The GoVacuum Blog

By Michele Kadison

 One of the top vacuum cleaners that does the job in both professional and domestic settings is the Lindhaus HealthCare Pro Hepa upright model.  Versitile and lightweight, it cleans both carpeting and hard wood areas, with a low noise level.

The Lindhaus HealthCare Pro allows you to choose between either a HEPA filter or an active carbon cartridge, depending on your needs.  With a HEPA filter, you are able to remove particles at up to 99.97% efficiency, which is great during allergy season or after you’ve done your dusting and want to eliminate excess floating particles.  Using a carbon active cartridge allows you to remove odors and gasses that may be lingering in the immediate environment.  Because of the vacuums advanced exhaust technology, all carbon dust emitted from the exaust system is purified as it comes out of the motorized brushes, eliminating further contamination of your surroundings.  Containing an electrostatic micro-filter, which is used in hospitals to ensure that the air is biologically sound, the HealthCare Pro is ideal for maintaining optimum health requirements.

This Lindhaus vacuum cleaner comes with two motors, a 12 or 14″ power head base, standard on-board tools, an automatic shut-off feature, and the ability to adjust the machine to a comfortable working height.

As an avid reader of Wired Magazine, I was ecstatic to see the that their writers were able to extend their normal geeky/amazing coverage to my world: vacuums. Considering my normal high regard for Wired’s product reviews (from motorcycles to electronics), I was pretty shocked to find that their vacuum reviews fell short, mainly by becoming victim of aggressive marketing campaigns and ignoring critical factors like performance, reliability and price.

If you didn’t catch Wired’s June 2009 edition, which featured a side-by-side comparison of four upright vacuums, then you can catch the reviews individually on their website. Featured in this comparison were the Sebo Automatic X4, Dyson DC28 Animal, Eureka Boss 4D Pet Fresh Bagless Upright and the Hoover Platinum Collection Lightweight Bagged Upright. Among these four upright vacuums, which ranged in price from $150 to $699, Wired Magazine declared the Dyson DC28 Animal as the “Editor’s Pick”, leaving me a bit baffled considering the lackluster reviews we’ve heard from our customers. Another sticking point was the fact that Wired actually missed out on an entire market of vacuums, that being canister vacuums. True, the US market heavily favors the upright vacuum market, but the versatility and performance of many canisters (and let’s not forget their dominance worldwide) cannot be ignored in a product review from a magazine of Wired’s stature.

But, in order to give an intelligent rebuttal to Wired’s review, I sat down with GoVacuum’s product specialist, Chris Jones.

“While it was nice to see my favorite upright, the Sebo X4, finally getting some overdue respect from the media, especially Wired Magazine, I was not very impressed to see that the Dyson DC28 beat it for the top spot as ‘Wired Editor’s Pick,’” Chris said. Citing its ease of use, Chris also highlighted the superiority of the Sebo X4 because of its automatic height adjustment (as opposed to having to manually select on the Dyson) and the fact that the Sebo’s are among the easiest machines to repair, due to its direct access to the beater bar without the need of any tools.

The Dyson, on the other hand, requires the vacuum repairman equivalent of a rocket scientist to successfully repair the machine without breaking machine’s cheap plastic casing. And the do-it-yourselfers among Wired’s readership may be thoroughly disappointed by the fact that repairs on a Dyson require proprietary tools, not your common flathead or Phillips screwdriver. Even a belt change becomes an arduous task; one that generally requires you paying your neighborhood vacuum shop to do, quickly diminishing any cost savings between the Dyson and Sebo (or any other machine for that matter).

Price is obviously a consideration for those purchasing a vacuum, especially in this economy, so it was no surprise that Wired highlighted the $699 price tag on the Sebo X4, but it was a bit odd that similar criticism wasn’t given to the Dyson, despite a mere $100 difference and big difference in quality. Remarking on the machines’ longevity, Chris pointed out that the Dyson’s would be lucky to get 7-10 years of consistent performance, meanwhile the Sebo’s have been impressive by lasting over 20 years, guaranteeing a better return on investment with your Sebo (and a cleaner house).

Lastly, Chris told me he was excited “to see the new Hoover Platinum Collection Lightweight Model on their list, this is an excellent choice if you are in the market for a powerful, yet lightweight model. But consumers should realize that as a lightweight upright, you lose some features that full size models offer, like on-board attachments.”

Obviously, I am going to continue to be an avid reader and follower of the products that Wired recommends. But I can’t help but feel disappointed when offered the opportunity to shed light on an easily dismissed industry (vacuums), Wired’s review, frankly, sucked (excuse the pun).

In the latest installment of our video series, GoVacuum features the Miele Tango from its renowned S7 series, which has captivated dealers and consumers alike with its superior performance. Having always excelled in its design of canister vacuums, Miele’s breakthrough in the upright market is an exciting addition to its product line, which shouldn’t be a surprise since they spent 7 years perfecting the machine.

The combination of power and maneuverability that the Tango possesses is unsurpassed, but no Miele product can be praised without first mentioning its state-of-the-art filtration system. Miele sets the bar in emissions standards, and this vacuum is no exception, as it features Mieles patented HEPA filtration system. As you can see in the video demonstration, the Tango emits zero particles. Thats no allergens, pollens, dust, nothing to diminish your air quality, nothing detrimental to your health.

Like the rest of the S7 series vacuums, the Tango features Miele’s patented 360˚ Swivel Neck™ design and retracting rear wheels, which makes maneuvering a cinch. With the machine’s built-in telescopic wand and 14-foot hose, combined with the ability to lay the Tango completely flat, you can easily reach every inch of your room.

For a vacuum full of practical features, none is more useful than the automatic settings that adjust suction control for different types of surfaces. With this feature, you can seamlessly switch from high carpet to rugs to hardwood floors, without worrying about sacrificing cleanliness or damaging your surfaces. For the environmentally conscious, this automatic feature is energy efficient, as it uses the lowest amount of energy needed to complete the job at hand.

The list goes on for the number of impressive features on this machine, but its superiority is most evident when watching the machine’s performance in our video. Watching the Tango at work is its own best promotion.

As Spring continues to knock on our doors (and then quickly run away) in Virginia, we’ve been noticing an excess of dirt and grime being dragged through our doors into our warehouse. One huge benefit of working in a vacuum warehouse (and there are hundreds of benefits, believe me) is the access to an absurd amount of cleaning materials and equipment.

Luckily, we had just received a new shipment of the Haan FS-20 Steam Mops. Soon enough we had a bunch of the employees taking these awesome Haan Steam mops for a test-run around the warehouse. Never missing an opportunity to give our readers an insight into our company and products, I asked Chris to shoot a video of him using the Haan Floor Sanitizer.

Here’s the result of that film shoot:

Sufficiently impressed with the Haan’s FS-20’s performance, we even featured it in our GoVacuum Monthly Newsletter

Here’s a quick list of features that I gathered from using the mop myself:

Haan Model FS-20 Steam Cleaning Floor Sanitizer

-15 Steam Jets – less cleaning time and easier.
- Heats up in less than 3 minutes to 212 degrees
- Telescoping handle
- Microfiber pad – more absorbent and washable.
- 25 minutes of continuous steam
- No chemicals, just water.
- Short handle to tackle other surfaces (carpets, upholstery, etc).

Rechargeable hand held vacuum cleaners can be very handy. From cleaning out your car, to vacuuming hard to reach places, to quick pick-ups in the kitchen, cordless hand vacuum cleaners are extremely useful. One of the most popular hand vac’s has been Dirt Devil’s Kone, and Kurv models. Half piece of art, and half hand vac, these machines are a popular item here at GoVacuum, especially during the Christmas season.

In Consumer Reports’ annual vacuum cleaner ratings edition they tested different widely available hand vac models, including the Kone. In their report they discovered a “safety hazard” with some of the Kone models.

The specific Dirt Devil Kone models in question are the M0213, and the M0212 models. The problem, however, seems to be narrowed down to only the older L series machines. The problem is apparently because of an undersized filter adapter that has caused the machine to expel sand particles out of the exhaust port. The new “J” series models have a better sealing filter adapter and are not having this problem. “L” Series models are identifiable by the Plant code on the back of the machine.

Although no injuries have been caused by this problem, particles as big as sand being expelled from the vacuum cleaner should be a cause for concern, especially for those suffering from breathing issues such as allergies and asthma. Sand particles can be as large as 100 microns in size compared to dust mites and their droppings at 10.0 microns, or pollen particles at 10-30 microns, which are both highly explosive triggers for people with allergies and asthma.

In response to the Consumer Report’s test, Dirt Devil is giving customers who purchased the L series a free filter adapter. Customers can call Dirt Devil directly at 1-800-321-1134 in order to receive your free filter adapter.

One thing must be made clear to our readers. Rarely, dare I say never, do we agree with Consumer Reports’ view on vacuums. For years, their top rated vacuums have been some of the worst in the industry but “ironically” are vacuums sold exclusively to Big Box stores like K-Mart (Kenmore). (Corporate collusion anyone?) Our goal in discussing this specific Consumer Reports’ piece is to make sure that our customers get the free filter they deserve, so make sure to give Dirt Devil a call.

Further, we’ve made active attempts both online and in our retail stores to educate consumers on their vacuum purchases.

In addition to the Dirt Devil Kone, GoVacuum recommends the Filter Stream V2510, the only hand vacuum to have a sealed, HEPA certified filter. This Filter Stream Dirt Tamer is Wet/Dry and comes with a strong warranty for a hand vac, with a 2 Year parts and labor warranty.

- Chris Jones, Operations Manager

“GoVacuum, this is Chris speaking, How may I help you?”

When you’ve been in the vacuum industry for as long as I have, you can almost predict what the response is going to be on the other side of the line. More often than not, the question is something usually like “What is the best vacuum you sell?”

The thing is, however, that “best” is subjective to each individual vacuum owner. So I usually have to ask them questions about their flooring situation and cleaning preferences. But most often, I need to know whether the customer would prefer a canister or an upright vacuum, the eternal debate of the vacuum purchaser.

I can tell those in search of an upright vacuum, however, that I unequivocally have a favorite upright vacuum that I would not hesitate to label the “Best” in the industry. That vacuum is the Sebo X Series Upright Vacuum. In the X Series, there are two different models, the X4 and the X5. The only difference between these two is the length of the roller brush. The X5 is 15″ and the X4 is 12″

In order to explain my love for this machine, I put together a video (a rather long one too) demonstrating the features of this vacuum.

To sum up the video in text, I’ll briefly explain three main features of this machine that prove its superiority. These are:

As many of you can tell from our GoVacuum Review Series, we are dedicated to providing the most honest reviews and opinions about vacuums, with the ultimate goal being that you are always completely satisfied with your purchase.

In trying to provide our customers with as much relevant information for their vacuum research, we are also opening our website’s doors and inviting GoVacuum visitors and customers to leave their feedback and review of our products. Since we are a small team here at GoVacuum, it took us some time to get this feature developed without significant glitches. But, now, we are proud to announce that the customer product review feature can be found on every product page.

For a quick example of a product page, let’s take a look at the Sebo Air Belt C-Series Canister. If you look below the large, red “Add to Cart” button, you will see a green section titled “Product Reviews.” This is where the magic happens.

In order to submit your review, you must first click on the stars below the sentence “Click to Rate This Product.” When you click the number of stars you want to give the product, you will be prompted by a new window to leave the title of your review, your name and the actual review itself. We invite you to leave a review of any product you desire, whether the review is positive or negative.

Once your review is submitted, it may take up to 3-4 business days to be posted, so don’t be shocked if it doesn’t appear immediately. Because of the possibility of spammers taking advantage of this feature, we must have a GoVacuum editor review all the customer reviews before they are published on the site. GoVacuum’s policies about editing customer reviews are as follows: we will only edit a customer review for common spelling and grammar mistakes and will never change the content or opinion of the review.

We hope you enjoy this feature! Feel free to send us any feedback by leaving a comment in the blog!

Yes, David Oreck, founder of the Oreck company, will be remembered as one of the finest salesman of our times, there is no question about it. You see this guy everywhere!

Through his superior sales skills, and an extraordinary marketing team, the Oreck vacuum, specifically the Oreck XL, became a household name across the United States. Many people fondly remember the lightweight vacuum picking up the bowling ball in his TV commercials. The Oreck XL became one of the most popular machines on the market. The machine itself, however, has left a lot to be desired in terms of its ability to actually do what vacuums are supposed to do: clean.

The Oreck XL sells for nearly $500. Especially with way things are going in the economy, $500 is a lot of money to be spending. What you need to be sure of when making a decision to buy a high quality vacuum, however, is the machine’s quality. The old adage that “Quantity does not mean quality” makes sense in this case. One would suspect that a $500 vacuum would be quality.

What most customer’s don’t realize, however, is that the $500 spent on an Oreck XL isn’t going towards the quality of the machine but instead the quality of the machine’s advertisements. And the advertisements are good, we admit that. What lacks is truth in advertising, i.e. a good vacuum. Through the power of advertising, David Oreck has taken what should be $150 vacuum, and turned it into a $500 vacuum. Oreck isn’t alone in the industry, we find the same to be true about Dyson vacuums. Case studies will be written in business schools across the world about Dyson and Oreck and their genius in advertising, but unfortunately customers, not the CEOs, will be left with the hefty price tag.

Most other residential upright vacuums have a 12 AMP motor in them, it’s almost standard in the industry now. Whereas Amps don’t necessarily explain how much suction a vacuum has, you can usually get get a good estimate of suction from this measure. Oreck XL uprights have a 4 amp motor in them. Better yet, the top of the line Oreck XL21, the $700 Oreck, has a 3.5 amp motor in it!

We find that a lot of customers come in asking for this machine simply because it is light. But, honestly, a machine that’s 8lbs will be somewhat limited in its cleaning ability. So unless you are over 65, or physically unable to push a full size machine around, consider a full size upright or canister. They can do a better job, and many are still comparatively lightweight. You don’t need a 100lb vacuum to do a thorough cleaning.

If light weight is still the way you want to go, the Riccar RSL-4 (also 8lbs) was tested against the Oreck by a leading consumer magazine, and the Riccar Supra-lite, had 40% better suction then Oreck, and it sells for about 1/2 the price.

The Oreck XL vacuum was created for hotels, as evidence by their slogan “The Hotel Vacuum for your Home”. I think the idea being that a hotel vacuum must be strong and versatile so it would do well in your home. But the slogan is a bit misleading. Carpets in hotels are usually a low pile commercial grade which don’t require a lot of suction to get most dirt and debris out, hence the use of a low suction vacuum like the Oreck. But deeper carpets in your home, for example, require more suction and a much more aggressive vacuum to properly clean your carpets and rid them of the dirt, dust mites, pet dander, and allergens that infest your carpets.

One funny thing about the Oreck is that they created a place for an extra belt to be stored on the machine. While this is a very handy feature for when your belt breaks, it makes me nervous that a company is so unsure of its own product that they build in a replacement mechanism into the machine. It’s like buying a new bicycle with a extra compartment to place a replacement chain.

Overall, my impression of the Oreck XL’s performance is low. If I were to spend that kind of money on a vacuum (which I have, I own a Miele), I’d make sure that it could do more in my house than just pick up a bowling ball.

- Chris Jones

Sanyo SC – S700P Vacuum Review

We were very impressed with the cleaning ability of the Sanyo SC-S700P vacuum, especially for a canister with a powerhead and a price tag below $200. If you are looking for a budget vacuum canister, ideal for in between cleanings and for smaller spaces, this machine can serve your needs.

The Sanyo SC-S700P is a light weight canister that comes with an electric power nozzle for cleaning rugs and carpets. The machine also includes a variable speed motor control, which allows you to adjust how much suction power you want to clean with. This is ideal when cleaning delicate oriental rugs or your drapes!

With a full 12 amp motor, this machine provides plenty of suction power for cleaning even the most embedded dirt and dust. The internal wiring of the power nozzle makes removing the hose to clean upholstery and stairs, or using the attachments a breeze! There are no wires to unplug.

When changing from carpet to bare surface floors, you simply have to step on a switch on the power nozzle, that turns the roller brushes off. There is no switching of attachments to go from bare floor to carpets, saving you a lot of time.

The machine, however, does not have the greatest quality of electrical parts. The motor is a very loud motor and should not be expected to last more then 5-7 years. The filtration on the Sanyo SC-S700P is also very poor. With no HEPA Filtration option, this machine should be avoided by any house with allergies or breathing issues. Also the cord is only 17ft long, making you unplug the vacuum frequently during a clean around your house.

This machine is great if you are looking to spend under $200 for a canister vacuum with a power nozzle, there is nothing close in the same price range. But we will tell you, you will get what you pay for. Don’t expect this machine to last forever or perform any cleaning miracles. Knowing these things, the Sanyo could be the right machine for you.

- Chris Jones

Sebo X4 Vacuum Review -

We are proud to say that we have been in the business of selling and servicing vacuum cleaners for over 30 years; first through our local stores and more recently through our online store at GoVacuum.com. We began selling Sebo’s both in retail stores and online about 7 years ago, when the German vacuums were first introduced to the US market.

In terms of uprights, the Sebo X is the best vacuum we sell. Interestingly enough, it is NOT the most expensive vacuum we sell either. But in terms of an upright’s durability, cleaning ability, filtration, and ease of use – it’s the best.

To prove this point, I will tell you this interesting fact about the Sebo and its durability and functionality. In our seventh year of Sebo sales now, we have sold hundreds of their machines but are still waiting for our first warranty repair to pass through our doors. I won’t say that this machine has super status and never breaks, but I will say that it experiences significantly less issues than any other upright around. Further, the machine is truly designed for the average consumer, meaning that the machine can be repaired without the use of any tools. On the rare occasion that the machine experiences an issue, most people can repair the machine themselves.

The Germans have always excelled at engineering, as evidenced by their high end automobiles. Similarly, this knack for engineering has also spilled over into their manufacturing of vacuums. While some of their competitors (Dirt Devil, Bissel) aim for the cheapest price tag in Big Box stores, Sebo aims to provide a high quality machine, and leaves the sales of it only to those qualified to do it (i.e. independent vacuum cleaners).

Another impressive aspect of Sebo’s design and durability is that the fact that they are the only vacuum dealer in the world to give the customer a “Lifetime Belt Warranty”. They are able to offer this because the actual head of the vacuum has a feature that shuts off the motor as soon as it detects an obstruction in the brush roll, preventing any undue stress or breakage of the belt.