Recommend your toe kick vacuum or central vacuum system

[Anonymous]

We are interested in installing a toe kick or central vacuum system. Would love any recommendations. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I have central vac. It is a hassle. You have big hoses and attachments plus have to go down to the basement and dump the container. House came with it and i never would put one in.

Upscale properties used to get wired for whole house intercoms etc and central vac. Kids used to put crap in it-i found legos, barbie stuff etc.

[Anonymous]

What's a toe kick vacuum? A canister, or something else?

[Anonymous]

My parents have one and I don't like it at all. To actually use it, you have to haul out this enormous hose and heavy attachment. I once accidentally dropped it on my foot and it took months for my toenail to heal (just providing for an idea of how heavy it is). When I vacuum my wood floors on our main floor (often), I use a $20 stick vacuum that is a plug in. Takes me literally seconds to pull out and use.

[Anonymous]

We had a Beam central vac installed in like 1985, and my parents still used it until they sold in 2009. It worked great, and I don't recall ever having much major repair work on it (though it's quite possible they replaced the central unit at some point - I was like 8 years old so it's not like I'd remember). The hose was definitely heavy, but I wonder if they have lighter set ups by now? In any event, it was infinitely better for vacuuming stairs and moving around the house than a traditional vacuum. The central unit was in our garage and it was crazy loud, but not loud in the house. I actually have fond memories of that unit, and in theory would prefer it to the canister vacs we use today.

[Anonymous]

Grew up with central vacuum and parents did replace the unit with a MD Silentmaster 15 years ago which is STILL going strong. My house is four years old with a Vacuflo central vacuum system. I *LOVE* this system so much better than my parents because the outlets are the "hide a hose" setup. I don't have to drag a heavy hose around the house from inlet to inlet. Instead, I open up the HAH outlet, pull out the hose, clean and then suck the hose back into the wall. Genious! We have a toe kick under our kitchen island but we seldom use it because our dog eats the crumbs and it's just as easy to pull out the hose to vacuum. We were gifted a Dyson Stick vac which is awesome but if I had to choose I'd take the central vac with hide a hose any day. I'm not sure I'd do a system unless it had the hide a hose outlets. I love not having to wrap up the hose anymore. If you've never seen it - google central vacuum hide a hose and you'll be sold.

[Anonymous]

I just googled "central vacuum hide a hose" and I admit some of the photos of that limp hose hanging out of the wall socket remind me of Mapplethorpe's "man in a poster suit".

[Anonymous]

Poster =polyester. Nsfw, btw

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Grew up with central vacuum and parents did replace the unit with a MD Silentmaster 15 years ago which is STILL going strong. My house is four years old with a Vacuflo central vacuum system. I *LOVE* this system so much better than my parents because the outlets are the "hide a hose" setup. I don't have to drag a heavy hose around the house from inlet to inlet. Instead, I open up the HAH outlet, pull out the hose, clean and then suck the hose back into the wall. Genious! We have a toe kick under our kitchen island but we seldom use it because our dog eats the crumbs and it's just as easy to pull out the hose to vacuum. We were gifted a Dyson Stick vac which is awesome but if I had to choose I'd take the central vac with hide a hose any day. I'm not sure I'd do a system unless it had the hide a hose outlets. I love not having to wrap up the hose anymore. If you've never seen it - google central vacuum hide a hose and you'll be sold.

I'm a PP who dislikes my parents' system. This sounds fantastic!