Oreck XL Classic Limited Edition
- Details
Avg. consumer rating = 89/100
The Oreck XL Classic Limited Edition (UK2200) upright vacuum cleaner is getting pretty solid reviews and ratings from owners. This bagged, “no frills” machine is very lightweight and easy to move and maneuver. It is also reasonably priced and it performs well on carpet and bare floors. However there is no hose and no tools or attachments, and some folks struggle with moving it on deeper pile carpet. In addition, the power cord is also a little on the short side.
| Quick Specs | |
| Type | Upright |
| Bagged/Bagless | Bagged |
| Best for... | Bare Floors & Carpet |
| Pet Hair Features | No |
| Approx. Weight | 9 lbs |
| HEPA Filter | No |
| Power Cord Length | 25 feet |
| Motor Driven Brushbar | Yes |
| Warranty | 1 Year |
Consumer Ratings
It’s hard to find a large number of rating sources for this machine, but, thanks to Amazon, there are at least a reasonable number of ratings. You can see them in the table below. When the ratings are averaged they result in an overall score of 89 out of 100. This is above average when compared to the average rating for an upright on this site (which at this time is 81.3/100). All-in-all 89 is a pretty good score. You can see scores for all uprights in our upright vacuum ratings table, or view the scores for all vacuums in our Vacuum Cleaner Finder.
| Source | Consumer Rating | #Ratings |
| Amazon* | 4.4 stars out of 5 | 383 |
| Walmart | 5 stars out of 5 | 1 |
*Amazon has different ratings for this vacuum in different ads. We have averaged them all to produce a single score for Amazon.
Good Oreck Uprights
We’ve reviewed a number of Oreck vacuums over the years and they seem to rate from poor to excellent. With this brand it really seems to depend on which particular unit you buy. In the case of the XL Classic Limited Edition, this is one of the good ones. It runs in the same circles as the following:
Oreck U2000R
Oreck XL Insight
Oreck 2100RHS
All of these appear in our list of the best lightweight vacuum cleaners. The 2100RHS and the XL Insight also appear in our list of the best upright vacuums, and the U2000R and 2100RHS are included in our list of best bagged vacuums. In short, these Oreck uprights perform very well and hit the right marks for most consumers. Just ensure you understand that they are very much Plain Jane machines – no bells and whistles.
Consumer Insights
A thorough analysis of XL Limited Edition owner comments has provided the following likes and dislikes:
PROS
- Very lightweight
- Powerful
- Cleans carpet and bare floors well
- Uses large bags that are easy to change
- There are many Oreck XL repeat buyers
CONS
- No tools or attachments
- Power cord is a little short
- Can be hard to push on deeper pile carpet
- Fairly loud
- On/off switch on nozzle
So What Are Owners Saying?
Probably the most highlighted positive characteristic of the XL Classic is its light weight. Owners are thrilled with how easy this vacuum is to move and maneuver. Some folks with back problems, others with physical limitations, and some seniors have commented on how this lightweight machine fits their needs. It is easy to carry up and down stairs or from room to room.
There are also quite a few comments about the unit’s powerful suction and its solid cleaning performance on both carpet and bare floors.
In addition, one cannot help but notice how many folks who bought this machine are previous Oreck upright vacuum owners. Quite a few people have reported that their previous Oreck upright lasted 10 -20 years, and they are now died-in-the-wool Oreck fans. We also see that several people use this machine for commercial purposes (like cleaning a hall, a school, a church, etc.) and most of these folks generally praise the vacuum.
Other characteristics liked by owners include:
- Not too costly
- Compact machine
- Easy to assemble
- Bags lock in dust when removed
|
Aside: The Oreck company started about 50 years ago and cut its teeth manufacturing upright vacuums for the hotel industry. As many commercial vacuums at the time were heavy, their competitive approach was to provide lightweight, powerful and durable machines - which they did fairly successfully. Oreck commercial uprights continue to be popular with many hotel chains today. The company now has a wider range of products including air purifiers, steam mops, power scrubbers and orbiters, etc. which are sold in the US, Canada and Europe. Although Oreck, along with Hoover and Dirt Devil, are now under the umbrella of industry giant TTI, Oreck still has its principal manufacturing facilities in Cookeville, Tennessee, USA. |
On the negative side the vacuum has a rather short power cord. It is indeed shorter than a number of other Oreck uprights. This has frustrated quite a few owners and is probably the most contentious issue with this vacuum.
The fact that this vacuum has no tools, which can be viewed as something of a drawback, is not an issue with most owners. Most folks are well aware of the machine’s lack of tools before making a purchase. Quite a few people also highlight that they like that this unit is basic and uncomplicated.
A bigger issue is that a number of the repeat Oreck buyers feel that the Limited Edition, while still good, is not built with the same high quality as their old upright. Some say it feels a little flimsy and question whether it will have the longevity of their previous machine(s).
Another annoyance is the noise produced by the XL Limited Edition. Almost everyone agrees that this machine is on the loud side. This doesn’t take away from its performance but it does understandably bother some people.
Finally, most owners do not like that the on/off switch is located on the vacuum nozzle. Most other Oreck uprights have the switch conveniently located on or near the handle. Having the switch on the nozzle is supposed to make it “hands-free” as you access it with your foot but most people do not like the new arrangement.
You can read more XL Classic owner comments on Amazon if you want.
Details & Specifications
This is a bagged vacuum cleaner. It is also very basic and it has no bells and whistles. There is no hose and therefore no tools or attachments. It is designed for cleaning bare floors and carpet. There is an on/off switch on the nozzle and not much more. The brushroll has double-helix brushes that rotate at approximately 6500 RPM and there are no brushroll on/off controls. The unit has only 1 speed
The XL Classic uses bags that have the “Sani-Seal System”. This system automatically seals the vacuum bag when it is removed. This provides for easy and clean disposal – no puffs of dust. It would appear that the bags used in this unit are “AK1CC6A” but it is hard to confirm (you can see AK1CC6A bags in the ad to your right). Also, we believe it may be possible to use other “AK” designated bags.
The AK1CC6A bags are capable of capturing 99% of particles with a diameter of 5 microns or more. These are large capacity bags and what Oreck call “Allergen Filtration Bags” – suitable for people with low to moderate allergy concerns in their home. This is not HEPA level filtration. HEPA filters typically remove 99.97% of particles with a diameter of 0.3 microns or more. You can read more about HEPA filters here if you like.
It is important to use the right bags in this vacuum. Oreck states that you must use Oreck certified filtration bags. An excerpt from their website: "Damage to the product caused by the installation or use of non-Oreck® Certified Filtration bags or components shall not be covered under and is excluded from the warranty."
This vacuum weighs about 9 lbs which is very lightweight for a full size upright. Note that this weight is without the cord and is more or less representative of the weight when you are vacuuming with the machine, but if you have to lift it to carry up and down stairs for example it will be a little over the reported 9 lbs. We have occasionally seen this vacuum listed as 8 lbs but Oreck itself states 9 lbs without the power cord.
The power cord on the Limited Edition is a little on the short side at 25 feet. As mentioned previously this has annoyed several owners. It is also our opinion that 25 feet is short for a full size upright. Most folks like to see 30+ feet. The other popular Oreck uprights, while in the same 8-9 lb weight bracket, sport longer power cords:
XL Insight - 30 feet
XL 2100RHS - 35 feet
U2000R-1 - 40 feet
The power cord on this vacuum is manual wrap and there are storage hooks on the back of the unit. This is not an auto-retractable power cord.
Oreck reports that this vacuum is made in the USA of US & globally sourced components. We've spoken of this before in our other Oreck vacuum reviews and it is not a very specific statement. Are the parts made outside of the USA and then assembled in the USA? What portion of components are made in the USA? Etc. This feels like a great marketing statement but one that really doesn’t give us the details.
The Oreck XL Classic Limited Edition carries a 1-year limited warranty.
Vacuum Cleaner Manual
The manual is fairly good. It is a bit short and sweet but then this is a fairly uncomplicated vacuum cleaner. It covers assembly, basic operation, maintenance, troubleshooting, warranty and the like. The manual is in English, Spanish and French. You can see it here: Oreck XL Classic Limited Edition Manual.
Hello!