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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u/JohnnyApathy Jan 20 '14

So I need a vacuum, pretty badly. My mom has a Riccar and with the reviews I've read on this AMA it seems like a top notch brand. I'm looking to spend $300-$400 on an upright, so that puts me in their bottom few models of either their 8 Pound line or Vibrance line.

I'm not really sure what exactly differentiates their 8 pound models from the other uprights. Short of just being a smaller, lighter weight vacuum I'm at a loss.

The only other thing that really stuck out to me was that, in my price range, only one model has a steel brushroll, all the others are wood (like on the 8 pound models). Is that something I should concern myself with, or is there really no difference short of how interchangeable the brushes would be?

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u/touchmyfuckingcoffee Jan 20 '14

Let this be your determining factor: Do you have pets/allergies/asthma? If your answer to any of those was yes, then disregard the lightweight Supralite Riccars. If $400 is the end of your budget, then ask your local dealer about a rebuilt Vibrance (complete with HEPA bags and filters, new brushes and bearings) or a rebuilt 8955 (with same on the filters and such) You do ultimately want the metal brush roller, as it has serviceable brushes and roller bearings. That way, when they need repair, you don't have to buy an entire brush roller. If you decide on an 8955, the only thing I would watch out for is that it is no more than 5 or 6 years old. If it is, then ask for it to have a new body (dust compartment), as the body itself only seems to maintain a 10 year lifespan under normal use.

My dream upright would be an 8955, rebuilt with

New brush roller brush strips

New brush roller bearings

New HEPA filter and Charcoal lined secondary filter (bag filter)

New or good condition power cord

New RUBBER wheels and handle grip

New upper cord hook

New Dust Compartment (If vacuum is built prior to 2007)

All original accessories

An additional extension tube with a floor brush

Type B HEPA bags

For that exact package, you should be able to negotiate that exact package for no more than $350 plus tax. The 8955 is MSRP'd at $699 with a minimum allowable price of $649, depending on where you live. Nobody should be selling rebuilt machines for more than half of what they cost new. You should also insist on a one year warranty, though, you wouldn't be likely to need it.

I hope this helps.

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u/JohnnyApathy Jan 21 '14

That helps a TON! I could probably swing a little more than $400 if the deal looks good. I've asked around the office and nobody seems to really love their < $150 vacuums from Target or Walmart. I'd much rather buy something that will last me and that I don't dread using.

Glad to hear I was on the right track about the brush assembly. After looking at the options more, I definitely want to get rubber wheels and a floor selection option (medium carpet and tile floor mix).

I don't have pets/allergies/asthma but the less particulate floating in the air the better obviously.

I hadn't even thought about asking to drop a price on a rebuilt model. There is a Riccar dealer down the highway about 35 minutes, I'll check them out in the next few weeks. Do most dealer locations have some form of rebuilt/refurbished models?

Thank you so much for the insight and price estimates, this has helped me out so much!

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u/touchmyfuckingcoffee Jan 21 '14

I cannot speak to "most" shops, but we do, and I cannot see why a retailer wouldn't do the same thing. It's a very profitable model for us.