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justjustin_gw

Kirby -VS- Dyson

justjustin
17 years ago

Firstly, I have a Rainbow E2 Series which I love. My problem is my DP will not use it. Loves the way it works and says it gives an amazing clean but he doesn't like using a canister vacuum.

Basically, when it comes to giving the deep cleaning that I want (DP does most of the vacuuming) I've narrowed down my choices to a new Kirby (or maybe a very new pre-owned one from E-Bay) and a new Dyson.

If you were given the choice and money weren't an object, which one would you choose?

Justin

Comments (97)

  • tuxer
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I can't believe all the people foolish enough to fall for Dysons marketing hype. .

    Vacuums are all about physics and airflow and the physics involved have not changed in the last 100 years or so.

    The Kriby is the king and has been constantly proven to be a far superior vacuum then the Dyson.


    For example when it comes to fluid dynamics the Dyson is very poorly designed. Anyone who knows anything about airflow knows that you avoid right angles and small apertures at all costs. For efficiency you always use the largest aperture you can yet The Dyson has these tiny suction tubes about 1.3 inches compared to Kirbys 2.25 inch tubes and airflow passages.

    Not only that the Dyson has right angles in the suction tubes, these right angles greatly reduce flow and facilitate clogging, By the way the number one repair that that service people see with Dysons is clogging and leaking seals. Then we have the off balance suction, All of Dysons suction power is on one side unlike Kirbys centered and balanced powerhead. The Dyson is pretty and looks cool but compared to a Kirby you might as well be using a broom.

    Now lets look at some scientific comparisons
    that were done comparing the Dyson to a Kirby

    On a calibrated air flow meter that reads a scale of 1 to 10 the Dyson scored a pathetic 2.8 on the scale

    The Kirby on the other hand scored off the scale well above 10. So the testers added 10 extra feet of hose to the Kirby to lower the reading so it would show in the scale.

    Now get this Even sucking though 10 extra feet of hose the kirby still produced 3 times as much airflow while consuming 66 percent less power.

    The final results were Kirby wins
    Kirby 7.8 sucking through 10 extra feet of hose
    Dysons a pathetic 2.8 with no extra hose while consuming 66 percent more power

    Now on to the suction test. The dyson managed a pathetic 1.2 pounds of suction at the powerhead. The Kirby on the other hand produced an unbelievable Dyson shattering 12 pounds of suction, whats that like a 1000 percent more suction power all while consuming 66 percent less power....

    Yes the Kirby literally obliterated the Dyson in every single scientific comparison ever conducted except for one. the coolness factor.

    So if you want the latest cool looking toy and don't care about performance then buy a Dyson. Keep in mind though, even with a full bag a 20 year old Kirby has over 3 times the cleaning power and uses 66 percent less electricity.

    Like I said the Dyson is pretty and looks cool but compared to a Kirby you might as well be using a broom.

    If you don't believe me review some of the tests that Greatvacs did

  • tuxer
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Kirby wins hands down !!!!

    I almost forgot to post the results of these two important tests. As could be expected, Kirby obliterated Dyson in these tests as well.

    Winner of Test #3 - Most Power full of dirt = KIRBY

    Full of dirt on the dirt meter the Dyson pulled a 2.8 and the Kirby pulled a 5.9 with a bag full of dirt. The Kirby did loose power full of dirt (pulled a 7 with a empty bag) but was still almost twice as powerful full of dirt.

    The Dyson pulled a 2.8 empty and a 2.8 full so Dyson was right it did not loose any power as it filled with dirt.

    Winner of Test #4 - Best Cleaner = KIRBY

    In our dirt test Kirby dominated. It pulled up almost double of the dirt that the Dyson did. The Dyson pulled up 40% of its dirt in this test and the Kirby pulled up 75% of its dirt in the same test.

  • fiddleydee
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You know, a few other people on here have stated that its more obvious to do home challenges than trust in the science bit. Having used two of these machines, both Kirby and Dyson models I'd say Dyson everytime. As a homeowner in a large house, my Dyson runs rings around Kirby and after trialling the Kirby from a salesman who wanted an astronomical amount of money for the Kirby, I stuck to the Dyson. Dysons may well be plasticky but they can be replaced easily FIVE TIMES LESS at cost than Kirby. Also, had a look at a You Tube video which easily shows up what Kirby are bad at doing.

    Unless you can get yourself a real life comparison of a Kirby vacuum and A Dyson then be prepared to be shocked. Yes, whilst Kirby are all metal in their construction, in the UK at least unless you have a larger home or mansion they are really too big, noisy, far too heavy and at cost price not worth considering. Dyson may offer 5 less years with a guarantee but they are far more versatile to use without being too much of a struggle.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm_QhQrrNMA

  • tuxer
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    "Also, had a look at a You Tube video which easily shows up what Kirby are bad at doing"
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    One of these days I'm going to go through all the trouble of doing my test over again simply so I can Video tape it and post it on Youtube.

    All the Comparisons on Youtube comparing the Dyson with the Kirby are a joke. I have seen high school science classes come up with more convincingly accurate tests.

    These Youtube videos are always the same.

    Some dingbat throws down a hand full of dirt and then sweeps it once or twice with Kirby. Then they grab a Dyson and sweep the same area like 10 times and amazingly enough the Dyson actually picks up dirt. Whats amazing is that people actually use these tests as a way of trying to prove that one vacuum is better then another. You would have to be an utter moron to fall for this kind of scam.

    Of course the Dyson is going to pick up dirt that the Kirby left behind you didn't honestly believe the Kirby would pick up all the dirt in one or two passes did you.

    We could easily reverse that test and I would be willing to bet one of my homes that the Kirby would pick up a bunch of dirt the Dyson left behind.

    Those types of tests are really nothing more the con job a sales pitches intended to sell housewives something they already want. They are not accurate scientific evaluation. Thank god those of us who work at NASA are a bit more thorough then that otherwise we would have a bunch of dead astronauts

    Why is it people fall for this type of crap. For example the tempurpedic memory foam mattress who claims it is, that it was designed by NASA for astronauts. Okay did anyone actually think about this before buying one of these sweat boxs.(foam is an insulator and I like a mattress that breathes) Anyhow exactly why would an astronaut need a high tech memory foam mattress to sleep on while in orbit. I'll give you a hint it's a (weightless orbit) they couldn't lie down on a mattress if they wanted to.

    Okay back to the Kirby vs Dyson
    The test I preformed was considerably more scientific. It was very accurate and the test results are repeatable and predictable.

    You don't have to take my word for it try the test yourself you will be amazed at how much better a Kirby is. The Dyson is nothing but snake oil.

    Heres what you will need

    2 brand new 3x6 foot sections of a thick shag carpet, thats 2sq yards each just in case you can't measure and they need to be BRAND NEW!!!.
    You will need an accurate digital scale
    1 Kirby vacuum
    1 brand new Kirby bag
    1 Dyson Vacuum freshly cleaned
    2 coffee cans
    Exactly 2 pounds of dirt measured on the digital scale.

    Step one.
    Weigh the empty Kirby bag and note it.

    Step 2
    Place a coffee can on the digital scale and hit tar
    now add dirt to the can until you get exactly 1 pound. Repeat this step once more so you have two cans with exactly one pound of dirt in each can.

    Step 3
    Carefully spread each can onto one of the two sections of carpet and then lightly pat the carpet so the dirt settles into the fibers.

    Please note each vacuum is assigned to only one section of carpet.
    Step 4
    Vacuum each test section, (one test section of carpet per vacuum) In my test I did 25 strokes which is probably close to what someone would do if they spilled something on their carpet .

    Step 5
    Carefully remove the bag from the Kirby and weigh the bag subtracting the weight of the empty bag we noted earlier.

    Step 5
    Place an empty coffee can on the scale and hit tar now empty the dyson container and weigh the contents..

    When I did my test the Dyson managed to pull up 4oz of dirt. or about 25 percent of the dirt that was spilled onto the carpet (one pound = 16 oz)

    The Kirby picked up a Dyson shattering 14 oz of dirt or 87 percent of the dirt that was spilled on the test section.

    Once again the results are hard to argue with
    Dyson picked up 4 of 16 oz
    Kirby picked up 14 of 16 oz

    This is how an accurate comparison is done and in this test the Kirby demonstrated an astonishing 350 times more cleaning power then the Dyson.

    Don't believe me? Well I'm not asking you to. Give it a try yourself the results are hard to argue with when you see it first hand.

    Now I wouldn't go through all the trouble of typing this up if Dyson owners would just be honest and quit bragging about how much better they want to believe a Dyson is. It would be a lot easer to take them seriously if they simply admitted that they bought their Dyson simply because it was the new cool product to own and they wanted it because the "In crowd" owns them. Some of us are more interested in performance not vanity and when it comes to performance the Kirby obliterated the Dyson in every scientific test ever preformed! it did it every time, hands down! end of story.

  • graywings123
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I bought my Dyson because I wanted a bagless vacuum that emptied easily. A Kirby wasn't even in the running because it did not meet my criteria. It is as simple as that. I don't get why that is so difficult for all you Kirby dealers to comprehend.

  • holleygarden Zone 8, East Texas
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have both - and use both!
    I had the Dyson first, but my black rug (NEVER buy a black rug!) was not getting clean. So, I bought a Kirby and it does the job wonderfully. I use the Kirby exclusively on my carpets now. So why do I need the Dyson?
    Well, I use the Dyson for my hardwoods, tile, and for getting cobwebs out of the corners, etc. because I hate to change the Kirby attachment. (just lazy, I guess) I do make myself put the attachment on when vacuuming the furniture because we have a horrible cat hair problem!
    So, the Dyson wins for ease of use, but the Kirby still out-cleans the Dyson (that black rug is a great test as everything shows on that thing!).

  • steveo44
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ive been coming to this site for a while mostly for lawn care tips. You folks are very helpful! However, I recently purchased a Dyson DC-25 animal after doing a great deal of research on the subject so this forum topic peaked my interest. Ive never posted here, but Ive received so much help with my lawn from the members here I thought should give something back. Im not a salesman or a vacuum cleaner expert, but I am a licensed professional engineer so I was also intrigued by the "scientific" arguments in this post as well.

    One of the things I noticed during the course of my web research is that when you use the common search engines for reviews or comparisons of Dyson to other high end vacuums that the top 3 or 4 search results on Google are reviews done marketers and salesmen (e.g the greatvacs guy above). All of these reviews rave about how Kirby, Filter Queen, Rainbow, etc. crushes the Dyson in every category. If I were a vacuum salesman, it would be in my best interest to reach the same conclusion as well.

    Thanks to the wonderful world of the internet you can easily find that a Kirby costs the dealer around $900, and they sell for between $1400 and $2000, depending on how well you negotiate. Kirbys are sold door to door and the huge mark-up goes up the sales chain in commissions. The salesman that comes to demo the machine at your door probably only gets around $100 for each sale. The other high end machines are about the same price and use the same sales methods and commission structure. Salesmen also claim that the models with bags are much cleaner because you dont get the puff of dust when you empty the canister. I dont think this is a valid argument. Ive changed lots of vacuum bags in my day and you get the same puff of dirt you get with a bag-less. In any case, its in the salesmens interest to sell you a model that uses bags because they sell bags. Honestly, Im all for capitalism, but I also dont like wasting money.

    I bought the Dyson DC-25 Animal at Kohls for $550. Again, a little internet research reveals that typical retail appliance mark-ups are 10-25%. Im sure the nice sales girl at Kohls didnt get any commission, but the store made a tidy $100, or maybe a little more, from my purchase. Kohls will not be making any money from me on belts or bags because the Dyson has neither.

    Now on to the science part:

    The tests being cited in favor of Kirby in the previous posts completely miss the point and arent exactly done by independent professionals (in my estimation). The question should be: Which vacuum best meets the objective of cleaning floors and / or furniture in an efficient manner? Other objectives should look at: How hard is it to use? What does the machine weigh? Are the attachments easy to use? Do I need special tools? For me it was very important to be able to clean the roller bar easily as my wife has very long hair.
    You cant measure these things scientifically. I love how the "greatvacs guy" timed himself walking to a pretend closet to get his Kirby attachments.

    Really the only science that applies is the suction power. At least Dyson tells you in airwatts what the power is rather then using some hokey ball meter that measures from 1 to 10 or proving it has no power by vacuuming over the same spot. The model I purchased is rated at 220 airwatts. This is more than enough to thoroughly clean my thick pile carpets and pick up all the hair. I was going to go on and pick apart the experiments cited above but I think Ive made my case.
    In short, the best reviews of appliances tend to be in forums like this or on amazon where people who use all the features share their experiences. There are very few unhappy Dyson customers out there (unless you ask a Kirby salesman).

  • duajones
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ok, just exactly what are air watts? Show proof of air watts on both the dyson and the kirby and how it relates to good carpet cleaning with a vacuum cleaner. What is suction power? Are you talking inches of water lift? Air flow is what matters most on carpet and the Dyson isnt in the same league as the kirby in that area. Thick pile carpets are where the Dyson struggles the most. Anyone who believes otherwise is only kidding themselves

  • steveo44
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airwatt

    Its a unit to actually measure the power of the suction. It has real engineering units unlike a spring ball that reads 1 to 10 of some unknown value.

    Air flow is not what matters most. Its a combination of flow and differential pressure. In any case 220 airwatts gets my carpet plenty clean. I don't think I'm kidding myself...I don't see any dirt. I get down real real close with a magnifying glass. Nope still no dirt.

  • duajones
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago
  • steveo44
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Here is an up to date review done by a mom who doesn't make $500 to $1000 per Kirby that she sells. It is not a scientific review, but it is an honest review that covers all aspects of both vacuums in typical home use.

    http://accidentalmommies.com/2009/07/dyson-animal-and-kirby-ultimate-g-the-bottom-line/

  • duajones
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    That video has several flaws. Look at the Kirby bag when she turns it on, you dont see the bag inflate indicating either a real full bag or a partial clog. Secondly, notice where she has the height adjustment set on the Kirby. Down to its lowest setting which robs it of its airflow. She obviously doesnt even know how to use the machine properly. I will go with the above posters test where the Kirby outperformed the Dyson in picking up the pound of dirt. 14 percent versus 87 percent. Pretty much sums up the comparison for me. Of course everyone will believe what they choose, fact or not

  • steveo44
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I guess I havent explained myself very well and this whole thing got way off track. My entire point is that there is much more than suction power to accomplishing the mission of cleaning a carpet. Kirby does one thing well.it draws a very nice suction. In fact, in the link I posted above, she reaches the same conclusion. My opinion is that if I can get my carpet clean with 220 airwatts, why do I need 500 or 10,000 airwatts?

    The Kirby designers really miss the boat when it comes to practical every day use. They have designed a behemoth that is hard to maneuver (self propelled yes, but its hard to steer around tight corners), hard to maintain (bags and belts, it takes a lot of effort to clean the roller bar if its all haired up), hard to move up and down stairs (heavy / bulky), hard to connect attachments (you have to fetch them from the closet and go through several steps to hook things up), etc, etc. Factoring all this in with the ridiculous sales commissions makes it very hard to make a case as to why a Kirby is better overall. Does the Kirby pull more suction? It probably does, but if I have a clean carpet and floors at the end of the job and I accomplished this quickly without frustration I dont care which one has more suction.

    I could design a vacuum that uses a jet engine and post all kinds of experiments that show how my jet outperforms everyone elses vacuum, it would be kind of loud and hard to push around and require maintenance crews, suck up pets, need jet fuel etc. My jet vacuum would have superior suction power by far and I would make sure I get $10,000 commission on every one I sell. Does that make it better for the job?

    In my opinion, if you have want to spend a lot of money on a sweeper look at Miele, Dyson, Panasonic, or Sebo. My preference is Dyson because it doesnt have belts or bags to deal with. However, the others get excellent real reviews from real users and appear to be great machines. Stay away from sweepers that require a second mortgage and dont fall for gimmicky sales demonstrations that use "science". Look for reviews by users that discuss practical every day use of the machine.

  • duajones
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You mention not having bags or belts to deal with and so does the mom who rated the machines in the link you provided. The Dyson DC25 does have a belt, part number 914006-01 available from Searspartsdirect.com. No bags but it does have 2 filters, one prefilter and one hepa post filter.
    I dont think the Kirby is a user friendly vacuum at all. I just believe that it will clean circles around any Dyson on Carpet,period.

  • steveo44
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ah good point. There is a little belt from the small motor in the brush head to the roller. I'm not trying to mislead anyone. Its just not the typical big fat belt that drives everything and smokes up the house with burnt rubber smell like my old Hoover Wind Tunnel.

    As far as the filters they are reusable and you need to rinse them under a faucet every 3 months. Not too much effort.

    Thanks for the lively debate!

  • duajones
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I appreciate the lively debate as well. Most Hepa filters that are washable are also restrictive as well, again hurting air flow. Air flow is the most important factor in Carpet cleaning, less important in bare floor cleaning and attachment use where water lift and air watts may mean more. I personally wouldnt own either but if I were to choose just one to keep my carpet the cleanest, it would be the Kirby hands down. Used model at hundreds less than the door to door asking price but at the same price as a new Dyson, still a better overall carpet cleaner. If I have nothing but hard flooring or tile and a couple of area rugs I may choose the Dyson but again a used one as they are high priced for what they offer cleaning wise and most importantly durability wise. The brushroll or roller on some of the Dyson models is the cheesiest that I have seen, comparable to 49 dollar closeout models offered at discount stores. Dyson vacuums are comparable to the Fantom vacuums of old which went out of business. Dyson has a much better advertising program but the actual machines arent much better. For you folks that love them, wait until you really need some type of service, Dyson doesnt care about the service end of things, they only care about selling machines. A local repair shop that is very reputable was dropped by Dyson because they couldnt sell 30 machines a month. Now in my area, if you need warranty work you have to ship your Dyson to New York or somewhere to get the work done. Everyone has their choice of vacuum and their reason why they like the machine. Give it a couple of years and more and more people will have bad things to say about the Dyson because they dont give a darn about service and with their advertising budget and the current economy things will only get worse. I am not a Kirby dealer but I would buy a used American made Kirby over a new Dyson everyday of the week. Dysons are made in Maylasia I think. The Dyson is a fad machine that isnt very well made and overly advertised to make people think it is the best thing since sliced bread. It is a poor vacuum at best. Now I will shut up and let you folks get on with your arguments about which is better and why. Buy American, we as a nation need that right now

  • graywings123
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Sorry, but "buy American" is a p!ss poor reason to buy a machine that is too heavy for the average American woman to lift. You men just don't get it.

    For you folks that love them, wait until you really need some type of service . . .

    Yes, I am still waiting for the chance to see how Dyson handles repairs. I bought my Dyson in February 2003. It is now August 2009 and I haven't needed service, belts, or replacement bags.

    Meanwhile, 6.5 years of Kirby bags, bought in bulk at $2 each and changed once a month would have cost $156.

  • duajones
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    No belt change yet? Interesting because your machine uses regular rubber belts that stretch out without even being used. With 6 yrs of use I can guarantee your belts need changing on a DC07 if that is indeed what you have. And if the Hepa filter is 6 yrs old it should have been changed several times by now. If one were using that machine regularly on carpet the bristles on the brushroll would be pretty worn by now as well. And if one were regularly using the dusting brush with the flimsly nylon bristles that would be pretty worn by now as well. Add those items up and there is your $156 dollars plus. A 6 and a half year old Dyson that has never had the filter changed or the belts changed is not working "properly", Might as well be using a 50 dollar throw away vac as it would outperform the Dyson at that point. In all honesty you should check into having the belts replaced and find out what the cost is or if you can find someone who will do it, then report back. Your machine will perform much better with the proper maintenance,Dyson or not. I would love to hear what you are quoted for the belt change on your DC07. I have re read through many posts concerning the Dyson and I find it hard to believe that none of the Dyson owners that post here have not had a belt or brush roller problem. I saw 6 of them in the local repair shop at the same time. They all had the same thing in common. Belt and or clutch or brushroll problems.

  • duajones
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    As far as the belts or clutch goes on the DC07 and 14 models, here is a video for the do it yourselfer that some might find helpful. I did this on a friends 07 before this video was out. It took me around an hour and a half because I wasnt familiar with the job. This video would have helped but you would still need to purchase the belt lifter kit and the torx screwdriver if you dont have one already. The belt lifter tool looks like it would help make things easier on the job as I used large screwdrivers to lift the belt over the roller and it wasnt easy

  • steveo44
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I heartily disagree that maintenance concerns warrants the purchase of a new Kirby over a Dyson or Miele, or a Panasonic. A new Kirby has a lifetime warranty that is non-transferable, so if you buy a used one you are paying out of pocket (according to the Kirby website). What the Kirby warranty covers Im not sure. If the lifetime warranty is such a great selling point why not advertise the details? In any case, a new Dyson has a 5 year parts and labor warranty and clearly state the terms on their website.

    So lets assume I get a new Kirby for a great price and I talk the salesman down to a mere $1,400. A new, almost top of the line, Dyson costs $500 (which, by the way, is the sales commission you just paid for the $1,400 Kirby). Does the extra $900 make up for any repair costs I might incur after the 5 year warranty is up? Suppose I throw my Dyson in the trash at the end of the 5-year warranty period just because I never want to pay out of pocket for repairs. I could purchase another at 5 years and another 10 years down the road before Ive caught up to the original Kirby price. If you throw in the price of the Kirby repairs, belts, and bags over 15 years you could easily cover the cost of a 4th Dyson to get you to the 20 year mark.

    Carpets may clean themselves with nanobots by them. Something Im working on.

  • duajones
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Dyson wont replace the filter because it is supposedly lifetime. Locally you have to ship your Dyson at your cost to Dyson to have it fixed. I have heard of people being without their machine for over a month. Hopefully those of you that do have Dysons will also have a local Dyson warranty facility to help you with any problems that may occur.

  • steveo44
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Here is over 50 pages of reviews from real people about what you can expect when dealing with Kirby.

    http://www.consumeraffairs.com/in_home/kirby.htm

    You can see that the reviews come from just about every state in the country so these aren't isolated incidents. I know first hand that Filter Queen uses similar sales practices.

    My question is if Kirby's are such great sweepers why take advantage of people using high pressure sales, misleading demonstrations, and ridiculous high interest financing? Put your product on display next to the others at Kohl's and Target and let people inform themselves and choose on their own.

  • gotapen_hotmail_com
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Kirby is way too expensive, but I bought one. The guy kept coming down and when he wouldn't come down anymore, I told him I would take the vacuum for that price, only if I could keep my Dyson. (He had a $59 trade figured in, and the Dyson was too new.)

    I wasn't overly impressed with the Kirby until the guy did my stairs. I have lived here for a year and three months. I bought the Dyson when I moved in. The last guy had a dog and I could smell it, so I used this stuff called Dyson "Zorb It." I put it down pretty much everywhere, and have vacuumed a lot in the last year. In fact, on the stairs, I sometimes used the Dyson tools, but sometimes I would be in a hurry and would hold the whole vacuum over the steps and use the base of the vacuum to clean. I just used my hands around the base, NOT by the handle. I would be on the lower steps, and would use it at head level. I am sure that the suction was better from the base than through the tools, with the only difference being that the base probably doesn't get into the corners.

    The obnoxious Kirby salesman used the body of his also, no tools. But he picked up TONS of crap. He didn't know what it was, and I didn't tell him, but I knew it was the "Zorb It" that I had put down over a year ago. So if you can afford it (and can keep saying "NO,") see how far the guy will come down. It might never be worth it, since the Kirby is expensive, but it does pick up better.

    As to the person who didn't like the "cut and paste" review, I saw that on the original site. I find it consistent and the testing methodology to be better than most of the STORIES I read. In my case, Dyson had a year to get that cr@p off of my steps....

    If you see this review elsewhere, I am posting it in more than a couple of places. This is just my experience with the two sweepers...

  • graywings123
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Welcome to GardenWeb, Brian N.

  • saferproducts
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have never owned a Kirby, but my grandmother did. It was "okay" but that is all I can say for it. She did not even have any shag to her carpet, and it still did not do that great of a job. I now own the Dyson pet vac, and love, love, love it. I read a lot of people saying they are plasticy. I do not really get that feel from it when using it. I am a total clean freak, and will not switch to using any other vacuum. I even had a Rainbow salesperson come over to show off her demonstration of how great her vacuum was, and what it would get out of my floors. I am proud to say, she got basically NOTHING. She even said, "What you have does seem to work really well... but look what else my vacuum can do!"

  • eddygeddy_yahoo_com
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I bought a Kirby 15 years ago. The only things that have ever broke or needed replacing was the belt and hoses. The powerhead, or motor, simply never quits!! Never have I complained about the suction but for fifteen years now, I have beeen complaining about the inconvenience of having to switch between the powerhead and the hose every time I vacuum! After hearing so many positive reviews about the Dyson, I decided to forgo suction for convenience and buy one (as I firmly believed nothing cleans better than a Kirby.) I am a mom with no pets but several children, which i figure equals a pet. :-) So I bought a Dyson DC25 animal upright. I was so excited to be getting this machine! Well, I've been using it for three months now and am so extremely disappointed with it. I'm not understanding at all how people think it has good suction! It barely sucks up a gum wrapper on the carpet or the hardwood!Sure, it's probably getting dirt and dust and hair, but anything slightly bigger, it just leaves behind or drags along, and when you have kids, 'slightly bigger things' are all over!! And the hose doesn't pick up anything at all without an attatchment on it! So much for convenience! My Kirby ends up being better than the Dyson after all, and I'm sad about it. I was so hoping for something better. My conclusion is that there needs to be an engineer out there that can design a vacuum that has really powerful suction along with convenience!! We moms need it!!

  • graywings123
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Welcome to Gardenweb, Cari (eddygeddy@yahoo.com)

  • nickj37_live_com
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Who cares Tristar kills both of them...

  • badgergrrl
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I would take a Miele over both of them any day of the week.

  • msi9670
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Personally I would have nothing put an electrolux. That is the original electrolux sold under the name aerus lux now..
    There is not a bagless vacuum on the market that half the dust just ends up back in your homes air that you breath..So Kirby would be your best bet if you want an upright.

  • graywings123
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Welcome to Gardenweb, msi9670.

  • gardengail_2007
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Can anyone here tell me what kind of vacuum cleaner works well on a deep high pile carpet? Please don't tell me Dyson.
    It doesn't work. It gets "stuck" and I can't push it without possible harm to my new carpet. It doesn't have a manual height adjustment. Anyone know of a good quality vacuum for high pile?

  • Donna-37
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    TriStar wins hands down for lush pile carpet.
    I have a Dyson and a TriStar. I use the Dyson for daily cleaning and once a week I drag out the Tristar to vacuum thoroughly. TriStar lifts the pile and keeps the traffic areas like new.
    I bought my TriStar used and have never looked back.
    Dyson is good for quick pick ups.
    I also have 2 Kirbys sitting in the back of the garage. Too heavy!

  • ado_mailinator_com
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    That lic. P.E. is defending his decision in buying a Dyson. What a maroon. How can anyone say that the greatvacs test wasn't the most subjective test of power, pull, and suction? It doesn't take a genius to know that pulling twice as much dirt over a piece of new carpet is much better than any anecdotal evidence we see on videos and reviews by "moms".

    I don't own either. I have hardwood floors for a reason, and that's because I don't trust vacuums to get the floors clean enough. However, I do use a dirt devil with a hose attachment to suck up hair and junk on the floors. I would love to see how a dyson and kirby performs in this regard.

  • kellied
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have two Kirbys. One I bought secondhand for $500,the other came with the house when we bought it. I have never used a Dyson so I cannot compare. Yes, the Kirby is a heavy machine. I no longer have two floors and it does the job for me. In the last house we had hardwood and the Kirby did great. I would either use it with the brushroll unhooked or attach the hose and use the wands tonget under the sofa. I did not and do not find switching back and forth to be an inconvenience at all. The Kirby has so much suck power that it actually lifts the carpet as you vaccuum. No other vaccuum I've owned has done this. The Kirby got the dead fly out of our honeycomb shades. Our previous vaccuum couldn't do that. The zipbrush has been great for cleaning pet hair and dusty dirt from the upholstery both in the house and the car. Using this vaccuum is not rocket science and despite what someone stated earlier, the repair frequency on the Kirby is very low.
    I am happy with it.

  • msi9670
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Stay away from anything bagless, Half the dirt just gets put back in the air..

  • budw84_yahoo_com
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I've been around Kirby Vacuums most of my life. Some of my kinfolk had a Heritage 2 for a long time while I've used a rebuilt Tradition since 1997. Although the newer Kirby vacs have improved, I still like the 35 yr old machine I have. I've also converted my machine to use HEPA bags since I have pets and the carpet shampooer does a hell of a job not just with carpets but clearly visible pet stains as well. If anyone still thinks their Dysons, Rainbows, Patriots, Mieles, etc does a better job than the still American made Kirby, you should have introduced me and my family to whatever it is you've got 20+ years ago.
    Sincerely,
    the Buckeye Buckaroo

  • thatcrazylady
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I own a Kirby G5D; bought it in the Fall of 1998 for $1800. It has been a great vacuum all these years. My son has Asthma and we have no pets. We have hard wood floors with area rugs downstairs and carpet upstairs. I clean vents and ceiling fans fairly often. So I have used it on all the different surfaces carrying it up and down all these years. In the early years I even used the shampooing attachments; but no one eats up stairs and no pets - so what's the need?

    I found this thread because my Kirby recently broke. The 800 Kirby number sent me to a questionable "authorized repair" place. It was very spooky with no signage on the "office" and it was very dirty inside. Their condition on giving me an estimate was to do yet another sells spill. So the guy comes to my home and goes through the cleaning "filters" and starts to shampoo a section of my area rug. Going through this a second time is like watching a magic show for a second time. Boy did he put a lot of soap in the tank! That wasn't dirt from the bed, it was lint. Either way I stuck to my guns about repair (transmission at $215) and not buying another. He offers $1200 trade in and financing $1000. You know you really have to question such a steep discount. When I still say as I did when bringing the vac to their location that no matter what I was not spending that kind of money on another one. Well he dumped the "dirt" on my floor and left stating that he knew I could afford it. Well I picked up my broken one the next day with no repair done.
    This experience has me looking at other brands. It's just the transmission on my old Kirby (it's stuck in drive). I like it that much. I may just buy some small stick for the hard surfaces downstairs.
    One thing to note about Kirby - they are a company that preys on new homeowners and housewives. They get you in your home with what you will see as a bargain that you can't let walk out your door. They now go for $2200 and like another said you'll spend that in replacing the plastic bag less models every few years - so it is a wash.

    If I stopped using my Kirby today; $1800/13 years is a cost of about $138 per year. A three pack of bags off Amazon runs you about $8 and those three last me about a year & half. I don't have to worry about dust and dirt blowing back up and out of the trash and I can clean under my king sized bed.

  • HHCleaning
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have had a Kirby and Dyson! I am happy with the Dyson, glad I donated my kirby to the thrift store!

  • bulldinkie
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I hate mydyson with a passion...

  • dundonrl
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Just found this site, and want to talk about my 13 yr old Kirby G5. I recently got it back (wife had it across the country since 2004) I wiped it down, put a new Micron Magic bag in it, checked the belt and vacuumed our floor.. it performed as good as the day we bought it new back in 1999. I'll compare it to my sisters Dyson and put a comparison on here in the future....

  • Circus Peanut
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm with badgergrrl and msi:
    Best vacuums I've ever used: Miele canisters, any model. Always.
    Second-best: a vintage Electrolux with sleds instead of wheels. Yes, that old, and still beat the pants off a modern Kirby or Dyson in terms of sheer sucking power. Kirby seems really heavy and Dyson seems really flimsy in comparison to my 3 Mieles (which are made in Germany by those earning a decent living wage. Another consideration to keep in mind perhaps?)

    Others may differ, but the SOLE goal in my vacuuming is to suck as much crud off the floor/out of the carpet as possible in every pass. :-)

  • handmethathammer
    8 years ago

    I dug up this discussion, wondering if Dyson lovers have gotten years of service out of their machines. Can you get 10+ years out of these vacuums?

    I have a 14 year old Kirby. I agree that the salespeople are shifty. I bought it for $750 after some haggling. I remembered my mom having a Kirby for 20 years or so, and I wanted the same thing. I didn't want to buy another vacuum.

    It weighs a lot and is inconvenient, but it still works like the first day after 14 years. I have had a cord replaced for $10 or so at a local vacuum shop. I have to buy bags and belts for it (which I do not change often enough and also have to go to a vacuum shop). While going in to purchase bags, the vacuum store guy showed me the suck test between the Kirby and Dyson. He was not a fan of Dysons, he said they had too many leaks. Then he proved it with the suck test on some floor models he had of Dysons and Kirby.

    Then again, a Kirby guy came to my house to demonstrate the new Kirby and pulled a lot of stuff from my carpet that was being cleaned by my older model Kirby. I think you can ALWAYS pull more dirt the longer you vacuum.

    Besides its longevity, I like the different attachments that come with the Kirby. We recently sold our house, and did a deep cleaning for the sale. It seems there is an attachment for everything. We were able to clean out tall places, small spaces, long, shadowy places. It seems to be convenient to clean my car as well.

    I suppose if money was not a factor, I would get a machine that is more convenient to use and fun...and get a Dyson. Since money is an object for us, I would get a Kirby, because it may well be a vacuum for life.

  • graywings123
    8 years ago

    My Dysons are still working. I bought the upright - the first model sold in the US (DC5)? - in early 2003 and it's humming along. I bought my Dyson canister vac probably a year later, so 2004, and it still works. I'm using it as a shop vac as I rehab an old house.

    Now there are several good competitors to the Dyson, but at the time, it was the only good, powerful bagless upright vacuum available. Kirbys are too heavy for me to ever consider getting one.


  • Kevin Feathers
    8 years ago

    Some of the comments in this thread are hilarious, most so the supposed NASA engineer whose expertise is comparing home vacuum cleaners.


    We had a Kirby salesman trying his tricks and he wanted a whopping £1,000 for his bag vacuum cleaner. A Kirby has never been any better than any other bagged cleaner here in the UK, you pay the extortionate price for the brand name only.


    The Dyson I had owned always picked up more dirt on the first clean than the top of the range model he showcased. He tried several of our carpets but the Kirby just could not compete against the bag less form. He also tried the mattress, again the Dyson blew the Kirby away. You can get a cleaner that matches the Kirby (bagged) for under £100. I don't think anybody in the world would actually believe a Kirby would pick up 14oz of 16, whilst a Dyson managed just 4oz of the 16. That would suggest the Dyson cannot perform its job as a cleaner, even the most economy class of cleaner would do better.


    Kirby doesn't sell well here in Europe for a good reason, firstly it is a bag cleaner which is very inefficient and secondly the price is not for the performance. The very first Dysons were always going to be better than the best Kirby bagged cleaners, it's why Kirby cannot generate a healthy business today in Europe. Before the bag less variant showed up Kirby still didn't have a good business here because they showed zero performance advantage over any other brand at the time.


    They might have actually done some business here if they sold via stores and dropped the price 90%.

  • whammytap
    8 years ago

    Kirby.

    My whole family uses Kirbys. I am a professional housekeeper and I am always dismayed to find a Dyson in my clients' closets. Dysons are very fragile machines, I have had nothing but trouble with them. The Dyson Ball in particular loses suction very quickly and the carpet beater brush runs on a plastic bearing which wears out very quickly and is not serviceable by you, the user. The Ball also has the tiniest little waste cup you've ever seen, if you have kids or pets or go outdoors from time to time, you'll find it full before you've even vacuumed a whole room. The Dyson Animal is a little more robust, but all in all I'm not a fan of bagless vacuums. The waste cups fill up quickly and emit a plume of dust and hair when emptied into your wastebasket. Then you have to wipe the gasket with a damp paper towel before shutting and re-installing it, or it won't seal up well. Sometimes they don't seal up well even when the gasket is clean. Dysons also come with what I would consider to be a very paltry assortment of tools.

    A Kirby's bare-floor attachment allows you to vacuum a wide swath well under your furniture--couches, beds, etc. A Dyson Animal is so bulky, it won't fit under the toe kick of your kitchen cabinets, so you have vacuum the room, then hook up the hose and go back around with the stick to get in corners and under the toe kick.

    In my opinion, the Dyson craze is the result of nothing more than a very effective advertising campaign. Consumer Reports has little to say about them that's good; to my knowledge no Dyson has ever made it to their top 10 vacuum cleaners. In my experience as a professional housekeeper, Dysons are bought by people who know little about cleaning and know a lot about keeping up appearances in other ways. ;)

  • linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    When I think about it, our Kirby is probably 20 years old. Only thing we ever had to do with it was change a belt once. Yes, it is heavy. I bought a lightweight vacuum (one highly rated by Consumer Reports in the under $100 range) for upstairs because I thought it was too much work to carry the Kirby up. But when I have to go over the same piece of dirt 3 times, I get frustrated and go get the Kirby anyway. The Kirby's attachments are really good. Does a great job on the drapes.

    My husband and I were shopping in a department store. While waiting
    for me at the cashier he browsed a display of Dysons. I could tell he was
    attracted by the appearance. He is an engineer. He said, “Why don’t we have one
    of these?” I said, “What does that flashy
    casing have to do with function?” He shook his head and walked away, saying, “You’re
    right…it’s a spaceship, not a vacuum.”

  • whammytap
    8 years ago

    This might be opening a whole 'nother can of worms, but in my experience in 20+ households with 30+ vacuum cleaners, if you want something lightweight, consider an Oreck. They're long-lived, simple to maintain, and do a decent job in my experience. My only beef with them is that they're not a Kirby (so they don't come with as many tools, for one) and you have to buy two of them--a canister and an upright, as the uprights don't have hoses.

    I'm not a scientist or an engineer, I'm just a cleaning lady who spends many hours many days a week vacuuming many households and businesses.