Vacuum Cleaners Tips

Oreck XL21 Bagged Upright Vacuum Review Oreck XL21 Convert I purchased my Oreck XL21 as a replacement for my Kirby Ultimate G Diamond Edition (2006). Don't get me wrong, the Kirby is an excellent va...

Oreck XL21 Bagged Upright Vacuum Review Oreck Vac attack! I heard Oreck was the best vacuum & read reviews here on epinions & bought one. Here's what I think of it: Oreck XL21 Bagged Upright Bla...

One would think that a product with 21 reviews doesn’t need another one, but I thought I’d share some of my own experiences over the last year and a half that others haven’t mentioned.

I ordered my Oreck XL 21 from the company web site right around the time of Hurricane Katrina, and Oreck is based in Louisiana, where it is also manufactured. Surprisingly, my vacuum arrived without incident and customer service over the phone was friendly and professional—all signs of a very well-run company. And a quality American-made product is something everyone can applaud. (in America, at least)

Out of the Box

The Oreck arrives in a large box that requires a little assembly. It’s quick; just snap the bag, tubes and cord in place following the simple instructions and you’re in business. Took two minutes. This minor construction project allowed me to examine the quality of the parts—everything is extremely well made and the parts fit together with excellent fit and finish. The material quality of the plastic and titanium metal are on-par with that of a European car. Overall, it feels strong and sturdy, and well over one year of household abuse backs up that perception.

Compared to Other Orecks

A little back story… my parents have had two Orecks for the last twenty years or so, but they are the “lesser” models, which cost hundreds less than the XL21 but have similar engineering. I grew up using them and appreciating how well they worked. For my own, I opted for the XL21, the company’s top-of-the-line model, for three reasons: (1) its quieter two-speed motor, (2) the wider, lower profile of the cleaning head that both cleans on a wider track (by about 1 inch) and also squeezes under furniture with greater ease, and (3) the 21-year warranty.

About That Warranty

In order to get all 21 years with free tune-ups, you have to take the vacuum in for a tune-up each year or it defaults to the standard 10-year warranty (which is still pretty good). I wondered how strict Oreck would be about that. I brought my vacuum in for its first free tune-up a couple weeks ago—over two months after one year since purchase date—and braced myself for the bad news that I was too late. No problem! And the guys in the Oreck store were friendly but low-key, just the way I like ‘em.

The tune-ups might seem like a waste of time, but they do maintain top performance. They replace the belt, clear out any accumulation in the tubes and head, and clean the outer bag. And I didn’t have to pay a cent for it.

You have to prove you’re the original buyer in order to qualify for the 21-year deal; the warranty is not transferable if you sell it. I lost my receipt, and Oreck mailed me a duplicate very quickly after I called (again, good customer service). There’s a salmon-colored warranty folder that the service technician stamps after each tune-up. Both that and the receipt slide into a pocket on the back of the vacuum bag, so I won’t lose them for next time. Thoughtful touch.

Lots of Thoughtful Touches, Actually…

The Oreck is a paragon of simplicity in design, but there are numerous little details that I think are genius. Before I get to those, however, I probably I ought to describe

How It Vacuums

One pass almost always does the trick, whether on the carpet or bare floor. My old vacuum required multiple passes to pick up everything visible to the naked eye.

I have no way of measuring it, so this might be my imagination, but the air quality does seem to improve after vacuuming, like David Oreck enjoys saying in his infomercial. The HEPA filtration material, which is built into the outer bag, and the clever slide-locking inner bag keep dust from ever seeing the light of day again, even when you replace the bag.

“Hurricane” really is an apt analogy. The motor is way too powerful for crumbs on the hardwood—they get flung around before they can be sucked up—which is where the low speed comes in handy. The low speed is also much quieter, but even at high speed the machine is less noisy than the other Oreck models. That said, “quietness” is not one of the XL21’s stengths (and the other Orecks are just plain too loud!), but I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks good sucking requires some noise. Ahem.

The machine is so lightweight that vacuuming is actually fun. Sort of. But this is cool: it’s light enough that I can easily hoist it onto to furniture to get crumbs and pet hair off upholstery. I even vacuum the top of my bed (low speed!), where the dog and cats enjoy sleeping as much as I do. A lot easier, and quicker, than washing the comforter.

The roller brush (with the dense bristles in a double-helix pattern) does a great job on rugs. It lifts the pile and grooms it. The real test is carpet cleaning using a foam-style cleanser, which lifts the stain with bubbles and then requires vacuuming. The Oreck works great, but sometimes I have to press the cleaning head down with my hands to really work the bristles into the stain. Probably the only instance where the light weight might be a disadvantage.

You can’t have it all, however.

There’s something to be said for all-in-one convenience. My previous vacuum had a hose and attachments built in to the upright, so I could vacuum tight corners on the fly. But that vacuum didn’t have the power of the Oreck and was flimsier and heavier.

To compensate, the Oreck ships with a compact canister. It works well, but dragging out another machine when I’m cleaning house is, well, a drag. I suppose adding attachments to the Oreck would add weight and complexity to its purist design. You lose some, but win a whole lot more.

Now for Those Thoughtful Details…

The Oreck is a classic example of form following function. But what makes it a truly great design are the details they’ve added that don’t add to its weight or complexity.

1. The machine reclines completely flat and the head has a low profile, so it can clear spaces under furniture as little as four inches tall. I’m able to vacuum the entire area under my futon, tables, and bed. Can’t get under the sofa, however.

2. The bags are loaded and unloaded with a sliding lock mechanism. This makes it both easy and mess-free. When removing a full bag, the slider secures the bag shut as you pull it out, all in a single motion, so dust is never exposed.

3. There’s a little trap door in the back where the motor expels heat. From there you can slide out yet another small filter that traps dust, and on that there’s a space for a small fragrance tab (an Oreck-only accesssory). One comes with the vacuum, but you can buy more from the web site or at an Oreck store, in three fragrances. When the machine runs, the heat from the motor activates the fragrance. I like it because it’s subtle and much more pleasant than sprays. Vanilla’s my favorite. One tab lasts for about six months. The canister vac has this same feature.

4. The ergonomic handle (Oreck calls it the “Helping Hand”) has a comfortable thickness and natural-feeling grip. It’s positioned in such a way that your hand grips like your extending for a handshake; most vacuums with conventional handles require you to twist your wrist to grasp it, as if you’re turning a key. You wouldn’t think this is critical, but I broke my hand last year skiing, and the repeated push-pulling of vacuuming is much less fatiguing with the Oreck handle.

5. The handle cleverly doubles as the cord anchor, and its bottom hook rotates down so you can easily dump the full length of the cord without unwinding. There’s a second handle halfway down that serves as the other cord anchor. This handle pivots and is the best way to carry the machine up stairs, or to hang in a closet. (I use one of those big rubber covered hooks inside the closet door and store the vacuum there, where it’s up off the floor and doesn’t take up much room.)

6. Oreck makes it easy for you to service the machine in a pinch. There’s a door on the outside that allows easy access to the belt, which itself has a spare in a slot on the bottom. The light bulbs are replaced in a similar fashion, from the outside. All you need to do is unscrew two phillips head screws and open the door with the lens.

A Purchase To Feel Good About

I’m not sure if it’s still offered, but Oreck mitigated the XL21’s high price with a $50 per month payment plan that was available to any customer without a credit check. The deal is, if you miss a month, you’ll immediately be responsible for the entire remaining balance. Seemed fair enough to me. I set up an automatic deduction from my checking so I wouldn’t forget.

Price is this product’s biggest sticking point. $699 seemed awfully high, but combined with the payment plan, the “free extras” I haven’t bothered to talk about (the canister vac and the steam iron, which both work very well), and its overall excellent design and build quality, the XL21’s value begins to shine. With the annual free tune-ups, it’s one of those rare products that can increase customer satisfaction with time.

Which is an unusually nice thing to say about an appliance as mundane as a vacuum.

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