with
the canisters as well. Panasonic and Eureka had the worst repair records
for canisters. Regina had the worst repair
record for uprights.
BRANDS
Hoover had one of the lowest repair rates among our readers for its
uprights. Its canisters had an average reliability rate. In our tests, the
Hoover family's performance has been highly
variable, but it seems to track roughly with price. Overall, its Dimension
uprights offer the best value among Hoovers.
Eureka uprights and canisters vary widely in performance. As for
reliability, there are less troublesome brands.
Royal makes mostly mass-marketed, inexpensive models called Dirt Devils. In
our last test, the models, which have since been discontinued, tended to be
noisy, and performance varied widely. Reliability has been about average.
Sears specializes in canisters. The models we covered in our last report
have been discontinued. Performance differences can be substantial. Models
in the Power-Mate line are better values than Whispertone vacuums.
Reliability for Sears has been middling.
Smaller brands include Panasonic and Sharp. Panasonic models, especially
the Dirt Sensor MC-V9635 canister, were better on bare floors than carpets.
Reliability, though, is a concern for Panasonic canisters. Sharp, whose
Twin Energy EC-12TWT4 upright tops the Ratings, is relatively new to
vacuums. Nilfisk and Miele are expensive European brands of canisters. We
do not have enough data to provide their repair history.
Kirby, like Rainbow, is sold door to door. Kirby offers just one upright
model, which is good at cleaning but very expensive and inconvenient.
Reliability data for Kirby were inconclusive.
Electrolux, a brand found in vacuum stores, is pricey but, according to our
readers, very reliable. The models tested for our last report were
relatively convenient, but they aren't
listed here since performance wasn't noteworthy.
FEATURES
Tools. Be sure on-board tools are securely stowed, not lightly clipped on.
Uprights without a hose or tools have limited utility. Avoid tools you have
to fuss to attach.
Hose. A thick, flexible hose tends to be less vulnerable to damage than one
that's thin or rigid. On canisters, a swivel joint prevents tangling.
Rug-height adjustment. The best designs let you raise or lower the
motorized brush with a dial, lever or pedal.
Cord storage. A built-in winder is best.
Suction control. Adjustable suction and a variable speed help prevent loose
objects from being inhaled.
Dirt sensor. This tells you when the machine has stopped picking up dirt,
not when all the dirt has been picked up, as you might think.
Fan design. Fans either push or pull air into the bag. Canisters have the
"pull" design. Soft-bodied uprights have the "push" design. Hard-bodied
uprights come in either design. The "pushers" make the fan blades
vulnerable to damage from incoming objects.
Power nozzle. Look for a comfortable handle and a separate switch to
deactivate the beater brush, especially if your floors aren't completely
carpeted.
WHERE TO CALL
If you have trouble locating a brand, call the company.
Eureka: 800-282-2886
Hoover: 330-499-9499
Kirby: 800-437-7170
Miele: 800-694-4868
Nilfisk: 800-645-3475
Panasonic: 201-348-9090
Sharp: 800-237-4277
Copyright Consumers Union of U.S., Inc., January 1997
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The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition
Marketplace Front
September 25, 1996
VACUUM CLEANERS MAKE SWEEPING HEALTH CLAIMS
By Jonathan Welsh
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Tiny particles that can lodge in your lungs. Pesticide residue just waiting
to be inhaled. Toxins leaking from home-office equipment.
Household dirt has never before seemed so ominous.
After years of touting their new upright model or their latest hose
attachment, many of today's vacuum-cleaner makers are trying to capitalize
on consumers' fears about indoor-air pollution and frustrations over
allergies. The companies claim that their latest models, using super-fine
filters, trap microscopic contaminants that can jeopardize people's health.
An ad from vacuum maker Miele Appliances Inc. warns of the "deadly world of
lung-damaging particles" that older models can't trap. Replacing your
vacuum "is a lot easier than replacing your lungs," says the ad, which even
carries the logo of the American Lung Association. And Eureka Co. claims
that its top-of-the-line Excalibur machines "clear the air while they
clean."
Behind some of the claims is a filter technology previously found mainly in
hospitals and electronic-industry "clean rooms." These "high-efficiency
particulate air" filters, known as HEPA, are capable of catching particles
as small as 0.3 micron, which is smaller than a dust-mite dropping.
Not everyone is sold on the filters. Health specialists say that such
high-tech measures, which can add as much as $100 to a vacuum's price, may
not make a noticeable difference to most people, even those suffering from
allergies.
Some shoppers are skeptical, too. "I see the soot that ends up on my window
sill, so I think you'd be hard pressed to keep indoor air clean with a
vacuum, especially in a city," says Carrie Tobias of New York as she
studies the array of vacuums at Macy's.
But giving consumers new reasons to buy vacuum cleaners isn't likely to
hurt the industry. Since 1980, the number of machines sold annually has
doubled to 15 million, and figures through this past August indicate that
sales have continued to rise this year, presumably aided by the new
filtration ad campaigns.
Royal Appliance Manufacturing Co. is offering HEPA on one of its high-end
models. Eureka's Excalibur also uses a HEPA filter. Miele vacuum cleaners,
which range in price from about $550 to $700, don't actually come with HEPA
filters. But for $70, the company, a unit of Miele & Cie. of Germany,
offers a HEPA filter cartridge that fits older models as well as current
ones.
And even companies that don't yet have HEPA models are making the same
kinds of claims. Hoover Co., which says it's looking into HEPA, declares
that its "microfilter bag" models this year are also "designed to help
those who suffer from allergies."
"HEPA is good for getting the public's attention. There's a perceived need
to be HEPA clean rather than just adequately clean," says Victor Polansky,
a spokesman for Electrolux Corp., which has HEPA models in the works. "A
lot of people are giving HEPA a serious look."
Sally Diffley, a nurse from Yardley, Pa., bought a Miele machine with a
HEPA filter six months ago. Her daughters' doctor recommended a
HEPA-equipped vacuum because one is allergic to dust and the other is
asthmatic. "I think our HEPA vacuum has made a difference," Ms. Diffley
says. "I know my daughters' attacks have been far less severe since I
started using the HEPA model."
Stanley Ellis Cushing, head of conservation at the Boston Athenaeum, a
private library, says he recently bought a HEPA-equipped vacuum to keep the
book collection free not just of dust but also of pesticide residue. "Our
collections are sensitive, so we want to make sure the air is as clean as
possible," Mr. Cushing says.
Other users, though, may not need HEPA filters. Lawrence DuBuske, an
allergy specialist at Harvard Medical School, says he recommends
less-sophisticated filters that attach to a vacuum's exhaust vent. They
catch most allergens and cost less, he says.
Moreover, using a vacuum with a special filter "is one of many small steps"
in reducing allergens and other tiny particles indoors, Dr. DuBuske says.
Putting special covers on mattresses, for instance, can be a more effective
way to control some of the most common irritants, such as dust-mite feces,
he says.
Some critics also charge that HEPA filters reduce vacuum-cleaner suction by
restricting the air flow. And some machines, even equipped with fancy new
filters, won't actually keep the tiny particles inside. "Less expensive
vacuums often leak from many places, defeating the purpose of having a good
filter," says Annette Miller, president of Allergy Control Products Inc., a
Ridgefield, Conn., company that sells equipment for allergy sufferers.
"What you have to realize with HEPA is that the standard applies only to
the filter material, not to the system in which it is installed," adds John
Jaimbalvo, executive director of the portable appliance division of the
Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. "A HEPA-equipped vacuum isn't
necessarily a great product."
And, of course, there's also another bigger potential problem: Even a
HEPA-equipped vacuum won't do anyone any good if it isn't being taken out
and used.
Copyright ) 1996 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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>The very best vacuum cleaner I have ever had is called the Fantom. The
filter is great and it works better than any I have ever used. After the
outgassing is done I have never had any problems. It also does not require
bags. I used to have problems with new bags. They also added pesticides
to some and I was always concerned about shipping together, mix-ups, etc.
This is an upright machine but has a long canister you remove to empty.
The handle pulls out to use for ceilings, corners, etc. I'll never have
anything else. The company has a video they send if anyone wants to learn
about the machine before purchase 1-800-668-9600 (free video)<
---------------------------
I hope these are helpful to you.
--Bella Stander (a lurker until now)
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