It's all about the Kirby Sentria. These Oreck's are weak.

EPIC.

XD

I should've seen it coming, I'm grinning too hard to care.

I've owned several Orek XL's (orig. models) and they all suffered the same fate. Hair gets tangled up in the semi-sealed rollers rendering them useless. Finally got tired of replacing rollers and bought a Shark. Still have to clean hair from Shark rollers but it's a much easier task.

Bacehlor here. This vacuum is the best thing ever. Simple, not a billion attachments, and I picked up a packet of:

http://www.amazon.com/Oreck-Vacuum-Original-Scented-Tablets/dp/B000GWKXZY

which allow it to get the distinct smell of feet out from under my computer desk. Hardly weighs a thing and scoots itself across carpet and tile nicely. I still hate vacuuming, just not as much.

Another Bachelor -

I burned out two Orecks.It's just another vacuum cleaner.
Now I have a -
DYSON ANIMAL MODEL !!
The only 100% effective vacuum cleaner.
What can I say? It Just sucks!
(the dirt that is)

spanky wrote:Another Bachelor -

I burned out two Orecks.It's just another vacuum cleaner.
Now I have a -
DYSON ANIMAL MODEL !!
The only 100% effective vacuum cleaner.
What can I say? It Just sucks!
(the dirt that is)

Oreck's selling point is simplicity. Dyson's cost substantially more. If you think Oreck bag's are expensive wait til you have to replace the 3 filters on the animal.

It's also physically impossible for a canister vacuum to produce more suction consistently than a bag vacuum. A bag has an order of magnitude in surface area over a canister filter which slowly reduces suction. Canister filters are also nearly impossible to completely clean, and if you wash them, they will smell like mold.

Bag vacuums have been around for over a century for a reason. I know Oreck is one of the only big dogs that still stand behind them, but consider this: virtually all professionals use a bag vacuum, from hotels to airports.

Samus wrote:Oreck's selling point is simplicity. Dyson's cost substantially more. If you think Oreck bag's are expensive wait til you have to replace the 3 filters on the animal.

It's also physically impossible for a canister vacuum to produce more suction consistently than a bag vacuum. A bag has an order of magnitude in surface area over a canister filter which slowly reduces suction. Canister filters are also nearly impossible to completely clean, and if you wash them, they will smell like mold.

Bag vacuums have been around for over a century for a reason. I know Oreck is one of the only big dogs that still stand behind them, but consider this: virtually all professionals use a bag vacuum, from hotels to airports.

Wow, that was amazing! I've wondered what the big differences are between the new bagless and the old style. I'm sold.

Walmart had this for $240 with the hand canister. I have this vacuum and I love it. Light, easy to use and doesn't have a hose to pile up in the closet and doesn't weigh a ton or take up space when it is put away.

I didn't get the hand vac like the bundle offered, and the salesman knocked a Franklin off my price. I think it was about $130.

So for a refurb $80 ain't bad. These things were made for hardcore commercial use. The consumer/home models are just nicer fabrics/design for the bag, maybe a smaller/weaker motor, but the functional mechanics are the same. I grew up in New Orleans and there is a reason everyone had an Oreck -- they work.

HAVE A WORKING ORECK XL FROM THE 1970s THEY DO LAST.

Orecks simply suck. I mean that in the worst way. They foul easily, require constant repair and only work well with a new bag. My Dyson rules.

Tristan944 wrote:It's all about the Kirby Sentria. These Oreck's are weak.

Not exactly fair to compare a vacuum cleaner that costs as much as a month's rent with an 80$ one... :P

I'd tried Oreck ,Hoover and some others in my life . For a few years now I stand still with the Dyson animal DC41 , we don't have pet so it's kinda overkill but for the enormous suction ,I'm please with it.
As someone stated that the filter will stink after washed ,it probably not dry out completely before reuse.I normally gently wash them ,then dry it for a day or two ,ideally on top of an air vent somewhere in my house. We don't vacuum the house everyday so that would dry out the filter completely ,it has been fine though.
Another quick fix for lost or reduced suction is just simply turn it over and dissemble a few parts ,check and see if something clogged at the neck join (where connected between the handle and the base) .It takes less than 10 min.Very please with this Dyson.
But for the weight , Oreck simply beat almost everyone else , these things so light you can lift it up with 2 fingers.

Wait for a refub Dyson. They might cost more but are so worth it. I have 2 cats and a dog and all are terrible shedders. I have an older Dyson Animal and a Dyson ball (I don't want to have to carry a vacuum up the stairs) and they both do a much better job then my Oreck did. I also dispise constantly changing vacuum bags.

Wow, I haven't had a vacuum cleaner that required a bag in 10+ years. Why would anyone buy one of these?

karyn1 wrote:Wait for a refub Dyson. They might cost more but are so worth it.

I had one of the original Dysons, like $300. Just beyond the warranty, the belt snapped. Ok, no problem, I've changed tons of vacuum belts, should cost like $5. Nope, over half the price of the vacuum, because it is enclosed in a plastic non-openable case and the entire part was $160+ labor.

Will never get a vacuum that I can't change a belt on.

rixoff wrote:Wow, that was amazing! I've wondered what the big differences are between the new bagless and the old style. I'm sold.

Don't believe everything you read. I've had both, and I'll never go back to the bag. My Dyson is awesome.

Over the course of the past decade and a half, we've had 2 different Orecks and a Dyson Animal.

For the most part, I'd say that they clean about the same; we have fairly thick carpets, and 2 Himalayan cats, and we've never seen the roller issue with the hair in the Orecks. They have repair shops in our area, and we've had to visit them once every few years, but for normal wear and tear.

Lightest vacuum I've ever used, definitely much lighter than the Animal. And the Animal is good, too--maybe it's the heft, maybe it's that I spent so much for it, but it feels like a rugged vacuum, which makes me feel like a manly man for having provided it.

But the carpet looks fairly similar after using an Oreck and the Animal.

This is a no-brainer back-up purchase for my household.

comma wrote:Don't believe everything you read. I've had both, and I'll never go back to the bag. My Dyson is awesome.

I dunno... I have had two Dysons and they are horrible. I have several of the $80 Eureka bagless vacs and they just work. Not as sexy as a Dyson, but no nearly as complex either.

The key to effective use of ANY bagless unit is to keep them clean. I have an air compressor in my garage which I use to blow out the nooks and crannies and the filters.

One advantage to the Oreck is that the bag handles all of the dirt, but my bagless cleaners are much better if kept clean.

I had a Dyson for 4 years. Easy to use, easy to empty but it just does not do the job of some of the less expensive vacuums. Check Amazon for comments on the Oreck; both good and bad.

I don't understand why someone would want to use a bagless. Cleaning that thing out, gross!! I like taking the bag off and just throwing it away. I have had an Oreck for years and I love it. And, by the way, I used to sell high end vacuum cleaners in my early 20's, so I actually know a lot about the different models. Kirby's are unnecessarily heavy, it's just a selling point that makes them seem durable. The Oreck is lightweight, easy changeout for the belt, easy changeout for the bag, which closes shut as you remove it, parts and bags are inexpensive, it glides smoothly, can easily handle hard floors or rug with no changing or switching anything, it is just a great vacuum. And this is a fantastic price. I paid around $300 for mine. If I needed another one, I would jump on this one.

Had an Oreck, several models above this one... we thought it worked great! Then, our son developed allergies and in an attempt to get on top of them in he house we bought a refurb dyson (thanks woot!).

The day the dyson arrived, we changed the bag and vacuumed with the Oreck first (it had recently had a tune-up btw), just like every other time we used it. THEN, we went back over the carpet with the Dyson. Sold... the Oreck went straight into the garage. The amount of dust and dog hair that the dyson picked up and the Oreck left was ridiculous and SCARY.

I've had cheap $40 bagged vacuums and now have a $500 Dyson animal. We liked the bagged cheapy better. Why? The dyson is sexy, has lots of attachments and yes always gives you lots of suck. The downside is if your wife has long hair, and you have dogs the human long hair wraps around the brush and weaves in the dog hair so it clogs it up and you have to get down with a knife or scissors every couple weeks and dig it out. Extremely annoying. So if your humans have short hair the dyson will be fantastic. Long hair, dont bother with a dyson. I'd rather dig hair out of a cheaper bagged vacuum than wondering why they couldnt solve the clog problem on a $500 unit.

On the bagged vs bagless, I must say I prefer bags as long as they are inexpensive. I agree with the other poster that emptying the canister is nasty and you get dirt on your hands when you close it back up.

ChgoOptician wrote:I had one of the original Dysons, like $300. Just beyond the warranty, the belt snapped. Ok, no problem, I've changed tons of vacuum belts, should cost like $5. Nope, over half the price of the vacuum, because it is enclosed in a plastic non-openable case and the entire part was $160+ labor.

Will never get a vacuum that I can't change a belt on.

If you can use a screwdriver, you could have done it yourself for $30. I just did mine.

I will agree it is a dumb design though.

Samus wrote:Oreck's selling point is simplicity. Dyson's cost substantially more. If you think Oreck bag's are expensive wait til you have to replace the 3 filters on the animal.

It's also physically impossible for a canister vacuum to produce more suction consistently than a bag vacuum. A bag has an order of magnitude in surface area over a canister filter which slowly reduces suction. Canister filters are also nearly impossible to completely clean, and if you wash them, they will smell like mold.

Bag vacuums have been around for over a century for a reason. I know Oreck is one of the only big dogs that still stand behind them, but consider this: virtually all professionals use a bag vacuum, from hotels to airports.

Wow you have NO idea what you're talking about. How about a bagless canister vac that dumps into the canister at the top, like the one I have and pull the carpet up from suction! Derp. Might wanna think/research a tad before you comment. It's just one of the older/better Kenmore Progressives (not the newer rounder colored ones that are crap).

also, can't wash cuz of mold? what the heck are talking about?! I wash my filters all the time and the canister. Just don't put the canister back on until it dries if you're getting mold, but I've never heard of that problem.

Will this vacuum work well on hardwood floors?

I have the Oreck and the Dyson and prefer the Dyson hands down! The Oreck is always needing to be serviced and because I have such thick carpet the Oreck service department says that's the reason I have so many problems with it and the belt breaks often. It works great on my tile and hardwood but on my carpet nothing but problems! I bought it because it was light weight (and it really is) also loved that it only had one small tube going to the bag! But like I said doesn't work on thick carpet! Hard floors and flat carpet and I say this is good other than that go with Dyson!

My wife bought a refurb dyson about 7-8 months ago, we have used shark vaccum for wood floors previously, and a eureka that I also bought off of woot for our rugs and carpet...

I also own a cleaning company doing mostly commercial cleaning,I have 6 different vaccuum cleaners, all of them are Riccar 800 series with all onboard tools, filterbags. I do all of my own maintenance on them, very easy to work on. bar none one of the best vaccuums out there. I have used Lindhause, kirby, all different kinds, Riccar is better than a dyson...

but i dont clean my house considering I clean for a living, so my wife gets her dyson and it works great.

Orecks suck, literally and figuratively, my grandparents have one and I do not like using it, when I clean their condo:/

Just a "Wow, Woot, Nicely done!"

I placed this order yesterday. Before midnight last night, I received the shipping notification. Before I got home from work today, I had the Oreck.

Very nicely done.

Received today....works nicely on my tile floors.

Received mine today and loved it, emptying those canister vacs gives me an allergy attack. It glides over carpet like a self propelled machine.

Piece of junk. It came with an extra screw rolling around in the housing. Took it apart and extracted the screw. Vacuum lasted one time cleaning one room before blowing a belt out and the brush housing is messed up. Taking it to an Oreck warranty center tomorrow. What a joke!!