atom starfire productions I have just done upgrade to my g4 on my channel and works way better than Avalir 2. The sand pick up was amazing, aswell as more airflow and agitation.
We bought our G4 around 95 and I was amazed when I “opened it up” to replace a switch inside. There was NOT any junk in it. It was quality parts! They are built like tanks. If you are a little handy, they will last a very long time. Our son and daughter in law have it now and we have the newest one (bought off of craigslist for $200!!!). I buy them from people who want to give them away because “they are nothing but paperweights”.
Additional tip: As the bristles on the brushroll wear you just rotate the end plates to the next number. This moves the bristles closer to the floor. You get four times the life out of the brushroll before replacement is necessary compared to other vacuums.
I've had my Kirby for forty five years and haven't had a problem nor even a hiccup yet. I keep an Electrolux canister for weekly cleanings and an Oreck XL for daily cleanings but my Kirby was our primary vacuum until ten years ago and was used every day for decades. I use it twice per week now. They really are the last machine you'll ever need to buy.
@@KirbyEnthusiast I have a G3 a Gsix and an Ultimate G Diamond Edition. My brother owns a Kirby distributor in Australia and gives me the older machines for free.
I'm 34, and one of my big memories of being a kid in the 90's was that we got a Kirby vacuum - G4 I believe. I still remember when the salesperson came to the house and did the pitch, showed us what our bagged Eureka didn't do, and next thing I know I'm using a Kirby as a leaf blower in the garage and vacuuming out the cars on the weekends. The whole drive mode thing was fun for a ten year old me that was into anything with wheels or gears. I know my mother still has it somewhere and I'll have to see if I can get it from her and source some bags from amazon/ebay and get it back in action.
Can still have the upright handle on & put the hose on. I have had various kirby's for years. It takes 15 seconds to switch over. Once you get the hang of it so simple.
Can somebody tell me what I'm doing wrong because I cannot detach the bottom part of the bag I'm trying to switch over for the shampooer and I don't feel any button
'Expensive' is a relative term. I bought an UltimateG, Diamond edition, around 2004. Used it while stationed at several locations, and on several terrains (carpet, tile, hard wood). So it's about 15 years old, that's about $9 a month/$113 a year, if you use it at least every month, (hopefully you do). If you use the shampooer, even better. As far as the 'door-to-door' deal, not a big fan, but I must say, at the time, I was located way out, in a remote spot, 'lost in the woods'. I actually called the kirby people to drive an hour and a half to get there. They were thrilled I bought it on the spot, after it proved it's worth. I researched, and thought I had a 'good' vacuum. Friends and I joke about how you might take what you think is a powerful vacuum, turn it on, and put it and the kirby 'mouth-to-mouth', and the kirby would suck the dirt out of the other bag.
the thing is the new price is outrageous considering the market is completely flooded with used units. i have a kirby tradition (1979), a heritage I (1984), and a Gsix (2001). the most i paid for them is $100, we probably paid less then $200 for all 3. they are durable, have great parts support but the wife hates them due to it being bulky and heavy. you can literally buy a G3 from the early 1990's for dirt cheap and it will offer the same performance as the latest and greatest that retails for thousands.
@@ad356 I found my g4 sitting out in the rain and freezing cold. Even has working self drive. Now that I have a good job I'm thinking of selling it and buying something new or maybe just newer. Depends on how much I feel like spending.
We had the Avalir for 4 years. Used it almost everyday and now it won’t turn on. I am rethinking wether si want to have it repaired or just go for a different one. As far vacuuming goes, it is the best hands down. We vacuumed our carpet the previous day to having our new carpet installed and the guys said they had never seen the bottom of a carpet so clean. There was literally nothing for them to vacuum.
Kirby’s have barely changed since the G3 came out in 1990. I think their classic design is somewhat endearing, as it reminds you how vacuums used to be. They are like driving a classic car. Better build quality and reliability, but really shows you how vacuums have advanced. It really is a classic vacuum that has been modernized. They are great for carpets, but really struggle with the hose. As long as you are willing to deal with the drawbacks, they are well built, reliable vacuums. I daily an Avalir. And I love it. I’d never buy a new one though. Their price just can’t be justified, despite how long they last. They are plentiful on the used market. Most people don’t want them because of their weight. And if you buy a used one for $50, spend another $100 or so to service it and clean it up, you’ll have a well built machine that will last you a lifetime.
I have both a G4 and G5 that saw heavy use in their day as a carpet cleaning companies machine for pre-vacuuming so they saw daily use in multiple homes lifted in and out of the truck. They are some of the most robust cleaners ever built.
I sold these for a short minute,at first I felt guilty for trying to get that kind of money out of someone,but after a while I realized there was no equal to it and the quality was unreal,I still have and use the G4 I sold my dad in 96,replaced the fan but other than that it's been rock solid
I own three Kirbys, a 1963 Sanitronic VII, a 1987 Heritage II turbo, and a 2001 G6. Love them all they work great suction is unmatched. My next Kirby will be a Avalir I the color scheme reminds me of my Heritage II.
My Kirby is about 5-years old now, and it was expensive! However, it cleans soOoo well, I wouldn't consider anything else. I also have a Dyson which is broken again after some dust clogged the cheap plastic internal flappers. My only criticism with Kirby; the attachments have NOT kept pace with vacuum updates. They seem rather under-developed in comparison. This is not a deal-breaker but I hope Kirby reads my comments. In fact, I may see about upgrading to the Avalir 2 or wait until the next model update. It's clear they are making changes to reduce the weight, but I hope they don't go too far by replacing metal with plastic!
Kirby cost what $1500 new? And it last for 30+ years on average with normal in home use. So thats about $50 per year for the best vacuum on the market. The Dyson upright is about $600 new? And it last for 5 years or so with normal in home use. So thats about $120 per year for what could pass for the second best vacuum on the market. Even if the Dyson lasted twice as long or cost 1/2 as much its still more / year of use that the kirby for the second best. And by second best I mean literally 1/2 as good. 1/2 the airflow so 1/2 the suction power. Half the features, ect. In my mind there is no comparison. Add that to the fact that you could get the last version of the kirby that whatever they are selling now for 1/2 the price and still brand new and as a previous kirby sales man they are virtually identical. I have a G6 from about 20 years ago. It still works perfectly. The only big difference between it and the current Kirby is a slight but positive change to the shampooing system. Everything else is the same. I just spent 3 seconds and found a Kirby Ultimate for $165 with all attachments. This is RIDICULOUSLY better than anything you could hope to find in Walmart, Target, or any other retail store to clean your carperts. I can't imagine why anyone would use anything else when these are so cheap. If I needed a vacuum right now this one wouldn't be on the market anymore just sayin.
@@K162KingPin The salesman that came tonight first gave me a price of $2,500. After some discounts, the price came to $1,600 (if I paid in full). I still said no because I found a deal online for $400. He wound up selling me the vacuum at a greatly reduced price just to ensure I got the lifetime warranty and a good experience. It's not a deal they offer people, so I'm not allowed to say what I paid, but I'm happy with my purchase. :)
Omg I prayed and God answered. I recently left my retail job to become a Kirby independent dealer. I didn't realize what I was selling. Your content videos educated me. I am selling the #1 Kirby total home care cleaning system. Not a vacuum. thank you so much for your wisdom and posting these type of videos.
I'm glad I'm watching this. Just a little extra comfort about what I spent last night, not to even mention how much better my carpets look after one use!
Same. I got a great deal on my Avalir II from the salesman this evening but it was still expensive, and this video brings me comfort that I made a good decision. Not to mention I had my son vacuum all the carpeting in the house and there really was a huge improvement! The bag is supposed to last 8-9 months, but my son filled it up in one night. We're going to empty that bag manually and reuse it.
good product relatively if you got the money for it, i guess the company distributors are what really give this vacuum a bad rap. i know that this more of a performance review but for the price point of this vacuum im sure you can get a pro grade vacuum, its a consumer grade product with a pro grade price. The brand new price is about 2600 for the kirby avalir 2
batmans Impostor at the time of you posting this comment I got a brand new one from the salesman for $1200 with all the attachments. You just gotta learn how to negotiate.
some of the best use for the kirby carpet shampooer I've found is for shampooing carpets that have been soaked in cat pee and other animal pee and had it dried on and it doesn't even really matter how deep it got in the carpet or how long its been there... it really pulls it out and leaves the carpet feeling fresh and you don't have to worry about leaving the A/C on in the summer soo everybody doesn't smell the carpet
Pretty fair review, overall. As a Kirby owner (I have two), it can be a little annoying at times getting out all of the attachments. I have found that the vintage Kirbys do better in upright mode on floors. I have a 519 (1959) that I use almost daily, because I have hardwood, vinyl, tile and large area rugs. I use my big Kirby, the Diamond Edition, about once or twice a week for deep cleaning. As you state in your video, the airflow is insane; even in the older models.
@@ethelryan257 That doesn't surprise me. I had a Dual Sanitronic 80 that gave my Royal upright a time in the airflow department. I no longer have the D80, but I have had my 519 since I was a kid. It has improved since I last serviced it.
Great review but another thing to consider with Kirby's is the quality and servicing. They're built like tanks no competition in terms of durability and when something breaks (if it does) you can order or find parts to fix it. They fact you can find replacement parts for a 30+year old vacuum is somewhat a testament to their quality.
I just want to thank you for being so precise with your information. I have a Kirby, and was really thinking about getting a Dyson V11 instead. After this, I’ve decided to just get my Kirby serviced and save $$$.
My family's had two Dysons. We hate them, my mom thought the Ball would be easier because of her arthritis. The plastic parts are always breaking, , cat fur clogs it up, the filters are nasty to clean, and they do indeed lose suction over time. I don't notice that it cleans any better than the $150 Bissell that I had in college, and the Bissell 2x outlived the Dyson. They're all hype.
I sold Kirby for a couple years about 20 years ago and its still the only vacuum I use. In fact I still have my kirby from 20 years ago and it still works like a champ. I dont still sell them and won't get anything for saying this so take it to heart. There is no better vacuum that anyone could buy for home use. There may be better industrial vacuums that cost way more than anyone could use I don't know. Still I tested the kirby back then against everything on the market and NOTHING came remotely close to their deep cleaning power. Mostly this is due to their incredible suction and the design of their suction head. See most vacuums are built with a very stiff bristled brush and a design in the rollet called a "beater bar". This is specifically designed to beat the dirt in the carpet to free it up. Ideally this is to allow the vacuum to suc up the dirt more freely but because none of these other vacuums have the air flow to pull dirt from deep in the carpet they just end up beating the dirt deeper into the carper. If you pull up carpet from after several years of traffic and using one of these other vacuums you typically see a solid sheet of pure dirt that has been beaten down into and even under the carpet. Its disgusting. The kirby has so much airflow that if you adjust its height properly it will literally pick the carpet up slightly as it goes across allowing the air to flow completely through the carpet pulling all the dirt from even neither it. Furthermore they use a soft bristled brush design and NO beater bar. This way the brush isn't pushing the carpet away from the suction head allowing for that amazing lifting affect. The saddest thing is that there may be other vacuums out there that could accomplish this to some degree if they would just change the design of their rollers and bristles to allow for their lower airflow to at least do the best it can. Sadly these companies seem to have opted to hide the dirt by beating it down into the carpet fast rather than take longer to pull it out properly. Yes they would clean 1/2 as fast as a kirby at best but at least they would be cleaning instead of hiding. This is what disgusted me the most about the industry. So many companies could have done so much better with very minor design changes but they chose to hide our dirt instead of removing it. I know what you are going to say... Yea well my (insert name) vacuum gets out a LOT of dirt. You can see it swirling around in the clear canister. Ok sure. They pick up a lot of dirt on the surface. You could do that with a straw. What is disappointing and disgusting is that for all the dirt they pick up that beat at least that much down into the carpet to hide it from you. To make the carpet "LOOK" clean more than being clean. Don't believe me? lift up the carpet and see if there is dirt under it. Now consider how much money you are spending on allergy pills and tell me if that could make the different in the cost of a kirby instead. Another HUGE difference is that kirby vacuums are built to last. they use very little plastic in their design and where they do its extremely high quality plastic. Like lexan plastic. My parents had a kirby that was 40 years old. no kidding. It still worked fine when they bought a G4. The G4 had slightly more power but the main difference was that the G4 had the self propel feature added to it. With this you can push this 28 lbs vacuum with literally your pinky finger. Yes its considered a big negative that the kirby weighs so much compared to other vacuums but think about this. If its the ONLY vacuum on the market that actually cleans your dirt out of your carpet instead of hiding it from you. If its the ONLY vacuum on the market that last for 30 years plus. Then really 18 lbs is the lightest weight vacuum on the market that does its job right. To me the only big negative with the kirby was the price of the bags and belts. But that was 20 years ago. Now thx to the internet, deliveries, and cheaper manufacturing these are even "dirt" cheap compared to what they where when I got mine. Also I really dont know how good the shampooer is compared to other shampooers. I don't think anything compares to the handheld shampooer attachment because i've never seen anything like it for doing something like your car but for regular carpet I have no idea how deep it cleans into the carpet compared to others. What I do know is that I have a bissil carpet cleaner and after shampooing over several staines about a dozen times each with the bissil I then went over them a couple times with the kirby and they all disappeared. Maybe the bissil did most of the work and I just finished it off with the kirby, or maybe I should have gotten the kirby out in the first place. Hopefully this guy will do a comparison on that in the near future.
Taking off the head and putting on the hose is definitely worth it to do the hard floors. It only takes literally 10 seconds or less once you get used to it. The Kirby attachments are literally the best that I have ever seen. I would never use a third-party attachment.
The Kirby Salesman just left my house. Just picked up. Avalir 2 with all the attachments. Definitely sold me on how well this machine works. It blew my mind. Thanks for your points of view and touching on some things i forgot when he was here.
It’s crazy how much it picks up. I’m also a sales rep for Kirby, I’m glad that there are people out here that take time out and share there experiences they have with Kirby.
@@northsidemonarch2848 My experience so far is I'm definitely glad i bought it. The performace sold me on it. The price is killer, but, compared to it probably being the last home cleaner (due to it having a shampoo attachment i wont call it a vacuum) that I'll ever buy, i guess im okay with it. My wife and I are definitely pleased with the product.
To use the shampooer properly make sure that you always put a cup per line that way it mixes properly with the dry foam solution and if done properly it will take no more than 30- 60 minutes to dry
Somehow we ended up buying it yesterday it sucked so good & somehow I had a million things going on & the presentation sold us & hopefully won’t ever have to buy another vacuum & we have a dog & cat it’s a great vacuum 💯
Canister mode is for an application that you want to use the power brush head such as on fabric couches, carpeted stairs, etc. When I use my Kirby on my hard wood floors, dusting, crevice cleaning, etc, I simply take off the power brush head, replace it with my hose and attach my hard floor, crevice, dusty, etc tools. That takes less than 10 seconds. The long hose doesn’t tip over my Kirby due to its weight, unlike my new Riccar Radiance R40P @ $1600, which tips over at times when using hose and tools. My older Kirby G4 in real world use is superior in all applications compared to my top of the line Riccar. The Riccar hose and attachments leak air, the cheap plastic fittings don’t fit tightly throughout, and I end up using my Kirby to clean up all the missed dirt my new Riccar R40P Radiance leaves behind especially with it’s hose and attachments. Going back to Kirby. Riccar a waste of money.
My mom bought one about 30yrs ago when i was a kid. Door to door salesman. She still uses it every week. It's been fixed maybe twice. It was expensive in the early 90's but dang it sure has earned its price.
I had my Kirby in a basement for about 10 years rusted to pieces took it to the Kirby store and I swear I thought they gave me a new one I got to say these Kirby people are amazing I thought they duped Me by giving me everything brand new that's just how good they clean everything you could do everything literally Whitaker V paint houses sand floors I mean everything Kirby for life
Lucky for you. When mine wasn't working anymore I found that the distributor in my state (CT) closed. I called Kirby and they gave me the number to someone who would repair it. I called the repair shop and told him it was under warranty and he refused to work on it under warranty and hung up on me. I would love to get my Sentria fixed.
Love these Kirby vacuums! I have a Dual Sanitronic 80 that my grandparents bought from a door to door sales man in the late 60s. Then I have a G3 and a Diamond Edition.
I've been a Kirby owner for a long time. (decades) You don't have to switch to canister mode for using the hose. At the bottom of the long handle, there's a slot for your hand to pick up the Kirby.
Once you put that floor duster attachment on it seems to focus the airflow and I can pick up bits of dry dogfood with ease. I would recommend when you’re done vacuuming your hard floors, tilt the Kirby to the left and right and that’ll suck up the bigger bits that land in the attachment. Or do what I do, I’ll vacuum my hard floors… take the floor attachment off and dump the bigger bits that landed in there on my rug and then I vacuum the rug viola!
i have a kirby tradition, its a 1979-1981 model. i think we paid $25 for it years ago. upgraded the brush roll to the two row brush. used almost daily. there is still value in the really old machines, they are solidly built we also have a Gsix we also bought years ago, paid $50 seems like when they age a little no one wants them and they end up dirt cheap. they literally run forever and i you are mechanically inclined you can do most repairs yourself.
Traditions and Legend IIs are very easy to pick up here in the UK as low as £20. Usually need a clean, belt and bag. I have a used 1986 Tradition with shampoo attachment and full tools, £50. Wouldn't use anything else, my carpets are spotless.
I was a sales consultant for 3 years and I still stand by its work.its health beneficial and very economical.best part is cleaning the mattress at that's where most of sales came from.a great sales person is someone who believes in the product and how it's going to benefit the whole family.benefits sell a kirby.
The overall platform of this vacuum hasn't changed since the G3 back in the early 1990s. The only thing's Kirby has done all the way up to the Kirby Avalir 2 is brush roll revisions, redesigned mini-emptor for better airflow, and different headlight design to appeal to modern buyers, but the overall design of the vacuum whether it'd be a G3 or an Avalir 2 is EXACTLY the same, they just have different color schemes. My favorite G series Kirby has still been the G5, but I do like the almost Tradition tribute color scheme of the new Avalir 2.
We bought a refurbed Sentria from a friend of ours as he was a salesman for a number of years. The thing does have some weight and complexity to it, but it's built like a tank and has a lot of power. We've had ours for about 7 years now and haven't had to do much to it other than replace the belts once a year.
Before you switch the machine off first put it in neutral then raise the head off the floor with the toe touch control. This was drummed into us when we did training. It prolongs the life of the belt and the brushroll and is a little more protection for your carpet due to the pressure release when you switch the machine off. Once you do it a couple of times it becomes second nature
I love Kirby. My grandmother has one and even though it’s heavy. That’s the vacuum I grab even though she has a shark. The power is amazing. I would love to have a Kirby for my home now that I found out my mom is pregnant and I’ll be cleaning more. Maybe I’m the future I’ll get one.
Kirbies are like $100 on eBay oftentimes. Good, yea, but heavy af and no swivel head, so their ergonomics are terrible. That said, if you have the right house arrangement, they could potentially be the best way to go.
I brought a second hand legend 11 kirby about one year ago. I used to be a vacuum cleaner serviceman many years ago. I upgraded the suction fan to modern made materials, new motor brushes, washed out the outter cloth zipped bag and now using the latest hepa filter whte materal diposable bags. Also after a good polish on metal parts now my kirby looks like new. Any kirby can be used as a normal vacuum by putting on the hose, wands and standard floor tool., the portable handle dosent have to be attached when using the hose and attachments or using the kirby as a normal vacuum. I find leaving the upright handle attached and bag attached and upright handle the kirby still follows you about when using the hose and wand attachents and floor tool for basic vacuuming. I use the upright main deep cleaning head for my shag pile rugs. The kirby vacuum is the only upright cleaner that lifts up the carpet. other upright vacuum cleaners only brush the carpet with hardly no airflow . the G series with techdrive are great machines too, I like using the older design kirbys.
A cheat for the Kirby is when you use the canister mode, just take the head off and attach the hose. That’s the trick my mom use to use with her Kirby Classic III and I use for all of the other lines after that (some models do have a balance issues when pulling it by the hose though). Kirby is still the best in a thorough clean. Anytime I steam clean carpets I ALWYAS reach for the Kirby to get all the loose dirt and the steam clean to sanitize and “wash” the carpet. GREAT VIDEO!!
I use a roughly 25 year old G4 on hard floor and carpet. (Two large dogs means I vacuum daily or choke on fur balls. 😆) I have the canister handle, but virtually never use it. It pulls around by the hose just fine on the hard floor, with the standard upright handle in place. Takes maybe 15-30 seconds tops to remove the head and attach the hose. BTW, if I’m not mistaken, there’s a longer hose available that might be a good choice for use on stairs.
That's how I always used my grandmother's Classic 3 as well, just take the brush head off and use the hose, no need to remove the handle and bag...although today's models it seems they've made the handle easier to remove, but looks like cheap plastic parts that will break with repeated removal and reinstallation. The motor finally burned up in my grandmother's Kirby after 32 years and at that time I had no idea I could send it in or take it to a shop and have it rebuilt...so I ended up throwing it in the trash a few years ago along with all the attachments. It was also getting to the point when you turned it on it would blow dust out of the bag and around the seal so it was definitely time for it to go...just wish I knew I could have had it rebuilt/restored :(.
Have a Sentria for 20 years. Best vacuum ever! Have a Dyson V10 Animal which always has issues. Can't find parts for it either. It needs to be cleaned with an air compressor every month. Bagless sucks. Bags are way better, they have more surface area (bag) to exhaust the air out, which helps filtration.
I absolutely agree with you, as these aren't designed to clean up little messes in your home. My Sentria 2 is nice on carpet but need an adjustment on hard floors. Also, there is no hardware/ motor difference between the Sentrias and the Avalirs.
Ghast_Master/ Renzo Louis the Sentria 1 and Sentria 2 do my Avalir motor amps are higher by 0.5 amps then my Sentria and they have a 3 cfm difference unless your talking about the later Sentria 1 in 2011.
@Comrade the avalir 2 is amazing for me. My room used to have a very odd odor like the air wasn't fresh but once I used the kirby it smelled so much nicer and the carpet, omg it's clean
I've got a Kirby diamond edition I paid £40 used I use it for commercial carpet cleaning as a pre vac for hwe it's an absolute beast I'll own it for a long time
My grandma has had one for god knows how many years, and its had little to no issues, only problem is it needs a new brush roll but everything else is fine, she barely uses it insted using a eruka powerspeed because she dosent like constantly buying bags, but if she don't need it anymore ill gladly take it
Awesome video, I just bought one of these from a door salesman because I was shocked with how clean my carpets got after the demo, but as always I was afraid I made a bad investment but I don't think I did now especially because I like a clean home.
You don't need to change to canister mode to use attachments, it only takes the handle off, that's it - 2006 Kirby diamond edition with about a thousand attachments
same for me....but I have many....from the 40's, 50's and on up.....never any problems. thats why Kirby says "it'll be the last vacuum you ever buy' ( if you choose to)
We have a Kirby GSix 2001 Limited Edition with the carpet shampooer, sprayer and power drive accessories, like the sander attachment. Pretty cool. Love the TechDrive transmission.
When I first started getting Kirby's in my collection, I immediately fell in love with how good they clean, the one and only thing I do hate is definitely the weight of the g series and my Sentria, but overall I enjoy using them, I enjoy showing my family what they can do using my dirt meters and I have to say that when I was using my Gsix 2001 to clean a few condos, my boss ended up getting Kirby's, so Kirby's are amazing as long as you know how to live with their very few downfalls.
I bought an avelair 2 when they came out. Of course this a small community and the office didn't see a lot of business. When I needed maintenance b/c low air flow, unresolved by prescribed methods, it was 2020. They folded up shop. Now you have to ship off to repair. Cust. Serv. is very helpful though.
holy moly! all that info in just 6min. i hope you'll review every vacuum cleaner out there. this is the first video of yours ive watched and im subbed. ibiasiac, can kiss the baby.
I just bought a barely used avalir 1 with all attachments and shampoo stuff for 100 bucks. Im fired up, but more importantly the wife understands why i wanted this one instead of another shark after watching this video, thanks man!
my fav thing selling these door to door back in the day was running into someones bedroom and vacuuming their mattress, sold so many and was sent on so many free vacations doing that
Very good video! I bought my Kirby G6 from Germany for 200$ It was totally rebuilt, basically new. No other vacuum has been so good on the carpets. It's not very practical like you said, but the carpet cleaning is superior. I have the stiff Avalir brushroll in my G6 and it works like a dream. Like you know Kirby generation series has not changed much at all, but they just work great. Especially in the carpet cleaning.
I just purchased the avalir2 last night and was thinking of returning it because of the price. After seeing your review/demonstration, I've decided to keep it. Also, I know quite a few people with older models and they still have the same vacuum up and running after 10 -20 yrs later without any issues. I agree with you about the weight and the numerous moving parts. I will have to review the manual prior to using it. It can't be any worse than my $400 electrolux that came with a flimsy hose which broke after about a year. I had to tape it up. That wasn't the worst thing that happened. I almost got electrocuted and/or burn my house down one Sunday. While vacuuming my carpet, the thickest part of the plastic base that houses the electrical wires broke apart exposing the wires. If I can post a picture of this, I will. Had to purchase a Hoover upright vacuum and a shark lightweight vaccum(for quick cleanups) which I am still currently using. The light-weight upright electrolux which I also purchased along with the cannister vaccum quit working a little after one yr. As long as the electrolux is working, it has good suction power and vacuums well. However, if I have to replace it every year, or even five yrs, I'd rather invest in a Kirby. Thanks for your honest review.
Great review! Thank you for getting straight to the point and providing scientific data from your own research. I appreciate in-depth reviews of this nature very much. I can't wait to scour the internet and scope out a deal.
Had one since 2006. A beast and never breaks. If you want to know something is clean, run the Kirby. Honestly makes everything else seem weak, even the Dysons.
My Kirby Avalir has 150cfm and runs rings around Dyson which are overpriced plastic vacuums that last 5yrs if you are very very lucky . But they don’t clean they just rub dirt in carpet waiting for Kirby to knock on the door 😂
Well it looks as though you're pretty impressed with it. I almost never use the "portable handle" for anything aside from handheld mode, putting it on just to use the hose seems like a waste of time to me.
I agree. Unless I use it in blower mode outdoors, or for some mattresses in my home, I never use that handle, either. It cuts down on airflow when you fold the bag.
Growing up my parents had a Gen 3 and that thing still runs so well. I have a Dyson at my house and I find myself missing the flexibility and power that came with the Kirby. The Dyson is awesome though.
My grandparents were gifted their Kirby Omega for their wedding in 1975. They still use that to this day, because it doesn't need disposable bags. One does not simply "break" a KIRBY!
I've had Kirby's for more than 20 years never have I had a belt break I'd say the person said about the belt breaking probably does not know how to adjust the height setting or something is damaged but I also change the belt every year but sometimes I've gone two and three
Great vid kirbys are very reliable i have my grandmas 509 that she got for an anniversary presant. Back in 49 and that thing still sucks. Its suprisingly lighter than the heratige i have love love love. Kirbys 💞💞💞
Single dad here raising 2 kids alone so here's my fast review....CLEANS CARPETS GREAT.... but man for everything else its just a huge pain.. you will find real quick this thing becomes your enemy when trying to use all those attachments LOL
One good thing about kirby's is there easy to maintain it does not have multiple filters or cyclones like shark or dyson just a disposable bag and outer bag
Grabbed a Kirby 561 from 2nd hand store, and it's still going strong -- it's 59 years old! (Built in 1961). Our Dyson Ball Animal lasted 5 years -- the amount of time it was under warranty. The old Kirby lifted the carpet from the floor! in a corner that the floor contractor poorly glued/nailed down -- oops! But dang! Talk about power!! Plus, you buy a new vacuum every few years, or get one that lasts?! Dyson >= $300. Old Kirby = $20 (seriously, that's all I paid and it was fully functional.) You do the math.
You didn't carry it right in the video which is why it feels heavy, stand on the non bag side of the machine, bend with your knees and lift down at the handle at the bottom of the handle, nearly will cut the weight in half.
I dont think you necessarily have to take off the arm when switching to canister mode we have a Kirby very similar to the avalir and all we do when we want to use the hose is take off the head put the hose on and were ready to go
Can you please do a flour under carpet test on the new Rainbow SRX? Rexair claims to have increased the airflow significantly. The poor performance of the E2 on one of your vids doing that same test holds me back from using mine. I love the water concept as it does help me allergies when I run it as an air purifier but if it leaves 80% of the dirt beneath the carpet it’s not vacuuming. I use my Avalir 2 often but it does smell like a dog way before the bag is full, even with frequent washing of the outer bag.
It's-a me Megatron. I prefer it because it’s easy to fit on and you get the direct suction from the head. I guess the hose is more convenient for more awkward places, but I do prefer this.
@@HooverLux Thanks for the response! I like to vacuum my hardfloors in Upright mode too I have tile so scratches aren't an issue but I wanted it to dust floors too. Thanks again though!
The Kirby may be heavy, and you may have to change modes but the Kirby will still be around in 20+ years unlike the cheap garbage off the box store shelves vacuums made today. The complaints of the Kirby are from people are just purely lazy, and today's Kirby models are far easier to manipulate and move around than the Kirby's from even 10-15 years ago or prior to the self-propel models being released, although with the new 4 row brush rolls they will almost pull themselves along. The other thing people whine about is price...sure the Kirby is initially expensive, but how many vacuums will you throw away and still have the Kirby being completely operational? Probably dozens, and even those cheap off the shelf vacuum prices aren't exactly cheap...and when they break you usually either can't find replacement parts, or the parts cost as much or more than the darn vacuum did...so you are stuck either buying yet another cheap vacuum or just buying an expensive vacuum that'll last forever and can be completely rebuilt instead of being thrown away.
I have the Avalir and it's a great vacuum, best I have ever used, but do yourself and your wallet a huge favor and buy one second-hand on eBay or craigslist. Shortly after paying a small fortune for mine I found almost identical Kirby's with all attachments for less than a quarter of the price by doing a simple online search.
I love my Rainbow D4 but it's bulky ( so is the Kirby). There's no just pulling it out to do a quick vacuuming is the thing, since you need to fill the water tank and empty it after each use, and keep the thing apart to air dry (my recommendation because the motor can rust and things can get musty if it's stored while it's damp). That's the only possible con, I have a regular upright for quick jobs. It's nice to add scents to the water, and the powerhead reaches all the way under our king size bed and furniture without having to move anything. When I first used it, there were spots that I thought I would need to shampoo, but the Rainbow cleaned it up. It's really great for cat fur, which tends to weave it's way into upholstery and carpet.
I purchased a 2 month old Avalir 2 on Facebook marketplace for $90. It still smells new when I turn it on. Very glossy. I drove 2.5hrs to pick it up in a tiny middle-of-nowhere town.
I have a Kirby G4 that I bought from a door to door sale and I gotta say, it's the BEST vacuum i've ever owned.
Still have my G4 work like new still i use it 26 yrs later runs as new
I would really want one if it is $500 or less, but they try to sell it $1500 or more which is many times how much supply costs.
atom starfire productions I have just done upgrade to my g4 on my channel and works way better than Avalir 2. The sand pick up was amazing, aswell as more airflow and agitation.
Chris Steinmayer I still use my G4 everyday and upgraded it to out clean my avalir 2
We bought our G4 around 95 and I was amazed when I “opened it up” to replace a switch inside. There was NOT any junk in it. It was quality parts! They are built like tanks. If you are a little handy, they will last a very long time. Our son and daughter in law have it now and we have the newest one (bought off of craigslist for $200!!!). I buy them from people who want to give them away because “they are nothing but paperweights”.
Additional tip: As the bristles on the brushroll wear you just rotate the end plates to the next number. This moves the bristles closer to the floor. You get four times the life out of the brushroll before replacement is necessary compared to other vacuums.
That's pretty neat. Orecks do something similar. Should be a standard thing
I've had my Kirby for forty five years and haven't had a problem nor even a hiccup yet. I keep an Electrolux canister for weekly cleanings and an Oreck XL for daily cleanings but my Kirby was our primary vacuum until ten years ago and was used every day for decades. I use it twice per week now. They really are the last machine you'll ever need to buy.
So basically it's so good that you use two other vacuums and keep the kirby in the closet?
The first thing my ex said when divorcing was "I'm taking the Kirby!"
Sandi hunt , if I got divorced I have a lot of kirbys I demonstrate on my channel my parter would keep
Lmao she has good tastes, nothing deep cleans like a Kirby.
@@KirbyEnthusiast I have a G3 a Gsix and an Ultimate G Diamond Edition. My brother owns a Kirby distributor in Australia and gives me the older machines for free.
@@danielhedger5904 Thats awesome ive just picked up Heritage 84 and a Heritage 2 i use that out clean any cheap plastic vacuum
LOL
I'm 34, and one of my big memories of being a kid in the 90's was that we got a Kirby vacuum - G4 I believe. I still remember when the salesperson came to the house and did the pitch, showed us what our bagged Eureka didn't do, and next thing I know I'm using a Kirby as a leaf blower in the garage and vacuuming out the cars on the weekends. The whole drive mode thing was fun for a ten year old me that was into anything with wheels or gears. I know my mother still has it somewhere and I'll have to see if I can get it from her and source some bags from amazon/ebay and get it back in action.
😀 That's cool. Thanks for sharing.
Baha this literally describes me. Same age. Same G4. Remember the salesman. Had to vaccuum a ton of stuff with it. Mom still has it.
That's great.
Can still have the upright handle on & put the hose on. I have had various kirby's for years. It takes 15 seconds to switch over. Once you get the hang of it so simple.
yes, I never switch to canister mode.
Die hard Kirby fan..... I love my Sentria 2, never haf issues with switching attachments... I only use canister handle to vacuum beds!
I do all my hose dusting and crevices first in whole apartment then I convert to floor mode and finish everything off
Can somebody tell me what I'm doing wrong because I cannot detach the bottom part of the bag I'm trying to switch over for the shampooer and I don't feel any button
Twist it outwards.
'Expensive' is a relative term. I bought an UltimateG, Diamond edition, around 2004. Used it while stationed at several locations, and on several terrains (carpet, tile, hard wood). So it's about 15 years old, that's about $9 a month/$113 a year, if you use it at least every month, (hopefully you do). If you use the shampooer, even better. As far as the 'door-to-door' deal, not a big fan, but I must say, at the time, I was located way out, in a remote spot, 'lost in the woods'. I actually called the kirby people to drive an hour and a half to get there. They were thrilled I bought it on the spot, after it proved it's worth. I researched, and thought I had a 'good' vacuum. Friends and I joke about how you might take what you think is a powerful vacuum, turn it on, and put it and the kirby 'mouth-to-mouth', and the kirby would suck the dirt out of the other bag.
It literally does....
the thing is the new price is outrageous considering the market is completely flooded with used units. i have a kirby tradition (1979), a heritage I (1984), and a Gsix (2001). the most i paid for them is $100, we probably paid less then $200 for all 3. they are durable, have great parts support but the wife hates them due to it being bulky and heavy.
you can literally buy a G3 from the early 1990's for dirt cheap and it will offer the same performance as the latest and greatest that retails for thousands.
@@ad356 I found my g4 sitting out in the rain and freezing cold. Even has working self drive. Now that I have a good job I'm thinking of selling it and buying something new or maybe just newer. Depends on how much I feel like spending.
You wont find a more outstanding vacuum, check out my comparisions
We had the Avalir for 4 years. Used it almost everyday and now it won’t turn on. I am rethinking wether si want to have it repaired or just go for a different one. As far vacuuming goes, it is the best hands down. We vacuumed our carpet the previous day to having our new carpet installed and the guys said they had never seen the bottom of a carpet so clean. There was literally nothing for them to vacuum.
Kirby’s have barely changed since the G3 came out in 1990. I think their classic design is somewhat endearing, as it reminds you how vacuums used to be. They are like driving a classic car. Better build quality and reliability, but really shows you how vacuums have advanced. It really is a classic vacuum that has been modernized. They are great for carpets, but really struggle with the hose. As long as you are willing to deal with the drawbacks, they are well built, reliable vacuums. I daily an Avalir. And I love it. I’d never buy a new one though. Their price just can’t be justified, despite how long they last. They are plentiful on the used market. Most people don’t want them because of their weight. And if you buy a used one for $50, spend another $100 or so to service it and clean it up, you’ll have a well built machine that will last you a lifetime.
Worth every penny. My fraternity has relied on it for 30 years. Reliable. Nothing kills it.
I have both a G4 and G5 that saw heavy use in their day as a carpet cleaning companies machine for pre-vacuuming so they saw daily use in multiple homes lifted in and out of the truck. They are some of the most robust cleaners ever built.
I sold these for a short minute,at first I felt guilty for trying to get that kind of money out of someone,but after a while I realized there was no equal to it and the quality was unreal,I still have and use the G4 I sold my dad in 96,replaced the fan but other than that it's been rock solid
I own three Kirbys, a 1963 Sanitronic VII, a 1987 Heritage II turbo, and a 2001 G6. Love them all they work great suction is unmatched. My next Kirby will be a Avalir I the color scheme reminds me of my Heritage II.
My Kirby is about 5-years old now, and it was expensive! However, it cleans soOoo well, I wouldn't consider anything else. I also have a Dyson which is broken again after some dust clogged the cheap plastic internal flappers. My only criticism with Kirby; the attachments have NOT kept pace with vacuum updates. They seem rather under-developed in comparison. This is not a deal-breaker but I hope Kirby reads my comments. In fact, I may see about upgrading to the Avalir 2 or wait until the next model update. It's clear they are making changes to reduce the weight, but I hope they don't go too far by replacing metal with plastic!
Yeah, the price is the biggest con but they last a lifetime!
Plus, if the warranty expires it's easy to repair
Kirby cost what $1500 new? And it last for 30+ years on average with normal in home use. So thats about $50 per year for the best vacuum on the market.
The Dyson upright is about $600 new? And it last for 5 years or so with normal in home use. So thats about $120 per year for what could pass for the second best vacuum on the market.
Even if the Dyson lasted twice as long or cost 1/2 as much its still more / year of use that the kirby for the second best. And by second best I mean literally 1/2 as good. 1/2 the airflow so 1/2 the suction power. Half the features, ect. In my mind there is no comparison.
Add that to the fact that you could get the last version of the kirby that whatever they are selling now for 1/2 the price and still brand new and as a previous kirby sales man they are virtually identical. I have a G6 from about 20 years ago. It still works perfectly. The only big difference between it and the current Kirby is a slight but positive change to the shampooing system. Everything else is the same.
I just spent 3 seconds and found a Kirby Ultimate for $165 with all attachments. This is RIDICULOUSLY better than anything you could hope to find in Walmart, Target, or any other retail store to clean your carperts. I can't imagine why anyone would use anything else when these are so cheap. If I needed a vacuum right now this one wouldn't be on the market anymore just sayin.
@@K162KingPin The salesman that came tonight first gave me a price of $2,500. After some discounts, the price came to $1,600 (if I paid in full). I still said no because I found a deal online for $400. He wound up selling me the vacuum at a greatly reduced price just to ensure I got the lifetime warranty and a good experience. It's not a deal they offer people, so I'm not allowed to say what I paid, but I'm happy with my purchase. :)
That was my only gripe that they have change shampoo head to plastic, check out my comparisions on my channel
You can send your vacuum in and get it rebuilt for 175$$ if you have the warranty they put all the new upgrades on it so it. Becomes the newest model
Quick tip for “canister mode”: you don’t have to take the handle off, it takes less time to switch around and is just easier
Omg I prayed and God answered. I recently left my retail job to become a Kirby independent dealer. I didn't realize what I was selling. Your content videos educated me. I am selling the #1 Kirby total home care cleaning system. Not a vacuum. thank you so much for your wisdom and posting these type of videos.
shawn hall go get your job back lol
shawn hall need more history and info check out my dedicated Kirby owners channel. Loads of content weekly
I'm glad I'm watching this. Just a little extra comfort about what I spent last night, not to even mention how much better my carpets look after one use!
Same. I got a great deal on my Avalir II from the salesman this evening but it was still expensive, and this video brings me comfort that I made a good decision. Not to mention I had my son vacuum all the carpeting in the house and there really was a huge improvement! The bag is supposed to last 8-9 months, but my son filled it up in one night. We're going to empty that bag manually and reuse it.
Jessie Cain you made the best decision ever . I started my own dedicated Kirby channel with mine .
@@KirbyEnthusiast Why did you post the same comment 3 weeks apart? Spamming in an effort to boost your subscriber base?
good product relatively if you got the money for it, i guess the company distributors are what really give this vacuum a bad rap. i know that this more of a performance review but for the price point of this vacuum im sure you can get a pro grade vacuum, its a consumer grade product with a pro grade price. The brand new price is about 2600 for the kirby avalir 2
batmans Impostor at the time of you posting this comment I got a brand new one from the salesman for $1200 with all the attachments. You just gotta learn how to negotiate.
some of the best use for the kirby carpet shampooer I've found is for shampooing carpets that have been soaked in cat pee and other animal pee and had it dried on and it doesn't even really matter how deep it got in the carpet or how long its been there... it really pulls it out and leaves the carpet feeling fresh and you don't have to worry about leaving the A/C on in the summer soo everybody doesn't smell the carpet
Pretty fair review, overall. As a Kirby owner (I have two), it can be a little annoying at times getting out all of the attachments. I have found that the vintage Kirbys do better in upright mode on floors. I have a 519 (1959) that I use almost daily, because I have hardwood, vinyl, tile and large area rugs. I use my big Kirby, the Diamond Edition, about once or twice a week for deep cleaning. As you state in your video, the airflow is insane; even in the older models.
There are tests on TH-cam showing 1930's Kirby's with more airflow than the TOL Dysons.
Airflow is awesome i have done comparision video on my channel
Matt Jones just bought Legend II to compare with my other kirbys on my dedicated Kirby owners channel
@@KirbyEnthusiast Sorry I am just now seeing this, Dean, but I did watch those videos of yours. They are very impressive.
@@ethelryan257 That doesn't surprise me. I had a Dual Sanitronic 80 that gave my Royal upright a time in the airflow department. I no longer have the D80, but I have had my 519 since I was a kid. It has improved since I last serviced it.
Great review but another thing to consider with Kirby's is the quality and servicing. They're built like tanks no competition in terms of durability and when something breaks (if it does) you can order or find parts to fix it. They fact you can find replacement parts for a 30+year old vacuum is somewhat a testament to their quality.
They say they will repair or restore any Kirby, even pre-WWII models.
i legit thought your pfp was a hair on my screen and i tried to wipe it away lmaooooo
They are the Sherman’s of vacuums!! Quality parts inside also
@@ethelryan257 I didn't know that 😳
@@benjaminj.5041 SAME 🤣🤣
I just want to thank you for being so precise with your information. I have a Kirby, and was really thinking about getting a Dyson V11 instead. After this, I’ve decided to just get my Kirby serviced and save $$$.
@Bridgette Mendia-Johnson great call, you cant beat a Kirby i have over 10 i use on my channel
My family's had two Dysons. We hate them, my mom thought the Ball would be easier because of her arthritis. The plastic parts are always breaking, , cat fur clogs it up, the filters are nasty to clean, and they do indeed lose suction over time. I don't notice that it cleans any better than the $150 Bissell that I had in college, and the Bissell 2x outlived the Dyson. They're all hype.
I sold Kirby for a couple years about 20 years ago and its still the only vacuum I use. In fact I still have my kirby from 20 years ago and it still works like a champ. I dont still sell them and won't get anything for saying this so take it to heart. There is no better vacuum that anyone could buy for home use. There may be better industrial vacuums that cost way more than anyone could use I don't know. Still I tested the kirby back then against everything on the market and NOTHING came remotely close to their deep cleaning power. Mostly this is due to their incredible suction and the design of their suction head. See most vacuums are built with a very stiff bristled brush and a design in the rollet called a "beater bar". This is specifically designed to beat the dirt in the carpet to free it up. Ideally this is to allow the vacuum to suc up the dirt more freely but because none of these other vacuums have the air flow to pull dirt from deep in the carpet they just end up beating the dirt deeper into the carper. If you pull up carpet from after several years of traffic and using one of these other vacuums you typically see a solid sheet of pure dirt that has been beaten down into and even under the carpet. Its disgusting. The kirby has so much airflow that if you adjust its height properly it will literally pick the carpet up slightly as it goes across allowing the air to flow completely through the carpet pulling all the dirt from even neither it. Furthermore they use a soft bristled brush design and NO beater bar. This way the brush isn't pushing the carpet away from the suction head allowing for that amazing lifting affect. The saddest thing is that there may be other vacuums out there that could accomplish this to some degree if they would just change the design of their rollers and bristles to allow for their lower airflow to at least do the best it can. Sadly these companies seem to have opted to hide the dirt by beating it down into the carpet fast rather than take longer to pull it out properly. Yes they would clean 1/2 as fast as a kirby at best but at least they would be cleaning instead of hiding. This is what disgusted me the most about the industry. So many companies could have done so much better with very minor design changes but they chose to hide our dirt instead of removing it.
I know what you are going to say... Yea well my (insert name) vacuum gets out a LOT of dirt. You can see it swirling around in the clear canister. Ok sure. They pick up a lot of dirt on the surface. You could do that with a straw. What is disappointing and disgusting is that for all the dirt they pick up that beat at least that much down into the carpet to hide it from you. To make the carpet "LOOK" clean more than being clean. Don't believe me? lift up the carpet and see if there is dirt under it. Now consider how much money you are spending on allergy pills and tell me if that could make the different in the cost of a kirby instead.
Another HUGE difference is that kirby vacuums are built to last. they use very little plastic in their design and where they do its extremely high quality plastic. Like lexan plastic. My parents had a kirby that was 40 years old. no kidding. It still worked fine when they bought a G4. The G4 had slightly more power but the main difference was that the G4 had the self propel feature added to it. With this you can push this 28 lbs vacuum with literally your pinky finger. Yes its considered a big negative that the kirby weighs so much compared to other vacuums but think about this. If its the ONLY vacuum on the market that actually cleans your dirt out of your carpet instead of hiding it from you. If its the ONLY vacuum on the market that last for 30 years plus. Then really 18 lbs is the lightest weight vacuum on the market that does its job right.
To me the only big negative with the kirby was the price of the bags and belts. But that was 20 years ago. Now thx to the internet, deliveries, and cheaper manufacturing these are even "dirt" cheap compared to what they where when I got mine. Also I really dont know how good the shampooer is compared to other shampooers. I don't think anything compares to the handheld shampooer attachment because i've never seen anything like it for doing something like your car but for regular carpet I have no idea how deep it cleans into the carpet compared to others. What I do know is that I have a bissil carpet cleaner and after shampooing over several staines about a dozen times each with the bissil I then went over them a couple times with the kirby and they all disappeared. Maybe the bissil did most of the work and I just finished it off with the kirby, or maybe I should have gotten the kirby out in the first place. Hopefully this guy will do a comparison on that in the near future.
Taking off the head and putting on the hose is definitely worth it to do the hard floors. It only takes literally 10 seconds or less once you get used to it. The Kirby attachments are literally the best that I have ever seen. I would never use a third-party attachment.
Me neither , the Kirby hard floor tool is great on my bamboo flooring for dog hairs . 👌👌
The Kirby Salesman just left my house. Just picked up. Avalir 2 with all the attachments. Definitely sold me on how well this machine works. It blew my mind. Thanks for your points of view and touching on some things i forgot when he was here.
Chris Rhodes best vacuum there is! My grandma had the 2003 model, still works great!! I’ve seen the newer model & used it too!!
@@northsidemonarch2848 My wife and I havent stopped cleaning the house. I've already used a bag in one night. Crazy how much this thing picks up
It’s crazy how much it picks up. I’m also a sales rep for Kirby, I’m glad that there are people out here that take time out and share there experiences they have with Kirby.
@@northsidemonarch2848 My experience so far is I'm definitely glad i bought it. The performace sold me on it. The price is killer, but, compared to it probably being the last home cleaner (due to it having a shampoo attachment i wont call it a vacuum) that I'll ever buy, i guess im okay with it. My wife and I are definitely pleased with the product.
@@Chris.Rhodes you can always negotiate the price
To use the shampooer properly make sure that you always put a cup per line that way it mixes properly with the dry foam solution and if done properly it will take no more than 30- 60 minutes to dry
Somehow we ended up buying it yesterday it sucked so good & somehow I had a million things going on & the presentation sold us & hopefully won’t ever have to buy another vacuum & we have a dog & cat it’s a great vacuum 💯
Kirby made the canister mode as the answer for the upright problems. Best home vaccum in the world
Canister mode is for an application that you want to use the power brush head such as on fabric couches, carpeted stairs, etc. When I use my Kirby on my hard wood floors, dusting, crevice cleaning, etc, I simply take off the power brush head, replace it with my hose and attach my hard floor, crevice, dusty, etc tools. That takes less than 10 seconds. The long hose doesn’t tip over my Kirby due to its weight, unlike my new Riccar Radiance R40P @ $1600, which tips over at times when using hose and tools. My older Kirby G4 in real world use is superior in all applications compared to my top of the line Riccar. The Riccar hose and attachments leak air, the cheap plastic fittings don’t fit tightly throughout, and I end up using my Kirby to clean up all the missed dirt my new Riccar R40P Radiance leaves behind especially with it’s hose and attachments. Going back to Kirby. Riccar a waste of money.
My mom bought one about 30yrs ago when i was a kid. Door to door salesman. She still uses it every week. It's been fixed maybe twice. It was expensive in the early 90's but dang it sure has earned its price.
I had my Kirby in a basement for about 10 years rusted to pieces took it to the Kirby store and I swear I thought they gave me a new one I got to say these Kirby people are amazing I thought they duped Me by giving me everything brand new that's just how good they clean everything you could do everything literally Whitaker V paint houses sand floors I mean everything Kirby for life
Lucky for you. When mine wasn't working anymore I found that the distributor in my state (CT) closed. I called Kirby and they gave me the number to someone who would repair it. I called the repair shop and told him it was under warranty and he refused to work on it under warranty and hung up on me. I would love to get my Sentria fixed.
@V. V how can I restore the shine? Mines is dull because someone used bar keepers on the finish like a dummy
V thank you, will try!!!
It is the best vacuum cleaner. We got ours over 30 years ago and it is still going strong!
Love these Kirby vacuums! I have a Dual Sanitronic 80 that my grandparents bought from a door to door sales man in the late 60s. Then I have a G3 and a Diamond Edition.
Very cool!
I've been a Kirby owner for a long time. (decades) You don't have to switch to canister mode for using the hose. At the bottom of the long handle, there's a slot for your hand to pick up the Kirby.
Once you put that floor duster attachment on it seems to focus the airflow and I can pick up bits of dry dogfood with ease. I would recommend when you’re done vacuuming your hard floors, tilt the Kirby to the left and right and that’ll suck up the bigger bits that land in the attachment. Or do what I do, I’ll vacuum my hard floors… take the floor attachment off and dump the bigger bits that landed in there on my rug and then I vacuum the rug viola!
super input! Thank you!
i have a kirby tradition, its a 1979-1981 model. i think we paid $25 for it years ago. upgraded the brush roll to the two row brush. used almost daily. there is still value in the really old machines, they are solidly built
we also have a Gsix we also bought years ago, paid $50
seems like when they age a little no one wants them and they end up dirt cheap. they literally run forever and i you are mechanically inclined you can do most repairs yourself.
Yeah, it does seem that way.
Traditions and Legend IIs are very easy to pick up here in the UK as low as £20. Usually need a clean, belt and bag. I have a used 1986 Tradition with shampoo attachment and full tools, £50. Wouldn't use anything else, my carpets are spotless.
Correction *Heritage and Legend*
*1986 Heritage*
I was a sales consultant for 3 years and I still stand by its work.its health beneficial and very economical.best part is cleaning the mattress at that's where most of sales came from.a great sales person is someone who believes in the product and how it's going to benefit the whole family.benefits sell a kirby.
i believe in their products so much started my own youtube channel , check it out
Maria Paora I believe in the Kirby from selling g3 stated my own dedicated Kirby owners channel check it out
The Kirby enthusiast has great content on his videos.
Very underrated vacuum brand, good quality and long lasting.
The overall platform of this vacuum hasn't changed since the G3 back in the early 1990s. The only thing's Kirby has done all the way up to the Kirby Avalir 2 is brush roll revisions, redesigned mini-emptor for better airflow, and different headlight design to appeal to modern buyers, but the overall design of the vacuum whether it'd be a G3 or an Avalir 2 is EXACTLY the same, they just have different color schemes. My favorite G series Kirby has still been the G5, but I do like the almost Tradition tribute color scheme of the new Avalir 2.
We bought a refurbed Sentria from a friend of ours as he was a salesman for a number of years. The thing does have some weight and complexity to it, but it's built like a tank and has a lot of power. We've had ours for about 7 years now and haven't had to do much to it other than replace the belts once a year.
Mobile Device E.R. I still use my G4 everyday and started my own Kirby owners dedicated channel .
Before you switch the machine off first put it in neutral then raise the head off the floor with the toe touch control. This was drummed into us when we did training. It prolongs the life of the belt and the brushroll and is a little more protection for your carpet due to the pressure release when you switch the machine off. Once you do it a couple of times it becomes second nature
Very good info! Thanks for stopping by!
I love Kirby. My grandmother has one and even though it’s heavy. That’s the vacuum I grab even though she has a shark. The power is amazing. I would love to have a Kirby for my home now that I found out my mom is pregnant and I’ll be cleaning more. Maybe I’m the future I’ll get one.
Kirbies are like $100 on eBay oftentimes. Good, yea, but heavy af and no swivel head, so their ergonomics are terrible. That said, if you have the right house arrangement, they could potentially be the best way to go.
I brought a second hand legend 11 kirby about one year ago. I used to be a vacuum cleaner serviceman many years ago. I upgraded the suction fan to modern made materials, new motor brushes, washed out the outter cloth zipped bag and now using the latest hepa filter whte materal diposable bags. Also after a good polish on metal parts now my kirby looks like new. Any kirby can be used as a normal vacuum by putting on the hose, wands and standard floor tool., the portable handle dosent have to be attached when using the hose and attachments or using the kirby as a normal vacuum. I find leaving the upright handle attached and bag attached and upright handle the kirby still follows you about when using the hose and wand attachents and floor tool for basic vacuuming. I use the upright main deep cleaning head for my shag pile rugs. The kirby vacuum is the only upright cleaner that lifts up the carpet. other upright vacuum cleaners only brush the carpet with hardly no airflow . the G series with techdrive are great machines too, I like using the older design kirbys.
Love this video really inspired me to buy Avalir 2 after my G4 has lasted so long
A cheat for the Kirby is when you use the canister mode, just take the head off and attach the hose. That’s the trick my mom use to use with her Kirby Classic III and I use for all of the other lines after that (some models do have a balance issues when pulling it by the hose though). Kirby is still the best in a thorough clean. Anytime I steam clean carpets I ALWYAS reach for the Kirby to get all the loose dirt and the steam clean to sanitize and “wash” the carpet. GREAT VIDEO!!
Yeah good idea!
I use a roughly 25 year old G4 on hard floor and carpet. (Two large dogs means I vacuum daily or choke on fur balls. 😆)
I have the canister handle, but virtually never use it. It pulls around by the hose just fine on the hard floor, with the standard upright handle in place. Takes maybe 15-30 seconds tops to remove the head and attach the hose.
BTW, if I’m not mistaken, there’s a longer hose available that might be a good choice for use on stairs.
That's how I always used my grandmother's Classic 3 as well, just take the brush head off and use the hose, no need to remove the handle and bag...although today's models it seems they've made the handle easier to remove, but looks like cheap plastic parts that will break with repeated removal and reinstallation. The motor finally burned up in my grandmother's Kirby after 32 years and at that time I had no idea I could send it in or take it to a shop and have it rebuilt...so I ended up throwing it in the trash a few years ago along with all the attachments. It was also getting to the point when you turned it on it would blow dust out of the bag and around the seal so it was definitely time for it to go...just wish I knew I could have had it rebuilt/restored :(.
Have a Sentria for 20 years. Best vacuum ever! Have a Dyson V10 Animal which always has issues. Can't find parts for it either. It needs to be cleaned with an air compressor every month. Bagless sucks. Bags are way better, they have more surface area (bag) to exhaust the air out, which helps filtration.
I absolutely agree with you, as these aren't designed to clean up little messes in your home. My Sentria 2 is nice on carpet but need an adjustment on hard floors. Also, there is no hardware/ motor difference between the Sentrias and the Avalirs.
Ghast_Master/ Renzo Louis the Sentria 1 and Sentria 2 do my Avalir motor amps are higher by 0.5 amps then my Sentria and they have a 3 cfm difference unless your talking about the later Sentria 1 in 2011.
KG5Vacuums ok.
@Comrade the avalir 2 is amazing for me. My room used to have a very odd odor like the air wasn't fresh but once I used the kirby it smelled so much nicer and the carpet, omg it's clean
I've got a Kirby diamond edition I paid £40 used I use it for commercial carpet cleaning as a pre vac for hwe it's an absolute beast I'll own it for a long time
Ok,at 2:27 you changed my life. I've been using it the wrong way for two years! 😂 Thank you!!!
My grandma has had one for god knows how many years, and its had little to no issues, only problem is it needs a new brush roll but everything else is fine, she barely uses it insted using a eruka powerspeed because she dosent like constantly buying bags, but if she don't need it anymore ill gladly take it
we purchased our generation 3 Kirby in 1991 ….STILL in service nearly 30 years later, its not our main vacuum but still functions perfectly....
Awesome video, I just bought one of these from a door salesman because I was shocked with how clean my carpets got after the demo, but as always I was afraid I made a bad investment but I don't think I did now especially because I like a clean home.
You don't need to change to canister mode to use attachments, it only takes the handle off, that's it
- 2006 Kirby diamond edition with about a thousand attachments
I own a Kirby G6 and it's now 19 years old. Never had problem with it!
same for me....but I have many....from the 40's, 50's and on up.....never any problems. thats why Kirby says "it'll be the last vacuum you ever buy' ( if you choose to)
We have a Kirby GSix 2001 Limited Edition with the carpet shampooer, sprayer and power drive accessories, like the sander attachment. Pretty cool. Love the TechDrive transmission.
When I first started getting Kirby's in my collection, I immediately fell in love with how good they clean, the one and only thing I do hate is definitely the weight of the g series and my Sentria, but overall I enjoy using them, I enjoy showing my family what they can do using my dirt meters and I have to say that when I was using my Gsix 2001 to clean a few condos, my boss ended up getting Kirby's, so Kirby's are amazing as long as you know how to live with their very few downfalls.
Kirbys really do clean well I use mines around the house and does an amazing job even though they are heavy but nothing can beat a kirby
I bought an avelair 2 when they came out. Of course this a small community and the office didn't see a lot of business. When I needed maintenance b/c low air flow, unresolved by prescribed methods, it was 2020. They folded up shop. Now you have to ship off to repair. Cust. Serv. is very helpful though.
holy moly! all that info in just 6min. i hope you'll review every vacuum cleaner out there. this is the first video of yours ive watched and im subbed. ibiasiac, can kiss the baby.
Lol thanks, I appreciate that, I do try to get right to the point. But I like Rogers style too. 😀
I just bought a barely used avalir 1 with all attachments and shampoo stuff for 100 bucks. Im fired up, but more importantly the wife understands why i wanted this one instead of another shark after watching this video, thanks man!
my fav thing selling these door to door back in the day was running into someones bedroom and vacuuming their mattress, sold so many and was sent on so many free vacations doing that
must be nice. i couldnt sell a bucket of water to someone thats burning alive.
Me too i used to sell G3 , amazing machine. Now inspired me to start my own channel
EpicConspiracy me too used love that part . Now have started my own channel dedicated to Kirby owners
Could you please do videos on the Aerus Lux Classic, Lux Legacy and Lux Guardian Platinum?
I have four Kirby’s. Heritage II/G4D/Gsix/Sentra. I love them all. I’ve been looking to trade my Sentra for a Avalir 2.
Good times! Hope you find it!
I randomly watched this after a meme video of Kirby Vacuum job interviews. Pretty entertaining vacuum video!
Truck Driver Skeeter I still use my G4 everyday and started my own Kirby owners dedicated channel .check it out
Very good video! I bought my Kirby G6 from Germany for 200$ It was totally rebuilt, basically new. No other vacuum has been so good on the carpets. It's not very practical like you said, but the carpet cleaning is superior. I have the stiff Avalir brushroll in my G6 and it works like a dream. Like you know Kirby generation series has not changed much at all, but they just work great. Especially in the carpet cleaning.
@Vacuumtests Thanks man, good to see you over at the vacuumland forums too! $200 is great, I bought this one for $550 on Ebay.
Just done comparision video
I just purchased the avalir2 last night and was thinking of returning it because of the price. After seeing your review/demonstration, I've decided to keep it. Also, I know quite a few people with older models and they still have the same vacuum up and running after 10 -20 yrs later without any issues. I agree with you about the weight and the numerous moving parts. I will have to review the manual prior to using it. It can't be any worse than my $400 electrolux that came with a flimsy hose which broke after about a year. I had to tape it up. That wasn't the worst thing that happened. I almost got electrocuted and/or burn my house down one Sunday. While vacuuming my carpet, the thickest part of the plastic base that houses the electrical wires broke apart exposing the wires. If I can post a picture of this, I will. Had to purchase a Hoover upright vacuum and a shark lightweight vaccum(for quick cleanups) which I am still currently using. The light-weight upright electrolux which I also purchased along with the cannister vaccum quit working a little after one yr. As long as the electrolux is working, it has good suction power and vacuums well. However, if I have to replace it every year, or even five yrs, I'd rather invest in a Kirby. Thanks for your honest review.
Awesom, glad the video helped. I think Kirbys are amazing, I hope you end up loving yours!
@@VacuumWars Thank you
I am proud to own every Kirby model produced, so I am proud of my Kirby's!
Good times!
I haven't had any issues with my Kirby G3 since the day I got it at goodwill!
(Except a broken bag clip)
And now a slightly flickery light
Nice!
@@VacuumWars late update: I got myself a G6 with the attachments, and lastly the hose, as it was missing it at the time
Great review! Thank you for getting straight to the point and providing scientific data from your own research. I appreciate in-depth reviews of this nature very much. I can't wait to scour the internet and scope out a deal.
Awesome, thanks so much and thanks for stopping by!
Had one since 2006. A beast and never breaks. If you want to know something is clean, run the Kirby. Honestly makes everything else seem weak, even the Dysons.
Dyson and all the garbage mainstream bagless vacuums usually only have 40 - 60 cfm at the nozzle while kirbys have 100+ cfm
My Kirby Avalir has 150cfm and runs rings around Dyson which are overpriced plastic vacuums that last 5yrs if you are very very lucky .
But they don’t clean they just rub dirt in carpet waiting for Kirby to knock on the door 😂
Well it looks as though you're pretty impressed with it. I almost never use the "portable handle" for anything aside from handheld mode, putting it on just to use the hose seems like a waste of time to me.
I agree. Unless I use it in blower mode outdoors, or for some mattresses in my home, I never use that handle, either. It cuts down on airflow when you fold the bag.
Use min e most wks for the matress, just done matress test on avalir 1
I have a Kirby Sentria that is on its way out, so I bought an Avalir 1 as a replacement.
Have you just checked the bearing on your sentria or the brushes , i have 10 Kirby's still going strong
"It's like they came out of a different century." Lmfao, THEY DID! 😂😂😂😂
Growing up my parents had a Gen 3 and that thing still runs so well. I have a Dyson at my house and I find myself missing the flexibility and power that came with the Kirby. The Dyson is awesome though.
Which is why I generally change the belt once a year it tastes like all a 3 minutes probably not even
The bare floor pad is no longer offered. That was discontinued with the buffer in favor of the new multi-surface shampoo system.
Ahh too bad.
my mom bought a kirby about 10 years ago, we literally still use it till this day
i have a G4 i use on my channel still running after 25 yrs
My grandparents were gifted their Kirby Omega for their wedding in 1975. They still use that to this day, because it doesn't need disposable bags. One does not simply "break" a KIRBY!
@@brockturner3112 Kirbys are awsome, ive just bought a Kirby Legend II to feature on my dedicated kirby owners channel. Full of great kirby content.
I've had Kirby's for more than 20 years never have I had a belt break I'd say the person said about the belt breaking probably does not know how to adjust the height setting or something is damaged but I also change the belt every year but sometimes I've gone two and three
My mom bought a Kirby 25 years ago and it’s still better all vacuums we’ve had
Just got my Avalir 2 in today. Can't wait to test it out.
Orry Bennett works good I just got one & been goin crazy with it
Orry Bennett
Nice, it'll serve you for many years!
My Ultimate G is from 2004 and it still works like new!
And was it good?
Got mine yesterday!
hi just bought avalir 2 can you tell me how much it cost you
Great vid kirbys are very reliable i have my grandmas 509 that she got for an anniversary presant. Back in 49 and that thing still sucks. Its suprisingly lighter than the heratige i have love love love. Kirbys 💞💞💞
Would you like to upgrade to the avalir i could trade in your old one
@@leonelcampos9458 it was her grandma's you greedy clod! Go out knocking on doors, not trying to swindle away a family heirloom.
And for the one it said something about Shop-Vac or utility back they blow as much dirt out as they bring in so what would be the point
It can also be used as a leaf blower.....no joke.
Love my kirbys. Yes I have 2. Take them into my homes I clean, no one has a good sweeper, I’m still trying to talk my client into purchasing one.
@@UWDawgMom I’ve never had the belts break, if you don’t have brush on right it with break,
@@UWDawgMom wind them off when not in use to relieve constant tension on the belt
Single dad here raising 2 kids alone so here's my fast review....CLEANS CARPETS GREAT.... but man for everything else its just a huge pain.. you will find real quick this thing becomes your enemy when trying to use all those attachments LOL
One good thing about kirby's is there easy to maintain it does not have multiple filters or cyclones like shark or dyson just a disposable bag and outer bag
And sometimes the belt needs to be changed but that’s easy to do.
Wow!!!!!!!! Sooooooo awesome. I’m glad you’ve done this video. I have the Av 1 and it’s so good.
Grabbed a Kirby 561 from 2nd hand store, and it's still going strong -- it's 59 years old! (Built in 1961).
Our Dyson Ball Animal lasted 5 years -- the amount of time it was under warranty.
The old Kirby lifted the carpet from the floor! in a corner that the floor contractor poorly glued/nailed down -- oops! But dang! Talk about power!!
Plus, you buy a new vacuum every few years, or get one that lasts?! Dyson >= $300. Old Kirby = $20 (seriously, that's all I paid and it was fully functional.) You do the math.
check out my comparision 1995 - 2020
vap0rtranz check out my comparison episode on my dedicated Kirby owners Channel
You didn't carry it right in the video which is why it feels heavy, stand on the non bag side of the machine, bend with your knees and lift down at the handle at the bottom of the handle, nearly will cut the weight in half.
I dont think you necessarily have to take off the arm when switching to canister mode we have a Kirby very similar to the avalir and all we do when we want to use the hose is take off the head put the hose on and were ready to go
My mom bought a Kirby in 1994. She still uses it. It's so heavy it's self propelled like a lawnmower
Stiil use the same kirby in my channel.
P0licywonk I still use my G4 everyday and started my own Kirby owners dedicated channel .
Can you please do a flour under carpet test on the new Rainbow SRX? Rexair claims to have increased the airflow significantly. The poor performance of the E2 on one of your vids doing that same test holds me back from using mine. I love the water concept as it does help me allergies when I run it as an air purifier but if it leaves 80% of the dirt beneath the carpet it’s not vacuuming. I use my Avalir 2 often but it does smell like a dog way before the bag is full, even with frequent washing of the outer bag.
I have the plate to convert for hard floors and it’s really really good.
Really? How does it work compared to the hose floor tool?
I've been thinking about getting one for my Ultimate G Diamond Edition
It's-a me Megatron. I prefer it because it’s easy to fit on and you get the direct suction from the head. I guess the hose is more convenient for more awkward places, but I do prefer this.
@@HooverLux
Thanks for the response! I like to vacuum my hardfloors in Upright mode too I have tile so scratches aren't an issue but I wanted it to dust floors too.
Thanks again though!
It's-a me Megatron. You’re very welcome, I can highly recommend it. I had to get mine from Ebay Usa.
The Kirby may be heavy, and you may have to change modes but the Kirby will still be around in 20+ years unlike the cheap garbage off the box store shelves vacuums made today. The complaints of the Kirby are from people are just purely lazy, and today's Kirby models are far easier to manipulate and move around than the Kirby's from even 10-15 years ago or prior to the self-propel models being released, although with the new 4 row brush rolls they will almost pull themselves along.
The other thing people whine about is price...sure the Kirby is initially expensive, but how many vacuums will you throw away and still have the Kirby being completely operational? Probably dozens, and even those cheap off the shelf vacuum prices aren't exactly cheap...and when they break you usually either can't find replacement parts, or the parts cost as much or more than the darn vacuum did...so you are stuck either buying yet another cheap vacuum or just buying an expensive vacuum that'll last forever and can be completely rebuilt instead of being thrown away.
Because Dysons look 'trendy'. Yeag they look great, but are shit.
I have the Avalir and it's a great vacuum, best I have ever used, but do yourself and your wallet a huge favor and buy one second-hand on eBay or craigslist. Shortly after paying a small fortune for mine I found almost identical Kirby's with all attachments for less than a quarter of the price by doing a simple online search.
Gonna look into getting one of these . I have a gen 3 classic that still works. Just needs a new fan . But this looks even better.
Yeah its fancy!
It's fancy and expensive, un less you negotiate to the right price
for so far when it comes to vacuum i think the kirby is the best and yet people still complaining about vacuum
The 🐐 of vacuums!!
It's astounding that the basic design of the Kirby has not changed since G3 appeared in 1989!
:-O
Kirby is one of the rarest devices which you don't market. You just show what it can do and it's 100% accurate.
How does a vaccum this Old compare to the new shark vacuum y’all just posted?
Is their any chance that you will do a review on a Rainbow vacuum
I’m looking at doing rainbow vacuum review against avalir on my channel
I love my Rainbow D4 but it's bulky ( so is the Kirby). There's no just pulling it out to do a quick vacuuming is the thing, since you need to fill the water tank and empty it after each use, and keep the thing apart to air dry (my recommendation because the motor can rust and things can get musty if it's stored while it's damp). That's the only possible con, I have a regular upright for quick jobs. It's nice to add scents to the water, and the powerhead reaches all the way under our king size bed and furniture without having to move anything. When I first used it, there were spots that I thought I would need to shampoo, but the Rainbow cleaned it up. It's really great for cat fur, which tends to weave it's way into upholstery and carpet.
I purchased a 2 month old Avalir 2 on Facebook marketplace for $90. It still smells new when I turn it on. Very glossy. I drove 2.5hrs to pick it up in a tiny middle-of-nowhere town.
probably stolen but still amazing price
Connor Francis I still use my G4 everyday and started my own Kirby owners dedicated channel .
You do a nice job reviewing vacuums. I will always watch your videos before buying a vacuum.
Appliance Man600 I started my own Kirby owners channel thanks to this review. Check it out
Appliance Man600 I still use my G4 everyday and started my own Kirby owners dedicated channel .