Which guide to vacuum cleaners

Sign In. Become a Member. Remember Me. Forgot username or password? Not a member? Need further assistance? Please call Member Services at Vacuum Cleaners. Sign in or Become a Member. How We Test Vacuums To determine how well a vacuum cleans, we conduct a different set of tests on each type , based on what they're designed to clean. Vacuum Ratings. More on Vacuum Cleaners. Shopping by Vacuum Type Start by determining the best vacuum for the type of cleaning you do.

Cons: They lack the power and capacity of full-sized upright or canister models. Note: CR does not currently test central vacuum cleaners. Video Buying Guide Watch our video below for more.

Vacuum Cleaner Ratings. Feature Fundamentals Some vacuum cleaner features improve performance or take some of the drudgery out of cleaning. Add-On Cleaning Tools Most vacuums come with basic tools shown that should suffice for most cleaning jobs: a narrow tool for crevices, a small upholstery brush, and a round brush for dusting. Bagless Some upright vacuums and canisters use bags; some collect dirt in a bin.

Bare-Floor Options These include equipment and features that help when cleaning hardwood, vinyl, and other uncarpeted floor surfaces. Carpet Pile-Height Adjustment and Suction Control This feature adjusts the height of the machine's brush roll to a carpet's pile height to allow for easy movement and thorough cleaning. Filter A growing number of vacuums are claimed to filter the fine particles that could pass through the machine and escape into the air through the exhaust.

Cord Control More common in canisters, it lets you rewind the cord with a slight tug or the push of a button. Self-Propelled This feature typically uses a transmission and drive system to assist the pushing and pulling of the vacuum, thereby requiring less effort by the user. Robotic Vacuum Buying Guide Check our video buying guide for robotic vacs as well. Vacuum Brands. Bissell vacuums are available at a variety of mass merchants, including Target and Walmart.

Bissell also makes hand and stick vacuums, canisters, steam mops, and deep carpet cleaners, and it recently entered the robotic vacuum market. Dirt Devil floor-care products are focused on affordability and convenience. Some of the brand's upright vacuums are among the lightest models sold. Dirt Devil also makes canister vacuums, and hand and stick models. Colorful styling, innovative features, and national advertising featuring its namesake owner and designer helped Dyson become a major player in the U.

Canisters have joined that lineup, as have hand and stick vacuums. Eureka sells a wide array of models marketed to address different needs, including pesky pet hair. You'll find this national brand in a variety of mass merchants, including Target and Walmart. Eureka also makes hand vacuums and canisters.

Hoover introduced its first vacuum in and established itself as one of the most recognizable consumer brands in America. Once exclusive to Sears, Kenmore uprights are also available on Amazon. This German appliance manufacturer is family-owned and -run, and has been making vacuum cleaners since the late s. In the U. Shark also has robotics, uprights, stick vacuums, and steam mops in its line.

Tineco vacuums are fairly new to the U. Like Dyson, they are considered a high-end brand, and the prices reflect that. You can find them for sale at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and other major retailers. When you shop through retailer links on our site, we may earn affiliate commissions.

Learn more. Sharing is Nice Yes, send me a copy of this email. Send We respect your privacy. Oops, we messed up. Try again later. The pump lowers the pressure inside the vacuum from kPa the normal atmospheric pressure to 80kPa.

As you can expect, higher suction equals more power. Usually, producers only state the input power in watts or amps, which refers to how much electricity is consumed by the product and has little to do with the actual suction power, which depends on the product design, filtration system, and so on.

One of the most significant issues that appear when using vacuum cleaners is dust circulation. The air exhausted by the pump contains small dust particles that are sent directly to the lungs of the user.

No matter how good the filtration system, ultra-fine dust particles, and potentially harmful microorganisms such as mites still pass along into the air. This happens not because of technical drawbacks, but because a perfect filtration system will clog up immediately and become ineffective. Over recent years, manufacturers have been trying to make a better compromise between the filtering effectiveness and guaranteeing optimal airflow, by building the following filtration options:. Check out my ultimate guide to commercial vacuum cleaner filters to find out more.

Applying my lifestyle to vacuums, I enjoy products under 10 pounds. However, you can find very good vacs that weigh around 20 pounds. The trick is to buy one that has the self-propelled feature, which will come handy, especially if you have to vacuum large surfaces.

If weight is an issue to you i. As for handheld vacs, weight is an issue. One of the latest trends in the vacuum cleaning industry is to produce cordless devices. However, if you own an average or large home, cordless vacuums may not be the solution for you, as even the top-rated models last around 30 minutes before they need to be recharged. Bagged vacs need a new bag every couple of months, depending on your cleaning frequency.

The downside is that you have to clean the dust container and remove the stuck hair. Some popular vacuum cleaners enhance this process by using better structural designs that allow easier access to the dust cup. Most vacuum cleaners come with a guarantee that lasts anywhere between 1 to 5 years. Just like any other appliance, most common vacuum cleaners have a 1-year warranty, which includes both parts and labor costs.

Almost all retail stores require you to register the product for warranty. As a side note, a 5-year warranty offered by, i. Have a great day! Your email address will not be published. Notify me of new posts by email. Vacuums Guide is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.

Here are the main variables that I take into account when rating a vacuum cleaner: Suction power Input power Dust capacity Filtration system efficiency Weight and dimensions Warranty Accessories Special features cordless, bagless Usability Price Naturally, handheld, hybrid, and robotic vacs have much smaller grades, but I am using a compensation factor to establish the real value of their grade on a scale.

Still unsure which vacuum cleaner to buy? What to look for in the best vacuum cleaner? Price tag I know most of you guys consider this as the leading indicator. Suction and power The suction power refers to the pressure difference created by the pump of the vacuum. Filters One of the most significant issues that appear when using vacuum cleaners is dust circulation.

Over recent years, manufacturers have been trying to make a better compromise between the filtering effectiveness and guaranteeing optimal airflow, by building the following filtration options: Disposable filters. These need to be replaced every few months. The main con is the high upkeep. Washable filters. Lately, producers are featuring filters made out of foam-like materials, which can last for years. You can use your dishwasher or your washing machine to get these cleaned, wait for them to dry very important!!!

Cyclonic separation. The air sucked into the vacuum is cycled so fast that the dust particles are forced by the centrifugal force to fall into the dirt recipient.

Water filtration. The air sucked in passes through a water layer, wetting the dust particles which become heavy and cannot fly anymore.

The main disadvantage is that you have to clean the water compartment after each use, for sanitary reasons.

HEPA filtration. Designed especially for sensible allergic people, HEPA filtering traps most of the ultra-fine particles and releases virtually no amount of dust. HEPA filters Odor filters. Made out of active coils, these try to eliminate dust along with any funny smell. Cordless vs. Corded One of the latest trends in the vacuum cleaning industry is to produce cordless devices.

Vacuum cleaners with dense, stiff bristles as well as a beater bar function there are many designs that accomplish this are excellent to bring these dry soils up from the carpet pile where they can be brushed from the surface of the carpet and vacuumed away.

Another dry soil that won't abrade your fiber but is one of the most pervasive is dog and cat hair. Pet hair is best removed by using a revolving brush with stiff, densely packed brushes. If your home has low traffic and no special soiling conditions, you can choose a less aggressive vacuum cleaner and maintain your home perfectly well. However, the general rule of thumb is to choose the most aggressive vacuum cleaner that your carpet and rug fibers can safely tolerate. Carpet Fibers As important as the traffic and type of soil is the type of fibers that your carpet or rugs are made with.

Most carpeting today is made of synthetic fibers, primarily nylon, though olefin and polyester are also used. Synthetic fibers are very durable and you can use the most aggressive household vacuum cleaner without fear of fiber damage.

Natural fibers, however, must be treated more gently. Where wool is very popular, however, is in Oriental and other area rugs. Wool is a very durable fiber and has been used for thousands of years around the world to create rugs, but it must be vacuumed with care. A revolving brush can be used on wool, but the bristles must be flexible and forgiving, and not as densely backed on the brush roll, so as not to fuzz the yarns and prematurely wear the carpet.

While Oriental rugs are most often wool, they also can be made with silk. These rugs can vary in value from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars and more. Many are sold for everyday use and can be cleaned with a good household vacuum cleaner with the type of flexible and forgiving bristles just mentioned. High value rugs often see very little traffic and are protected from heavy soiling.

You may want to consider cleaning such rugs using a carpet and rug tool, one that cleans only by suction and without a revolving brush. Other fibers and materials used in area rugs include sisal, sea grass, mountain grass, bamboo, coir, cotton, jute, viscose, and even leather! Many of these rugs are woven and quite durable, but they still require softer bristles on the vacuum cleaner used to clean them.

Specialty brushes are available for these materials, and we recommend consulting with a floor care expert for the best advice which one is best suited for your rug. Always check the manufacturer's recommended care instructions before purchasing a new vacuum cleaner or using your current machine on a new rug , but here are some rules of thumb to follow:.

If you have wool or other natural fiber carpeting or rugs, you'll need a power brush with flexible and forgiving bristles to properly vacuum without damaging the fibers.

The option of softer, more flexible bristles is available primarily on power team canisters but there are some uprights available with less aggressive bristles. Most homes have just one or two types of carpet, but if you have a variety of different types of carpeting and bare floors, be sure to choose a vacuum that has tools available for the most delicate rug you own.

Once you have identified the type of vacuum cleaner you want and matched it to the amount of traffic and the types of soiling in your home, you can begin look at other considerations to help narrow down your choices even further. Vacuum Cleaner Performance You will certainly want to evaluate the performance, or cleaning ability, of the vacuum cleaners you are considering.

While this requires evaluating a range of vacuum cleaner specifications, the most important are water lift or sealed suction and airflow. Many manufacturers tout the watts or amps of their vacuum cleaners. On canister vacuum cleaners with or without power heads airflow of CFM or more or water lift of 90 inches or more is recommended.

Upright vacuum cleaners come in a wide variety of configurations, but there are two basic designs that affect airflow and water lift. Dirty air uprights are only rated in amps. The second basic design is one that features a by-pass motor where unfiltered air does not go through the motor. In uprights with this design, only filtered or completely clean room air passes through the motor in order to cool it.

By-pass uprights will usually provide airflow but not water lift specifications and a high performing upright will offer 60 CFM or better.

Filtration An important, but often overlooked, element of cleaning ability is the capability of the vacuum cleaner to retain the soils, and especially the fine particulates, that it picks up. If a vacuum cleaner does not offer high levels of filtration, these fine particles can simply go right through the vacuum cleaner and back to the room air, where they settle as dust.

Most quality vacuum cleaners will do an adequate job of filtering the air the leaves the machine. But if anyone in your home suffers from allergies, asthma or any other health condition that is impacted by fine particles or allergens in the indoor air, a high filtration or HEPA filtration vacuum cleaner is strongly recommended.

A HEPA filter must remove In Europe, companies generally refer to the same filter as an S-Class filter and some manufacturers, like SEBO, use the terminology here. Quality and Durability The quality of your vacuum cleaner is also important and will determine whether your vacuum cleaner will be replaced in a year or two or will last for many years and even decades.