Ladiebuglane "Ladiebuglane" Say: Best Offer Kirby Sentria Upright Vacuum Sales
Always call Kirby if you are not satisfied!, 2011-01-18
This review is for: Best Offer Kirby Sentria Upright Vacuum Sales
I purchased my Kirby Sentria about 2 months ago for way less than the salesman was aiming for. If you really want one of these just keep saying no thanks and they keep taking money off. I watch kids in my home and I wanted something that will last since I vacuum 2-4 times a day. These salesmen showed up saying they would shampoo my carpet for free and if I didn't want this machine by the time they left they would leave. yeah 4 hrs later they were finally done. I fell for their little white pods covered in dust from my couch, carpet and curtains. I would love to borrow that attachment back and see if my home still has that much in it after using it for 2 months now or if they fill that thing up with it. Who knows. Our $320 Bissell of 3 years had just taken a dump on us (I was borrowing an old Dirt Devil) and our warranty was way past and fixing it was going to cost a lot so this looked like something I may like and actually last longer. Before my Bissell I was buying a new vacuum almost every 1-2 yrs. I will say I love the attachment that allows you to foam the shampoo cleaner out into spots, scrub and then vacuum up when it dries. My daughter left her empty hot chocolate mug low enough (with all that dark syrup left at the bottom) and one of my toddlers grabbed it and drizzled it all over my tan carpet the day after these guys came and shampooed. I spot cleaned it at the time and then 2 days later when the weekend came I used the foam attachments (or they say you can use it as a paint sprayer too) with their cleaner and all that chocolate mess came out. I haven't used the shampooing attachment yet but I plan on using it in the spring. I have used all the vacuuming attachments. I will say having to take it apart does make cleaning day take longer but I am not taking any stars off my rating for that since I did know that when I purchased it. I am taking off just for vacuuming. Every time I vacuum there are piles of hair in random areas when I am done. It seems to sweep or push them around like that. The toddlers will bring me some when they find them. I also have seen thread from their clothes on the floor, I drag the unit over it and it's still there. My $20 hand held dirt devil (...) picks them right up why cant this $1650 (manufacturers suggested price) vacuum do that? I have even lifted it up and put the sucking part right on top and it's still there. I have run over it slowly forwards and backwards and it's still there. I have watched the DVD and read the users manual over again to make sure I am assembling it correctly so that is is working at par and it still is there when I am done. I also am taking off a star because when I vacuum around my litter box and I have to gently take the front unit off and dump the litter out that stays on the inside rim. Why isn't it going in the bag? Same thing happened when my daughter dropped her tiny seed beads on the floor. The first time I did vacuumed as I carried the machine back down the stairs it was pouring out onto the stairs and I had to go use my trusty dust buster again. Why do I always have to turn to my $30 dust buster for back up? This thing should vacuum everything up! Since this thing is mine and I am stuck with it I will use it and my grand kids probably will too and from what I hear my great grand kids will too. I gave this a 3 Star after this review.UPDATE: The problem ended up being that they sold me the one they were using when they went door to door. I didn't care since it l looked very clean and it came with it's lifetime warranty. The front part of the machine (where the belt attaches) was bent and wasn't cooperating with attaching the belt. This was making it so the green light was still lit up but suction was not enough to pull things like hair and thread. Also only allowed for the cat litter to go in the main part and not into the bag. So yes always call your local Kirby office they will fix it...they came saw the problem and gave me a new front part to my machine and it has worked like a charm since!

Angela M. Mitchell "~wife2aviator" Say: Best Offer Kirby Sentria Upright Vacuum Sales
Not why so many bad reviews, 2010-05-12
This review is for: Best Offer Kirby Sentria Upright Vacuum Sales
I just bought this 2 weeks ago from a door to door salesman. I did pay way over for it as after he left I could have gotten it way cheaper online. I paid $2000 and husband is deployed so maybe that is why :( Anyway, one review says it is really hard to push and that is not true. You have to make sure you have it in "D" which means drive. "N" setting is used for when you are done. I even brought my friend over to see how easy it was to move.I do agree with the attachments being so many, but I have actually used them. I have cleaned under my refrigerator and stove. I used them on the base boards in the house. I have also used them on my fans in the house with ease. To put the attachments on is sometimes a hassle, but it works wonders I thought. Just my 2 cents worth. :)

Tracy L Hartman Say: Best Offer Kirby Sentria Upright Vacuum Sales
Opinion of a cleaning lady, 2012-02-14
This review is for: Best Offer Kirby Sentria Upright Vacuum Sales
This was one of the best investments I have ever made. I clean houses for a living and often use the home owners vacuum. I have used dyson, electrolux, kenmore, oreck, hoover, central vacs, dirt devil, simplicity, a couple commercial or industrial uprights,and probably others. Of all of them, kirby would be my first choice.Kirby pros: Very good suction.....the BEST suction, I cant say enough about the suction! Also, very well built, solid construction. I knew the abuse a kirby could take, so I made little effort to be careful. I have sucked up things that should never be sucked up, run it over very rough surfaces(a stone patio), dropped it(it fell out of the back of my van), spilled bleach on it, and basically asked it to do things only a rugged shop vac would be asked to do. I have owned my kirby for 12 years and have spent less than 70$ in repairs. This includes a replacement brush roll! Also a pro is the versatility. I have used the sprayer attachment to wash walls, and patio cushions. I have reversed the air flow to blow leaves off my patio and clean out my garage,blow off computer keyboards and other electronics and blow up air mattresses and balloons. And anyone who has vacuumed a lot of hard floors, knows the benefit of a long hose attachment.Cons: It is quite heavy to carry, and changing attachments is slightly inconvenient.I would not recommend this vacuum to an elderly person, and it would be overkill for someone who has a very clean house with no pets or children.Second choice for a less expensive more practical vacuum would be a kenmore canister, although i have used a dozen different older and newer models and the newer ones seem to be riddled with problems. (wheels on carpet head fall off, mechanism that holds wand upright in carpet head fails, electrical connection between wand and carpet head misses and burns up), despite these annoying problems, the idea of this vacuum is great. This vacuum is especially good for someone who has a lot of hard floors.A third recommendation, although more expensive, would be an Oreck. This upright would be especially good for all carpeted floors and/or elderly. It is very light weight and has decent suction.For all those Dyson lovers....I'm not a fan. A million plastic parts, the filter does get clogged, certain mechanisms are temperamental, the hose in the upright is very short and annoying, and the suction is just ordinary.

Anonymous Say: Best Offer Kirby Sentria Upright Vacuum Sales
Kirby Sentria UPDATE, 2012-02-14
This review is for: Best Offer Kirby Sentria Upright Vacuum Sales
UPDATE:You can read my original comments below. I have been using the Kirby Sentria for a month or two and I still love it. The attachments work wonderfully! I am cleaning baseboards and all sorts of things that would not come clean with my previous vacuum attachments- the Kirby works! Our carpets look better and feel softer after using the Kirby several times. Incidentally, as far as weight goes, the Kirby only weighs a pound more than my 11 month-old and I cart him up and down the stairs a lot more than my vacuum- no problems. For someone of average fitness and agility, I don't see why this would be an issue. It seems to me you are going to love it or hate it, and GREAT VACS did a study that offers great information comparing a Kirby to a Dyson, if you're interested...I bought this vacuum from some door-to-door salesmen a few days ago and I love it! After reading so many bad reviews I would like to offer my view on some of these complaints.1. A lot of people complained about the sales tactic. I won't lie, they are very good salesmen, and they are persistent. I don't think this is a bad thing, I do think it is the customer's responsibility to stand up and say "no" if they are not interested, or it's taking too much time. I read about some pretty sleazy experiences and all I can say is that was not our experience. The men that came to our door were, of course, trying to sell us something, but they were polite and answered our questions.2. Complaints about the price. Yes, it is an expensive machine. However, you can haggle the price and we are happy with what we paid. All said and done, the Kirby averages about a 20-30 year lifespan, easily paying for itself against other cheaper vacuum cleaners, and it does a fantastic job. Also, with the warranty they offer, you really are buying your last vacuum cleaner. However, because it is expensive, I would try it out before you agree to buy it and make sure you like it.3. Complaints about its weight. I've picked it up and and it is no heavier (or only slightly so) than our old vacuum. Besides, what your getting isn't filled with plastic, but metal. It's a little heavier, but it is going to last. As far as I know, Kirby does offer help returning machines if elderly and disabled individuals find it doesn't work for them.4. Many people complain it isn't convenient. First of all, switching attachments is not that difficult, and ask the salesman to try it before you buy it. It might not be as quick as pulling out a house from the side of the machine, but you are getting so much more suction by having the hose connected directly to the intake. It just takes a few extra minutes, but things actually come clean.I hope this offers a more positive post for people thinking of getting a Kirby. Just make sure to try it on the stairs, try attaching the hose, and everything else before you agree to buy it. No vacuum is going to be perfect and I don't think I've ever heard someone say that they only paid $200 dollars for a vacuum that is still running 10-12 years later- you get what you pay for. It's a wonderful, quality machine that I look forward to using for the next decade.

Nan from the show me state "Nan" Say: Best Offer Kirby Sentria Upright Vacuum Sales
To Buy or not to Buy that is a good question!, 2011-04-09
This review is for: Best Offer Kirby Sentria Upright Vacuum Sales
Kirby business practices leave alot and I mean alot to be desired.I also got sucked in by a door to door as did most of the reviewers. Our ordeal was 3 + hours. The salesman WAS high pressure but I was impressed with the cleaning performance of the Sentria. I personally liked the attachments and the shampooer. My husband and I ended up buying the machine for $1100. The salesman quoted us a $900 price but actually based his price on how much we could afford. We gave him a comfortable payment and from then on it was bang,bang, bang and we were talking to the finance company and before we knew what hit us we bought the darn thing. As soon as we signed on the dotted line he were out the door and then we got a reality check. As we really looked at the contract we realized he charged us more than quoted. Yikes!! What were we thinking. Ok so I told my husband I would give the vacuum a try for a few days. We could cancel within 3 business days. Well the thing wouldn't start. We couldn't figure it out. Called the salesman and he said he would bring us another one pronto. Never showed up.We finally figured out the salesman put the bag on wrong!We got it to work but canceled the contract. In the meantime I had the machine to use. Heavy yes, awkward to put the attachments on yes, overpriced definitely. But in spite of all of the above we liked the Kirby. We have 3 dogs and it really gets up the pet hair. The shampooer is great and cleans. The attachment for bare floors is great. We decided to buy a refurbished one on line. Got one for 1/4 the price. Haven't had any issues. We are very happy. So if you really want a Kirby look for a used one. Ebay has some great prices.

Desert Gypsy "A Brooklyn Girl Out West" Say: Best Offer Kirby Sentria Upright Vacuum Sales
this baby is built to last, 2012-01-21
This review is for: Best Offer Kirby Sentria Upright Vacuum Sales
As someone that has raised both children and pets in homes with wall to wall carpet, hardwood, tile and area rugs, over the past twenty years I've tested my various vacuums in just about every scenario you might face. Having owned a Hoover upright, a Dyson Ball, a Oreck upright, a Meile canister, a Panasonic canister, a Eureka upright and possibly one or two others - this Kirby Sentria is the one that hands down does the best job on wall to wall carpet and area rugs. To be honest, it's not my *favorite* vacuum, it just happens to be the best at getting carpets clean.I'll start by mentioning I bought my Kirby Sentria in 2009 on an auction site for two hundred and twenty five dollars, for a unit less than a year old and in pristine condition with a one year warranty included from the seller. I also bought the shampoo system separately on auction as well for $25 but would not recommend that attachment system because I have later found that any shampooer that does not rinse will eventually attract MORE dirt to the carpet no matter how clean it looks after shampooing.Anyhoo, the Kirby company has been around for decades - 90 years or so if I'm not mistaken. The vacuums typically score very high for cleaning with Consumer Reports with of course complaints for high cost and being a very heavy unit. That said, a Kirby can literally suck the carpet off the floor. In a former home I had used throw rugs over wall to wall carpet in areas that got destroyed by mud in the winter and the Kirby tried to suck the area rugs off the surface of the wall to wall carpet - you could actually see the area rug lift off the floor. When used on my newer, three year old carpet in my current home, it leaves the carpet looking like new and for some reason the carpet feels softer, which I can't explain.I have severe arthritis and joint replacements in my hand so pushing a HEAVY vacuum is NOT on my list of fun things to do. The self propelled action actually *does* work and works well, but the vacuum needs to be on the right settings to do this. I had made the mistake of trying to run the Kirby with the "drive" setting accidentally in the wrong place - it's like trying to drive a car with your parking brake on - it *will* move but slowly and with great difficulty. The lever is at the back of the machine and you need to depress it to the right with your foot and then it will move nearly effortlessly across the floor. You also need to set it to the right height adjustment for optimal cleaning. There are many you tube videos to show how it works and I'd suggest reviewing a few if you are having any issues.There is also a great online vacuum store (also happens to be an Amazon vendor) that has posted tutorial videos about how to change the belt and other maintenance issues; they are very helpful.Regarding accessories, it is fairly difficult to switch out attachments; personally I think they are overpriced and not particularly user friendly.The bags are excellent, hold a lot, last a long time and seal themselves shut when you remove them so no mess is involved. I bought a Dyson to avoid dealing with bags - when emptying, the Dyson makes a small dust cloud where the Kirby is mess free.I have a one level home now and would NOT want to have to drag this vacuum upstairs; as reported, it is an all metal housing and very heavy.After suffering though.... errr..... *sitting through* the Kirby sales pitch, IMO if a friend asked me, I'd suggest finding an alternate means of purchasing a Kirby. There are many reviews that recount unpleasant experiences with the sales teams. There are also many other means and sources for obtaining a like-new machine, including listings here on Amazon. NOTE: The Kirby company will NOT honor a warranty unless the machine is purchased through them. Having paid $225 for what they had sticker priced at nearly $2K I can always just simply buy another one with what I saved from buying new if this one ever gives out on me.I've been very pleased with my Kirby and would recommend with a note of caution to the above review.

Leverage Say: Best Offer Kirby Sentria Upright Vacuum Sales
A great investment, 2011-12-15
This review is for: Best Offer Kirby Sentria Upright Vacuum Sales
Normally I wouldn't be writing a review on Amazon about a Kirby that I didn't buy through Amazon, but the thing is I was looking for some replacement bags and noticed that Amazon sold them, then saw that they sell the entire system that my wife and I bought over a year ago. I noticed all the ridiculously low ratings and felt it necessary to say this unit is getting a bad rap.We have had 4 different vacuum cleaners in the past 10 years and my philosophy was, hey there cheap so they should break down or not be very good and I will just replace it when they die. Then my wife and I suffered through a 4 hour demonstration on how this vacuum will cure cancer(well at least help prevent it) which was brutal after telling the guy no several times and getting the price down quite a bit we ended up paying for it and I am glad we did.We have a black lab that sheds all year around. I feel like every time I vacuum or sweep the floors I could make another dog out of all the hair, ie he sheds a lot. After I vacuum, there isn't a single hair anywhere and the carpet looks and feels new. I actually wish I would have bought this vacuum when we adopted our dog 5 years ago. It is a great vacuum.OK, so yes it is expensive and heavier than most 'light weight' vacuums (which only comes into play when stairs are involved because it self propelled while vacuuming), but it does everything it advertises. When you pay the high price you are paying for the fantastic pick up of the vacuum and you are paying for all the attachments which allow you to clean in a lot of different ways. So if you aren't going to use the attachments then of course you are going to feel ripped off. That's like paying 5 grand for a gaming computer to check your e-mail and do facebook.Also, the hepefilter style bags are awesome. When you empty the bagless vacuums or even some of the cheaper vacuum bags out you have dirt fly out everywhere when you dumped it out. I took off my full bag in the basement and walked it upstairs without even thinking about it because unless you hold it upside down, dust and dirt can not get out of the bag.

SF "Pilot Scott" Say: Best Offer Kirby Sentria Upright Vacuum Sales
The unpopular positive review, 2011-06-20
This review is for: Best Offer Kirby Sentria Upright Vacuum Sales
I have to say that my wife and I love our vacuum, even though it is expensive. First, if you have to finance a vacuum, I say don't buy it, but if you can pay outright without feeling the pain, then why not get the best. And this thing is the best. We have two indoor dogs - shedding labs - and a cat. If you take the time to learn how to use it, this thing can't be beaten. Setting the height correctly, it literally picks the carpet up around the seal as you push it. And with the "transmission" in drive, it isn't hard to push around. Always raise the vacuum to it's highest level before turning it off (so the brush doesn't burr into the carpet as it spins down). Then to set the height, turn it on, and lower it until the sound changes, then lower one more click. The only negative thing about it is the weight, but that only comes into play when carrying it up and down stairs, or when using it as a handheld while doing stairs. This isn't an issue for my wife or I, we're still young and strong, but maybe when we're in our 80s. But from what I can tell, this thing will still be running then.

Mark Twain Say: Best Offer Kirby Sentria Upright Vacuum Sales
bad service, cheap plastic DONT WASTE THE MONEY, 2010-02-11
This review is for: Best Offer Kirby Sentria Upright Vacuum Sales
bought a kirby brand new last year. Last week a small plastic piece broke off, and without that piece you can not turn on the vacuum (bad design). So i call kirby expectiong them to tell me "no problem sir ill ship a new piece out at no charge). Instead they said it would cost 21 dollars.or to get it covered under waurrantee and get it for free i have to bring it into an authorized dealership which is an hour away. After asking to talk to several managers and none of them being friendly or helpful, i was force to spend my free time to drive out and get the piece fixed. For spending over a thousand dollars on a vacuum, i thought they would be more willing to treat me better than if i had gone to target and bought a hundred dollar vacuum. The vacuum works well, but the cost and horrible customer service make it not worth it.

J. Meyer Senn Say: Best Offer Kirby Sentria Upright Vacuum Sales
Good vacuum but hate the bags, 2011-08-04
This review is for: Best Offer Kirby Sentria Upright Vacuum Sales
I endured 4 hours of sales talk and vacuum demonstrations during which the young sales woman knocked my wooden valence off the window, broke my fan, and jumped on my antique fainting couch. Nevertheless, I traded her my $600+ Dyson for the Sentria when her manager, also at my home, brought the price under $1000 and threw in 2 free attachments that aren't included in the standard package.I have had the Sentria for 5 weeks. I now remember why I bought that Dyson. I hate bags! With 2 dogs in the house, bags fill up quickly. After 5 weeks, the bag is about 1/3 full and the Sentria has lost significant suction. Also, the bag stinks like dog, and the smell is 10 times worse when the vacuum is running.What made the Sentria attractive to me was the hose for the attachments. My biggest complaint about the Dyson was the spring coil hose. It was unmanageable and took a bit of strength to stretch it to its full length. This was a problem for me because I have neuropathy in my hands and arms. The Sentria's hose is much more flexible and stretches out easily.In retrospect, I wish I had kept my Dyson and either put up with its unmanageable hose or bought a 2nd cheap vacuum for attachment use. If you don't mind bags, the Kirby is a good vacuum though I think it's over priced even at the $970 price I paid.