Kirby vacuum cleaners - anyone got views

insured

I have just took my Dyson to be repaired and they have loaned me a Kirby.
It seems to be much better than my Dyson and am considering buying one.
Does anyone have one and do they think it is worth the extra ££££
I find the tools a pain to put on and off, but maybe I would get better, but also it is so heavy.
I broke my back a few years ago and it is still a nightmare, so I am finding it difficult to lug up and downstairs.
These are the only two downsides I can see so far.
Love to hear anyones views on them.
Are they THAT good?

tubbee2

Yes, they are that good but ...
1. they're heavy and they don't get any lighter, and cleaning stairs is not easy
2. they cost a fortune to service and buy bags/spares
3. you have to get them serviced at a kirby centre (not cheap)
All that said, I miss kirby and haven't found another make that's anywhere near as good although none of them are anything like as heavy.

chrisw

They are also really good for shampooing carpets - I do mine about every 6 months but use the Vanish foaming cleaner from Asda rather than the Kirby stuff. Many of the spares can be bought off ebay, although I have a contract on mine for £5 a month which covers virtually everything, even accidental damage and an annual service. The only thing I pay extra for are the genuine bags which are about £16 for 5 but last for ages.

Also, look at buying one off ebay - they are £2500 from a Kirby man! Although they tend to come down to around £900 if you faint or ask about an ex demo or otherwise haggle, which is sufficient to annoy me in itself.

insured

chrisw wrote: »

Although they tend to come down to around £900 if you faint or ask about an ex demo or otherwise haggle, which is sufficient to annoy me in itself.

You see this really bugs me.
I am not very good at haggling and when I do I always walk away wondering if I have been ripped off.
I did suspect that the price you paid depended on the size of your perceived wallet because when I asked in the shop how much they were I was told the man would tell me when he came to "demonstrate" (aka I suppose is "hard sell") I live in a decent area and I get this all the time with builders, so thought I would pay more than anyone they perceived as being less able to pay than me.

I had considered ebay.

I was just wondering exactly how much better they really were.

Because lets face it, how clean does your carpet have to be?

Thanks to all replies

hartcjhart

they are probably the best vac in the world,

yes sadly heavy but with the tools they are more than just a carpet cleaner,but the down side as mentioned is initial cost

MX5huggy

Buy a Miele, very good machines.

In fact I had a friend try being a Kirby sales man he came round to do the whole 3 hour sales patter on my parents. He tipped salt on the carpet then said get our vacuum out and hover as much as we wanted. Then he used the Kirby to prove how much more it picks up. Well the result was nothing I tell a lie it was about 3 grains. Then when we said we don't want to buy (even after he'd knocked 60% off with the managers special etc). Mum had to talk to the manger on the phone once the manager knew mum had a Miele it was end of conversation the sales talk stopped. Once my friend got back to the office he was told not to waste his time trying to sell Kirby's to people who have Miele's.

Inactive

Over hyped, over priced, no vacuam cleaner is worth anywhere near the price these !!!!!! Turpin's charge.

All they are good for is giving people hernia's.;)

ohyeahitssorcy

I tried being a kirby salesman years ago they used to be £600 reliability is fantastic and ive seen ones just recently that were donkeys years old and still worked like they did the day they were bought i doubt any of the new fandangled dysons will last as long we used to do a test on folks mattresses with the kirby and a dust meter all i will say about that is :eek: :eek: :eek: dont know what they are like these days but £2500 ??? they can go take a flying jump

ormus

if you can find a cheap one on ebay, then buy it. very good machines. and yes heavy.
but 900 quid? i dont think so.
it should make my morning coffee for that price.

(maybe a BJ too).

CKdesigner

Hi

Don't touch a Kirby - completely over priced. You won't see a decent independent appliance retailer sell them. As MX5huggy said much better off buying a Miele. You can get one for £140 and £16 per year for 2 x boxes of bags.

CK

cannoncon

try a henry