Eureka Vacuum Cleaners are among the most well known vacuum cleaners in the United States. However, the Eureka company history is enriched with much more then vacuum cleaners. With advances in several different scientific fields, several awards and company history, it’s no wonder they make such a popular vacuum. This article is an insight to the Eureka Company’s history, beyond the vacuum Cleaner.
The Eureka Company was founded in 1909 by Fred Waddell in Detroit, Michigan, just two years after one of their biggest competitors started, the Hoover Company started. By 1913 the Eureka Company was making 6 different vacuum models with their own special attachments. The Vacuums they produced were similar to the upright vacuum cleaners we use today.
Not soon after, Eureka was awarded the Grand Prize at the San Francisco International Exploits. This award was the first of many awards the Eureka vacuum cleaner company has received. Word spreads; by 1919 the Eureka Company is working at the productivity level of 2,000 vacuums a day. By 1927 Eureka is selling one third of all the vacuum cleaners being made in America. With all their success the Eureka Company branches out 1930 and makes kitchen stoves.
The 1940s brought on many changes within Eureka. With the dawn of World War II, Eureka diverts their attentions to the time and state of the US at war. In 1941 production of Vacuum cleaners is put on standstill and by 1942 the production of gas mask and other products to support the war effort. Three years later in 1945, the Eureka vacuum cleaner company merges with Williams Oil-O-Matic. Their work to support the war efforts does not go unnoticed; they receive the “E” award from the Navy. In 1949 Eureka-Williams unveiled their latest venture, the wooden lung. The wooden lung much like the later iron lung was used in the treatment of patients with infantile paralysis and polio.
In 1960 the Eureka-Williams Empire expands their efforts and company when they have yet another company merger, this time with the National Union Electric Corporation. Along with the merger came more manufacturing territory to expand upon, throughout the 1960s production in the Eureka-Williams company is responsible for a battery-operated automobile called the Hennery Kilowatt in 1961, and the thermal battery which was developed for NASA.
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I recently purchased the Eureka 4870 and it has proven to be an excellent choice. Just about all cleaning tasks are done easily and efficiently and the Eureka Boss vacuum cleaner costs about half as much as some of its competitors. But nothing is perfect, and the Eureka Boss Smartvac does have some faults, but these are minor.
When you take delivery of the 4870 from Eureka you do have to some minor assembly. This is an easy matter of attaching the handle onto the unit with screws. A bag and filters are already installed. The vacuum ships with a user’s manual, which is well illustrated and very easy to follow. The hose, tools and wands are stored on the back of the vacuum.
The cord length is extremely generous at 30 feet, so you can easily clean one or more rooms without having to unplug. The cord doesn’t have automatic retraction – it’s housed by winding it on the back of the cleaner. The instructions show the cord wound in a circle around the hooks on the back of the unit but I find its better to wind it around the hooks in a figure 8 pattern to keep the cord from twisting.
I really like the shape of the handle – its feels very comfortable to hold. I would be nice if the power switch was mounted on the handle rather than on the unit, this would make it a little easier to use. Also the cord hook should be higher on the handle so as to reduce the tendency of running over the cord when you pull the unit backwards. Not only does the handle feel comfortable, its loop design makes it easy to pull the cleaner – a nice feature because this is not a self-propelled model. The spinning brushes makes pushing the cleaner quite easy however because of the spinning brushes pulling it back required more effort. The curved handle also makes picking up and carrying the 22 lb cleaner a lot easier.
When I used it for the first time I was pleasantly surprised at just how quiet the Boss is – it’s even possible to carry on a conversation while vacuuming. Carpet cleaning is first-rate – many vacuum cleaner reviews rate the Boss Smartvac to be as good as any other vacuum in its class. From the base of the unit the dirt runs up through a clear plastic tube that can be easily removed to clear blockages.
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I wanted an inexpensive but reliable vacuum cleaner with decent suction power. Eventually I bought the Eureka Maxima Bagless vacuum cleaner. Buying something cheap, and hoping that it performs as promised, is usually only going to end in disappointment. Well, buying the Eureka Maxima vacuum didn’t end in disappointment, although there are some disappointments with it.
Well, seeing the Eureka 4700A for the first time was a little disappointing. It looked exactly like what it was supposed to be; a fairly average looking inexpensive vacuum cleaner. Still, I chose it, not the other way round.
It’s cheap but you do get some accessories; brush, cleaning wand, combination wand/crevice tool, and the suction hose which is attached to the unit. The hose is only about 6 feet long though you can stretch it a little further than that, but since it is all plastic, I would not take it too far.
The Eureka Maxima vacuum cleaner does have some real plus points. First off, it is a very lightweight vacuum, weighing in at only 13.5 lbs. It’s light but it still comes with a 12 amp motor – the same size as the very expensive Electrolux Oxygen 3 upright vacuum cleaner. Some people really hate bagless vacuum cleaners as they say that emptying the dust cup releases a plume of dirt back into the house. I find such thoughts a little tedious; why not simply empty the dust cup outside? The big advantages of a bagless vacuum cleaner like the Eureka Maxima is that the duct cup is larger than bags – 3 quarts compared to 2 quarts, so it needs less emptying; you save on the cost of buying new bags (not to mention the hassle of finding the correct ones for your vacuum); and your helping to save the environment (no trees need die to make more disposable vacuum bags).
Because of the size of the motor, I found the suction power of the Eureka Maxima to be more than adequate for my house; I have a mixture of low-pile fitted carpet and tiled floors. So, I can’t say I’ve tested it on anything arduous but for most floor types the Maxima copes easily.
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