@narfcake Frightening, isn’t it? The washer and dryer that I am using were bought used in 1985. And they were at least 10 years old when I got them. I’ve done a few repairs, and they work just fine. And they don’t have any bloody smart controls that think they know better than I do about how the job should be done.
@narfcake@werehatrack I miss things that do their intended jobs simply and reliably, without extraneous features and complications. I could probably have been a mechanic in the 70s…today? Not a chance.
@narfcake@PooltoyWolf I was a mechanic in the '70s, and I have kept up with the changes pretty well. Things have become far more mechanically complicated along the way, particularly in stupid-expensive vehicles like Audis and Beemers, but a lot of stuff is actually simpler than it once was because of the built-in diagnostics, assuming that the tech can understand what the system is really telling them. And then you have the abominations like the oil cooler on the Chrysler Pentastar engines, which would never have passed muster to be used on a vehicle in the '70s, and still shouldn’t. (Thermally welded plastics under pressure, on a part whose failure means major engine damage if shutdown isn’t immediate.)
@PooltoyWolf Meh. Maybe true of the earlier generations, but not my experience with a new Kirby purchased in the 80’s. While it performed well, it only lasted less than 2 years. And despite the high purchase price, the warranty was for shit.
@macromeh You seem to be in the minority! I’ve never met someone who purchased a Kirby vacuum cleaner that didn’t live up to expectations…and my G3 (1990) was actually acquired secondhand! Even the newer units like the Sentria are better built than other premium vacuums like Dyson models.
@PooltoyWolf Maybe - the Kirby was a huge disappointment, especially considering the high price and reputation. I certainly was not going to take a chance on a second try.
BTW, we also once tried a Dyson - also an expensive short-lived disappointment. Who thought big fragile plastic pieces were a good idea to build a vacuum?
Since those disasters, we have been quite happy with mid-range Sharks.
@macromeh@PooltoyWolf “Who thought big fragile plastic pieces were a good idea to build a vacuum?”
Dyson replacement parts sellers. And JB Weld.
Dyson makes over-engineered plastic junk that works very well, until you start getting cracks in the plastic. And you WILL. And no 2 are alike, so they each need specifically matched replacement parts.Over-engineered.
We were gifted a new Oreck upright that sucked like it wanted diamonds. The vacuum chamber even flexed inwards due to the suction (a good thing).
Even with regular maintenance (there wasn’t much you could do, but clean it out, replace bag, clear off beater bar) it soon lost interest in sucking.
Jebus, this sounds like my life…
Anyway, that’s what Dyson tried to fix, but with plastic parts that were meant to break.
Interstellar space beyond the Oort cloud. The catch is that without an atmosphere under pressure to move into that vacuum, it’s useless. It’s the pressure differential that does the work.
@yakkoTDI Once upon a time, at Costco, in the refrigeration department, waiting for the guy who was kneeling on the floor, next to us to go through the eggs, looking for unbroken ones, I said in an above normal inside voice, to my husband, like I was angry, “You know what sucks?”
And the egg fella kind of stopped what he was doing to listen.
@kittykat9180 I once had a Doberman who would come running when I called “Erin! Vacuum!”. She was great to have around at mealtime when the kids were small.
@hchavers@narfcake TTI has demonstrated that they have a certain grasp of wizardry when it comes to electric motors and batteries, so I don’t necessarily think that their ownership is a bad thing.
@hchavers@werehatrack No, it’s not a bad thing – just that along the way, the distribution was affected making them less prominent on store shelves than before.
Space.
I still use a Kenmore canister that’s … wait, the 1990’s was 30 years ago?!?
@narfcake Frightening, isn’t it? The washer and dryer that I am using were bought used in 1985. And they were at least 10 years old when I got them. I’ve done a few repairs, and they work just fine. And they don’t have any bloody smart controls that think they know better than I do about how the job should be done.
@narfcake @werehatrack I miss things that do their intended jobs simply and reliably, without extraneous features and complications. I could probably have been a mechanic in the 70s…today? Not a chance.
@narfcake @PooltoyWolf I was a mechanic in the '70s, and I have kept up with the changes pretty well. Things have become far more mechanically complicated along the way, particularly in stupid-expensive vehicles like Audis and Beemers, but a lot of stuff is actually simpler than it once was because of the built-in diagnostics, assuming that the tech can understand what the system is really telling them. And then you have the abominations like the oil cooler on the Chrysler Pentastar engines, which would never have passed muster to be used on a vehicle in the '70s, and still shouldn’t. (Thermally welded plastics under pressure, on a part whose failure means major engine damage if shutdown isn’t immediate.)
Kirby! Always Kirby. We’ve been using my G3 for decades and it has never let us down.
@PooltoyWolf Meh. Maybe true of the earlier generations, but not my experience with a new Kirby purchased in the 80’s. While it performed well, it only lasted less than 2 years. And despite the high purchase price, the warranty was for shit.
@macromeh You seem to be in the minority! I’ve never met someone who purchased a Kirby vacuum cleaner that didn’t live up to expectations…and my G3 (1990) was actually acquired secondhand! Even the newer units like the Sentria are better built than other premium vacuums like Dyson models.
@PooltoyWolf Maybe - the Kirby was a huge disappointment, especially considering the high price and reputation. I certainly was not going to take a chance on a second try.
BTW, we also once tried a Dyson - also an expensive short-lived disappointment. Who thought big fragile plastic pieces were a good idea to build a vacuum?
Since those disasters, we have been quite happy with mid-range Sharks.
@macromeh @PooltoyWolf “Who thought big fragile plastic pieces were a good idea to build a vacuum?”
Dyson replacement parts sellers. And JB Weld.
Dyson makes over-engineered plastic junk that works very well, until you start getting cracks in the plastic. And you WILL. And no 2 are alike, so they each need specifically matched replacement parts.Over-engineered.
We were gifted a new Oreck upright that sucked like it wanted diamonds. The vacuum chamber even flexed inwards due to the suction (a good thing).
Even with regular maintenance (there wasn’t much you could do, but clean it out, replace bag, clear off beater bar) it soon lost interest in sucking.
Jebus, this sounds like my life…
Anyway, that’s what Dyson tried to fix, but with plastic parts that were meant to break.
Next vacuum will be a Miele canister.
GOD!! He makes Massive Black Holes that devour anything that comes near!!
/giphy black hole
@IndifferentDude maybe that’s where meh can send all the expired food.
@IndifferentDude @OnionSoup and TrackRs…
@IndifferentDude @OnionSoup @xobzoo and Casery…
@IndifferentDude @OnionSoup @werehatrack @xobzoo That black hole looks suspiciously like a trackr.
Interstellar space beyond the Oort cloud. The catch is that without an atmosphere under pressure to move into that vacuum, it’s useless. It’s the pressure differential that does the work.
@werehatrack We’re gonna need a longer hose.
They all suck!
@yakkoTDI Once upon a time, at Costco, in the refrigeration department, waiting for the guy who was kneeling on the floor, next to us to go through the eggs, looking for unbroken ones, I said in an above normal inside voice, to my husband, like I was angry, “You know what sucks?”
And the egg fella kind of stopped what he was doing to listen.
My husband responded “what?”
I answered “the vacuum!”
The guy got a big grin on his face.
Nilfisk
@tweezak Oh, yeah - I guess I have to agree, those are professional grade.
My dog used to be pretty good at vacuuming spills in the kitchen.
@kittykat9180 I once had a Doberman who would come running when I called “Erin! Vacuum!”. She was great to have around at mealtime when the kids were small.
I haven’t tried them all, so heck if I know.
My really old bagged Hoover is great although I use the shark I got here some years back and it works well.
My husband loves his Dyson, Miele and iRobot vacs.
Electrolux
Whatever happened to Hoover?
@hchavers They’re still around, albeit with a different owner than in the past. TTI owns them now.
https://www.ttigroup.com/brands
@hchavers @narfcake TTI has demonstrated that they have a certain grasp of wizardry when it comes to electric motors and batteries, so I don’t necessarily think that their ownership is a bad thing.
@hchavers @werehatrack No, it’s not a bad thing – just that along the way, the distribution was affected making them less prominent on store shelves than before.
I would assume it’s the best vacuum makers.
I built one and it’s awesome.
PANS! GLANDS! CRAYONS! AWESOME!
The Bissell canister vacuum I got for $60 over a decade ago still works great, so I’ll probably keep getting those.