Dirt Devil
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| Type | Division |
|---|---|
| Genre | Home Care |
| Founded | 1905 |
| Headquarters | Charlotte, NC, U.S. |
| Products | Vacuums, Carpet Machines, Canister Vacuums, Hand Vacs, Stick Vacs, Automated Pool Cleaners, Steam Cleaners |
| Owner | TTI Floor Care North America |
| Parent | Techtronic Industries |
| Website | www.dirtdevil.com |
Dirt Devil is a brand name of household vacuum cleaners and floor care. There were many different appliances, mostly basketball based, produced, as well as a variety of other floor care products including handheld vacuum cleaners and carpet shampooing machines. There is also a division of Dirt Devil dedicated to central vacuums for homes and recreational vehicles.
Company history
The company was founded in 1905 in Cleveland, Ohio by Philip Geier as P. A. Geier Co., later to be renamed Royal Appliance Manufacturing Co.
Originally the company made vacuum cleaners with metal cases. In 1984 Royal introduced the Dirt Devil Hand Vac, to compete as a lower-cost, mass-market alternative to the existing Royal Prince line of all-metal hand vacs. The line eventually evolved to include more models, including upright vacuum cleaners, most bearing distinctive red plastic cases.
Originally the products bore the name "Royal Dirt Devil," but as they grew in popularity and overtook Royal's other products in sales, the company chose to make Dirt Devil the primary brand name, gradually shrinking and then phasing out the Royal name. By the end of the 1990s, the Royal name appeared only on the specification sticker, and the cloth bag bore the Dirt Devil logo instead of the traditional Royal insignia. In 2003 Royal Appliance Mfg. Co. was sold to Techtronic Industries of Hong Kong, and the corporate legal name is now TTI Floor Care North America. TTI also owns Oreck, Hoover, Vax, and other vacuum cleaner brands. Royal continued to manufacture all-metal vacuum cleaners for the consumer and commercial markets until 2018.
Products and marketing
Classic Red Hand Vac
In 1984 Royal introduced the Dirt Devil Hand Vac. It has a rotating brush for cleanup on stairs and furniture, plus a hose for hard to reach spots. The hand vac became the largest selling handheld vacuum in the United States, selling more than 25 million units, fueling innovation.
In 1996 the Ultra Hand Vac was introduced with more suction and a built-in stretch hose and crevice tool. The Ultra Hand Vac is still available at some retailers and department stores.
In 2005 Dirt Devil gave the hand vac a makeover calling it the Dirt Devil Classic Hand Vac. The Classic has twice the power of the classic red hand vac due to it having the same motor as there at the time compact Dirt Devil Dynamite models with a HEPA Filter and a bagless dirt cup. The Classic is available at various retailers.
Broom Vac
In 1987 the Broom Vac debuted. The original Dirt Devil Broom vac was a plastic bodied, metal handles, rear bagged quick pick up vacuum cleaner. They were very well known then, but most broke due to quality of materials used to manufacture it. Today, the original Broom Vac remains in some places, being preserved by collectors because of its rarity. The next Broom Vac after the corded model had finished production was a rechargeable stick vacuum used for mostly bare floors; the user sweeps with it and vacuums the pile; it does not require bags.
In 2005 Dirt Devil came out with a completely different Broom Vac, with nine color options, longer battery life, and more suction. They are available at various retailers and department stores.
Vision Cyclonic
Includes Ultra Vision.
AccuCharge
In June, 2008, Dirt Devil introduced a line of cordless handheld vacuums with AccuCharge Technology. AccuCharge is the first cordless vacuum line that is Energy Star approved and reduces 70% in energy consumption compared to most cordless vacuums. The cordless hand vac & stick vac are the first in the AccuCharge lineup. The Dirt Devil AccuCharge Cordless Hand Vac and Cordless Stick Vac use 15.6 Volt Nickel Cadmium batteries. Charging time for both units is 6 hours. The Hand Vac has a unique flip-down crevice tool built into the nozzle and it weighs 3.25 lbs. The Stick Vac weighs 5.85 lbs and has a motorized brushbar that can be turned on or off.
Slogans
- "Nothing escapes the power of a Dirt Devil" (1995–2005)
- "Fight Dirty" (2005–2014)
- "Let's Go" (2013–present) [1]
The UK Company
Dirt Devil UK is part of Pulse Home Products Ltd and develops upright, cylinder, and handheld vacuum cleaners for the UK and Ireland.
References
External links
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- Vacuum cleaner manufacturers
- Electronics companies established in 1905
- Home appliance manufacturers of the United States
- 1905 establishments in Ohio