Kirby - G4

Kirbys are great at cleaning carpet but thats it. Its just an overpriced upright that can be found used for 20 bucks all day long. No money to be made by vac shops when kirbys are a dime a dozen - many vac stores have dozens upon dozens of used kirbys in the basement. Money is made by selling something rare like sebo, miele. Vacs that are not resold by the thousands for pennies.

Did any royals have powerdrive? Admittedly kirbys tech drive does allow for easy, effortless vacuuming on all types of carpets.

Kenmores are a dime a dozen on marketplace. Likewise, a light use kirby can be had for 60 bucks.

Used Kirby

I feel the same way. As much as I love my Dyson v7 for going over the house quickly, it’s not fun to clean (and doesn’t hold much) compared to my Kirby g4.

Bought my Kirby in 1987....still use it today. Well, not today.

As well, a Kirby is probably the best carpet cleaning Vacuum made. It’s just antiquated.

Buy a used kirby off marketplace , heavy but self propeled and super hi high hight adjustment

used kirby for pet hair

I’ve owned Kirby, Dyson and Shark. I’m sold on Sharks.

Kirby has held up for my family. I think the one Grandma has been using for 40 years or more is going to be argued over when she goes

Kenmores are a dime a dozen on marketplace. Likewise, a light use kirby can be had for 60 bucks.

I love my barn find Kirby G4 but it’s an OLD machine - not its age, the design of it. The Generation machines were developed in the 1980s when clean-air vacuums are starting to take hold of the market. The SEBO X1 is just about as old yet the X series is still running strong because of the design. Here is one of the most expensive vacuum cleaners that: doesn’t have an onboard hose, doesn’t really clean bare floors in upright mode, needs belt changes all the time, hard or sharp objects can damage the fan, it requires training on the height adjustment and tech drive, it’s huge and doesn’t fit under furniture, and it’s loud. Comparing, a SEBO costs less, requires less maintenance, is far easier to use, cleans bare floors well, has onboard attachments, etc. It’s not a convenient vacuum cleaner to use and convenience is worth a huge amount to average users.

The Kirby is a lot of fun - it’s like vacuuming your carpet with a jet engine. They do need tune-ups though. The silicone seal in the fan chamber eventually wears out, and the handle actuator sometimes needs adjustment. Vintage Electrolux machines are always a hit (they actually still make the same body style, just without the good smooth motor). Hoover constellation is fun: floats like a hovercraft. Zero-G uses the same technology in a modern machine. I miss mine. It was the reproduction model from the 2000s. Hoover fitted it with a beefy 1400w suction motor and it had gobs of power. I’m praying to the vacuum gods I can find a New Old Stock one. There’s of course the Hoover Convertible (decade 80 too) and eureka F&G machines. Hoover Concept I and II are excellent cleaners. There’s some really neat Kenmore cleaners too. Whirlpool was their manufacturer then they switched mainly to Panasonic.

Heavy, stupid design for the hose, loud, bad filtration. They do have a good electric motor and are repairable but a Sebo or Miele are much better especially with stairs.

For carpet, it’s hands down the best. It has the most of everything a vac needs to super clean carpet. Airflow, agitation, etc. 132 - 150 CFM is monstrously high, and that is measured where the carpet intake is. On other vacs, the airflow is about 1/4 - 1/3 of that at the carpet intake, and they don’t agitate as well. I keep a Kirby around for deep-cleaning carpet but daily a Miele C3. The Miele C3 with the SEB 228 nozzle is impressive on carpet, but it still isn’t like monstrously powerful.

Owned Dyson DC07 for 3 years. Small canister, constant clogs, half dozen fiddly covers and latches to remove for clearing a clog. Switching to hose was a real chore, dumb design. Shark Vertex Duoclean, 1yr 7mo so far. Good power, great design, canister lifts away so the vacuum can go under furniture, switch to hose with a button press. Single door for cleanout. Kirby G4, 30 years so far, handed down from parents. Ultimate power, ultimate weight. Suck the dimples off a golf ball, never a clog. Bulky, heavy, indestructible. Switch to hose is a bit clumsy. You can get a used G3 or G4 on marketplace or Craigslist and have no concerns about it lasting decades. TLDR: Shark Duoclean for lightweight day to day. Kirby for monthly "deep cleaning".

This was 12 years ago... mine is a cloud something or other. The name wore off so I don't remember it all. But yes, it was a great gift and I have always liked running the vacuum so win for me. Wifey thinks it's to much and would rather have her lil shark then complain it doesn't work like 'my kirby' No shade at the wife. Her shark works wonders in our car. so WIN for her!!!

I'd probably grab a Kirby or a Sanitaire if those were my priorities. Both are awesome on carpets, but basically one-trick ponies (especially the Sanitaire).

It’s not light or cheap, but it will survive a nuclear war. The Kirby.

Do you have a spinning brush on the Sebo? Anyway, Kirby's are overpriced, IMHO. However, they are one of the best vacuums out there. Whether they are filter bagged or just bagged, the dirt always goes through the impeller first, then to the bag. There is zero loss of suction along the way, and normally when you are using the regular head (as opposed to the hose attachment), it's a very short ride for the dirt before being flung at 100 mph towards the bag. This is why they have great suction. The Kirby's major downfall is the design - that is, dirt needing to go through the impeller first. This causes two issues: over time, the impeller gets full of gunk, which hardens and gets caked in real good. You need to take the head off, clean it (with a flat head screw driver) as well as the impeller. The other major fault is that if you suck up a hard item (like a coin) the impeller is toast. You will need to replace it. I remember as a kid, we had a Kirby salesman come by. My mom was big with her Filter Queen (another overpriced vacuum) and asked the sales person to suck some coins. Firm no, and she showed him her Filter Queen doing this with zero issues. Anyway, the design of Kirby winds up making it one of the best cleaners out there, and they will last a lifetime, even if you need to replace the $30 impeller ever so often. Very little plastic to break. They are heavy. So my opinion is that you're not doing anything wrong, the Kirby is simply getting the dirt you vacuum couldn't. However, if you don't have a powerhead for the Sebo, that makes a huge difference as well, and the Kirby wouldn't get as much dirt if that was the case.

I see the appeal of a stick. I have a V15. It’s about 3 yrs old. It’s primary role is for in-between cleans, small messes. Touch-ups. But, if I am going to vac our main living areas or the entire house, I can get the job done a lot faster with my Miele. If I am going to deep clean the carpet, I don’t pre-vac with my V15. I use my Kirby. If I am going to detail a vehicle, Miele. If I am going to use attachments for deep cleaning, Miele.

I see what you're saying. Although in this case "suction" power as you put it isn't really relevant for the situation described by OP, and doesn't explain why it picked up so much after the sebo. Cleaning sand off a bare floor is much different than vacuuming your carpeted living room. I agree with your last sentence about getting a kirby used for $100 and would not purchase new from a salesperson. Also to clarify I was a 3rd generation kirby vacuum salesman edit: I should say inches of water lift is completely irrelevant for cleaning carpets

You do NOT want a Kirby if you have stairs - trust me. Coming from a former Kirby collector/restorer.

Kirby. You can usually find them cheap second hand. The newer models will be self propelled. Though Kirby is a hefty built vacuum. Honestly anything with a bag should be good. You will have much less maintenance with a bag.

A used Kirby will do that.

My hubby bought a Kirby about 16 years ago. His dad had one that he loved, so we had to have one too. Seems to work well. We have a dog that sheds a lot, and it still keeps up with him.

KIRBY VACUUM. Get a Kirby. I just ran a google search for "used Kirby's under $200" and came up with several options for purchase. I've had my Kirby for over 20 years with kids and cats and I love it. The attachments are simple to use and allow me to easily dust ceilings, tops of cabinets, hanging lamps and fans. I use it to vacuum the car, my mattress, sofa, etc. A simple attachment switch and I'm vacuuming my hardwood floors. Very long cord, too.  Yes they're expensive brand new, but you can find used or refurbished ones all over the place. The fact that so many old Kirby's are still out there available for purchase is testament to how sturdy and  long lasting they are. Plus, nothing sucks up dirt and dust and cat dander as well as a Kirby. Good luck!

I would consider Kirby a BIFL product but unless you have a ton of carpeting in wide open areas, they’re not convenient to use at all and I own two of them. They’re heavy and don’t maneuver well even with the self-propelled function.

Rip off IMO. They clean carpet well, but they are insanely heavy. They literally have a transmission because they’re so heavy. They are also more expensive than they’re worth. There are definitely some diminishing returns, and I honestly would rather have a Miele or Sebo with an electric powerhead that I can do more with for cheaper than a Kirby I can only clean carpet with.

I love my Kirby.

No Kirbys? That's the most BIFL vacuum ever, I've had mine for over 30 yrs, other than belts and bags this thing won't quit.

A rebuilt Kirby with TechDrive. They’re effortless to push/pull since they are self-propelled. They are known for their incredible carpet cleaning performance and durability. They are old-school, metal, heavy duty beastly uprights that will suck the color out of the carpet. They are sealed system HEPA vacuums with massive bags. I wish the attachments stored on-board, and I wish the suction was adjustable because it’s so powerful but I’d rather have too much power than not enough. They’re easy and inexpensive to maintain, but they’re very different from modern vacs. Again, they’re old school, and come with a brief learning curve. Once you get the hang of it, it’s second nature.

Kirby’s only legitimate perk other than being powerful is that it’s easy to service. Like Kirby is a relic from a bygone era (as evidence by their predatory MLM sales tactics) and is designed to be super easy to service. I recommend people who have carpets or businesses to buy used <$500 Kirby’s because when they aren’t absurdly priced they are legit good but their price when new and the bs sales tactics to get you to buy one are bullshit and the company doesn’t deserve new money. Non-Kirby commercial vacuums are simply designed to be more durable because businesses don’t like purchasing stuff frequently and they are cheaper than Kirby so probably worth it

They're the top dog in cleaning performance on carpets in my opinion, but that's about as far as they go. They're a one trick pony. They also weigh a ton too. Basically they're great if you have a single story house with mostly carpet.

Kenmore canisters for carpet are very good. For hard floors, they’re awful. Obsolete. Deal breakers. Etc. Why not buy a refurbished Miele or Sebo, or if you have wall to wall carpet in most of your home and rarely use attachments, definitely go for a Kirby, or a Rainbow if you have a mix. Goodvac dot com for Kirby parts, Rainvac dot com for Rainbow parts. Miele parts and Sebo parts are easily accessible. Hyla parts are not, in contrast, but they too last a long time. I think they’re easier to use than the Rainbow but they don’t clean carpet very well at all. Kirby is about the best you can get for carpet.

I mean, let’s face it. The main difference - WEIGHT. The Kirby is a tank, other vacuums are well built (unless you’re throwing them around) and will last for decades. Period.

high airflow but low suction power? how would that make any sense. the kirby literally lifts the entire carpet off the pad

Exactly. For the same price as the Dyson you can get better vacuums that are more durable, better performance, and will last longer. My Grandmother bought a Kirby in 1969. I still have it and it outperforms 90% of vacuums on the market. I know people hate the weight of the Kirbys but you will be hard-pressed to beat the performance without spending over a thousand dollars. You can get a used Kirby for $150 or so.

Our kirby is going strong 5 years, has other applications like vibrating sander or paint gun, and a lifetime warranty.

If you're looking solely for a carpet vacuum and nothing else, a Kirby is my preferred choice. They are the kings of carpet cleaning but come at a cost of weight and size. The newer models have transmissions in them that make them very easy to push and pull though. They haven't changed much in decades and parts are plentiful. DO NOT BUY ONE NEW! Go to a local vacuum shop and I guarantee you'll find a used one for like 80% off of what a new one would cost. If you need to use attachments or need to use it on the hard floors (which I see you already go covered) then I'd look elsewhere. Kirby's are one trick ponies. Amazing at cleaning carpet, terrible at everything else.

Kirby will last forever.

My husband bought a v15 Dyson with all the attachments. It's nice but emptying the bin after every other use is annoying. Cleaning the after filter is messy and annoying. Blowing out the cyclone part of the filter is messy AF. And for people who live in apartments or similar would be impossible. However my Kirby is self propelled and I get about 2-3 months on a bag. Belts last forever and it has huge amounts of suction. Like it lifts the carpet up kind of suction. And I don't have to worry about running out of battery or hurting the battery.