@SouthernBee wrote:
@Mominohio- DH said he hated the Oreck products because that was what his father always purchased. DH said to not purchase any thing from them. Glad that you have good results with the Bissell product but I tried two different items and not happy with the results and machines very difficult for me to clean and both died one less than a year and the other about two years. Always enjoy reading your post on all topics. Southern Bee
@SouthernBee
I bought my first Oreck products probably about 20 years ago.
Back then, the vacuum was necessary for me as they were the only thing on the market that was light weight and corded. I got good results from that first vacuum, but the second one I bought was nowhere near as good, and I ditched it within just a couple of years.
The Oreck steam cleaner was my first, and I got what I thought were great results from it. The first one lasted many many years, with very heavy use. It wasn't until I replaced it with the Bissell I realized how lacking it was.
Oreck products really changed over the years. They used to be made here in the USA and were great products, but like most things they cheapened them over the years. I don't see me ever buying their products again.
I will say that most floor cleaning appliances I get, I do a lot of up keep and maintenance on. The Bissell has a lot of gaskets on its various components, and I'm very careful to never leave water in the chambers, to empty and clean/air dry the chambers, and to not put the unit back together when storing, so as not to cause damage/wear/rot to the gaskets.
I clean out the brush roll area, and take the base apart after each major cleaning project to keep the hair and fibers cleaned out well.
It might be crazy, but things today just aren't made that well, and thinking ahead and about how things are made and their function, then using and caring for the product to protect those things just seems to be the order of the day. Seems long gone are the days of being able use things hard, like I remember things being used in days gone by.
I think that regardless of brand, today it is just the luck of the draw if you get a good unit or not. I think there is very little consistency in quality control, and there are about a million models of any given brand now, making comparison shopping a real challenge. And if you do find a unit you love, they won't still be making it when it is time to buy the next one.
All very frustrating indeed!