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We understand that with so many uprights, canisters, and central vacuums to choose from, the shopping process can be overwhelming. To help out, we've compiled this list of factors to consider when choosing your next vacuum.
Do you want a canister, an upright, or a central vacuum?
Form factor is the main difference between canisters and uprights. Canister vacuums allow
the operator to maneuver the cleaning wand while the suction unit rests on the floor, and most include attachments for easy cleaning of furniture and other high surfaces. Upright vacuums combine the suction unit and cleaner head into one compact, free-standing configuration that allows for easy storage.
Central vacuum systems, like this Electrolux PU3900 suction unit, can be installed in new or existing homes. Their suction units are placed in garages,basements, or other low-traffic areas of the home with a series of pipes connecting that suction unitto inlets around the house. When you want to vacuum, plug an extension hose into one of the inlets and you'll be able to clean wherever a mess appears.
Do you prefer a bagged or bagless vacuum?
While Dyson vacuums are well-known for being bagless, Shark, Electrolux, and other manufacturers carry bagless uprights and canisters as well. Bagless vacuum cleaners ultimately reduce cost of ownership because there's no need to buy bags, but they do require more frequent and more diligent filter changes to maintain consistent cleaning power.On the other hand, all SEBO and Miele vacuum cleaners use bags. Bagged vacuum cleaners offer a cleaner disposal process than their bagless counterparts. When the bag is full, simply pull the dustbag out (some have self-sealing collars), and drop it into the trash.
Do you or anyone in your house have allergies or asthma?
If you're one of the millions of Americans with asthma or allergies, you might want to consider a vacuum cleaner that uses filter bags and/or genuine HEPA media filters, which can effectively trap up to 99.99% of airborne dust, dirt, and other allergens that pass through your vacuum. For the ultimate filtration, check out this Miele Complete C1 Titan HEPA canister vacuum cleaner, which uses GEPA filtration and genuine Miele Filterbags to trap a whopping 99.99+% of dust, dander, and other allergens securely inside the unit.What kind of flooring do you have?
Air-driven cleaner heads should suffice for homes with exclusively bare floors. For homes with any mix of bare floors and carpeting, we recommend a vacuum with a capable power nozzle. We've written a lot about Miele's SEB228 ElectroPlus power nozzle, the Electrolux EL7070A, and all of SEBO's ET-series power nozzles.For homes with soft carpeting, check out our list of Mohawk-approved soft carpet vacuum cleaners.
What are some other factors to consider?
Noise level is something you might want to consider, especially if you have a newborn in the house. Theaverage vacuum cleaner has an operating volume of about 65-73decibels. Central vacuums have a similar noise output, but their operation is muffled because their suction units are placed in garages, basements, and other distant corners of the house. If you're looking for a quiet vacuum, we recommend this Electrolux EL7063B UltraSilencer canister.Another thing to consider is weight. If your home has multiple floors, carrying a heavy vacuum cleaner up anddown the stairs can make cleaning even more of a chore. If weight is afactor, check out our selection of lightweight vacuums. With one of these in tow, you'll enjoy a less tiresome vacuuming experience.
For more information about any of the models mentioned in this post, or for further assistance selecting the right vacuum for your needs, please call (866) 972-8227.
