The Dust Bunny Blues

When shopping for a vacuum, I wanted to buy the best unit I could find that was designed for use with hardwood floors. I chose Oreck based on the recommendation of my father-in-law, the manager of a resort that uses many of Oreck's hotel vacuums.

I was initially impressed with my ElectrikBroom. It was lightweight and easy to use. Within a few months of light use in a very small house, however, the primary handle simply broke off. The Oreck Corp. was happy to send a replacement handle, though the one they sent was for a different vacuum.

A few months later, the plastic sheathing on the cord wore through, leaving the unit without power, and the wheels that were to keep the sweeper from scratching my hardwood floors stopped spinning. Again, I contacted the company. I was told to take the unit to a sweeper shop thirty miles from my home. I made a special trip to the shop, only to learn that they do not have a service agreement with Oreck! The following day, my one year warranty expired and I am left holding a useless sweeper.

Should you choose to buy an Oreck, I would go with one designed for hotel use. But beware, the company is difficult to deal with when it comes to repairs.