Jim Kirby started manufacturing vacuum cleaners as early as 1907. As early as 1920 the company began its famous - some would say infamous - direct selling to customers. Legions of door-to-door sales agents went out and sold Kirby vacuum cleaners, making Kirby a multinational, billion-dollar organisation. This selling technique has been very successfully but has courted controversy. Many have accused the tactics used by Kirby sales agents as being underhand; targeting old people, calling at someone's house, telling them they've won a carpet cleaning prize, and, once inside, pressurizing them to buy a vacuum cleaner they don't need or want. Kirby have been accused of selling vacuum cleaners to people that can't afford it.
But, like most things, there are always two sides to the story. Jim Kirby, the founder, always stated that he wanted to empower his employees. He came from a time when employers could mistreat employees and get away with it. The Kirby Company wanted its employees to share in the company's success. Employing agents, who worked for themselves, selling Kirby vacuums during the hours that suited them, and who were rewarded for hard work - by selling more - was seen as the best way to share the company's success. And, many agents did reap the rewards and worked for Kirby for all their working lives. Also, many people who bought a Kirby vacuum were extremely happy to do so. They would claim that they didn't feel pressurized into buying one and, by having an in-home demonstration, they felt reassured that that the product they were buying actually lived up to its sales hype.
Arguing about the company's sales tactics diverts our attention from the vacuum cleaner. It's a shame because the vacuum cleaners sold by Kirby are excellent. They are powerful, yet lightweight and are very easy to use. The biggest plus side, as seen by many, is their durability. Kirby vacuum cleaners are renowned for lasting the lifetime of an owner. Indeed, Kirby vacuum cleaners have been passed down from one generation to the next; something which very few, if any, other vacuum cleaner manufacturers can match. There's even a Kirby Owner's Club! Buying replacement parts and getting your Kirby vacuum serviced is no problem, even for older models. This is not so with other manufacturers, who tend to change design every few years and then don't provide parts - or service - for their older models.
Buying a Kirby vacuum cleaner can be a good investment. If you do have an in-home demonstration my advice would be not to buy on the spot - no matter what the agent tells you; he can always call again. Also, go out and look at other models available and compare like with like. Most owners of a Kirby vacuum cleaner love'm.
Jim Kirby, the founder of the Kirby Company, was an inventor for most of his life. He worked to eliminate or reduce household drudgery with his inventions. He invented the first vacuum cleaner in 1907, a machine that used a vacuum to suck dirty air from carpets through a cloth bag that collected the dirt.
In 1925, Kirby teamed up with the Scott and Fetzer Company to produce the Vacuette Electric. This was the forerunner of all later multi-attachment vacuums, and featured a removable floor nozzle and handle. Most of Kirby’s subsequent vacuum cleaner models featured this convertibility, and it became a hallmark of Kirby vacuums that remains to this day.
The first vacuum to bear the Kirby name was produced in 1935, the Kirby Model C. It featured a toe-touch power switch and a belt-driven brush roll for improved cleaning. He continued to produce new improvements to his Kirby vacuum cleaners into the 1960s. Kirby Vacuums were also the first to use the in-home demonstration method of selling that became so popular with other home products. Kirby became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Scott and Fetzer Company in the 1960s and continued adding new innovations to its vacuums.
In 1970, the Kirby company used input from customers and distributors to produce a wholly new vacuum cleaner model. The Kirby Classic as an instant success, propelling Kirby vacuums to the forefront of the industry that Jim Kirby had invented years before, where they remain to this day. No matter if it’s old or new, you can’t go wrong with a Kirby.
Both Robin Obrien & Tim Bock are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Robin Obrien has sinced written about articles on various topics from Modelling, Prom Dress and Kids and Teens. Robin O'Brien is founder of a website that provides of the top brands on the market today; including Hoover, Eureka and. Robin Obrien's top article generates over 165000 views. to your Favourites.
Tim Bock has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Management, Recreation and Sports and Hair Care. For more vacuum cleaner comparisons, please visit: a website that specializes reviewing all brands of vacuum cleaners including. Tim Bock's top article generates over 90500 views. to your Favourites.