A Fairly Serious Makeover - Discovery III

In my previous post on the Discovery III, I indicated that the bearings were crapping out, and the handgrip was loose. Well, problems solved. After some time at the local Aerus emporium, the Discovery III has a brand new power handle and after filter, and has received a tune up. Naturally, I'm as happy as a clam (why are clams particularly happy?) that its back to full functionality and on regular cleaning duty.

Having its day in the sun, and showing off its improvements:

As soon as I got it home, it was Discovery III-ing the living room carpet, before you could even say "Aerus by Electrolux". The new handle is the standard Aerus replacement grey, with a rocker rather than slider switch; I prefer the rockers, incidentally. As far as I can tell, this handle was the one used on the Discovery II. One can either use the moulded-on cord hooks, or the bottom cord wrap, as one desires.

Moulded cord hooks:

Bottom cord wrap:

It's a pity that I couldn't have kept the original brown handle, but sometimes, originality has to be sacrificed to functionality and usability. The handgrip, as can be seen, is a more beige-y color than the rest of the handle, making the handle a possible candidate for a beige or brown painting.

Handgrip, outside:

Handgrip, inside:

Altogether, I'm quite happy with the Discovery III, and I'm sure it's good for many more years of cleaning. As can be seen in the last two pictures, I added a cord clip taken off another upright that I had hanging around. This keeps the cord from hanging down or falling off the upper cord clip. The only other improvement I might make is to replace the brush roll. The current one is as old as the machine (25 or 26 years?), even though its still in fairly good condition.

Discovering the Dirt

Presenting the Electrolux Discovery III upright vacuum cleaner, made between 1987-9, if memory serves. I paid all of $30 for this old boy (machine only), and I'm quite glad I did, because it started off my love affair with Electrolux and Aerus uprights.

I got this model by answering a local classified ad that read "Electrolux vacuum, $30". Well, it could have been anything, and, at first, I wanted to say no when I found out it was an upright, but how could I go wrong for $30?

I believe this is one of the earlier models made, because the cord is permanently attached. Eventually, the cord became removable, apparently to facilitate the addition of the port for the cord and the Sidekick plug, which became available as an optional add-on (see note 7 here).

Its not in perfect shape; the bearings are a bit dry, and I need to get them replaced sometime soon, but it still works and sucks fine. The hand grip is ever-so-slightly loose, and there is a small bald spot on the cord, but for a 23-25 year old machine, you can't expect perfection. The two gray Epic 3500s I have came to me in much worse shape with regards to cords and handles. This lovely Discovery III is in all original condition, and I have no problems with putting a little money into it to bring it back to top operating condition.

Plugged in and ready to clean. Keeping in mind the above-mentioned bearing issue, the Discovery III does an excellent job at cleaning; not as good as its successors, but still quite good.

Attachments + cardboard kit. I bought this separately, from another local seller, so I'm not exactly sure if this is original to the Discovery III, or the other Discovery models (II, Advantage, and Plus). At any rate, everything fits, matches, and works.

Side view of attachment kit with contents. I wonder how much this kit was to buy separately?

There was a certain 1980's action or science fiction movie that had opening credits like this...it may have been "Superman". A bit gaudy, but very 1980's. Based on the brown and beige colors, I'd say the Discovery III was issued along with the System 90 and LE, both of which were also brown and beige.

There you have it...the Electrolux Discovery III upright vacuum cleaner, Model 1572E. My first ever Electrolux upright, and therefore a special model in my collection.

The Beginning of a Clean Home is...

...using one of these?

Firstly, a confession: Although I've been a vacuum cleaner fanatic throughout my life, I've always leaned towards cylinders. Uprights never did very much for me, perhaps because they didn't have as many "accoutrements" as cylinders. Everything in an upright is contained in one compact package.

Fast forward to about a year ago, when a local seller advertised what turned out to be a Discovery III upright for $30. I was going to decline, but figured for $30, I couldn't go very wrong. I'm quite glad I got it, because it made a huge convert out of me. I've completely fallen in love with the whole series of Electrolux and Aerus uprights*, and want to have all of the models in my collection.

The upright lineup:

What's so great about these machines? After all, they aren't as powerful as the cylinders, and so, one can assume, they don't do as good a cleaning job. Perhaps so, but I do like their advantages:

Long cord - the only other Electrolux/Aerus models with similarly long cords are the Style R cylinders. I can do the entire floor of my house from one outlet.

Slim, trim, compact design - the vacuum body (i.e. the bag chamber and motor housing) takes up very little space both in use and in storage, with no lumps, bumps, or protrusions. The machine goes completely flat when vacuuming under furniture. Although some might call this a disadvantage, the lack of an on-board hose and attachments make use and storage even easier. The machine is easy to maneuver and easy to carry (especially those models with the carrying handle**).

Easy, quick, bag change and effective after-filtration - If anyone out there knows of any easier bag change than Electrolux/Aerus uprights and cylinders, I'd love to hear about it. In addition, the uprights can be used either with the 'electrostatic' after filter or the HEPA filter, and one can add an after-bag/pre-motor foam filter if one desires.

Quiet, efficient, powerful, and versatile - I find the pitch of these uprights similar to their corresponding cylinders, but noticeably quieter. The power nozzles, as always, are somewhat loud, but not unbearable. As for cleaning efficiency, I think the uprights do a fine job when used regularly, even though they're perhaps not the best deep-cleaning machines in the world, and, judging by the amount of white, powdery debris that clings to the hose plug, they do pick up a decent amount of dirt. As for versatility, more and more often now, after vacuuming the carpet with one of the uprights, I just switch off the power nozzle and run the machine over the bare floors, rather than bothering with a cylinder. That's another point...do other uprights have a quick switch two motor system? I have no idea.

Attachments - the attachments are exactly those that come with the cylinders, including the Sidekick. I don't think there is any other upright on the market with electrified attachments. The uprights even come with the storage caddy, so everything can be stored together. Even the cylinders don't have as good a capacity for storing attachments (the Sidekick and the floor brush can't be stored on-board).

Power nozzle - Even though the upright power nozzle is exactly the same as the cylinder, save for being a little bulkier in the rear end, it does have a distinct advantage. The cylinder power nozzles tend to ride up a bit; the upright power nozzle stays flat to the floor. As always, the L shape is perfect for cleaning around corners and edges.

Those are all of the advantages I can think of at the moment, but I'm sure there are others.

After all this, I should get on to the Genesis LX, Model 1685. I found this sitting in the local Aerus shop, for sale as a reconditioned model. It has a newer handle assembly, and I'm pretty sure this was one of the models with the problematic handles, released in the early '90's (the original handle was blue, with a slider switch, top cord hook on the hand grip, and the cord coming out of the top of the hand grip). It also has a filter installed*** and a new duct hose.

This machine, to the best of my knowledge, is the companion upright to the Diplomat LX and Ambassador II, and therefore would have come out around 1991-2. The graphics and colors on all these machines are identical, including the crown, and again, to the best of my knowledge, the Genesis LX was the first upright to feature the power nozzle headlight, just as the Diplomat LX was the first cylinder power nozzle with a headlight****. The "Electrolux" logo on the Genesis LX power nozzle is slightly off-center, exactly the same as the power nozzle that came with my Ambassador II. Speaking of that, the Genesis LX seems to be the first upright to move the "Electrolux" logo off the body of the machine entirely, placing it instead on the power nozzle.

Perhaps partly because I paid the "vac shop price" for the Genesis LX, I use it fairly often, and it does as good a job as any of the other uprights I have. I do have to find a carrying handle for it, however...its a pain in the ass to grab it around the steering handle. Other than that, I have no complaints.

*starting, I should say, with the Discovery II. I couldn't care less about the earlier American models.

**I'm not sure, but I believe the Epic series of uprights was the first to include the carrying handle, perhaps the Epic 3500.

***Again, I'm not sure, but I believe the Epic upright series was the first to feature the after filter, although of course they can be added to any of the uprights.

****The Electrolux manuals are sometimes of little help in determining the chronology and history of the various models and their features. I downloaded the Genesis LX manual, and it doesn't even refer to the model by its name! In addition to this, it doesn't show the headlight. Clearly, the drawings and descriptions were lifted from the earlier Genesis model.