Read this before buying a Rainbow or Kirby vacuum

Last week, a Rainbow salesperson came to my home to demonstrate a vacuum. I scheduled a demonstration to help out a friend. If he sets up 12 demonstrations and 2 people buy (in a certain period of time), he gets his vacuum paid for. There was no obligation for me to purchase (Only 2 people need to buy and I could be the other 10 that don’t). I got a free gift for a demonstration as well. They created a business model that works for the master distributor, sales people, and buyers.

There are two major direct sales vacuum companies in the United States: Kirby and Rainbow. They’ve been around for a long time and they use sales people to demonstrate their vacuums. The good thing about sales people is that they know their stuff (or they should) and they know their industry. They educate people about the benefits and importance of their product or service. With a million things going on, many of us don’t go through the hassle of doing the research and filtering through the marketing and making an informed decision.

I actually prefer doing my own research. We live in the information age of “informed consumers” but having a dialogue with a person helps with gaining perspective.

Long story short, I learned a lot and with the information I learned, I ended up NOT buying the Rainbow vacuum. I was offered to purchase a Rainbow for $3,299. The sales person used a Tonight Only FOMO tactic and told me the price would go up to $4,499 after. It’s an old school tactic that reminds me of the selling techniques of the 1980s.

I decided to do research on vacuums that night. To my surprise, I learned that the best vacuum on the markets are not Dyson, Kirby or Rainbow. The best (non central) vacuums on the market are Miele and Sebo (which can cost around $1000 but still less than $3,299). But Rainbow and Kirby have some merits and perform better than vacuums that you would buy in a store.

These are factors when I’m looking at a vacuum.

• Performance (Suction, Airflow, Powerhead for carpet)
• Performance (Air Leakage and Exhaust)
• Maneuverability (Feel of the vacuum varies by person)
• Durability & Warranty (Longevity)
• Cost (Budget)
• Cost (Value)
• Versatility (Additional benefits and Features)

Performance of the Vacuum (Suction & Airflow)

The key measurement to performance of vacuum is suction and airflow. This has to do with the power and design of the motor.

• The measurement of airflow is CFM (Cubic Ft Per Minute).
• The measurement of suction is water lift in inches.

Lots of factors influence the measurement of suction including elevation. At higher elevation, it will be lower than at sea level. So the numbers by itself don’t tell the whole story except how they relate to each other. Real world application may differ than others. The type of bags used in bagged vacuum also affects the airflow.
The head of the vacuum affects the performance. For hard floors, you shouldn’t use a moving brush. For carpets, you should use a head with a spinning brush or agitator). Generally, bagged vacuums perform more efficiently than non-bagged vacuums.

It’s important to have good airflow and suction for two reasons:

1. It picks up more dust and debris. Especially on carpet for a deeper clean. More efficient, a vacuum with more air flow and suction picks up more dust in less passes than a vacuum with vacuum and performance.
2. The agitator draws up dust. A good vacuum will suck it up so the dust goes directly into the vacuum bag/canister. A bad vacuum will not suck up all the dust efficiently and dust is being kicked up into the air and spread around.

So how do Rainbow and Kirby stack up to vacuums in stores:

They do a lot better than my $60 Bissel  bagless vacuum that you can find in Walmart. CFMs are hard to find but after some digging I found some. Some of these measurements are done by consumers, vacuum enthusiasts and technicians and not by an organization. But it gives a ballpark on how each vacuum is.  Also there is a difference of airflow at the base, hose, and the head. There may be some discrepancy, so if there is a correction please contact me.

• Bissel Powerforce Helix Turbo (Bagless) -$79 – 56 CFM
• Rainbow Vacuum $3299-4800 – 70-80 CFM / 74 Inch Water lift
• Hoover T-Series Tempo – $150-200 ~80CFM
• Oreck XLR21 or Elevate Models $200-600 – ~90CFM
• Sebo E3 $100 – ~120CFM
• Sebo D4 – $1300 – 120 CFM
• Miele C3 – $1099-1699 – ~140 CFM
• Kirby Vacuum – $995 -2500 – 120-150CFM / 80-85 inch Water Lift.

These numbers don’t tell the whole story and there are many testers that get different numbers. But they give a general feel of which vacuum is better. For example a Miele C3 or Kirby will perform significantly lot better than a Bissel Bagless vacuum.  There’s a big difference. Try to get around 100CFM or more. Robot vacuums are generally less than 20CFM.

As you can see, you can get decent performance vacuum for around $150 (if you know which models to look for)

Performance of the Vacuum (Air Leakage and Exhaust)

My $60 Bissel vacuum had a problem with air leakage and exhaust. Basically when you vacuum, it emits dust in the air. Through the bag, through the air leaks, through the exhaust. Before 2000s almost all vacuums had this issue. Rainbow is one of the cleanest exhaust vacuum because it employs a water filter that traps dust. Rexair invented this technology in the 1930s. It dominated the clean air vacuum sector…. until the 2000s, where other players improved their air leakage through the use of HEPA filters and air seals.

I haven’t compared numbers of different models. Performance Reviews is a vacuum technician on Youtube utilizes an Air Particulate Sensor  (that cost over $1000) to measure the particulates coming from various vacuums. What I’ve learned is Rainbow is not the only vacuum that emits clean air, there are other vacuums.

It’s not enough to use a HEPA bag or HEPA filter in a vacuum. The vacuum must be sealed properly, otherwise dust can escape the seals. If the dust escapes, then it blows all over the place causing poor air quality in the home and extra work. (Vacuuming can make the place dirtier instead of cleaner)

While Rainbow does a good job in lowering dust emissions from vacuum. Vacuums like the Miele C3 emits zero particles. Sebo E3 emits some but very little particles.

This is important for performance because more leakage means you are spreading the dust, less leakage means you are containing it. Also for health reasons, you don’t want to be breathing any dust the vacuum emits.

To see how different vacuums performed, check out some Vacuum and Performance Test Reviews on YouTube.

Maneuverability

This varies from person to person. What’s best for me may not be what’s best for you. In this case, it’s best to try before you buy. The two primary styles of vacuums are canister vacuums and upright vacuums. Nowadays, you can find canister vacuums with electric driven power heads, so the the performance of canisters and uprights are very similar, but it may be easier to maneuver a wand with attachment on canister vacuums since it is lighter. With uprights, you are moving the canister/bag and the head at the same time which is heavier than just the wand. The awkwardness of the canister is dragging he canister beside or behind you, some canisters are more maneuverable than others and the hose flexibility and length makes a difference. With an upright, the hose for attachments may not be as maneuverable as a hose from a canister, and it may be difficult to balance the upright vacuum while using a hose attachment (the vacuum may tip over if you are vacuuming hard to reach places). The swivel head makes a difference. If you want to get under areas like a bed, then it makes a difference too. Then there is the weight to carry up the stairs.

For hard surfaces and versatility, a canister is recommended for better maneuverability. Upright vacuums are great for wall-to-wall carpet. Make sure the head is at the proper height to maneuver it better and for best cleaning effeciency.

So here are some questions to consider to maneuver.

• How does it feel to turn and maneuver?
• Do I need the vacuum to reach under the bed or other pieces of furniture?
• Do I need to vacuum stairs?
• How heavy is the vacuum, if I have to carry it up the stairs or push it around?

Here is where people have differing opinion and it is the reason why sellers or dealers can’t tell you what’s the best for you. I’ve read through many different reviews on which vacuum is better and a lot of differences have to do with maneuverability.

I’ve tested the Miele C3 and must say it is maneuverable. I also used the Oreck XL21 (Elevate Conquer) and it is light and easy to move around carpet. When the Rainbow salesperson came and we tried the Rainbow, it felt a lot better to use than my old Bissel vacuum.

With the rainbow, I didn’t test was how difficult it is to carry up the stairs since they only did the demo on the bottom floor. It weighs around 18 pounds without water. You need water in the vacuum, after filling it with water it weighs 32 pounds. I’m sure you empty out the water basin or carry it separately before you go up the stairs but that makes it cumbersome.

I’ve never tried the Kirby but I’ve heard stories. I discovered it weighs over 23 pounds! This is an upright, so you will be moving a 23 pound vacuum for a work out. This actually gives a benefit. A lot of people end up selling their Kirby vacuum because for their weight for a fraction of the price ($1000+), $100 or less which is good deal for a powerful and durable (but hard to maneuver) vacuum.

Other consumer vacuums are engineered to be lighter, maneuverable, and efficient. Decades ago, Kirby and Rainbow were competing against other clunky vacuums and competed based on performance. Technology has caught up and performance has caught up to Kirby and Rainbow and the maneuverability is better.

Reliability, Durability & Warranty (Longevity)

There are two ways to look at a purchase. BIFL which stands for “Buy It For Life.” or as I like to say “Buy nice or buy twice.” BIFL purchases give a peace of mind knowing they last long. BIFL vacuums last at least 10 years and some people use them for 20 or 30 years before it becomes cost prohibitive to repair. Other vacuums may last 2-6 years on regular or heavy usage and longer on light usage.

If you are going to spend over $300 on a vacuum, look for a vacuum that lasts for at least 10 years and have good warranty and quality parts. There are vacuums that are costly with lots of bells and whistles that break in a short period of time or difficult to repair. Dyson only has a 2 year warranty that may be a hassle to figure out, while other models have local dealers that can service vacuums and have a longer warranty 3, 5 or even 10 year warranties.

Vacuum technicians know best and have a different perspective than vacuum salespeople. They take the vacuums apart, see the quality of parts, see the number of failures, and observe design flaws. Besides performance, this is another reason not to drop $400 on a Dyson Vacuum or Shark.

One of Reddit’s popular AMA (ask me anything) posts is a vacuum technician doing an AMA (ask me anything) about vacuums. He gives his unfiltered opinion on different vacuum brands and their merits or flaws.

BIFL brands:

• Sebo – A German Company. Well engineered. The “Toyota” of vacuums (or “Volkswagen”) of vacuums. Hardy vacuums that are designed to work effeciently.
• Miele – A German Company. Well engineered. Parts cost more than Sebo.
• Lindhaus – Great Performance and durability
• Numatic – a UK based company, great canister vacuum (primarily recommended for hard floor not carpets)
• Ricarr – An American Company. Although as of 2022, there are varying opinions and said quality has declined.
• Rainbow – Interesting enough, an old rainbow still perform as well as they did decades ago and there are dealers who repair or tune them up
• Kirby – They last long and can be repaired and tuned up

Brands that offer better than budget performance, but lower build quality than BIFL vacuums (but also depends on the model)

• Sanitaire, Oreck, Hoover, (These brands can also last a long time), but if you are spending more than $400, you should look at the BIFL brands that last 10+ years and perform better)

Brands that are entry-level that gets the job done, but may have lower build quality. The repairs may cost more than the vacuum. When it breaks, it may be time to just buy another vacuum.

• Bissell, Eureka, Kenmore, Simplicity (Don’t spend more than $300 on these brands, if you are spending more than $300, you may find better solutions at BIFL brands or with Sanitair, Oreck, or Hoover) IF you are spending more than $400, look at BIFL brands that last for 10+ years and perform better.

Here is an entertaining video of different vacuum brands, their history, and a vacuum technicians point of view in rating different brands.

When you pay extra for reliability, durability, and warranty, you are paying extra for a peace of mind. Anyone that have bought devices that break down know how frustrating it is to repair or wonder if it is working or not.

 

Cost (Budget)

There are different budgets. I found this guide from  r/VacuumCleaners (a Vacuum Cleaner subreddit) list of recommended vacuum models and classification.

$100 or less used (primarily carpet)

• Oreck XL21 or Platinum or Elevate models. They all use the XL21 motor. Not worth spending full price for. If you are spending more than $200, look for a different vacuum.
• Kirby (Used) Not worth spending full price for, but if you can find a good deal on a used/pre-owned/refurbished model for less than $100

$130 or less (primarily hard floor)

• $60 Bissel Zing (Bagged) same model as Simplicity Jill. May have to upgrade bags and accessories for better performance. (Canister)
• $80 Eureka Mighty Mite. $130 Sanitaire Mighty Mite. Same model different features and accessories.  (Cannister)

$180 or less (primarily carpet)

• $150-180 Hoover Windtunnel T-Series (Tempo or Max) I saw this go on sale as low as $129 in April 2022 (Upright)

$230 (works with hard floor + carpet)

• $230 Kenmore 200 Series (Canister with Electric Powerhead)

$260-450 (primarily hard floor) – BIFL

• $260 – Numatic James 180
• $300 – Miele C1 Pure Suction
• $330-350 – Numatic Henry 160 or 200
• $450 – Lindhaus HF6

$250-500 (primarily carpet)

• $250 Kenmore 31140 (upright)
• $300 Kenmore BU1017 (upright)
• $310 Hoover Hushtone w/Intellibelt (upright)
• $340 Karcher CV300 (Upright) -BIFL
• $500 Sebo Dart -BIFL

$700-$850 (works with hard floor + carpet) -BIFL

• $700 Sebo Felix Premium (Upright with brush roll switch and hose attachment)
• $700 Miele C2 Electro+ (Canister with Electric Powerhead)
• $750 Lindhaus Pro EcoForce (Upright with brush roll switch and hose attachment)
• $790 Sebo K3 Premium (Canister with Electric Powerhead)
• $850 Lindhaus HF6 w/ Electric Nozzle (Canister with Electric Powerhead.

$1000-1700 (works with hard floor + carpet) -BIFL

The top consumer vacuums Sebo E3, Sebo D4, and Miele C3 sells for around $1000-1200, if you add features and accessories, the Miele C3 can go up to $1,699 but the performance of the $1000 Miele C3 model is the same. 

• $1000 Sebo E3 Premium, Miele C3 Kona (Canister with Electric Powerhead)
• $1300 Sebo D4 Premium, Miele C3 Marin (Canister with Electric Powerhead)
• $1700 Miele C3 Brilliance, Miele C3 Homecare+(Canister with Electric Powerhead)

*All Miele C3 vacuum models use the same motor and have the same airflow and suction. They vary in features and accessories

No Limit

If you want the best vacuum money can buy, go with a central vacuum with MD Central Vacuum. If you are looking for a non-central vacuum, I would spend no more than $2,000.

 

Rainbow for $3,299?

At $4,800 (through financing through Rainbow), or $4,499, I would not get the rainbow. I would start looking into Central Vacuum option. At $3,200 “Today Only” price, I still would not get the rainbow. You will get similar or better performance with vacuums that cost $700 or more.Even the top of the line German Miele C3 is $1700 and you can get the same performance from a $1000 Miele C3 with the electric brush and save $2000+. Or better yet, with that kind of money you can hire cleaners for your home (make sure they are using a good vacuum)

But really it comes down to also maneuverability and maintenance. Every time you vacuum with a rainbow vacuum, you have to dump out the dirty water meaning you are doubling the work, vacuuming and cleaning the vacuum. If you have to move it up the stairs, you have to empty and refill or carry out 32 lbs of vacuum.

Since they last for years, would it be worth getting a pre-owned rainbow (out of warranty) for a couple hundred bucks.

Another selling point of rainbow is that it is multiple devices in one. It’s not “just a vacuum,” it’s an “air filter” a wet vac, mop, extractor, etc. The sales person said for all of these things it would cost $10,000, but I can save by purchasing a rainbow to replace multiple devices. Also I would save on filter costs (on vacuums and air filters). It will take decades to truly see a savings and after doing research, it’s not a very good air filter replacement (it’s good for small rooms but is very loud)

The bottom line is that I would purchase my air filter, vacuum, and other devices separately than in an all in one unit. The sales person said I can get my Rainbow for free if I shared with 12 people and 2 of them buy, but I was not interested in leveraging off $6,500+ worth of sales to subsidize a vacuum that I feel is not worth $3,299.

Kirby for $1000-2000?

The selling point for Kirby is that they last forever without losing performance. If that’s the case, a used one will work just as well as a new one. If you can find one for $100 great. The truth is there are lighter and more maneuverable vacuums. The Kirby is the top of it’s class for airflow and suction, although there are other similar vacuums that use newer technology. For $100 it’s great a deal. For $1000, you may look else where. There is also the issue of dust leakage and exhaust. Miele is top of the class for that.

Cost (Value)

Value is not necessarily cheapest. Value is the most bang for your buck. It’s about what you prioritize most and what fits your needs and wants.

If we are going strictly on performance, a $1600 may perform 1.5-2 times better than a $160 vacuum. You are paying 10X the price for 2X the benefit. You’d expect 10X the performance if you pay 10X the price, but this an example of the law of diminishing return. In order to work deeper on the carpet, and produce more suction, airflow and better design, costs significantly go up. Other factors in cost are durability and support. Factoring all this in, you can factor a sweet spot for the best bang for your buck.

If you are looking for short term or just light usage, maybe you won’t spend more than $200 on a vacuum. I’ve seen reviews where a $200 vacuum lasted years with light usage, even if it died on year 9, they got their money’s worth. Maybe looking for something to get the job done short term.

There’s the quality of life, convenience, and personal satisfaction or joy it brings. This is difficult to measure. For some, the aesthetics of the vacuum, the extra button, or light can bring a joy.

A person that’s utilitarian may look at performance, build quality, and ease and cost of repair and maintenance. For them that’s the best value, without bells and whistles. Others may look at features that aren’t measurable and just the way it makes them feel.

For me personally, after doing research, I narrowed it down to the Sebo E3, Sebo D4 or Miele C3. Sebo and Miele are German companies that are well known in Europe. They check all the marks in terms of performance and reliability. I checked out a local dealer to explain more in detail, and decided on the Miele C3. Although I wasn’t ready to drop $1,000 on a vacuum just yet.

I looked for something just for my carpet in the meantime. I purchased an Oreck Elevate Conquer (which normally goes for $549) for $140 with extra bags worth $40 so it was like buying the vacuum for $100. It was lightly used and purchased 3 years ago. I took it home and it vacuumed a lot better than the $60 vacuum I used for over 2 years. If I didn’t get the Oreck, I’d probably get the Hoover Tempo. It normally goes for $150 brand new, and there was a sale for $129 with free shipping direct from Hoover. That vacuum also performs great. Based on the Airflow and Suction, they seem to perform just as well or better than the Rainbow at less than 1/20th of the price. They don’t perform as well as the Kirby, Miele, or Sebo, but at $140 for now, I am happy with the performance I got. My carpet feels cleaner than it’s ever did before. Later on, I plan on getting a Miele C3. I may keep the Oreck or sell it or give it away (or use it on a product video review).

 

This leads me to the “Buy nice or buy twice” philosophy. If I bought the Miele C3, I’d be saving some money because I bought an Oreck and will be buying a Miele C3. But the opportunity cost (being able to clean now) instead of waiting to clean, and utilize funds for other things. Is all things to consider.

If you are spending over $400 on a vacuum that does both carpet and hard floor, I highly recommend looking at Sebo or Miele. If you want the best, definitely look into Sebo, Miele or a Central vacuum.

If you are looking on vacuums on a budget just for a few years with less (but decent performance), there are some kenmore and hoover vacuum for carpet and some vacuums less than $100 just for hard floors.

Versatility (Additional benefits and Features)

Another factor into cost is versatility. Some vacuums can shampoo, some can act and filters. Sometimes, this can offer better value. Other times it the all-in-one device may become a jack of all trades master of none device.

There are some must have  features to look for.

• Hard floors – Ability to use a parquet or floor attachment. These attachments are designed to suck up dust and debris from the floor without a brush. No brush means more airflow, and no electric brush means that it’s not moving the debris all over. Some upright vacuum have the ability to turn off the brush to do hard floors.
• Carpet – Make sure it has an electric nozzle or brush aka powerhead. This is also known as an agitator. Almost all uprights have this. Not all canisters have this. If a canister seems unusually cheap, this is why. An electric head can cost around $300 and sellers market them without the electric head to reduce cost for people that are looking for a vacuum for hardwood floors.
• Attachments – Work smarter not harder. Some attachments help the efficiency of cleaning different places. Wessel-work, a Germany company is one of the top vacuum attachment maker.
• Compartments – Store your attachments. Have you ever lost an attachment? Well it’s good to have compartments or attachment storage option.
• Retractable cord – Not a must have, but a great feature to have.

Here are some extra features

• Switch at the handle.
• Auto suction (automatically adjust suction power)
• Lights on the head
• Air Filter
• Shampooer
• Extractor (Spray water and vacuum)
• Act as an Air Filter

Conclusion

I don’t think there’s anything bad with Rainbow or Kirby vacuums per se. They are durable, reliable, and perform well as vacuum. I personally wouldn’t spend $3,299 on a Rainbow (or $130 for 36 months with a $150 down payment for a total of $4,380). I think they do a good job educating people about vacuums who would not already been educated. 20 years ago, they costed less and vacuums on the market weren’t as good or affordable as they are today. But in 2022, we have access to free information and vacuum technology has gotten a lot better.

I think Rainbow has a great model of earning a free vacuum and accessories, but in order to subsidize it it leverages on purchases and numbers. If a person manages to not reach the target and made a sale, the master distributor comes out ahead. If a person manages to sell the vacuums and get there’s for free, the company still comes out ahead and it reaches more people without advertising. The margins are extremely high. I was told that sales people make $600 on a sale of a vacuum. The true cost of the vacuum to the regional distributor is not disclosed, but they make enough to subsidize vacuums, incentivize sales people and customers while getting a good profit. While good sales people can make good money, the leveraged income that regional distributors make is even greater.

There are “knock-off” water vacuums called the Sirena. They don’t perform as well and aren’t as reliable or durable, but they run at around $500. I also found in my research the previous model E3 Black performs better than the new SRX models.

With that said, in 2022, I’d go with a Miele C3.

I bought a used Oreck Elevate Conquer in the meantime. I hope to review the Miele C3 in the future.

Iny my next post, will write about the Rainbow sales process and fact checking the Rainbow vacuum salesperson.

 

 

Performance (Air Leakage and Exhaust)