September 23, 2025, 3:28 am | Read time: 5 minutes
For a long time, the company Vorwerk was synonymous with the vacuum cleaner sales representative profession. The vacuums were considered mystical because they were only available through direct sales. Now that Vorwerk is also making good money with cooking machines, Hyla is trying to revive the myth of the vacuum cleaner representative with modern means. Since this is currently a hot topic, myHOMEBOOK took a closer look at the company and its sales model for this article.
Today, vacuum cleaner representatives no longer knock on doors. That would be too laborious. Direct sales now work very well in the digital world. In recent years, Hyla has made a name for itself with its vacuum cleaners because they are not available in stores.
Hyla Begins in the Early 1990s
The Hyla story begins in the early 1990s in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Here, engineers Janez Pogacar and Doro Erjavec developed the first prototype of a vacuum cleaner with water filtration. This method is as old as the invention of the vacuum cleaner itself, so it’s not particularly special. The inventor of the modern vacuum cleaner is considered to be American Daniel Hess. In his 1860 patent for his “Carpet Sweeper,” he already included water filtration. However, this method did not catch on.
The Hyla engineers hit the right moment. Since the 1980s, vacuum cleaners with water filtration have become increasingly popular. Additionally, Hyla engineer Doro Erjavec had a good reason to develop such a vacuum cleaner: His wife suffered from a dust allergy. Conventional bag vacuums worsened her problems. Water filters, on the other hand, trap the dust so it doesn’t spread in the room.
In 1993, direct sales began in Germany. Today, Jan Pfeiffer leads the marketing of Hyla vacuum cleaners. The headquarters is in the tiny town of Altdorf in Baden-Württemberg, a little over 30 minutes by car from Stuttgart.
Praise & Criticism on Social Media
Hyla vacuum cleaners have caused quite a stir on social media. The devices are priced at 2,000 euros and up. That’s why myHOMEBOOK asked the company how the price is calculated, not just once, but twice. Unfortunately, there was no response to either inquiry. The devices may be technically advanced and worth the money, but there are significant communication shortcomings.
A look at social media shows that there is indeed a lot of praise for Hyla despite the high price. Many customers with allergy problems report how the vacuum has improved their quality of life. Some mention the durability of the devices, which still work flawlessly even after many years.
A large part of the criticism focuses on the high price, unsurprisingly. Customers say the devices are overpriced and not worth the money. Additionally, Hyla’s customer service is criticized. In some cases, there have been issues with complaints.
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Hyla Relies on a Unique Form of Direct Sales
As always in life, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. Direct sales certainly make the devices a special product. A vacuum cleaner that can’t just be bought in a store by anyone has something special about it. The owner can say, “Look, not everyone has this vacuum cleaner.” This automatically leads to extreme opinions on social media. The company likely considers such reactions as “extended marketing.”
Essentially, Hyla has transferred the analog and now outdated Vorwerk sales model to the digital world. The vacuum cleaners are only available through Hyla sales partners, who are qualified by the company itself. A simple search quickly finds a sales partner nearby. The demonstration takes place conveniently in your own home. After the purchase, the owner has a direct contact person. This has its appeal, but not everyone likes it.
The Consumer Center of North Rhine-Westphalia warns against sales methods like those used by Hyla. This is a special form of direct sales known as multi-level marketing. The sales model resembles a pyramid. In the end, only the partners at the top of the pyramid earn money. The countless sales partners on the lower levels only serve to recruit more sales partners. This not only creates new competition but also constantly increases the revenue of the partners above them in the pyramid. Theoretically, every sales partner believes they will eventually move up in the hierarchy. Practically, very few succeed.
Built-in Sales Commission
Even if the sale is very personal, the sales partner doesn’t go to all this trouble because they enjoy spending so much time with their customers. In the end, it’s about the sales commission.
At this point, the criticism of the high price for Hyla vacuum cleaners is not entirely unjustified. How much of the sales price is commission remains a secret. Those who search online can find specific numbers.
For those who have purchased a Hyla vacuum cleaner with accessories and are satisfied with its performance, such questions don’t arise. Everyone else who finds the price too high should simply look for cheaper vacuum cleaners with water filtration if that’s the type of model they want. There are now plenty available without direct sales. Don’t worry: Independent test reports also attest to the quality of Hyla’s competitors.