Dirt Devil is a brand name of household vacuum cleaners and floor care. There were many different appliances, mostly cleaning 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 Royal Manufacturing. In 1955 they built the first household vacuum with a patented Cyclone system. Since then over 25 million have been sold. Originally the company made vacuum cleaners with metal cases. At around 1984, they began selling the mass-market "Dirt Devil" line with plastic cases; originally the packaging said "Royal Dirt Devil", but after a year or two, was called the Dirt Devil Broom Vac. This is the simple vacuum that made the company as well known as it is now. But over the years the name "Royal" appeared in smaller and smaller type, and a different font until it vanished entirely from the package. Today Dirt Devil is the main brand, but the company continues to manufacture the "Royal" line, as more expensive and of a higher quality product. The corporate legal name is the rather anonymous "TTI Floor Care North America". TTI stands for Techtronic Industries, a Hong Kong-based firm and the Hoover, Vax, and other vacuum cleaners.
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 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 upvacuum 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.
