On 08-28-2008 while I was away, two Kirby vacuum associates/salesmen stopped by the house to demonstrate their latest product the Kirby Sentria series to my wife. Over an hour later when I returned home they were still hard at it and proceeded to recreate this exhibition for me. Having spoken to my wife earlier on the phone, I knew what I was in for. Determined I didn’t want such an expensive vacuum I listened with prudence. Over and hour later we bought the vacuum and here are my pros and cons of the Kirby Sentria vacuum.
Reliable
Today is 08-28-2012 (also surprised by this coincidence). It’s four years later and we have never had a problem with our Kirby. Change the belt, bag and clean the roller from time to time and you will have a powerful working vacuum. This isn’t a huge surprise, because my mom also bought a Kirby vacuum years ago that I remember using for at least ten years. Our Kirby does have a little rust a small knock that I think is from vacuuming wet carpet.
Strong and Smooth Cleaning Power
The Kirby Sentria like other Kirby vacuums has a heavy base and powerful motor with a large steel head that forms a nice suction to floors and carpets. The steel front has a larger opening than store vacuums with a jet engine. The head of the vacuum is adjustable by foot with 7 levels of height. If you don’t adjust for the right carpet you will wear out belts quickly as the lowest setting will pull itself to the floor.
Self Propelled Driving Vacuum
Every Kirby has a drive and manual switch on the back of the vacuum. You need to turn the vacuum to manual if not running and wanting to move it. This feature is nice since Kirby’s are heavy vacuums twice the weight of a store bought vacuum.
Long Lasting Kirby Attachments
Kirby comes with several attachments and you can opt for more additions like the shampoo system, zippbrush, turbo system and floor care system. With our Kirby they included the shampooer which we actually never use. It’s a dry shampooer and doesn’t do a great job. That aside, the attachments are made of a quality plastic and the hoses are almost impossible to tear or break.
Warranty and Customer Care
One of the best things about Kirby is they have been selling vacuums for many years. According to the Kirby website, in 1925, the Vacuette Electric became the forerunner of today’s multi-attachment model and was the birth of the modern Kirby home care system. Like many older companies, you can spend hours reading heated debates on Rip-off Report.com and other sites, but Kirby would not be in business if they were an unlawful company. Kirby has several offices and numerous suppliers for parts and service.
Kirby Cons
In my opinion Kirby offers a good product, but it does come at a cost above reasonable for a vacuum. I was offered my Kirby for $2000 and told him I would pay $1500. Final cost, $1650 for me, but they can go lower. I’ve heard Kirby makes over $1300 a unit paid to salesmen and office managers. For this cost, I could buy a new vacuum every year for 16 years.
Heavy and Cumbersome
Though the Kirby has great cleaning power it’s very heavy and cumbersome in tight areas. This is not a vacuum for older folks and overkill in small apartments. We sometimes use the Kirby to clean our car and just carrying it out the door is awkward.
Shampoo System is Not Great
Kirby included my shampooer and I thought I would use it, but we purchased a Bissell pro clean shampooer as the Kirby dry shampoo system didn’t convince me it cleaned well after some use.
Kirby Bags and Belts
Kirby uses its own unique bag and belts, so you have to buy Kirby supplies. On that note, tons of vacuum stores on EBay and online sell Kirby supplies for a much better price than the Kirby site. I always buy bags that include a free belt, but you have to make sure it’s a Kirby belt or it will not last.
Overall, I wished I paid less for my Kirby, but I believe Kirby is a great vacuum. I wanted to mention the salesmen who were the main selling point. They weren’t pushy, were informative, and spent over two hours demonstrating this vacuum. I might have not purchased had someone else done the pitch. I hope this gives potential customers insight into Kirby Vacuums.
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