Vacuum Cleaner Series: Oreck

Oh Oreck.

You almost had me.

Shopping the other day and happened by an Oreck shop.  Since I am fastidiously researching for this Vac Series, I stopped in to see what they had to offer.  The saleswoman was just wonderful.  The showroom had all their models out and waiting for you to try on wood, carpet, dirt, and their own heaps of "pet hair".  The vacs were lightweight, and if you bring in your old clunker vac you get $50 off a new one!  The problem here is that none of them had a hose, so you need another vac to do that part. But, as the saleswoman explained, that is why they can make their powerful vacs so lightweight. This changes everything.

Oreck's Pros:

• Actual stores
• Once you buy, you can bring it back once a year for 10 years and they'll replace whatever it needs and keep it running for you.
• Uses bags so cleanup is easy (see image on direct suction below)
• $$$ when you trade in your old vac
• Relatively inexpensive, you can get a really good one for around $200 (I mean $150 if you have a trade in)
• Hepa Filtration
• Looooong 35ft cords
• Eco friendly Bright LED lights
• Most models between 7 - 9 lbs!
• Last for years

 Oreck's Cons:

• They're getting better, but they still look like every vacuum you've seen in a hotel 
• No hose, need a separate vac for that
• Oreck sounds like Ogre and Shrek and is awkward to say.  "Yes, I have an Oreck Vacuum. I live in Britain, now lets go have some tea, shall we?"  
• Um...

As weird as it sounds, I might be less suspicious if it cost $800. Why is it so good and so cheap?  How can they make money when they last that long and are $200-$300 and Dysons cost $600? I know there is a marketing theory that applies here.

At this point it comes to do you want a hose or not, and do you mind having to change a bag (although it's touted as quick and easy, it still needs to be done bagless or not). But I think we have a contender here. They come in lots of different color combinations, some more modern than others.

If I would have had my old vac in the car I would have been sorely tempted to trade it in right then and there.  Not sure what I would have done.