Kirby Diamond G

by Ken
(Syracuse, NY, USA)

Yes the sales tactics were horrendous, the sales people pushy, the cost out of sight, BUT the Kirby Diamond G is the BEST vacuum cleaner I have ever owned! By far.

Over a 8 year period I owned a Electrolux Freedom, worked great for the first year, then lost a lot of it's power. Burned out in the second year, just after warranty. Would have cost the same to fix (about $300) or buy new.

Then we owned a Simplicity canister. Pain in the butt that canister style, but I like uprights. It lasted 3 years, again close to $300. Prior to that a couple of less expensive, either Hoover or Eureka uprights. Less than $100 each, and they cleaned that way.

I paid just under $900 for the Kirby (although their original quote was $1800!), and it came with a years supply of bags, floor polisher, shampoo attachment and all the other tools for using it like a canister, if you wanted. It works equally well on hardwood floors and GREAT on plush carpet. We had just bought our house, and planned to replace the carpets. The looked worn, and we could never get them truly clean.

After one week of use, our carpets looked new. That was 3 1/2 years ago! Not one issue with the vacuum. The only issues are the bags, we go through a lot! But that's a good thing. We vacuum almost every day. We have 2 dogs and 4 cats, a child, live on a small farm, so everything seems to make it inside. Have a good supply of belts for the power head though, we go through 3-4 year.

Summary: Pre-Kirby- 8 years, almost $900, 4 vacuums, about 3-4 years of decent results. Still needed to polish hardwood by hand and rent a carpet cleaner (added cost not even figured in.)

With- Kirby- 3 1/2 years, $900, 1 vacuum, lifetime warrenty on motor, works on all floor surfaces, polishes, cleans carpets.

Kinda a no-brainer isn't it? Negotiate the price, and walk away if they can't meet your price. Don't finance, have the cash, save it a little at a time until you do have the $.