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How are Kirby models different? Last Updated: 11/19/2011

What model is my KIRBY? & What is the difference between all of these models? Disclaimer:  Goodvac.com is not affiliated with The Kirby Company and/or The Scott Fetzer Company.  All manuals and maintenance tips for Kirby vacuum cleaners and repair manuals for Kirby model vacuums are authored by GoodVac.com and are not endorsed or approved by the Kirby vacuum manufacturer - Kirby Company and/or The Scott Fetzer Company.  These materials  should be only used at your own discretion and risk. . Read our "Terms of Use". We will discuss models released since 1990. It was the year when Kirby Company has released "Generation 3" model that was very different from anything they have been manufacturing before. G3 was very advanced and probably years ahead of any upright vacuum available for purchase back then. While Kirby is notorious for having the rudest and the most aggressive sales tactics within door-to-door sales industry, nearly everybody who had seen the vacuum have to admit that it is a good piece of equipment. There are still some things that could be improved upon (nozzle installation or outer bag safety switch for starters) problems were not addressed by the company in over 20 years. We speculate that this is probably because of a very large financial commitment needed to design and implement a major change. Also company seems to be cutting corners by consistently introducing more plastic parts into the system. We have to give a credit to the company though as the price of the vacuum has not risen significantly even though materials and manufacturing costs are raising at ever increasing rate (especially last few years). However while introducing more and more plastic parts risk of loosing the customer base who has "metal is better" perception is at all time high. So if you are this kind of customer - please consider that in some cases plastic is not any worse than metal. Moreover - it may be even better. Keep in mind that plastic let the company keep system cost for the distributor low so he/she can retail at lower price. If you are not that good at haggling the price with a salesman and have paid top dollar for the vacuum - blame yourself (or nor - we will leave this for you to decide). Why would you buy a newer model? - just like you would trade in a car with more miles for the new one or maybe you just like a different color scheme better. Kirby G3 vacuum model (a.k.a. Generation 3) click HERE to buy 1990 Kirby Co. introduces new Kirby vacuum design. Redesigned from the ground up. The biggest innovation - Tech-Drive. Mini transmission that takes momentum from the motor and uses it to spin the rear wheels thus moving the vacuum over the surface so you do not have to. All user has to do is gently push the handle. Through a spring-loaded pivot and lever handle engages one of 2 clutch mechanisms (one for forward and another one for reverse movement) within the transmission . Wheels start spinning and of the vacuum goes. motor is also all new. Dual speed switch doubles as a safety switch that would not allow the vacuum to operate if the bag is not installed over the exhaust. Just like a few prior models switch retains the safety feature that would not let the vacuum turn on while nozzle or hose is not attached to the front of the unit so someone would not be able to jam his/her fingers into the spinning fan blade. Just a note - old style outer bags with reinforced top and words "Generation 3" are no longer made. Genuine bags are without reinforcement on the top and there is no model name on them. Kirby G4 vacuum model (a.k.a. Generation 4) click HERE to buy 1993 from "powder gray" it changes to "stone gray". Plastic trims, hubcaps, bag and belt lifter changes the color. All attachments remain the same yet they are new stone gray color too. One improvement - spring loaded pivot that brings the handle upright when released is redesigned. Seems to be good change as the newer design holds up better. One cost saving change - outer cloth bag top looses reinforcement. For years before the top of the bag has a wire or bracket that helped the cloth to retain its shape. Since G4 model the top of the bag is just covered by about 1 inch deep vinyl cover but when over the time strap stretches and bag consistently overloaded with dirt - bag sags pulling bag top from the vinyl and it looks pretty bad. This is the year when Kirby introduces new type of disposable bags - Micron Magic - it is improvement and filtration is better. Kirby G5 vacuum model (a.k.a. Generation 5) click HERE to buy 1997 now it is - maroon. By some reason brush indicator light now is on the other side of the nozzle. Not sure what was the reason but now parts stores and vacuum shops have to stock up on one more brush roll type (maybe that was the reason). Headlight cap and lens become a bit more curvy . Bare floor tool bottom becomes plastic (G3 and G4 models had a metal chrome, plated floor tool bottom plate). Also minor change in shampooer tank design. A small screen that is installed on the shampoo solution tank is not as a cap but rather as a plug now. It was supposed to be less likely to stay in the short shampooer hose when pulled off the shampoo solution container but it remains to be a problem. This plug/screen just does not stay in the neck. Belt lifter handle / knob on the nozzle now has a lever that you can use to twist the knob. Kirby G6 vacuum model (a.k.a. Generation 6; G six; Kirby 2000; Kirby 2001) click HERE to buy 1999 - just the same thing as G5. Nothing has changed. It may have been the model when Kirby Co. experimented with a different ratio of the primary gears that are used to transfer momentum from motor to transmission. This was probably done to resolve vacuum jumping problem. Since Kirby nozzle gets so close to the rug, when it goes against the fiber sometimes it vibrates and it does not feel good. But this is still a problem and it may be impossible to resolve it as there are many different carpets with different length and density of the fiber and what will work on one carpet may not necessarily work on a other one.And one more minor change is the Miniemptor - the plastic bag bottom that attaches to the vacuum. Older design used to brake relatively often and new design is a bit stronger. If you purchase new miniemptor for G3; G4 or G5 Kirby sweeper it will also be made using new design mold. Bag fill tube (tube connecting miniemptor and elbow that is inserted in the disposable bag is just plastic tube whereas old one was reinforced with metal coil. In 2000 and 2001 there were some kirby vacuums sold with labels on the front of the handle that said "2000 Limited Edition" and "2001 Limited Edition". It must have been just marketing thing as other than the labels they were not any different. Kirby Ultimate G vacuum model (a.k.a. G7) click HERE to buy 2002 - just color. Shampoo attachment nozzle now is plastic. Kirby Ultimate G Diamond Edition vacuum model (a.k.a. G7D) click HERE to buy 2005 - Speckled design elements changed to diamond shapes yet retain the same Ultimate G color scheme. One significant difference - 2 speed switch. It is just a small circuit board that is attached to the bottom of the motor and switch that is installed on the side of the aluminum shell on the unit. Now it is technically possible to run Kirby on 4 speeds. For years (even before Kirby G3 model vacuum) manufacturer designed vacuum to operate on 2 different speeds. High - full throttle when hose is installed and you are using it as a canister vacuum. When nozzle is installed it presses on a different lever and puts the motor into a lower mode. So with the additional control the speed whatever motor is put to work to by installing hose or nozzle) gets cut roughly in halve. So you can have - regular speed with nozzle installed, same speed cut in halve with the switch; high speed with hose, same hose speed yet adjusted with the switch. Kirby Sentria vacuum model (a.k.a. G10) click HERE to buy 2007 - more cosmetic modifications - upright handle grip as well as the whole handle now are redesigned. These changes have no effect on performance at all. Power cord strain relief now is attached with two screws straight to the aluminum shell. This may allow cord not to be bent ar sharp angles thus prolonging the lifetime of the cord. In 2009 new type "Style F" bags are introduced. All filtration materials used in making bags are the same yet the fitting is different. No better no worse - just different and bags are not interchangeable with old ones. In 2009 Kirby starts making vacuums without lubricating handle slide mechanism and rears inside the transmission. Also omits a small plastic wedge that holds slide mechanism together. Thousands of vacuums are made that way but around March 2011 they switch back to making it as they were. This "experiment" led to many service calls where handles got stuck in some position or whole handle slide (piece that holds handle and the rest of the vacuum together) got loose and vacuum became inoperable (read more about it here) . Nozzle bumper now covers more metal on the edges of the nozzle so more protection for your furniture. Redesigned miniemptor once more. Just some plastic is removed so less of it needed to manufacture the part. LED headlight is installed instead of a headlight with a regular incandescent bulb. Few years later Kirby redesigns the circuit boa rd.. 2010 whole base/pan that everything is assembled onto becomes plastic. Motor looses the ground wire as there is nothing to ground it to (base is plastic). In the few first years Sentria model was made Kirby had released Handi-Butler rotary attachment just to discontinue it a few years later. So today (November 2011) is the same G3 from 1990 with a few minor modifications and few more plastic parts in new color. Kirby is still one of the most powerful and versatile vacuums in the market yet falling a bit behind the expectations of consumers and many distributor not even waiting for a new model anymore as it is most likely to be the same vacuum just with a different color bag and more plastic. 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