I like how fair your reviews are, so many other reviewers complain about heavy machines and automatically say no don't buy it its heavy. Im a 22 year old guy who has no problems with heavy machines. in fact I have 2 Kirbys and the weight is not an issue for me at all. but I do understand that no everyone is like that and I understand there is a market for all kinds of vacuums. I absolutely love my Kirbys but I do understand that heavy can be a problem for some people so I look at that too, great review :)
Also it doesn't require changing a belt which is a feature that should be noted. In regards to the short hose not being suitable for stairs I found at Sears and Amazon both cell and attachment kit from Panasonic that has an 11 foot long hose which allows you to go around the room without ever moving the unit. This is an amazingly well-designed and very reliable Panasonic built vacuum cleaner.
People actually have had issues with the brush roll motor burning up. So instead of buying the 31150, get the 31140 When the brush-roll quits working on the 31150, it’s a $200 repair on a $300 vacuum The 31140 has the same power, it just doesn’t have the head light in the same location, and it is also missing a dirt sensor However, if the brush-roll quits working on the 31140, all you have to do is replace a $5-$10 belt
That's actually what I do with my current upright vacuum... I bought this 12 foot third party extension hose that came with the hose, wands, and tools. I pop the hose off my upright....connect it to the 12 foot hose and clean everywhere all over the place high and low.... I ignore the on board tools that came with the vacuum because these tools are so much better
I have one of these that I got for $35!!!! It’s in new condition and is an absolute monster of a vacuum. I would say it’s the most powerful clean air upright made...
I got one off a site listed as open box for $134. Although kind of nervous it turned out like the site said which was brand new but vox was opened. Best vacuum I've ever had.
I have been using this vacuum for over three years and I am very happy with this, except the wand which is useless. Once I read a one-star review from a woman who complained that it is too powerful. Thanks for the video.
I like this machine a lot. I'm impressed that it did a fine job on hard floors, because most uprights struggle with that. I would like to see a review on the Elite Canisters and/ or the Crossover canisters.
As a professional cleaner I've tried many vacuums over the years. This one is my current favorite. Amazing suction, cleans about as deep as any available unit, HEPA filtration. It is heavy so I wouldn't recommend it for older or smaller people. The intuition is a great choice if needing a lighter weight vac. Kenmore makes some good stuff, even their canister vacuum is great.
I have one of these! Got it free from a Sears store where I worked. Store manager let me have it since I helped with the liquidation and closure of the store.
We purchased this vacuum a few weeks ago and I came looking to see if you had done a fog test. This channel is such a fantastic resource! My two cents: so far I love the power- our house has high pile carpets and I think it does a great job. The model I have also has a highly improved hose brush that does a great job getting dog hair off. furniture. My biggest gripe is that it is pretty tough to maneuver. Heavy vacuums aren’t a problem if they maneuver easily, but this thing has no ability to turn so you end up having to muscle it to get into smaller spaces. Second to that would be that I actually do find the placement of the air outlet vents blows stuff around so you sometimes have to go back over areas you’ve already hit.
i have almost this exact same vacuum, after a year of use the induction motor brush quit working. I I cleaned the considerable hair off of the roller and tried it again, no go. man, i thought (after reading the reviews that weren't available when i bought it), im screwed. the replacement roller brush is $300 on amazon, the same cost as a brand new one, boy was i upset. so since the motor still worked very well i thought just remove the whole bottom assembly and hang it on the wall and use the hose attachment like a fixed shopvac with a long hose. while i was taking out the screws to start the removal i noticed the little red button in plain sight on the top base cover. Hmmm i thought what's this? overload protector reset was printed on it, sure enough pushed the button and heard a mild click noise. Because of all the hair jamming the roller it had tripped this, cleared roller, pushed the reset button now running fine. will see if it keeps doing ok. glad i didn't email them with comments that would be considered grounds for issuing a restraining order and having swat surround my house. in all my searching on the net for a fix not once did anyone mention this obvious solution. well i hope this will save someone else
I use this as my ShopVac, for everything that isn't liquid. It's so much more powerful than my actual shopvac, like ridiculously so. It eats so many things you wouldn't assume it could eat, I have to go through the bag when changing it to retrieve socks and coins. It's an awesome problem to have! It makes everything effortless.
I bough my 31140 several months ago I prefer it to the electric motor so that I don’t have to worry about the extra motor burning up. I would’ve loved to have the dirt sensor, but I guess I can’t have everything lol I will NEVER buy another vacuum without watching this channel first.
It’s definitely necessary to open it on my 31140 whenever I’m using the small crevice tool lmao It nearly causes the release valve to open😂 I love my vacuum tho It’s the best one I’ve ever had
We acquired a Riccar R40-P. It is a beast. Very heavy for the Wife to use but I like to vacuum. We paid $35 for it instead of the $1600 retail. This Kenmore seems to have more cleaning power than the Riccar. Amazing.
I bought this a few months ago and wanted to wait to write a review after a bit seeing as how a lot of reviews say this isn't a good vacuum. I had zero issues with its performance🌼 I have a small dog who sheds EVERYWHERE and this vac gets his fur up from any surface with ease. I've never had any issues with it losing suction or kicking dirt out behind it. I do always empty the canister after every use but that's just because I'm a little ocd and don't like seeing dirt sitting in it.
Okay, so I ordered the 31150, but they sent me the 31140 which is practically the same vacuum, it just doesn’t have the dirt detector and the belt-less system. Other than that, it still has the insane suction. I’ve never used another cleaner with more suction. If your house was cleaned with a cheaper vacuum before you use this machine, you are going to fill up your first couple of vacuum bags really quickly
Interestingly, that turbo brush attachment is almost exactly the same as the original turbo brush from the 80s that Kirby sold. They ditched it for the same reason, it clogged way too easy.
Thank you so much! You gave me just the information I needed, and really sold me on the Kenmore Elite, although I am trying to now decide between this and the 31140. I tried to see if you had reviewed the 31140, but couldn't find anything. I wanted to know what difference belted vs nonbelted and if the extra motor (the inducer motor or the 31150) would be worth the almost one hundred dollar difference.
Buy the 31140 I’ve read many comments on other videos with people saying that the 31150’s motor that runs the brush roll (rather than using a belt like the 31140) the motor has been said to burn out prematurely, and it was said to be a $200 repair All you have to do for the 31140 (which has the same power as the 31150) is change a $15-$20 belt. You still have lights, and the same amazing filtration. You will basically only be missing the dirt sensor and the chance of owning a completely useless vacuum within a year or two of ownership
These newer Kenmore Elites seem like nice machines. Very nice for pet hair and sand removal. The only negative would be the longevity of the motor inside the brush roll. I never liked that Panasonic design.
These are hard to push but would still take one of over a outdated Kirby mostly because Kirby cant get with the times and add onboard tools and this one has them on board .
Got this and returned it when i realized how heavy it truly is and how inflexible and short the hose is. Also of note, not great for vacuuming under the bed, even with a high clearance of 12 in, the body of this vac is too tall even when fully reclined.
Whoa. I'm not sure the DirectDrive is a good idea. Now remember brushrolls wear out eventually. A replacement brushroll is over $150. Part Number: kc92sdwfz000 The Kenmore 31140 might be a better vacuum long term. The brushroll and belt for it are relatively cheap.
We just got our vacuum and like the way it works. However, after only one use, we noted the bottom hose wants to keep slipping out of the joint. We called CS and they advised it is a "friction hold" and if it was not working return. However, I can't believe the engineers would have missed such a critical connection point. Have you or other viewers had comments on this bottom hose? Can you advise if there is a "secret" to getting the bottom hose to stay in place? Thanks very much.
Thanks for the Review... it's going to be on sale on black friday... All I'll save is the basically what the added sales taxes are... but still... looks like a good value.
My parents have this same vacuum and I myself do love using it, but lately I don't know if it's an issue with their unit, but the LED lights and the dirt sensor stopped working a while back, but the vacuum still works fine either way. I myself want to get it's predecessor the Intuition since it's an older design and has a way longer hose than the Elite.
Bought the 2007 version of this and it was even bigger. Worked great but a little too big for our tight spaces. The little nubbies that hold on the tubes came off first month. Also didn't come with a dust brush and the one that I bought for it, had to have an adapter which I quickly lost. The vac hold the dust in the bag like a champ though and it was worth the money.
Great insight of the product, as it's usual in your reviews! Can you make a review of the Xiaomi Vacuum 2 (Roborock S50)? It would be great if you can compare it to the Roomba980 and the Neato d7!
Great review! How do you know your vacuums are set to the correct height for carpet? What method do you use? I am getting this vacuum and have never had an adjustable one.
@@JmanRx81 Where the airway makes a 90 degree bend into the motor (probably the motor fan blades). I have to disassemble the vac at least once a year. I use a stiff wire to loosen as much of the clog as possible then a shop vac to blow out the junk. We have two cats, the biggest cause of the clogging. I've read elsewhere this is an issue with the older Riccar Radiance models (our is a 2005), but heard they've made improvements.
@@Ransomed77 mine is a 2015 that I recently purchased used and disassembled to clean. I can see how this clogging would be an issue. Thanks for your info!
I was looking to purchase a new vacuum and after watching your test this one seemed to fit the bill, but it didn't see to fair too well on the top ten list Is there another model you would suggest over this one that is not a Shark or Dyson? I prefer bagged with Hepa filtration. It will be used on medium high carpet only.
I saw online that the Pet Elite was being sold by Cleva. I'm not familiar with that brand. Is it the same? And then my next question is- is it really the same? Sometimes when brand but out brands, they become cheaper. Thank you for your videos. I actually really like watching them. You're very good at reviewing. Although, with that said, you've never reviewed the little Rug Doctor carpet shampooer I have. I'd be curious to see how it stacks up.
Nice to see Kenmore still has good vacuums! BTW my cat likes my Kirby for some reason. He even likes it when I suck the lose hair off him with massage cup. (With the suction turned down of course.
@@VacuumWars I might, he even likes warm baths (well showeres). I remember when we had to stay at hotel because we didn't have electricity thanks to Hurricane Harvey we didn't bathe him for a few days so he jumped in the bathtub himself!
Cool reviews. :) On your Shark Apex Duo Clean review you show that the suction is 101 and airflow 90cfm. In the Kenmore Elite 31150 review you say it’s the most powerful vacuum ever recorded @120cfm hose and head 83 cfm. However, on your favorite vacuums mid 2019 edition video you claim the shark vacuum is the best of the best that you even use for your cleaning business. My question is which one is better cleaning vacuum the Kenmore or Shark? Can you please elaborate. I get confused when you say that Kenmore is the most powerful ever recorded..
In this video you say most powerful but then you have it listed as last place in others. Thanks so much for your Awesome videos but Im not sure if its great or meh.
I bought one of these due to Consumer reports. It STINKS. Heavy, bulky, scuff floors and it shuts itself off all the time and you have to wait 50 minutes to re-start it. Cord is also in a poor position. Very heavy.
I find the older blue Progressive DirectDrive models all the time. In fact, I just gave one to a friend of mine who needed a great vacuum cleaner for carpet and bare floors. I have three of the Progressives, the Intuition bagged, and the Intuition bagless. The Intuition, which was an updated version of the Progressive, was replaced by the Elite due to complaints of the Intuition models being bulky and too hard to push. Sadly, I have yet to get my hands on the Elite variation, but I have been thoroughly impressed by each of the models that I have found. They actually rival my newer Kirby cleaners in a lot of ways. Not only is 83 CFM at the cleaner head quite good, it also cleans carpet very well due to design of the cleaner head. I was also surprised at how accurate the optical dirt sensors in these units are. One feature that I like about the older models is the "Intelliclean" setting. What that did was use the dirt sensor to adjust the speed of the blower motor based on how much dirt was flowing into the unit. It may seem gimmicky, but I actually use it. Like you mentioned, the only thing that I wish that they made better was the turbo tool and the usability of the attachments. They actually made the hose design even more awkward for the Intuition, but they fixed that with the Elite. These models used to be made by Panasonic, but according to the OEM code (125), they are now made by a company called Cleva Industries since Panasonic (116) exited the vacuum cleaner business in North America. It is the same Panasonic design that has proven itself to be excellent, though.
I have question related to the vacuum bags. What is the capacity of these bags? How does the capacity of the bags relate to the size of the canister on bagless vacuums. As bags can be quite expensive I'm just trying to figure out how often I'd need to change the bag.
+Vacuum Wars I performed HEPA bag CFM loss tests a few years ago and guess what? Using a Crucial HEPA bag in my Tempo produced about a 14% loss when completely full. All bagged machines lose airflow as the bag fills. If you are willing, you could probably perform the same test.
I have this vacuum, it is very powerful, however the hose is very short (won't even reach a baseboard without tipping the vacuum over) the hose has ripped from being stretched and the vacuum fell into a screen door and tore that! I am looking to purchase an extra long hose. If anyone knows where to buy one that fits this vacuum, please post!
I don’t know how well you know about old bissell cleanviews, but I have a bissell cleanveiw bagless model 8990 and it’s sounding like an electronic tooth brush. How do I fix it? I have videos of it on my channel if you would like to see and or hear it.
Hi! May I ask how difficult is it to clean human hair off the roller brush? And which one would you give the edge to? Sebo Felix or this one? Oh! Is this one bagged? I admit I have had this on my mind because of CR. Thx!!!! ☺️
I would like to see a particle test on this machine. Not sure how that dyson is leaking. I have tested my 2015 dyson multifloor with an IQ Air particle tester with a 0 reading. I tested the machine all the way around filter seal. Is the bag on the sears cleaner a hepa bag. The airflow on this machine is incredible.
I have seen other particle tests on the Ball Animal 2 that were very high, I suppose it could be that a certain number of them were defective, and other were not but I would really like to see a lot more tests on them to see what the average is. The bag is HEPA on the Kenmore, it also has a HEPA post motor filter.
I took the ball cover off and ran the particle tester completely around the filter with the vacuum on.I also tested my dc17,dc28,and dc50 and got 0 particles on those machines. The particle tester is less than 2 years old and was just recalibrated by IQAIR. I've seen a couple of dyson's on RU-vid that claim that their machines are leaking. Since I'm also in GA maybe we can meet up and particle test these vacuums. I can bring the vacuums and the particle tester and you can add that to your channel in addition to your vacuums and carpet cleaners.
I use it to check the air quality in my house. I switch out my furnace filters based on condition rather than time. The particle tester is very sensitive and is good for testing air quality inside as well as outside. I bought mine after visiting a miele dealer. I ended up getting talked into a miele s7 upright and a miele s8 canister.I looked at other particle testers and ended up with the IQAIR. I have a vacation at the end of September if you would like to join forces for the day.
Too bad that Sears is closing down literally everywhere. Not sure where you could get Kenmore Elsewhere now. The one I worked at for 2 years is now closing
I have this vacuum and have only used it about 5 times for light cleaning. Tonight I turned the switch on sort of quickly and it just went dead. Have tinkered around with it but can't get it turn back on. Any ideas?
This thing is great. Until the beater bar wears out a year later. Replacement beater bars are $250. May as well buy a new vacuum once a year. Nice business model Kenmore. Get a belt driven one. Belts wear out but are cheaper than a piece of shit beater bar that cost the same as a vacuum.
How does this compare to the sebo felix and the miele u1? Which one would have the best carpet performance on a higher pile like 1/2" tight twist pile? I'm so torn between those models. Really want something bagged and good carpet performance and decent ease of use.
Shawn Jamison i have one of these exact kenmore’s and it is a beast. Its extremely extremely powerful. Probably just as powerful as my tandem air riccars. And way more powerful then a Miele u1. The kenmore does have one big disadvantage tho. The suction is soo so strong it makes it extremely hard to stretch out the hose. And it’s just very stiff and hard to use the tools. Oh and the hose is already short to begin with. So to me the hose on it is almost useless. So if you looking for a vacuum that is good for above floor cleaning with the hose. It’s not good for that. But for just carpet and bare floor cleaning it’s one of the best
@@Riccar_rad420 thanks for the reply! I think I may have even seen your u1 test on your channel as well :) I'm actually now thinking about maybe getting something like a sanitaire commercial upright with the direct air motor and a disposable bag, not the shake out style. From what I've seen there's a few people here on yt who rave about them and under $200 it seems like a great vacuum. I can always get a cheap mighty mite for above floor cleaning, or just stick with my Panasonic bagless upright for that. Either way, I really want something that's going to deep clean my wall to wall carpeting to prolong the life of it as much as possible, and leave it well groomed. Seems like that might be a better option than something like this kenmore, considering the hose is useless and it would just enrage me anyway lol. Unless you have any suggestions without paying an arm and a leg? The sanitaires seem like a better idea to me than something like the bypass design on the vibrance/symmetry which seems to be almost identical in cleaning power to the u1 too.
Shawn Jamison sanitaires are very good. But I think a entry level riccar supralite would be a lot better if you only need to deep clean carpet. They use hepa bags. And the belts on the riccar supralite are a lot batter designed and last 10times longer.it also is designed a lot better as its lighter, has top full hepa bags with a bag docking system, easier to push as the brushroll is so aggressive it pulls it self going foward. And The riccar supralite can outperform the majority of full size uprights on the market even other direct air vacuums. No joke it’s a very impressive machine! lol
If you decide to get one The simplicity version is on sale $249. It’s usually $279 at certified dealers. But I’d still check out a local riccar or simplicity dealer first as you may be able to actually negotiate the price and get it even cheaper. And in-store it’s possible they can even price match the online price. The dealers are independently owned so they are usually willing to work with you on prices evacuumstore.com/p-29776-simplicity-freedom-entry-s10e-upright-vacuum.aspx
@@Riccar_rad420 that is definitely a good quality machine, and I have it at the top of my list as well. I don't think it has height adjustment though. My current vac doesnt either. I'm not sure its absolutely necessary to have height adjustment, but I know its definitely a benefit as well. Considering my carpet pile height is about 11mm, 15/32 inch, I feel like it's pretty high pile and it would benefit from that feature. But maybe on a nice model like this it doesnt matter as much. I'm worried that I could be damaging my carpets prematurely right now, as the tips of the fibers are kind of fuzzy, and it's only about 3 1/2 years since it was installed. Not sure if that's a concern or not, I know with the cheaper vacuums its definitely a possibility of fiber damage. I've also heard that the sanitaire bristles on the brush roller are a bit softer without sacrificing agitation.
Hey man I am a janitor at a church I still am using my 1977 Kenmore twin fan vacuum cleaner and I need a second vacuum cleaner for upstairs should I get one🤔
SO Consumer Reports rated this and basically 10 Sharks as the best vacuums in uprights. But the Sharks all got 7s for carpet, which is my main floor surface and this got an 8. Also they say that the dust cups not only make allergens airborne when emptying but also have more expensive filters to replace, so therefore bagged is more economical, and release less dirt. You do good reviews. but I think you should address this issue. Also, none of the Dyson stick vacs is recommended b/c their reliability is so terrible.
Update: So I bought one today. Went to Sears, which now is only "hardlines" and the man greeted me and took me right to the machine, carried it to the register, and within 5 minutes I had it in the trunk. The box was not that heavy. It is very powerful, as you said, and the "inducer" motor system you referred to is this: one powerful suction motor which is the "inducer" and 2 small motors INSIDE the brushroll, which blows my mind. It made my 15 year old carpet look new and got up the nap like my 2004 Electrolux (Aerus) never did. It is so powerful that it pulls itself along with little effort; it is also quite beautiful in person, and looks like metal. You almost had me sold on a Shark, but the bagless small rollers were a turn off. The less time I spend vacuuming the better. Thank you again for your excellent reviews. This machine was $319 total. Considering my 1997 Hoover was 369, I think that's a bargain.
It was designed and made by Panasonic until Panasonic pulled out of the North American vacuum cleaner market. They are now produced by a company called Cleva, but are the same designs.
I have this vacuum and it’s kind of disappointing. The spot where you attach the telescoping wand to the hose is really poorly designed. It comes apart easily. If I want to use the hose, I have to use both hands: one to maneuver the hose, and the other to hold the 2 pieces together so they don’t come apart. I would not buy this again.
