In the hunt for the perfect vacuum cleaner, there are seemingly endless options—bagged, bagless, canister, handheld, commercial, robotic. How do you know which one is right for you? Today, we’re covering one vacuum basic that tends to hang up many sweeper shoppers: bagged vs. bagless vacuums. Bag-free vacuums come in all sorts of styles, from classic upright sweepers to high-tech canister vacuums. While they vary significantly from one model to another, they do share one thing in common: the method in which dirt is stored and disposed.
If you’re brand-new to the vacuum world, let’s get down to the basics. Here are the primary differences between bagless and bagged vacuum cleaners:
• Bagged vacuums use disposable, replaceable bags that must be replaced when full. They require the purchase of replacement vacuum bags.
• Bagless vacuums store dirt and debris in a built-in, removable canister that must be emptied when full. Bagless sweepers have become much more popular than bagged sweepers in the past several decades.
Bagless Vacuum Advantages
While both vacuum types have both advantages and disadvantages, today we’re covering the benefits of bagless vacuum cleaners over bagged styles.
• Affordability—In general, both sweeper styles require about the same up-front investment. However, bagged vacuum cleaners require an ongoing spend in the form of replacement vacuum bags. On the other hand, if you opt for a bagless model, you’ll only have one real cost: the price of the unit itself. If budget is your primary concern, it’s best to choose a bagless model.
• Eco-Friendliness—Of course, one of the biggest downfalls of the bagged vacuum system is that it uses a disposable system rather than a reusable one, which makes it a less environmentally friendly choice. While it may not seem like a big deal to swap out a bag every couple of weeks, these sweepers can use hundreds of bags over their lifetime, placing a strain on the planet. If you’re in the market for a truly eco-friendly vacuum cleaner, we’d recommend choosing a Green Label vacuum. These sweepers have been approved by the Carpet and Rug Institute as energy-efficient, eco-friendly options.
• Ease of Use—It’s up for debate, but many users argue that the bagless style is easier to use than the bagged style because the debris emptying process is less time-consuming and complex. With a bagless style, you simply unlatch the debris bin, empty it into the trash and then reattach it to the unit. This lessens the interruption time during cleaning, which helps you focus on the task at hand. On the other hand, the emptying process can be a bit messier with bagless vacuums.
• Better Clean—If you’ve ever used a vacuum cleaner with a bag, you’ve probably noticed that the unit eventually stops working at peak power as the bag begins to fill. This often causes users to replace the vacuum prematurely, adding to the cost and waste factors associated with bagged vacuums. Bagless systems tend to work well even when their bins are almost full, ensuring a better overall clean.
• Popularity—If it was a popularity contest, bagless vacuums would certainly win the debate. A good majority of today’s household sweepers use built-in emptying bins rather than disposable bags, but does this matter? In some ways, yes. It signifies that this style is favored among the general public, and it also ensures that you have better access to replacement parts and service. For example, if you need to replace parts on your bagless Miele vacuum cleaner, you’ll be able to find them much easier and more affordably than replacement parts for bagged sweepers.
Which One Is Better?
There are clearly some obvious advantages of bagless sweepers, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the best option for you. Many people prefer the bag-equipped vacuum because it causes less mess during disposal and often features a bigger bag that lasts longer during big cleaning jobs. In other words, there are advantages to both styles–which one is best depends on your particular preferences, budget and environment. If you’re still unsure which kind of vacuum to choose, you can always reach out to us for personalized advice!
