Eureka is the industry’s premiere manufacturer of vacuums and other household floor and surface cleaners. With its’ headquarters presently in Charlotte, NC, Eureka now operates as the Electrolux Home Products Division of Electrolux Small Appliances North America.
The History
Eureka was first founded in 1909 by Fred Wardell who built vacuum cleaners professionally in the Detroit, Michigan area. It was Fred’s strong passion for the subject that led to the company selling one third of all the vacuums manufactured in the United States by 1927 and in 1930, the company expanded to incorporate other home appliances into their manufacturing line. Their electric range of items proved to be a big hit with American consumers throughout the 1930s and beyond.
In 1945, the company merged with Williams Oil-O-Matic who manufactured oil-based heaters for the home. The Eureka-Williams Corporation, as it was known then, continued to expand to manufacturing more products which included heaters, air conditioners, a wooden lung, and school furniture. Eureka was successful to the point where they became the first American manufacturer to product a purpose-built electric car, the Henney Kilowatt, in 1961.
The Eureka name was purchased in 1974 by a Swedish company, AB Electrolux, and the name was changed back to simply The Eureka Company. This name would remain until it was discontinued in 2004 and then was simply replaced in the Electrolux Home Products Division, where it currently presides. Here, Eureka was brought back to their foundation with what they always did best – vacuum cleaners.
Eureka vacuum cleaners come in all shapes and sizes including the traditional upright, canisters, steam mops, home built-in systems, battery-powered vacuums, and handheld and stick vacuum. In addition, the company manufactures bags, belts, and filters for each make and model, giving consumers an easy method in finding replacement parts should they ever be necessary. Offered online via their website and in retail stores nationally, Eureka is still a brand name that American consumers and their vacuum cleaners are among the best-selling of all-time in the United States.
The Electrolux Group that operates over Eureka is the second largest home appliance manufacturer in the entire world. The group acts as host for a variety of different brand names, of which, Eureka is near the top of its’ list.
How Eureka adapted to a new kind of marketing
The marketing landscape is forever in a constant state of change where what was acceptable advertising fifty years ago is no longer as effective today and where strategies that we employ successfully tomorrow aren’t necessarily right for today.
Eureka is a product-centric brand in the sense that it is known widely for its’ product line of vacuum cleaners and accessories. With the emergence of online marketing in the past twenty years as well a mobile and social platforms that have recently become available in the past ten, it was only a matter of time before Eureka had to change the way it was marketing its’ products.
Eureka found a disconnect with its’ audience as it struggled to adapt to the new marketing climate. The company’s consumers were frustrated with the inefficient use of the company’s online, scotia, and mobile platforms. In an effort to get closer to their audience, Eureka & the Electrolux Group established Consumer Experience Teams in each region which included specialists on consumer insights, brand, product, retail, digital, social, and customer care.
Each region saw sales reach new highs as the company worked with consumers in a way that felt more like a conversation than anything else. This resulted in the Electrolux Group delivering its’ 9th quarter of organic growth, as of April 2014. Consumer engagement is at all-time high at a company that has been around for over 100 years in the United States.
The Eureka of today
“Eureka!” is a Greek turn of phrase attributed to the Greek physicist Archimedes who, when he took a dip in his tub and accidentally stumbled upon the theory of water displacement, shouted “Eureka!”. When translated to English, “Eureka!” is Greek for “I found it!”. It was this type of innovation that the company was built on and it’s this type of innovation that the company still stands for today.
Its’ more modern innovations have had to do with creating products that are environmentally sustainable and to re-brand the company as one that is environmentally conscious. Eureka is strongly committed to maintaining its’ high environmental interest with vacuums that proudly display the Energy Star rating that verifies them as environmentally sound. This has never been at the expense of quality either.
The SmartVac has been recognized by Consumers Digest as the “Best Vacuum” and “Best Buy” for multiple years in a row. The Eureka Capture vacuum won the coveted 2007 Good Design Award from The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design.
This commitment to consumers, quality of product, and consumer advocacy has led the Eureka brand name to be one that is highly trusted in the Electrolux Group and worldwide. With new product developments on the horizon, the company’s dedication to the reduction of hazardous substances, and their SmartWaySM Transport Partnership, Eureka is sure to see continued success far into the future.
At the moment, here are my of 3 favorite Eurekas:
Eureka Boss Smart-Vac 4870MZ
- The 12-amp motor assures a constant powerful suction. As a special feature, the motor is protected in case of overheating. Possible causes include a full dust bag or a clogged hose, tubes or filter. Just remember, you’ll have to wait 30 minutes before turning the vacuum cleaner back on.
- Has a 30-feet power cord (with a wind spot) and a 15-inch wide cleaning path.
- The motorized brushroll can be adjusted in 7 height positions and it can controlled for different types of surfaces, from bare floors to deep rugs.
- Has a patented SEALED HEPA filtration technology.
- Comes with the right deal of attachments: an extension wand, a crevice tool, a dusting brush, a motorized handheld power tool and a tool I haven’t seen in a while, a riser visor ideal for staircases.
- The hose wraps easily behind the product.
- Weights 21.5 lbs
- Measures 15 x 12 x 44
- 1-year limited warranty
- Best seller on Amazon, bought by thousands of people
Eureka Mighty Mite 3670G
- Easy to use canister vacuum, perfect for any cleaning task, including auto cleaning.
- Comes with a blower port, so you can use it as a shop-vac.
- The 12 amp motor creates a powerful airflow, maintaining a continuous suction. An auto-shut off function prevents this motor from overheating.
- Has a 20-foot power cord which has a wind spot.
- It’s lightweight: it has only 8.6 pounds. It also has a 10 inches cleaning path width
- Measures 9 x 17.5 x 11.3.
- Comes with several accessories: a dusting brush, 2 extension wands, a crevice tool and an upholstery nozzle.
- Has a triple filtration bag system. By the way, you’ll have to buy Eureka Style MM bags. They usually last around 6 months, but be sure not to let them get completely full before changing, because it interferes with the motor performance. Bags are really cheap, you can get 9 for $8 on Amazon.
- 1-year warranty.
- Get it cheap on Amazon
Eureka EasyClean 71B
- It’s cheaper than a McDonalds menu
- A hand-held vacuum cleaner designed for quick pickups.
- Weights only 4.8 pounds at 15 x 7 x 7 inches.
- Has a 20 ft. power cord length.
- One of the few hand-vacs that comes with a stretch hose and a crevice tool located meant for hard-to-reach places.
- The brushroll can be turned off, allowing you to effectively clean bare floors.
- The powerful 5.5 amp motor performs excellent in any situation.
- Like previously described models, it comes with a Riser Visor, a transparent plastic cover that can be set down for horizontal cleaning or flipped up for vertical cleaning.
- You can additionally purchase belts and filters from online stores.
- The dust cup can be easily washed and hold a fair amount of dirt&debris.
- The filters are washable (model Eureka DCF-11).
- 1-year warranty (this is definitely not the strong point of any Eureka)
The Eureka! conclusion… for now
Eureka has always been a company that built quality products for their time period while at the same time having an eye on the future and where the world is headed in the decades to come. Energy efficiency is a top priority. The innovative Eureka Envirovac uses 33 percent less energy than a standard upright vacuum without sacrificing performance. The Boss SmartVac and Capture+ among other products feature sealed HEPA systems which serves to reduce motor carbon emissions. Eureka recently entered into a partnership with Arm & Hammer as well to design vacuum bags and filters that eliminate odours without the use of environmentally harmful chemical. These are just a few examples.
Eureka represents the United States’ proven reputation for innovation throughout the twentieth century, and has maintained its’ own reputation for it into the twenty-first century and beyond. With a hundred years behind it, Eureka has become a staple in the vacuum industry and rightfully so. The company has always been on the cusp of another “Eureka!” moment and there’s no doubt that it’s only a matter of time before “Eureka!” is uttered once again.
Any thoughts on this company? Own an Eureka, and want to share your experience? Please comment bellow.
Jason Roberts
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Felipe Castro-Mendivil says
Today is a sad day… my Eureka canister vacuum cleaner finally died… after 38 years of constant use. Yes, you heard it correctly. When I moved out on my own in 1978, I got it as gift. I will miss it, even though I used the SAME H style bag over and over again, because there where no more replacements to be found, the engine finally screwed up only after the bag tore open after 12 years of use and junk destroyed the 12 year old air filter and lodged into the running motor and screwed it up. I’m certain, had I had access to spare bags, it would still be going strong. They sure don’t make them like they used to. Thanks Eureka.