When my mom and dad were stationed in Sacramento for 4 months, my mom didn't want to spend a lot on a vacuum cleaner so she went to a repair shop and bought an electrolux canister (no idea what year but it was before 1973 because that was when then were in Sacramento and it was already an older machine then). It worked so well she took it home with her and used it for the upstairs machine. It lasted at least until she passed in 2009 - not sure now since we go rid of it in the estate sale. But it was a great machine. I had my Kirby for 40 years, bought it new. But let it go because it heavy.