HEPA vacuum cleaners

Crista Pack <cpack [at] eiteljorg__com> writes

>Our museum is looking at purchasing a variable speed HEPA vacuum for
>cleaning objects and textiles, as well as display cases.  Most
>recommendations I've come across so far are for the Nilfisk Museum
>Vacuum, but I'm hoping to find something in a somewhat lower price
>range.  An objects conservator I recently talked to recommended
>looking at Miele and that company does advertise a model "S 251
>Miele Plus" as having an adjustable suction dial and HEPA filter for
>less than $600. Has anybody had any experience with this particular
>model?  Or could someone recommend another model or brand in a
>similar price range?

I cannot comment on the Miele S 251 model but I have used the Miele
S 528 model for general lab duties for a few years now. It is a
conventional looking canister-type vacuum with variable suction
control and HEPA filtration. I am very pleased with it's
performance. I paid about $700 Canadian dollars for it, so it was
nearly a third the price of the large Nilfisk (there is a smaller
'backpack' Nilfisk model that sells here for about $800 today). No
doubt, the large Nilfisk is a high performance unit, with a four
stage filtration system that filters down to 0.3 microns, but I
think the Miele meets the important requirements of HEPA  operation
and controlled suction for a reasonable price. Other aspects to
consider are hose lengths, attachments, mobility and cost of
replacement filter systems which may be important for the intended
uses of the vacuum cleaner.

Richard Fuller,
Conservator,
Doon Heritage Crossroads,
Region of Waterloo


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 22:33
                Distributed: Saturday, December 6, 2008
                       Message Id: cdl-22-33-010
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