Sebo X 1.1

If there is one upright vacuum cleaner that I have always recommended, it is the SEBO X1 Automatic and it’s successor the SEBO X1.1 After 14 years of reliable ownership with only one drive belt replacement, our old SEBO X1 Automatic (original price £200 back in 1996) upright vacuum was passed onto a family friend following an expensive separation that left her with little money and needed something reliable to depend on. That was six years ago and today she still loves her SEBO! Despite Dyson's best efforts to become the best well known brand for vacuums through product design and court infringements, I was not shocked to find recently that from latest findings from a rival consumer review website company, the most preferred vacuums on the market all take disposable bags with the Sebo X1.1 at number one and two other X models in the top ten*. The SEBO X1.1 has always been the vacuum cleaner of choice I've recommended to others over the pricier X4 models and the X1.1 is a basic model that is often overlooked by private sellers who know they won't get much "mark up" profit compared to the higher "flagship" status of the 1300 watt fitted X4 uprights.

** This is a very long review – but I shall endeavour to keep it simple! **

About SEBO

If you have never heard of SEBO before, they are a private German company who specialise in one thing and one thing only; commercial upright vacuum cleaners and since the 1970's, SEBO has been number one for preference for the commercial trade industry when it comes to cleaning carpets, with machines that been built to run for long hours as well as deep capacity dust bags and a wand system that allows instant access to clean above the floor line. Filters are longer lasting than a lot of vacuums on the domestic market and never need cleaning - just replaced. However the purchasing of bags and filters outweighs what this "baby" of the X range can do! SEBO have maintained their number one spot for reliability according to Which? UK and have been accredited with numerous awards like Good Housekeeping Institute (GHI) as well as the British Allergy Foundation's seal of Approval. With SEBO and its large capacity dust bags with individual seal caps, once you remove the bag, you never see the dirt again.

Weight and Prices

I've had quite a few upright vacuums from several major brands that reveal shocking experiences from poor plastics to heavy to push designs. The rivals cite features and bump up the cost price accordingly, later bringing out more expensive features designed to make life easier. The X1.1 is very much what you see you get but it is with experienced use, I find many who have tried my X1.1 and X4 uprights often have them pinning for a swap! The SEBO weighs 8kg outright. It doesn’t pretend to be an Oreck rival but it does have a secret of being able to reduce its overall weight by half when using it. The Sebo X1.1 is the "starter" priced Sebo X upright vacuum at £175 to £199 and it may lack extension tools that the X4 come with - but it is no less efficient or incapable of proving why it is number one and most popular since it replaced the old X1 Automatic. Miele's basic S7 starts at £249 so it is easy to see who the cheaper German is! ** This is a long review based on actual usage **

Design of the X1.1

Like its predecessor, the X1.1 mimics the automatic functions and block look of the old X1 Automatic and it is good that Sebo haven't messed about with the basic premise or the 5.5" profile that allows the vacuum to go under low furniture compared to round bin Dysons or other brand’s round bin fitted models that can't. The secret to SEBO's X range is a wonderfully welcomed 50% reduction of its 7 to 8kg total weight when pushing and pulling the upright across carpets due to the Sebo's electronically adjustable (and hydraulic assisted) electronic floor head as well as a simple but effective 3 metre added hose that fits into an additional straight plastic lightweight (but well made) wand complete with grab handle at the side of the vacuum for quick removal. Add in a long 10 metre power cord, lifetime fitted drive belt and a slim line flat to the floor cleaning design and it is not hard to see why in the United States particularly, the Sebo (in the U.S they also sell under the tag "Windsor Sensor") uprights are by far the most preferred for commercial/domestic upright vacuuming in medium to large homes. Infact there isn't another upright vacuum I've used where I only need to use the tips of my fingers on the handle to glide across different carpet textures. Take a trial at John Lewis of the X4 – it’s the same machine but the X1.1 has a lower motor output.

Power & Model Differences

For environmentalists, the X1.1 should appeal because there's only 1150 watts total power, deep fill 5.5 litre high filtration dust bags with individual seals and if the dust gets missed (it seldom does) then the slide in/slide out on board S Class/HEPA identifiable allergy filter gets the last of it. Sebo bags are wonderfully easy to install into the front of the machine once the soft release bin has been removed. The brown bags offer 3 layers of filtration on top of their hospital grade and recognized micro filter and S Class/HEPA sealed system that puts out cleaner dust free air. The X4, X4 Pet and X5 are not very different save from uprated power and a bigger 14" floorhead on the X5 compared to 12 inches like most standard upright vacs on the UK market. I find bigger floor heads have a tendency to get stuck between the legs of chairs and various furniture, so the standard size SEBO make here is much more welcomed.

Performance

I find the SEBO X1.1 to be generally excellent when it comes to use. It is wonderfully simplistic as being well built and able to stand up to a lot of abuse. The performance of the X1.1 is particularly apt for all kinds of carpet cleaning needs because:

• The brush roll grooms and lifts dirt & pet hair out of carpets effortlessly & instantly. Normal uprights have short bristles - the SEBO has longer bristles and closer spacing for a more effective cleaning.

• It is easy to see the brush roll's quality when my carpets are left feeling fluffy and groomed - without the feeling that I'm pushing a bag of potatoes across the floor to get the effect!

• SEBO's electronic microchip processor built into the floor head. You get four LED lights in green and red which tell you what the vacuum cleaner is sensing helped by easy to read labelling on each light. One green light for example tells you when the floor head is moving onto carpet; the other green light tells you when the brush roll is pulling upwards away from the floor - this prolongs the brush roll and when cleaning hard floors. Then there are two symmetrical LED colours, two red lights act as warnings; bag full/clog and a brush roll fault respectively. Do you really need to know when the floor head is rising to cope with different floor/carpet nap heights? Not really but the X1.1 benefits the consumer who can feel the slightest change when pushing and pulling this vacuum across the changing floor surfaces and then wonder why, all of a sudden the upright has become even lighter when transferring from carpet to hard floor. There isn't another upright vacuum on the market that tells the owner what the machine is doing, or has an instant glance aspect to why the machine isn't working the way it should - unless it is made by SEBO.

• The long 10-metre cord is welcomed for long hallways and travel from plugs.

• The dust bags are easy to install and take out, as is the large filter that sits next to it and in both cases they have a slide in & lock mechanism that doesn’t involve hurting your hands or fingers.

• The owner is always in control backed by what the vacuum cleaner tells the owner from the electronic display panel.

Downsides to the Auto Sensor

• The time it takes speed in which the electronic sensor adjusts to the carpet and if you're patient you need to give the X a couple of seconds before it can sense the carpet it is required to clean. If you can't be bothered to wait then the vacuum will still sense the carpet and adjust the height accordingly but don't expect it to pick up the dirt the first time you lower the handle and run it over dirty carpet without giving it a couple of seconds to adjust. Normally it will pick up instantly once it has sensed the height of the carpet nap.

Due to its electronics and the fact that it has a lifetime belt fitted, one side of the floor head will not clean as well to the edge as the other side - even though it is more obvious just by glancing down that dirt seems to get sucked in instantly. I don't mind this at all since the very lightweight 0.5kg hose and wand is lightweight enough to pull out and use to scoop up dirt without bending for corners. For the price you expect both sides to clean up edges but here's the vital difference between more modern brands; whereas you'll undoubtedly get twin edge cleaning sides, you won't find another upright vacuum cleaner that doesn't need screws to undo the sole plate to get into the brush roll should it get caught up with tight hairs and threads. Even the simplicity of an Oreck upright vacuum needs one screw to undo to slide off the side door to change the belt!

Maintenance

The beauty of the SEBO X1.1 is that you don't have to change the drive belt - you just remove the brush roll if there's a clog. This is done so wonderfully simplistic, it's a wonder other brands haven't thought of it - on the floor head to one side there's a soft button release that upon pushed, releases a little door to the side of the floor head that opens up to reveal the entire brush roll where it can be pulled out for cleaning. Just above the main hood the only other maintenance function is to remove the carbon filter that protects the motor and also prevents carbon dust from entering into the room. Avoid going online if you can to buy the filter as Ebay and other stockists are known to over charge for this simple plastic foam grid and the foam isn't washable. Cost of replacement filter from John Lewis will only set you back £2-45! As for the drive belt; it's an internal lifetime toothed belt that should never need changing. SEBO give their X machines an expectancy life of around 20 years and I’d say given our 14 year ownership of the previous machine the cost part of the drive belt £2-99 was peanuts given the excellent reliability compared to certain bagless uprights we had that didn’t even last half as long!

If there is a clog for example, the Sebo X1.1 will automatically switch off after a couple of seconds and can be switched back on immediately after the clog is removed! No cool down waiting time here. Removing clogs are relatively easy due to a trapdoor on the floor head or by taking off the entire hose and wand for inspection. The Sebo X is double insulated with a protection system built in, so if you do vacuum up a sock and gets caught in the brush roll, the system will shut down immediately to risk damage to the life time belt. Even when building or putting it together, the X1.1 has an ingenious build and lock design; the floor head unit comes away from the main dust bin via a main lock whilst the power on button fitted handle and spine also comes off independently from the bin area. Not exactly helpful to anyone unless they are constantly in transit with their vacuum, the assembly instructions also act as procedures for further unclogging.

Cleaning Versatility & Using the Tools

One of the aspects that most owners complain about through reviews is that the SEBO X series has a short hose. It feels this way because for most of its life, the hose isn't going to be used without the wand and snap backs in automatically once the wand is locked back into the upright vacuum. When the wand is released from the Sebo, the hose can extend up to 3 metres in length, which is bigger than most upright vacuums though most owners don't notice this aspect. The upright has to be held at the time of the wand's use though and whilst this may sound like a downside, my mother prefers the top release system of the wand as it minimises her from bending down to the floor with other brands she has had. The hose and wand can appear to be clunky particularly if you consider the cost optional extension hose for more reach (3 metres) because the standard hose isn't long enough to do a complete flight of say, seven steps. However the whole design element of the hose and wand is spot on, super easy to use and very quick to access - with the only downside being that you need to PLACE THE UPRIGHT AGAINST A WALL or an obstacle to stop it from falling over. Additional practical design stems from the fact that if I just need the hose, I can simply pull it out of the top part wand. There's also a button release on the wand itself where the hose normally sits inside anyway. There is no need to unwind a hose around a hook and get a slight bruise for accessing tools either whilst the long cord is welcomed, it has two combinations of storage - either around the top and bottom hooks supplied or simply collected up and stuffed into the copiously large top cord hook wisely engineered below the super easy to hold onto handle!

On the X1.1 model, a long noise free crevice tool is supplied and a T shaped upholstery tool with a stiff line of small brushes that can be used quite universally for many cleaning needs. Both pop out at the bottom and top half at the rear of the X1.1 whilst the T shaped tool has a removable brush and is ideal for cleaning velour sofas or curtains whilst the brushes when added is great for general shelf dust pick up without fear of scratching due to its design. When you have the crevice tool attached to the wand at the bottom, there is in effect no need for an straight extension tube when the length is already extended.

Suction & Long Lasting Bags

So what good is the suction on board? In real "layman's," terms, as the bags progressively fill with dust, suction on the Sebo X1.1 doesn't start to weaken unless the dirt has been heavy and towards the end of the bag this is when I find suction starts to weaken but not to the point that suction is completely cut out like other bagged uprights on the market where bags clog. SEBO's commercial origins also come down to the bag design. It has a top fill design where dust is pushed towards the bottom of the bag and fills up from that point. Sebo get around this because the bags and the filter system are electrostatic which maintains suction as well as filtering out allergens in the "kitchen paper roll" sized filter that sits directly next to the dust bag. Clean air is pumped through the sides of the main bin and above the motor on the floor head through the replaceable carbon filter. I've often checked the heavy dust bag in my X1.1 only to realise that it can still take dirt when the red warning light doesn't show and certainly if there is still space at the top of the bag, it's better to let the Sebo just get on with it. In my experience then, a SEBO dust bag on the X range can last between 3 to 5 months before needing to be replaced and one box of bags tend to last a year and a half.

Consumables

Now where consumables are concerned, the Sebo X is a good value vacuum cleaner and here is why! There are several options for the owner compared to other brands that just offer expensive packs and hope the amount given is sufficient. For the purpose of this review, 2011 prices from John Lewis have been added here.

1. The 'Service' box of bags containing 5.5 litre 10 bags and replaceable filters make the Sebo X longer lasting and top value! When I’ve purchased this set, it generally lasts me a year and a half on the basis that their three stage filter paper bag (complete with seals) lasts me three to five months dependent on the nature of dirt pick up. The Service box (code 5094ER) costs between £15-95 to £19-95 and consists of 10 filter bags, a micro hygiene filter and an exhaust filter.

2. The second option is to go for bags & filters separately. A box of bags (code 5093ER) is available and consists of 10 bags and 10 seal caps.

3. Microfilter (code 5036ER) costs £9-95 and can last up until 32 bags have been used.

4. S Class Charcoal filter option for pet owners/allergy sufferers (code 5425ER) costs £16-95 and can last up to the same amount of bags as per microfilter; also scented capsules CAN be used with this filter compared to Miele’s HEPA/Active Air Clean filters that get destroyed with air fresheners.

5. The carbon filter (code 5143) costs £2-45 and should only be replaced when both sides have turned black. (I usually find after 10 bags have been used up.)

6. A delicate soft brush roll is also cost optionally available. This is kinder to wool carpets.

In terms of why you would buy a Sebo X1.1 it's all down to the fact of whether you want something that will just do the job or have something where you are constantly trying to nurture your vacuum to do something it should do better by its very design.

Other Downsides

The brush roll cannot be switched off. So if you have hard tiled floors, this is the biggest problem for the SEBO X. I've cleaned many hard floors with the X1.1 (and the flagship X4 models) and they never scratch surfaces. Because the X range is primarily for carpet cleaning only, the X does struggle to clean on unlevel floors or sealed tiled floor, particularly because the central electronic wheel gets confused with the imperfections on the floor - yes it is that sensitive to floor undulations – and then doesn’t adjust properly. A way around this is to buy the extension hose on the back with a further cost optional hard floor brush and extension tube which would give you a cylinder vacuum design from the rear of the SEBO X. It is however a cumbersome and time consuming design that detracts from the simplicity and instant use of the upright’s main cleaning function.

No other areas for additional small cleaning tools. SEBO offer clips that can be bolted to the handle to minimise extra weight incurred when installing an extra dusting brush or the flat mattress attachment that is also great for cleaning computer keyboards. You can purchase fixed clips that can be used on the front and back of the main metal strip just below the handle – however it will not support the large extension hose option.

Lastly, the built in hose is short and can only reach to some stairs - for extra length it is better to consider the extra long 3 metre extension hose. It can be fitted to the standard hose for 6 metres total length or slip it into the handle-fitted plastic extension wand for more control without bending.

Inexplicably the SEBO X1.1 does not come with a triangular dusting brush. John Lewis sell a large dusting brush (code 1094 ER) for the X range though at a cost of £9-95 and you get a clip that can be bolted to the machine’s main metal strip below the handle for this purpose. The brush is well worth buying as it has long & soft bristles with a 360° neck that can be locked at angles for cleaning dust out of awkward areas. It is the only additional accessory AND the extension hose I've so far paid out for.

A wider selection of SEBO tools that makes the X range far more versatile are available to buy online from SEBO UK themselves. Comet and John Lewis only sell a select amount of tools such as the extension hose, mini pet hair turbo brush and dusting brush. Online from EBAY, you can get a good bargain on smaller cleaning tools if you have a strict budget. All of SEBO's vacuums bought brand new however have a standard 5 year warranty.

Whenever I use my SEBO X1.1 I know I’m in control of what I’m doing when it comes to cleaning and the tools, wand and accessibility on this machine is well worth considering – as well as being a great deal lighter to use and easier to fix than Miele’s S7 upright – the natural rival on expense to SEBO’s X range as well as the SEBO having a lower cost advantage when it comes to filters and bags. Yes, the Miele looks far more modern and it has a much quieter motor with variable suction – but it isn’t as well made, it weighs 10kg to SEBO’s 7 or 8kg at the most and the Miele S7 has had quality problems with snapping handles and the girth of its size is often a downside to the far more compact and simpler SEBO. The X1.1 just does what it is designed to do and the company are very friendly with a great customer service department backed by free downloads of user manuals from their main site. Our X1 Automatic lasted more than ten years and I have every confidence that the X1.1 will do exactly the same with no need to bother about the warranty! It isn't cheap but then again with so many versatile features, I wouldn't expect it to be cheap and last as long as it has done. Thanks for reading! ©Nar2 2011

www.sebo.co.uk

* www.your-story.org/british-vacuum-cleane​r-
manufacturer-numatic-leaves-dyson-for-du​st-according-to-
genuine-shopper-reviews-4944

2011 links:

SEBO U.S have a series of product demos and user videos:

Short demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qbyxx_oNd​DA

Assembly, trouble shooting, general use videos:

http://www.sebo.us/video_download.aspx?v​dtitle=auto_x_sales_revised.flv&vname=AU​TOMATIC_X_Product_Demonstration