A salesman tried to sell me a Kirby vacuum for $2000. Are they worth the price?

Question

I heard that Kirby vacuums are really exceptional at picking up dirt and they appear so. But $2000 seems too much for a vacuum though. Are there better or equitable brands out there much cheaper? Or is it really worth that much money?

Answer 1

i have a kirby. it broke and is so not worth the money, i don't know how much it was because it was my mother's. but it sucks! i so hope you didnt buy it!

Answer 2

I have seen a kirby in action before. Does it pick up? Yes. That is about the only positive. The vacuum is heavy, you can't get around things at all, it is just a terrible vacuum if you have a lot of bare floors. If you want a better machine for half the price you should look at the Miele Capricorn S5980 with an SEB 236 Powerhead. I have the Miele Callisto right now and it is THE BEST VACUUM CLEANER EVER. It is incredible. The filtration is incredbile it is 99.995% effective at .3 microns (really small) and is approved for people with allergies and asthma. It uses a HEPA filter with charcoal on the bottom to take out the odors and the bags are called intensive clean bags and are cloth like! As for fexibility, the powerhead (which works great on my carpets!) has a double swivel neck to get under and around everything. The floorbrush is incredible as well. It twists and turns to get into corners, is low enough to get under furniture and baseboards and feels like you are pushing nothing. The machine itself is very lightweight and is a canister. It, like all other Miele products, is made to last 20 to 25 years. It has a 7 year motor warranty! If you know Miele you how nice their products are. I got my Callisto from Mr. Vac and Mrs. Sew for only $699 (Phone Special You have to Call to Get that Price) ($799 everywhere on the internet) and that handled everything professionally. The man on the phone was nice and it came with free fast shipping and no tax because I am out of state (They are in NY). They also have the Miele Capricorn the one I was talking about earlier on phone special for $999($1149 everywhere else). I know because I was looking into that one as well. The difference between the Capricorn and the Callisto is the Capricorn has a much bigger PowerHead which is perfect if you have high traffic or high pile carpeting and all of the controls are in the handle not the body of the machine. The Miele Callisto has a smaller powerhead and and the controls on the base. The reason I brought up the Miele Capricorn is because with the big powerhead it is more agressive than the Kirby.

Answer 3

I've had Kirby's before, and yes they are very good machines, but I'm sorry, they are not worth $2000. Did this person come to your home? Go out to a vacuum store, and let them show you the various models available. Right now I have a Hoover Wind tunnel, and I really like it. There are also many different Wind tunnels available, and again, have someone show you the difference. Only people with severe allergies or asthma need an extremely high performance machine like he was showing you. Salesmen will say whatever it takes to sell that machine. It would be interesting to go on the Internet and see what these machines are actually going for, or if this guy just thought he had your number. Good Luck.

Answer 4

We bought a used '94 Kirby in 1996. We paid $400. for it. I like the powerful suction, but it also comes with drawbacks. The following are my opinions about this Kirby: 1. I don't like the cost of replacing the filters (they're about $8. a bag and only have 3 bags in a package. 2. It's not easy to change from vacuum to using the hose. 3. It's kind of heavy and bulky and doesn't maneuver easily. In my opinion, it's not worth it. You can purchase a bagless Dyson for around $500. and they work great. Does the $1800. price include all of the attachments? Do you need all those attachments? Are all the bells & whistles worth $1800.?

Answer 5

It certainly seems like a lot of people are more interested in bashing Kirby rather than answering your question... Honestly, NO, it is not worth $2000, especially if you are asking. BUT, it is a wonderful vacuum. It is all metal, it is HEAVY and durable. In a commercial environment where you need a unit that 'just works', Kirby is great. They are easy to repair and parts are redily available. Anyone who says they are junk, either is pre-displosed to hating them, or never had a quality repair/service. I DO repairs, and I have some units over 25 years old that only need a simple service annually & they work as good as day 1!

Answer 6

I used to have a Kirby. It's all great for the first 2 weeks, then it sorta looses its novelty. They do work very well, but there's no way I would pay $2000 for one. I went to the kirby store near me and said that I can't afford a new one, how much is it for a refurbished one. It was WAAYYYYY less for one that had been rebuilt. I'd go that way. But unless you or someone in your house has some wicked allergies, I'd go with a regular old vacuum. Save some money!

Answer 7

Don't do it! My mother and father had a fight over this. The sales man talked my mother into buying the Kirby for 2000.00. My dad was furious, because he saw the same model on Craig's list for $300.00. Long story short, my dad couldn't convince my mom, so she wrote the guy a check. My dad slept on the couch that night, he never does that. When my mom woke up, she called the guy to tell him she changed her mind. Well, he then told her if he could sell her the same one for the same price would she buy it. She asked my father ,which at this time he agreed. So look around first or be up front with the salesman and tell him that you know he works on commission and will not pay that much money, when you could get the same thing on Craig's list. Mom now loves her vacuum, and dad helps too.

Answer 8

No vacuum cleaner is worth that much! We had a run on Kirby selling in Australia a few years ago. The salesmen use tactics of vacuuming matresses, putting down dirt etc on your floor & showing you the results. With the matresses you are told that you are sleeping in filth with lots of bugs. Asthma is always mentioned.

These are very good tactics to get you to hand over your money. In reality, if you vacuum once per week, it's perfectly fine in your home. In Australia, people are getting rid of their carpets. We live in a hot zone & carpets are ridulous. So, everyone is going back to polished floors which are relatively easy to keep clean & dust free. Much cooler. Because of this we don't need a heavy duty vacuum cleaner as in the past.

The stores are now selling smaller type vacs for the polished floors. I got rid of my carpets & now have polished floors. So easy. A quick vac & then mop with water & metholated spirits.

Even if you have carpets there is no need for the price of a Kirby when there are so many other brands to choose from at a much more reasonable price & with good warranties.

They use scare tactics. Don't fall for it.

Answer 9

well guys, ive always thought paying 2k is cuntarded 4 a stupid vacuum. but, i just got a job selling these things and doing all the presentations. i just sold my first vacuum on my first day to a wealthy family. Three days later i got 10% of the sale plus a 50 bonus. I really didnt know much about these things, but after they teach you, the machines are ridiculous. They really do a lot and clean really good. my allergies n stuff has cleared up so much since i started using one. Im still not fully convinced that these things r worth 2k, but some sort of monthly payment would do 4 me. try checkin them out, u gotta have a good salesmen for the demo, if not, ur not gonna like it. and call the police if they get too pushy or keep pressuring u on buying one. some salesmen out there will invade your home to sell a stupid vacuum.

Answer 10

There is no vaccumm in the world worth $2000. I do own a Kirby G5. And it is a better vaccum than most but not the best. Kirby salesmen are paid on commission and go through a rigerous sales training to get the most money out of you. I bought mine used on Craigslist.org for $350. Save your money, look for a used one. I see them on ebay too!

Answer 11

We got a Dyson Animal and it is the best thing I have ever used. I don't need a vacuum to clean my carpets and everything else a kirby does. They are heavy too. I have had one years ago, and they are ok, but the Dyson is the best! Get the top of the line. No bag to empty, no dirty dusty smells, cleans with great suction, can even vacuum the dog without him complaining. Too cool!