Ok, so I know this isn't the most exciting question, but people do email me often (…really they do!) asking about the pretty large price difference between original Kirby vacuum bags and generic Kirby vacuum bags. Now I'm not afraid to make a pretty bold statement here and there (ask my wife…  I put my foot in it all the time…!) but on this particular issue I have to say "it depends".

Firstly I will take a moment to quickly go through the options that are available for the Kirby vacuum cleaner. For this post I will only talk about the machines sold between about 1987 and 2009.  This is Legend II through to G10 or Diamond edition. These all took a bag that had the same fitting – a Square-ish piece of cardboard that had a circle cut out with 2 notches out of the sides.

The basic type of dust bag is a paper style bag called Kirby Micron Magic with Micro Particle Arrest technology. Really these are just really good quality bags that filter pretty well. If you have asthma or allergies there are better options, but for common folk these will be fine.  The newer style of Genuine Kirby Vacuum Bag is a white fabric type bag called Kirby Micron Magic – HEPA filtration with Micro Allergen Technology. Now, apart from a bit of a silly name, these bags do offer excellent airflow (better suction), better filtration (cleaner air for asthma and allergies) and have a stronger material (which … umm… makes them stronger...!).

The generic bags are basically cheaper copies of the Genuine Kirby version. The copy of the Kirby paper type is the Menalux D75 and the equivalent of the better fabric type is the Menalux DD75. These bags really don’t do more than hold dirt, but as it happens, that is pretty important for a vacuum cleaner bag.

Now, back to the initial question: Is it okay to buy generic bags for a Kirby Vacuum Cleaner?

The main factor for me is really the age of the machine. If it is 15 years old or more then I think it is fine to use the generic bags. Basically the generic bags we sell today are every bit as good as the ones that Kirby used to make 15 years ago. Of course you won’t hurt it by using the new genuine Kirby bags, and to be honest, they are better … but for a bag that costs more than twice the price, I have not been convinced that they are twice as good. The other thing to consider is that the cloth outer bag has probably built up a fair bit of dust inside it, so using the higher filtration bags won’t have any effect on the cloth bag if it's already got dust and muck clogging it up.

However, if you have a machine that is younger than 15 years and/or you suffer from asthma or allergies, then I strongly recommend using the Genuine Kirby product. I have two basic reasons for this.  Firstly: the newer the machine the stronger the suction… you don’t want the bag to be ineffective or damaged because it is under strain from the vacuum’s suction.  Secondly: the genuine Kirby bags actually let more air through while retaining smaller particles of dust. This increased air flow is good because it prevents dust escaping out of your machine so the room you have cleaned with your vacuum is not made dirty again by that very same machine. This improved airflow through the bag also results in less strain on the motor, which helps to keep it running like new for longer… Think of it as Oil of Olay for your vacuum.

Now before you ask me all your questions relating to Oil of Olay or other cosmetic type products – STOP! As a red-blooded Aussie male, I have to admit I know next to nothing about any of that stuff.  My wife tells me that I need to be spending $30 or $40 on a tube of moisturiser that she says is filled with collagen and elastin or some other thing… This of course is reflected in our credit card statement.  I can’t offer you much help in that department, but if you do need help with your vacuum, I’m your man!  Simply reply to the blog or email us direct via the Contact Us page. 

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