ABOUT THE KIRBY COMPANY

KIRBY: CLEANING ONE MESS AT A TIME

If you’ve heard of The Kirby Company before, it’s because we’ve been in homes cleaning up every day messes for more than 100 years. Jim Kirby created the first Kirby vacuum cleaner in 1906, and ever since, The Kirby Company has continuously improved its American-made, hand-crafted Kirby Home Cleaning System designs.

Jim Kirby is best known for his vacuum cleaner creation and spent most of his life fine-tuning the Kirby vacuum cleaner that is known for the best suction. The first model he developed employed water for dirt separation.

JIM KIRBY 

Best known for the Kirby Home Cleaning System that bears his name, Jim Kirby was an inventor for most of his adult life. His main goal was to eliminate hard work where it existed. More than 200 patents and a host of products used today are a tribute to his success. In 1914, as Jim was refining the Kirby vacuum cleaner, George H. Scott and Carl S. Fetzer formed The Scott and Fetzer Machine Company, making automotive parts. The precision of their tools and dies prompted Jim to have Scott Fetzer produce his Kirby vacuum cleaner.

In 1919, the company, now named The Scott Fetzer Company, introduced Jim’s Vacuette. A year later the company became a direct selling organization using in-home demonstrations to introduce the Vacuette to new customers.

In 1925 the Vacuette Electric was born. With its removable floor nozzle and handle, it became the forerunner of today’s multi-attachment models and was the birth of what was to become the world renowned versatility feature of Kirby Home Cleaning Systems.

DIRECT SELLING

In 1920 Kirby became, and still is, a direct-selling business, providing our consumers with an in-home demonstration of the Kirby vacuum cleaner. We want to give you a “test drive” of the product you’re about to buy.

We believe in quality, performance and reliability of a lifetime, which is why we continue to maintain Jim’s vision and provide quality vacuum cleaners to loyal customers, like you.

Scott and Fetzer quickly realized the best way to introduce the complete Kirby Home Cleaning System to customers was through in-home demonstrations. We believe you, the customer, deserve the opportunity to see and try the system before you make the purchase.

In the 1960s, The Scott Fetzer Company grew. The Kirby Company became a division of The Scott Fetzer Company and set pace for growth. Today, The Kirby Company remains a division of The Scott Fetzer Company. The Company’s growth and success is related to direct selling, and we will continue to show you your Kirby vacuum cleaner is more than just a vacuum.

QUALITY, RELIABILITY & PERFORMANCE

From the beginning, many improvements have been made to the Kirby Home Cleaning System. We stand by our core values of quality, versatility, reliability and performance.

The Kirby Avalir 2 can convert into twelve separate units. Made of die cast aluminum, not plastic, it easily converts to a deep-cleaning vacuum, a carpet shampoo system, a hand-held vacuum, floor buffer and more! We believe your vacuum should be able to clean every inch of your home, and that is just what the Kirby Avalir 2 can do. Why buy several cleaning appliances when you could own them all with the Kirby Avalir 2?