Vacuum Cleaners Buying Tips - ConsumerGuru

What to Look for When Buying Vacuum Cleaners

GURU says this about buying a Vacuum!
The vacuum market is filled with a variety of choices depending on needs such as floor type, storage constraints, usage, and budget. Vacuums are typically categorized as canister, upright bagged, upright bagless, stick, and handheld. Canister vacuums usually are the most expensive followed by uprights, sticks and handhelds. Prices vary greatly within each type by the features that they offer. Features that can increase the cost are things such as self-propelling, automatic carpet height adjustment, dirt sensor technology, retractable cording, HEPA filtration, edge cleaning bristles, and brushbar on/off switch. All types typically come with a variety of tool attachments such as a crevice tool or upholstery brush.

A big question in today’s vacuum buying market is to purchase a bagged vs. a bagless unit. Both canisters and uprights are offered with either option. It becomes a personal choice but upright bagless vacuums have gained popularity in recent years due to heavy advertising aimed at the consumer. Bagless units require constant airflow for peak performance and use a filtered cyclonic separation system. Most filters today are HEPA and require cleaning or replacement for optimal performance of the bagless unit. If the filter is clogged with debris, the bagless unit is not performing at its peak. This is similar to the type of performance in a bagged unit when the bag is almost full. So, there is the trade-off of replacing vacuum bags or cleaning/replacing filters on a bagless model. Remember the bagless dirt bin or collection unit also needs to be emptied.

One piece of vacuum buying advice is to buy the most vacuum that one can afford. The return on the investment is worthwhile in the vacuum market.

Canister
Canister vacuums are a popular choice when there are a variety of surface types to clean and floor to ceiling cleaning is required. They tend to be more costly. They are good for hard surface floors since there is usually an on/off switch for the roller brush. They are also more convenient for cleaning stairs, upholstery, and hard to reach places since it is easier to maneuver just the hose and powerhead as opposed to the whole machine. They are likely to be heavier than an upright and are not as compact to store. Nice options to have are a long retractable cord, good hose length, edge cleaning bristles, HEPA filtration, and headlight for cleaning underneath furniture.

Overall, canister vacuums tend to be quieter than an upright and seem to offer more cleaning options. Again, needs should be determined first. Canister vacuums are also offered in bagged and bagless models.

Upright Bagged
Upright bagged vacuums are a suitable choice for carpet cleaning. Features to look for are manual vs. automatic carpet height adjustment, bare floor cleaning option, edge cleaning for wall to wall carpeting and baseboards, good cord and hose length, glide action, suction control, headlight and self-propelling. Bagged uprights offer easy cleaning with the removal of the sealed dust bag where less dust is released. The bag replacement cost and availability should be considered when looking at the cost of the vacuum. A full bag indicator light is also a needed feature on a bagged unit. Upright vacuums offer easy storage options and usually come with on-board tool attachments.

Upright Bagless
Upright bagless vacuums are a popular choice today. They offer the convenience of not having to purchase replacement bags but the filtration system typically needs either cleaning or replacement. This is something consumers tend to overlook. One feature to look at when purchasing a bagless upright is the convenience and cleanliness of emptying the dirt canister. Most bagless uprights have a clear dirt bin where it is easy to tell when to empty. One touch systems seem to be a popular, hygienic choice. The cost, availability, and frequency of replacement filters should be considered when purchasing a bagless upright. They are a good choice for carpet cleaning and must have features are good cord and hose length, carpet height adjustment automatic vs. manual, bare floor option, headlight, easy glide action, and edge cleaning.

Stick
Stick vacuums are lightweight and easy to store. They are offered at various price points from budget to premium models. They are most suitable for small spaces and quick pick me up jobs. They are quiet units and are usually bagless with a small dust cup that requires emptying. They are available in cordless and corded models. The corded models typically have a short cord length suitable for small spaces.

Handheld
Handheld vacuums are lightweight and portable suitable for any kind of small job such as kid spills or car cleaning. They are bagless with removable dirt cups and come in cordless and corded models. A variety of attachment tools is standard. Battery life is varied and most lack the power for big jobs which they are not designed for. Power voltage seems to correlate with the price of a handheld with the more expensive models having greater power. Again, determining needs is wise before purchasing.