When the Riccar Vibrance was introduced in the late 1990s, the world was a very different place. Y2K was looming and 9/11 was still just another day of the year. There were few smart phones, no Facebook and no pay-at-the-gas-pump option. In homes, wallpaper and wall-to-wall cut pile carpet were trendy. Riccar Vibrance vacuums were ideal for cleaning these carpeted homes.
Flash Forward Two Decades
Contemporary homes and apartments are predominantly floored in hardwoods of all types, laminates and ceramic tile with little carpet. When carpet is used, it's typically ultra-soft, plush frieze. Both flooring trends, along with many new materials and methods of production, have challenged vacuum cleaner manufacturers. Few vacuums could handle all needs.
A Vacuum for Today's Homes
Even though the Riccar Vibrance clean air technology vacuums were popular, high-performing and affordable, the part tooling was aging. Rather than replace and repair the molds, Riccar decided to redesign and modernize the machine. It was time to transform vacuuming.
Scott Holmberg, Riccar senior design engineer, says "We spent months talking about and interviewing consumers and dealers on what they would like in a vacuum.” He worked with the product development team to collect survey data from both groups and to identify common themes. Vacuum users, it seemed, wanted affordable, easy-to-use vacuums that didn’t compromise cleaning performance.
A Delight to Use
“Overall the focus of the vacuum was to make it a ‘delight to use’,” Holmberg says. “We wanted the consumer after cleaning their home to say, “Well that was easy.’” That became the driving principle for this new vacuum – creating a machine that was a delight to use. The engineers and product team had tested and evaluated almost every upright vacuum on the market and kept a wish list for the new Riccar vacuum. The new clean air vacuum project brought that wish list to life after four complete prototypes made in Riccar’s offices in Fenton, Missouri.
“During the design and prototyping phase of the project, a number of additional features were added to improve the functionality, which included many of the features that we currently have on our premium Tandem Air vacuums,” Holmberg says.
An Incredible Vacuum is Born
From the Riccar department of “Gee-Wizardry”, the R25 clean air vacuum was born. It was designed with unique 360-degree rotation. A spring-assisted handle makes it feel almost weightless, and its floating nozzle means it transitions easily from plush carpet to bare floors without having to stop and fiddle with knobs and pile settings. With aggressive agitation for deep carpet cleaning, the brushroll easily switches off for gentle bare floor cleaning, too. Even a new top-loading, self-sealing HEPA media bag was created to take up less space while it holds more dirt and is easier to replace. Designed with a slim profile, the R25 lays completely flat for cleaning under beds and other furniture.
Cleaning ultra-soft frieze carpet is no longer a problem. The R25 was specifically designed to clean deep down to preserve the life of carpet. And where sucking up a sock or shoelace can bring a vacuum to a screeching halt, the R25 lifetime belt feature virtually eliminates broken belts.
The R25 was designed to make cleaning with tools ridiculously simple. The wand can be pulled out without having to unwrap the 35-foot cord. And the hose attaches low on the body so the vacuum doesn’t topple when using the wand for tool cleaning.
Features vary among the three models, but the top-of-the-line R25P pet premium model also boasts a dirt sensor that shines an amber light when dirt is found. It's equipped with a durable metal brushroll, a metal extension wand, a HEPA media filter and a granulated charcoal filter for odor control.
Engineered for clean, the R25 is an advanced cleaning machine that makes vacuuming simple. Compare features of the R25 series from the Clean Air Vacuums page, or visit your nearest Riccar retailer to take one for a spin.
