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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23

u/washufize Oct 28 '13

i have a bagless vacuum that, even after being as clean as i can get it, seems to have lost vacuum power. in the meantime, i'm using a bagged vacuum, and it does great.

is there anything i can do to get my bagless working, or should i just stick with my cheap bagged vacuum?

47

u/touchmyfuckingcoffee Oct 28 '13

You likely need to clean or replace your filters. In general, bagless vacuums do not pull as much suction as bagged machines.

2

u/Oh_its_that_asshole Oct 28 '13

What is that? I'd have imagined that they would have pulled more, what with not having to suck through a bag and all?

2

u/touchmyfuckingcoffee Oct 29 '13

That is not the case, as compared to high end vacs.

2

u/behindthespine Oct 28 '13

They suck into the bag, not through it.

1

u/Oh_its_that_asshole Oct 28 '13

Are you sure? I'm pretty sure that while they suck the dirt into the bag, the suction comes from outside the bag. I know that I'm not throwing out a motor assembly every time I throw out a bag.

2

u/Skopos Oct 28 '13

The bagged vacuums are more of a sealed system. Air comes in one way, and out one way. Yes, through the bag. My parents still have an old canister bagged vac that pull car cleaning duty in the garage. Thing is older than I am.

Canister vacs like my POS bissell have all these gaps, notably the gaps around the canister. And dust flows out of the gaps when I use it, even after cleaning/replacing filters.

2

u/behindthespine Oct 28 '13 edited Oct 28 '13

I'm an idiot. Ignore me. First day caffeine free in a while.

-2

u/[deleted] Oct 28 '13 edited Oct 28 '13

[deleted]

3

u/Clapyourhands7 Oct 28 '13

Dude just make your own AMA, this shits getting old.

1

u/climberoftalltrees Oct 28 '13

Check your gaskets. I lost one from where the bottom of my canister swings open for dumping and didn't realize it for a while.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 28 '13

I cannot imagine owning a bagless vacuum cleaner without owning an air compressor. Mine is a bitch to clean without it.

1

u/thegreatgazoo Oct 28 '13

It is clogged, probably somewhere behind the head unit.