Rating – 4.5 stars (would be 5 except for suction noise)
Service by ThinkVacuums – Very good, before and after the sale
Suction of Killer Whale unit – extremely strong.
Noise –reasonable in garage or at power head on carpet, but VERY loud on hardwood floors and when dusting
Installation – easy, took an hour at most to replace the old central unit we had
Our home is about 4,000 square feet in size. Our 20-year-old central
vac burned out, so we bought the
PurVac Killer Whale because we had an
available 220v outlet right near the 110v that the old unit had been
plugged into, and we wanted maximum suction power. If we had it to do
over again, we probably would buy the
Great White instead because (and
you might find this hard to believe) the Killer Whale is TOO good. Its
suction power is terrific. But for that reason, it may take some getting
used to if you are replacing a burned out old unit, as we were. For
instance vacuuming thin metal blinds will bend the blinds, and the
circumference of suction is larger, capturing small items much further
from the nozzle than you may be accustomed to, such as when counters or
dresser tops are dusted. Also, keeping the dusting attachment from
sucking down tight against a smooth surface is difficult. The suction is
a force to be reckoned with.
The Killer Whale noise output at the main unit (in the garage) was
actually quieter than the old unit although its suction was at least
twice as good. The lower noise output at the central unit is probably
due to the three mufflers that come with the unit – two on the air
intakes and one large “can-type” on the exhaust. But the noise in the
room where hardwood floors are swept or when dusting is extreme. Again,
this is purely because of the massive suction the unit generates. Using a
sweeper head that allows for greater air passage decreases the noise
somewhat, but my wife still uses earplugs when she sweeps the hardwood
floors. She has no problem at all with the noise output when sweeping
carpeted rooms because it is greatly reduced by the carpet and pad being
swept.
As for sales and service support, we were pleased. The staff were
very polite and helpful, and not at all pushy prior to the sale. (Shawn
and Iris are two names I remember and both were very friendly.) There
was a very small omission mistake in the included parts, but when I
phoned, they mailed the piece immediately to rectify the oversight.
Also, when we considered returning the unit to replace it with a weaker
one (like the Great White), the owner advised we try buying new sweeping
a dusting heads, as well as a $17.00 safety valve to decrease suction
when the blinds get sucked in. He advised this to help us avoid paying
shipping both ways plus a 10% restocking fee, all of which could cost us
as much as $150. But further testing revealed that the valve would only
kick in and work AFTER the blinds got sucked to the dusting head, and
the damage would be done anyway. Also, the valve would not decrease the
noise loudness on hardwoods. We decided to “get used to the noise” and
mollify ourselves with the realization that the cleanliness of our
carpets would be improved because of the better suction. Bottom line –
don’t overbuy. The Great White 110v unit will probably suffice for most
large homes.
Posts
