Uprighting the Collection

Here is the latest addition to the collection, and the first in quite some time: an Electrolux Lux 4000 upright. I saw it on eBay for a reasonable price and decided to snag it, as these models are not very plentiful.

Before I go on, since I got the Aerus Lux 6000 long before the 4000, and since the former is a virtual copy of the latter, and has the same groundbreaking features, one can read the details here

The Lux 4000 is a fairly significant machine in the company's history, being the first to incorporate a built-in hose and telescopic wand, and on board attachments*. Its also the first model to offer an electric, fully-direct connect accessory hose, and the first to have the electronic information panel, as featured on some of the cylinders...in the case of the Lux 4000, its on the power nozzle. Finally (and this is not particularly important), the Lux 4000 was the first upright with the new white and blue colour scheme, which lasted for another 8 or so years.

This purchase only included the combo tool and the machine, but no matter...the Lux 4000's younger brother, the Lux 6000, is happy to share his electric hose and baby crevice tool, and I have tons of Sidekicks**

I believe the matching machines for the Lux 4000 are the Lux 3000 (Discovery style) upright, the Guardian Encore, the white and blue Epic 6500 (possibly the last Epic before it changed to the Lux 7000?), and the Lux 5000 (non-automatic). At least, all of these have similar graphics.

Right out of the box, and festooned with dust and packing material:

Bits and bobs: stretch hose and telescopic wand, carry handle and bolt, combo dusting/upholstery tool, cord and handle assembly, and package of bags the seller included:

Logo, down both sides of the bag chamber. Looks kind of big and a bit garish, but hey, it had to go somewhere.

Power nozzle. I like this 'Electrolux' script. I believe its the same as that on the American Model G, as well as a few others.

Hose hook. A little ratty looking, but still functional.

You knew this was coming. The Electrolux Lux 4000 and the Aerus Lux 6000*** together at last. See here for my impressions of the latter, all of which pretty much apply to the former.

Note that these machines sound identical and look identical; the only differences are the graphics, the model and company name change, the model number (U140A in the case of the Lux 4000), the Lux 4000 'seal of approval' from Good Housekeeping****, and the green-bristled brush roll on the Lux 6000 (which, as I mentioned, I've since changed).

Of course, I have a lot more cleaning and detailing to do on the Lux 4000, but he did get a scrub down with detergent for these pictures. He works and sounds fine; I did a brief test run. When I get around to it, I'll add a HEPA filter*****

Magic-erasered, washed, and Armor-Alled, with a brand new bag, carbon pre-filter, and after filter...I'd say Mr. Lux 4000 is ready for service, and that's what's going to happen tomorrow.

UPDATE June 29th, 2016: I put the Lux 4000 into service today, doing the carpets, floors, dusting, and baseboards of the upstairs and downstairs. He works perfectly. As I said above, all I need now is to add a HEPA filter*****, and the properly matching attachments mentioned in Note 2 below, to have everything perfect. One point: when I use this and the Lux 6000 in the summer, I tend to wear rubber gloves, as my sweating hands tend to slip off the rubber or rubber-like handle.

Lights ablaze, and motors running:

I should say that I have never used an upright to vacuum the car, but why not? The Electrolux/Aerus uprights have long enough cords to reach right from the house (same with the Style R models), and a long enough electric hose to reach all over the car without moving the vacuum.

*Some earlier uprights, as I mentioned in another post, had clips on the back to store the two plastic wands, as well as the combo tool and baby crevice tool, but this was, I'm reasonably sure, essentially an add-on. The Lux 4000/6000 incorporated the tool holders into the vacuum body.

**Actually, the dusting/upholstery brush and electric hose I'm using with the Lux 6000 have ‘Electrolux’ stamped on them, so they seem to match the Lux 4000. To complete both vacuums, I need 2 white and blue Sidekicks, blue and white electric Aerus hose (no logo?), blue and white Aerus dusting/upholstery brush (no logo?), white Aerus baby crevice tool with outer ridge (no logo?), and white Electrolux baby crevice tool with outer ridge. In addition, the little yellow sticker on the inside of the bag door about using genuine bags and where to order them says, in the case of the Lux 6000 "Only use genuine Electrolux bags". Clearly, they whipped this one out to take advantage of the company name change.

***The Lux 6000, as a matter of fact, just got a brand new rocker switch; very appropriate timing as his older brother had just arrived.

****I'm not sure of the arrangement and rationale behind the Good Housekeeping guarantee sticker on the machine, but I believe this did feature on some of the company's other models as well (I have seen it on the Guardian Encore, for example...maybe it was only this particular lineup that featured it?).

*****Today (July 16th), I did in fact add a HEPA filter. I might also try some of the aftermarket HEPA bags for some of my machines.

It Needs Cream

I was looking at my early 88 yesterday, and realized that none or hardly any of the pictures I have of it have captured the cream-coloured trim. For whatever reason (ambient lighting, I suppose), it usually comes out white. To try to rectify this 'error', and also just for fun, I took a couple of snaps of the 88.

You can definitely see hints of the cream here, I think, although, as before, pictures simply don't do this wonderful vacuum justice. As a matter of fact, out of all the 80 series machines I own, and perhaps even out of all the other machines in my collection, this particular 88 is arguably in the best cosmetic shape. As can be seen in the pictures, there are a few blemishes, but the overall condition is amazing. This, by the way, includes the running condition. This 88 sounds softer and sweeter than any of my other 80 series machines, and runs exactly the way I can remember the various 80 series machines running when I was a kid, with the identical sound. Yes, I forget most other things about my childhood, but I can remember the way an Electrolux 80 series machine is supposed to sound.