September was a month of vacuums for us here at Abueli. We had a number of clients looking for vacuums and we were also invited to vacuum refreshers and new vacuum demos.
We're strong believers in the dust trapping ability of water. We've tried various models of vacuums and the ones that trap dust best are those that clean with water as their "dust bags" or filters.
Here are prices of and notes on vacuums that we use. These are updated as of 30 September 2019.
Rainbow vacuums are the original workhorses. We've seen living (and working) models that may have been purchased by our grandmothers. Over the years, new models have been released with upgrades, but the essential core of the vacuum is still the same. These are sold by agents of Rainbow who will normally also do the training.
SRP Php161,800
Cash discount currently available Php142,800
A few notes:
Rainbow vacuums should be checked annually if they will be used by various staff members in a home. We've found that the Makati service center produces better results than the one in Mandaluyong.
Don't miss the rainbow bag (about P75 each). You may even want to purchase a few extra. This is very useful in cleaning pillows and stuffed toys.
Rainbow normally trains home staff to shampoo carpets and couches using the machine. Unless your staff members are very eager to learn and practice, we find that this is a bit difficult for staff to absorb along with everything else they need to learn to use the vacuum. Maybe save the shampoo lesson for a month after the initial lesson.
Gruenheim vacuums are made by the same engineers that developed the Rainbow. This is generally a lighter vacuum than the Rainbow so if the vacuum needs to be carried up and down stairs, this may be a consideration in purchase choice. Gruenheim also has an excellent steam vacuum that can be used to clean grout and disinfect kids' toys without chemicals.
Gruenheim Vacuum Cleaner P80,000
Gruenheim Steam Cleaner P100,000
A few notes:
The steam vacuum is also recommended for cleaning furniture and curtains. But please do a surface test because we've seen that it darkens certain fabrics with repeated use.
New in the market is the more economical alternative from Canada called Maximus. The trainers have tried one of these and we use it as a backup to our Rainbow and Gruenheim machines. The reason for this is because it has areas where dust can build up and it runs louder than the other two options. But for the price difference it's worth considering.
Maximus Vacuum Cleaner Php 24,995
Last is a new discovery care of The Parenting Emporium. The Philippine distributors of UV Care have brought in a vacuum brand from Singapore that has lithium ion batteries and carries a charge of up to 40 minutes. The lithium batteries mean that it will keep around 90% of the charge even if it is set aside for a long period of time. This is called Eluxgo and their rechargable vacuum is what we now use for cleaning our cars.
Wireless Model EC19L P9,999
- this has 30 minutes run time on normal mode
Wireless Model EC25L P12,999
- this has 45 minutes run time on normal mode
These four vacuum cleaners are what we have in our cleaning closets. We hope our notes will help you in your deliberation on which vacuums to purchase for your homes. Should you have any questions, we have a forum on Facebook where we post updates and members can post questions. Please visit the Abueli Home Forum for more information.