I bought a Dyson because I couldn't afford a $1000 vacuum at the time, and could barely afford the Dyson. I also bought many American made vacuums that broke after a short period of time and got tired of buying new ones every other year. Not all of them were cheap ones either.

Well, for one thing many people can't afford $1,000 for a vaccum cleaner. Some people think that Dysons are pricey.

Same reason a lot of people shop at Walmart instead of Neiman Marcus - price.

I tend to agree with you that buying better quality is cheaper in the long run because you don't have to replace it twice over.

But if you don't have the $1,000 to spend, you have to settle for what you can afford.

I recently wrote to Hoover to inquire what models they made here in the USA. I knew about for sure that there were none, but I just wanted to hear it from them so I could let them know I would not be buying another one, because it was not US made.

They sent me a canned, one size fits all email, referring me to their site, and maybe a phone number.

I wrote them again, trying to get an answer, not wanting to mess with all the rigamarole of getting to talk to someone. They sent me the same 'canned' reply. I gave up on it for the time being.

I was starting to think ahead of what I 'might ' buy if my existing sweeper were to give out on me. It is a Hoover Windtunnel that has served me very well over the years, but I'm not sure I would consider another one in light of them not being made here. I don't want to have to fork out $400-$500 either though for US made...sigh.

I wish there was a less costly model made here.

I do know I will never own another Kirby, and that I for sure want an upright with attachments.

Sue

Pkguy, maybe to you there's not much difference between $400 and $1000, but to many of us cost is a major issue. I agree it's not good economy to buy something that's going to fall apart in a few years, and in fact I just took delivery of a made-in-USA Speed Queen washer (floor model), but as far as I know the reliability reports on Dysons are good.

By the way, aren't you Canadian?

Believe me I know there's a huge difference between $400 and $1000. I'm not made of money either and yes I'm Canadian but for the sake of the majority being American made the thread that way. The same holds true for Canadians buying Canadian made products or Brits etc buying made in the UK.. Plus the fact that most appliances ever sold in Canada from the early 1900's were made by US companies or US companies with plants in Canada so I sort of look at it all as a domestic market. When American factories close it hits Canada harder than any other country because Canada is America's biggest customer of American made goods and services and vice versa, not China and not all of the European countries combined.

But what I'm trying to say is how come a much greater percentage of Mr. & Mrs. Joe Average American or Canadian Consumer would spend the equivelant of $1000-$1200 in todays money on a vacuum cleaner and they won't today.

I wish someone would have knocked me in the head 23 years ago when I bought a brand new Kirby. That thing was a monster and was backbreaking to use.

Luckily it was stolen when my house was burglarized.

Sue

But what I'm trying to say is how come a much greater percentage of Mr. & Mrs. Joe Average American or Canadian Consumer would spend the equivelant of $1000-$1200 in todays money on a vacuum cleaner and they won't today.

Two possibilities:

One, maybe they had reason to expect a vacuum cleaner to last a lifetime and be handed down to the next generation (as my mother-in-law's Electrolux was given to me).

Two, maybe they didn't have a choice.

PKGuy,
I'm positive Dyson's are made in his home country of England. I doubt they are made in China.

Since you're Cdn, you know how near impossible it is to buy anything made in Canada. Few Cdn stores left, and the ones that are, leave much to be desired.....the Bay and Zellers have horrific customer service.

I stay away from products made in China, and of course food if it's clearly marked product of china. Garlic being one. Cheap as dirt, but won't buy it. Food that used to be Canadian (Highliner for example), on the front of the box it says Product of Canada, but the fine print at the back says Made in China.

In one of my previous posts I was lamenting how things are so cheaply made now, because they are made in China.
My Black and Decker breadmaker being one. It used to be made in North America I'm sure. When I can, I do buy Cdn or USA made, but it's harder and harder.

I currently have a Dirt Devil upright that works fine, but I'd like to spend my money on something where I never need to buy filters. It quickly adds up financially. I've replaced the filters, and last week a belt. The belt was only $2 so no hardship.

The next one we buy is going to be a Dyson.

Jasdip; Not made in the UK anymore.. seems as soon as Sir James got Betty to knight him a few years ago it was off to Malaysia LOL

Some companies try and hide the fact that they make their stuff in China like KitchenAid does. They still make the big stand mixers in the USA for now but all of their other small appliances, blenders, toasters, handmixers, food processors are made in China. It's embossed into the bottom plastic "made in the PRC" and difficult to see. What you do see is a shiny sticker on the bottom giving the wattage model # etc..and Kitchen Aid, St.Joseph Mi." leading you to believe it's made there when it's not.

I'm no saint, I buy some stuff made in China myself, except for food now. Won't touch that anymore.
Last week we went to open a pouch of Europes Best Frozen veggies for steaming.. on the back "Made in China" and into the trash. I'm also really p.o'd about that "Product of Canada" thing.. it's so deceptive

I wonder how much I would have spent on vacuums over the years if I had not purchased my "made in the USA" Rainbow in 1978. I can't praise the cleaning abilities of this vacuum enough as well as the fact that it also cleans the dust bunnies out of the air as you vacuum. Very good with people with allergies. $1200. well spent 31 years ago. If they're as well made today as they were then, they're well worth the price.

I was...wondering why no one even thinks of buying a vacuum cleaner that is made in America...when it is quite common on all forums and threads to see people saying they only want to buy stuff made in America...

Great question!

"Last week we went to open a pouch of Europes Best Frozen veggies for steaming.. on the back "Made in China" and into the trash. I'm also really p.o'd about that "Product of Canada" thing.. it's so deceptive"

Oh I forgot about that one PK!!! You are SO right!! Did you see W-5 when they were talking about products made in Canada, when they are from China?? Absolutely terrifying. Ever since then I won't KNOWINGLY buy food made in China.

That's too bad about Kitchen Aid. I like their products. I find they hold up. My mom has had 3 Cuisinart small appliances and hated them all. Ended up by sellilng them on Kijiji and going back to her trusted and beloved KA.

But what I'm trying to say is how come a much greater percentage of Mr. & Mrs. Joe Average American or Canadian Consumer would spend the equivelant of $1000-$1200 in todays money on a vacuum cleaner and they won't today.

Mom had no choice but to buy what was made here, because that was the only option she had. Today it's a global marketplace and labor is cheaper overseas. That same Dyson made in the USA or Canada might cost twice as much. There's a reason why Walmart is the biggest retailer in the world - we made it that way, because we wanted price.

As for buying American, I don't make a particular point of it. Boycotts on goods from other countries just lead to trade wars, which only hurts us in the end. I buy the best quality that I can afford regardless of where it's made.

Except for food. As you said, I wouldn't touch anything from China if I knew about it.

Chemocurl, my Panasonic was made in USA but got it years ago. DK about now.

But this says Hoovers are made here. And I agree about the Kirby's. Never worked right and it was a bear to use.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hoovers

Also, you can't say "the equivelant of $1000-$1200 in todays money"...

You have no idea what the raw materials and labor costs have inflated by over the past decades. That same vacuum could have easily been the equivalent of $500 in today's money but for the steel, labor, environmental regulations, OSHA safety requirements, legal, taxes, utilities and insurance cost escalations.

I'm not about to pick nits with you Tally I think the majority of people here understand what I'm saying and get it.

I'm not picking nits. I'm just saying that your premise that people were willing to buy expensive made in America items in the 1950's isn't comparable to them not buying the same items today.

The '50's were a huge economic boom. Population growth (ie baby boomers) spurred on enormous growth in the economy. And secondly, the cost of doing business and the cost of raw materials, labor and labor benefits (ie health care) was relatively lower. So I'm simply answering your comment that a $1,000 item today meant the same proportionally to a household income as it did in our parent's time.

Too many variables to make the comparison.

If that be nitpicking, then let nits play on.

I tend to get frustrated when I hear things like a $1000 widget will outlast 3-$500 widgets so in the end it costs less. If only it were so simple. I've owned three vacuums other than the Sears "shop" vac (that's probably 20-25 years old and a dustbuster that lasted about 5 years. For the general purpose vacuums I first bought a Hoover, which I still have and it well, powers up. But it works no better or more importantly no worse than it did when I bought it so I don't even use it in the basement. After frustration, I bought a Regina 7000. Wonderful vacuum. I liked it so much I decided to get an upgrade and go to a 12 amp but it was recalled after a couple months. So I used the other until the plastic handle fell apart. Used the Hoover for a short time before I bought a Bissell. So, in 32 years I've gone through about $140 worth of vacuums. Unfortunately it's impossible for me to justify paying even $300-$500 for a set of Orecks. Most all of the other vacuums are too heavy to be grunting up and down the steps. Especially now, I can't do that. Hard to justify a vacuum for each floor either. And no way would I pay $3000 for vacuums for a house! At that rate, I'd go with a central unit, which I probably should, but...

The sad part is we are a greedy people. We would rather collect unemployment, welfare and change jobs than quit with outrageous salary and benefit demands to build products people fear if they're built 2 of 5 days a week. We talk about buy American but won't. TVs, radios, well, virtually all electronics are built overseas. Our car market is closing in on being gone. Bailouts might save them, but until we change our attitudes, we can kiss our manufacturing goodbye.

Can we build a good product? Of course. Will we? That remains to be seen.

Used a friend's Kirby one time. NEVER AGAIN!!! It was heavy and truly didn't work better than my Dyson. I don't care where they made it I'd never buy any other vac again.

Linda

I'm with Pris, I bought a Rainbow 25 years ago and it's as good today as it was then. It's the only one I've had all these years. Yes, I realize they're pricey so I don't have any problem with people buying what suits their budget. My son went to work for them the first summer he was in college and to help him, we bought one :-) Two weeks later he left the job lol.

I don't like it when someone says we are a greedy people maybe some are but I don't think it is fair to characterize all of us that way.

I spend with my pockebook I have always bought what I need for the amount I could afford to pay and I really think most peole are like that.

I have had a number of vacuums over the years which I don't understand because my mother had the same canister type for 30 years and then got an old Hoover upright that weighed a ton. I thought mine would last forever but when they break down it's never a simple repair - replacing them is cheaper. Some day I will get a Rainbow or a Miele. I have heard nothing but good stuff about them.

When I went to the supermarket this a.m. I remembered this thread and checked the Europe's Best veggies - some said product of China and others said Product of Belgium. The frozen fruit I looked at was a product of Chile. It really pays to examine the labels carefully. I hope the Canadian regulations change so that they cannot put Product of Canada on something just because it was packaged here or the package was printed here. That "Marketplace" episode was a real eye-opener for me.

That's too funny. yayagal. A co-workers' husband lost his job and sold vacuums while looking for another job. Of course she referred all her friends and acquaintenances and I ended up buying the Rainbow to help out. Never regretted it.

I too am Canadian and have had same experiences with Europe's Best. Product of Belgium, Chile - or CHINA! Europe's Best did not used to use fruits/vegetables from China - so I make very sure when I buy them to check the back and hope for the best. I was aware that Highliner was bought by the Chinese - and also aware that if box is Made In Canada - the food inside may very well (and often is) a product of China. Last summer I e-mailed Heinz to ask which country produced the tomatoes and other ingredients - and specifically asked if any of the ingredients were Made in China, but labelled Product of Thailand, Mongolia etc. - since we all know about that farce. I was also interested if any of the ingredients were Products of Canada or the U.S. - not "North American" since that - unless I am crazy, includes Mexico. The response was that the tomatoes were Product of North America and the other ingredients sourced from "other countries" - so yes, China - but of course they were "very careful". What I really hate is that no matter if a product such as shoes that were normally Made in Italy but are now Made in China, still cost the same. Last winter I was in Holt Renfrew in Toronto (our Saks type of store) and saw several pairs of Coach boots that looked "normal" -but also were all size 9 - I am a size 9 and to see 7 pairs of Size 9 normal boots is extremely unusual. So I looked on bottom of boots - Made in China. Not a chance. And they were 50% off - but still $400 Cdn. I have seen shoes "on sale" for 25% off the regular price of $1,000 - Made in China. (I have to go through shoe dept. at Holt's to get to ladies' room - so I look, but of course do not buy.) We do not eat processed food if at all possible and when buying fresh fish I ask where the fish came from - and a general "the Pacific" doesn't cut it. Fortunately my dog's food was not on the recall list a couple of years ago. It is a small US brand sold by a few retailers in Canada and suddenly became a big seller.