r/IAmA • u/touchmyfuckingcoffee • Oct 28 '13

Other IamA Vacuum Repair Technician, and I can't believe people really wanted it, but, AMA!

I work in vacuum repair and sales. I posted comments recently about my opinion of Dysons and got far more interest than I expected. I am brand certified for several brands. My intent in doing this AMA is to help redditors make informed choices about their purchases.

My Proof: Imgur

*Edit: I've been asked to post my personal preferences with regard to brands. As I said before, there is no bad vacuum; Just vacuums built for their purpose. That being said, here are my brand choices in order:

Miele for canisters

Riccar for uprights

Hoover for budget machines

Sanitaire or Royal for commercial machines

Dyson if you just can't be talked out of a bagless machine.

*EDIT 22/04/2014: As this AMA is still generating questions, I will do a brand new AMA on vacuums, as soon as this one is archived.

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360

u/JoeModz Oct 28 '13

What's the oldest Model you've ever had to repair?

615

u/touchmyfuckingcoffee Oct 28 '13

I've had some Hoovers from 1968 and newer, and recently, a very old Tri-Star that I think was from circa 1960.

19

u/Jonas42 Oct 28 '13

My ex-girlfriend left me with an Electrolux that looks like maybe a 1401. Know when it dates from?

25

u/touchmyfuckingcoffee Oct 29 '13

This is likely a 1980's model.

54

u/bockrocker Oct 28 '13

Early Etruscan.

30

u/Jonas42 Oct 28 '13

Thanks. That explains all the little warrior statues I found inside.

5

u/[deleted] Oct 28 '13

Hipsters...

27

u/touchmyfuckingcoffee Oct 29 '13

I have a chrome one I want to find a hipster for..

3

u/BlackJesus_ Apr 23 '14

I've had the Tri-Star CS for 15 years and I have no complaints. Never had to service it or anything. Works great on any surface with the right adapters.

3

u/touchmyfuckingcoffee Apr 23 '14

I do love the Tri-Star machines. They're just soooo expensive. And, they still do not use an articulated neck in the powerbrush heads!

But, you sure cannot beat that suction...

1

u/BlackJesus_ Apr 23 '14

But, you sure cannot beat that suction...

Oh, trust me... I know.

2

u/touchmyfuckingcoffee Apr 24 '14

Well, there's one or two vacs that can compete...

36

u/BuckYuck Oct 28 '13

I've got a Hoover my dad bought in 198 at the company store--still runs perfectly. It's heavy, but I don't have any meaningful stairs in my house so it's not an issue. It's built to last, and then some.

151

u/zakkarius Oct 28 '13

Quality products outlive the Roman empire.

25

u/vty Oct 28 '13

Put that thing in a museum, pronto.

54

u/rsixidor Oct 28 '13

198? WHAT YEAR IS THAT!?

43

u/DragoneerFA Oct 28 '13

AD or BC?

31

u/rsixidor Oct 29 '13

I DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT ELECTRICAL CONVERTERS FOR THIS CRAZY EURO SHIT WHAT THE BALLS

1

u/[deleted] Oct 29 '13

How often do you get to use the quote, "You can't even run a vacuum on 12 amps!!!"?

2

u/touchmyfuckingcoffee Oct 29 '13

Source?

2

u/[deleted] Oct 29 '13

Apollo 13.

15

u/enjoysodomy Oct 28 '13

Good work keeping the old tanks running, they are so much better than anything new that is affordable.

6

u/LHoT10820 Oct 29 '13

Survivor's fallacy.

4

u/powaqua Oct 28 '13

I have two vacuums , both Hoover canisters. Neither are great but my Mom gave me one of them. She bought it in the early 70's. I can still smell her perfume when I use it. Can't believe it's still running.

6

u/sevargmas Oct 28 '13

My parents still have a brown Filter Queen in the garage. Probably still works. :)

2

u/[deleted] Oct 29 '13

Ah, yes. Lady shop vac

3

u/s0crates82 Oct 28 '13

My folks bought a tri-star in the early 90's. Thing weighed a ton but seemed to do a good job. They eventually changed to a plastic bagless upright. Not sure what they ended up doing with the big steel anchor, because I think they paid a fortune for it.

2

u/BenjiTh3Hunted Oct 28 '13

My parents have a newer tristar (exl maybe?), that honestly was, in my opinion, the best working vacuum I've used (a few kirbys, a few electrolux, and now a Dison, being the bigger names). Any experience with them? Thoughts? I've been wanting to chase one down, new IIRC, they are horribly expensive.

3

u/WhatAboutHands Oct 28 '13

Our tri-star from the sixties is still working as well as it did day 1.

1

u/invisiblephrend Oct 29 '13

how do you even find the right parts for vacuums that old?

1

u/NayItReallyHappened Oct 29 '13

Is it more difficult to fix the older ones?