Have you ever wondered how to choose the best vacuum cleaner for your home?
If you’re shopping for a vacuum cleaner, chances are you’ve already noticed the huge range of options.
Despite most vacuums having similar designs, there are many subtle differences between vacuum cleaners. The best choice for a particular home or person depends on your budget, requirements, and flooring.
So, how do you choose a vacuum cleaner that gets the job done?
Here’s what to keep in mind.
Types of Vacuum Cleaners
Before beginning your search, it’s helpful to understand the three main types of vacuum cleaners.
Upright
A more traditional choice, upright vacuums are best suited for large homes with carpets.
You push them in front of you while the turbo brush in the floor head works its magic. Uprights are excellent at removing hair, human or otherwise, and they’re suitable for people with back pain because you can clean in an upright position. It’s also easy to manoeuvre upright vacuums around furniture.
However, upright vacs have some downsides. Their large size makes them cumbersome on stairs, and they’re often quite noisy. Vacuuming in small spaces may also prove problematic.
Cylinder
Cylinder vacuums have a flexible hose, and you pull them behind you as you clean. They’re smaller than upright vacuums, making them easier to get in tight spaces and better for use on stairs. Many people prefer cylinder vacuums because they have large capacities and often provide excellent value for money.
Of course, even the best cylinder vacs aren’t the right choice for all situations. Manoeuvring can be awkward, since you have to pull the unit behind you, meaning you may bump into furniture or the walls. They can also be hard to pull, especially on tall carpets.
Cordless
Cordless vacs are the least robust of the three options. They’re typically a lightweight stick, and some convert into handheld vacuums for use in cars.
While cordless models are convenient in certain situations, they often don’t clean as well as upright or cylinder vacs. However, modern cordless vacuums from brands like Dyson or Tineco are starting to rival corded vacuums for suction power.
Bagged vs. Bagless
Another consideration is whether to buy a bagged or bagless vacuum cleaner.
- Bagged: Bagged vacuums trap dust and debris in disposable bags. Lots of people prefer bagged vacuums, which are cleaner and have larger capacities than bagless vacuums. However, you need to spend money on bag replacements.
- Bagless: Bagless vacuums trap dust and debris in a container, which you empty as needed. These models eliminate the cost of bags, but they often generate mess when you empty them.
So, is a bagged vacuum better than a bagless one? Ultimately, there is no right answer – that depends on you. It’s critical to note that people with asthma may prefer bagged vacuum cleaners because of the dust that comes from bagless models when you empty them.
Corded vs. Cordless
Vacuums are either corded or cordless.
Though corded models are the most common, cordless vacuums have gained popularity. They have certain advantages: they’re lightweight, easy to use, and portable. They’re also good at getting into awkward spaces.
However, they generally lack the power of a corded vacuum, and they can be pricey. Another significant inconvenience is that their battery life limits cleaning time.
How to Choose a Vacuum Cleaner Based on Your Cleaning Needs
Aside from the features mentioned above, it’s critical to keep your cleaning needs in mind when choosing a vacuum.
Floor Types
What floor types do you have at home? Do you have mostly carpet or mostly hard floors? Maybe you have a combination of both. The floor types in your home will drive your decision, so keep them in mind while you search.
Most people with lots of carpet prefer upright vacuum cleaners, which are most effective. Cylinder vacuums can also work for carpeted homes, though you should look for a model with a floor nozzle and motorized brush roll.
Got a mix of floors? If so, vacuum type mostly becomes a matter of personal preference. Look for the following features, which adapt to different floors:
- Brushroll control
- Height adjustment
- Suction control
Allergens
It’s easy to overlook filtration, but this element of cleaning ability is critical if you or a family member suffers from allergies or asthma. Filters prevent fine particles and allergens from going right back into the room you just cleaned.
Most vacuum cleaners perform well in this area. However, if someone in your home has a health condition that’s aggravated by fine particles or allergens in indoor air, look for HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air Filter) filtration. HEPA filtration can help control air quality in your home; just remember that filter maintenance is necessary with these vacuum cleaners.
Vacuuming Frequency
How often do you clean your floors? This question is an important one to answer. If you have hardwood floors and love to walk around barefoot, your house will require daily cleaning – in which case, you need to be able to access your vacuum cleaner easily.
Lots of vacuums – especially upright vacuums – are large and difficult to store. If it’s too difficult to take out or put away your vacuum, you’re less likely to use it. Some people opt for robot vacuums to avoid this pitfall, which you can set to clean while you’re at work or otherwise out of the house.
Cleaning Reach
Cleaning reach refers to how far away you can take your vacuum cleaner from the power socket. This feature is less important in smaller spaces, but an extended cleaning reach helps you avoid having to plug and unplug the unit constantly when vacuuming large homes.
Upright vacuum cleaners tend to have less reach than cylinder vacuums, as their reach is generally just the length of the power cord. On the other hand, cylinder vacuums have a maximum reach, that’s the length of the cord plus the length of the cleaning hose.
Summary
It’s critical to keep in mind that there is no one best vacuum cleaner for everyone. What’s suitable for one person’s lifestyle and preferences may not be right for you.
Instead, carefully considering your needs, space, and preferences will help you develop the right vacuum profile (or profiles!) for your home.
How to Choose the Best Vacuum Cleaner for Your Home is a featured post
