joe_gadget's Full Review: Kirby G6 Bagged Upright Vacuum
Getting Past The Sticker Shock
The Kirby G Six is the most powerful and functional vacuum money can buy. Unfortunately, it will suck your bank account clean of your money to purchase one.
I fought with myself for quite a long time before taking the Kirby plunge, but now that we have owned it for a few years I really do feel it was worth the investment. I think that looking at this purchase as an investment is the only way to justify the high cost. I take comfort in knowing that I will never need to buy another vacuum and that it out performs anything else on the market.
Quality
Up until owning the Kirby, we went through vacuum cleaners every couple of years. The Kirby GSix is the Sherman tank of the vacuum cleaner world. However, it is very heavy, so I would not recommend it if you need to carry it up and down stairs. We live in a ranch, so it is not an issue for us (except to carry it outside to vacuum the cars).
Performance
I am not the primary user of our Kirby, but I have used it enough to know that this is one serious machine. Everything about this vacuum SCREAMS performance. The suction is unbelievable. In fact with the power-assist off, it is almost impossible to move the vacuum. With the power-assist on it is like having cruise control for your vacuum. The Kirby does a great job cleaning the carpets and it's performance really kicks into high gear along the walls, moldings, and corners of the house.
Versatility
Versatility is another strong point of this vacuum. It can be used as an upright, canister, portable vacuum, and shampooer. It comes standard with attachment hose (about
7 feet long), extension tubes, surface nozzle, duster brush, upholstery nozzle, crevice tool with removable brush, wall/ceiling brush, massage cup, suction control grip, and portable sprayer.
We have used the shampooer a few times and it performed well and was easy to use. The attachment for bare floors also does a great job of cleaning as it conforms well to the floor and stays flat without sticking.
We often take advantage of it's ability to transform into a portable cleaner. This allows you to turn the vacuum into something that resembles a very large dust buster. In this mode we vacuum the mattresses every time we flip it. This is a very nice thing for people with allergies.
The Ultimate Feature
In my opinion, the best feature of this vacuum is the HEPA Filtration system. With the other vacuums we have owned in the past, I could not tolerate the dust cloud that vacuuming created. The Kirby does an outstanding job of controlling dust and odor while vacuuming.
Other Stuff
We purchased our G Six new at a vacuum repair shop near our house, so we were spared the annoying sales pitch. I have a very low tolerance for salespeople, and I would have never
bought one if I was subjected to the high-pressure tactics I have heard about from others.
The shop were we purchased the vacuum also stocks Kirby bags, belts, and other parts so we have no issues with parts or supplies. I feel the price of replacement bags is comparable considering the HEPA Filtration and that our vacuum came with a 12 bags to start us off.
The Dark Side
All is not perfect in Kirby land!! We have a mixture of hardwood, vinyl, ceramic tile, and carpet in our home and this requires changing to the hose attachment often. This little chore gets old real quick.
Another short-fall in my mind is the length of the extension tubes. We have a cathedral ceiling (about 18 feet high) in one room of our house and the extension tubes are not long enough to reach the trouble spots. You may be able to buy extra tubes, but in the price category of this vacuum I feel I should not need to spend another penny.
The Bottom Line
If you want or need the best there is, look no further. This is the vacuum to buy. If you find yourself, buying a vacuum cleaner ever couple of years, you may want to consider a Kirby as an investment. You can't kill a Kirby !!!
This is a BRAND NEW GENUINE Kirby G6 outer cloth bag. This bag will arrive exactly as pictured...(bag topper, fill tube and emptor not included). View...More at eBay
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.