In this article we will talk about how to choose a good primary vacuum cleaner for your home. For selecting a good vacuum cleaner you need to consider the following points :
- What is the composition of your floor
- Carpets
- Carpet and hard floor mixed
- Hard floor
- Types of vacuum cleaner
- bagged or bagless
- filtration
- cleaning ability
types of vacuum cleaner
When it comes to choosing a primary vacuum cleaner for your home there are a lot of options available for you , to determine which type is the most suitable for your needs we are here to help you decide . following are the type of vacuum cleaners available in the market :
- Canister vacuum cleaner
- Upright vacuum cleaner
- stick vacuum cleaner
- hand held vacuum cleaner
- robot vacuum cleaner
canister vacuum cleaner
Canister means a round or cylindrical container used for storing things . This is where canister vacuum cleaner derives its name from . canisters have Separate body and cleaning equipment. Its Wheeled body (canister portion) is attached to vacuum wand and power head via a flexible plastic hose, the wheeled body houses the motor and dirt container. This helps in more mobility in cleaning the corners , under furniture and other tight corners . Canisters are great for both residential as well as commercial places like restaurants , hotels , hospitals .
If your home has stairs then a canister is recommended as it is uncomfortable to clean stairs especially areas like stair treads are hard to clean with upright vacuums. canisters are very versatile and if you do a lot of above floor cleaning i.e., furniture , stairs , cars etc., then canister vacuums are suitable for you .
pros
- flexible hose and longer cleaning wands
- they are generally quieter compared to other types of vacuum
- suitable for hard floors like hardwood , tiles , marbles etc . but they are also good for cleaning carpets
cons
- takes more storage space because they are bulky and oddly shaped
types of canister vacuum cleaner
Canister w/ Electric Nozzle
- Decent models generally include brushroll height adjustment capability for cleaning different floor types.
- It shows effective performance on all types of floors.
- Electric nozzles, by contrast, have an electric motor driving the agitator.
- It is Suitable for homes with a mix of carpet and hard floors
- Suction unit connect to the motorized carpet nozzle via a lengthy hose
Canister w/ Turbine Nozzle
- air turbines use the stream of air created by the vacuum to spin a turbine which in turn drives the agitator brush on the carpeted surface.
- Suction unit connected to air-driven carpet nozzle via a lengthy hose
- These air-driven nozzles are generally only effective on area rugs and low pile carpets .
- Bare floor tool is included
- Suitable for homes with mostly bare floors and some low pile carpeting .
Canister w/ Bare Floor Nozzle
- Suction unit is connected to bare a floor nozzle via a lengthy hose .
- Suitable for homes with mostly bare floors
- nozzle with stationary bristles at the bottom to catch debris on hard floors
- cannot effectively clean carpets due to lack of agitation
upright vacuum cleaner
Upright vacuum cleaner is an all-in-one unit. Motor, filter, any dust bags, and the power head are all connected to the one upright machine body. They are generally better at deep cleaning carpets . They can be quite heavy , but you can choose the weight which is suitable for you , although heavier models show better performance .
if your home have wall to wall carpeting or if majority of the area of your home is covered with carpets then upright vacuums are recommended because they are especially designed for carpet cleaning although On-board attachments and integrated extension hoses have made uprights much more versatile and able to offer many of the features of canister .
pros
- suitable for heavily carpeted home
- they have a compact design hence are easier to store
cons
- can be quite heavy
- louder than canister vacuums
types of upright vacuum cleaner
Upright w/o Brushroll Switch
- Suction motor and brushroll are integrated into the same unit, but there is no option to switch the brushroll off.
- Decent models generally include a manual height adjustment for getting optimal brushroll contact with carpet
- best suited to homes with mostly carpet.
Upright w/ Brushroll Switch
- Suction motor and brush roll are integrated into the same unit , and the user has the ability to turn the brush roll off for hard floor cleaning.
- Decent models generally include a manual height adjustment for getting optimal brush roll contact with the carpet
- not as effective on hard floors as a canister’s bare floor nozzle and is suitable for homes with a sizable amount of carpets and some hard floor rooms .
stick vacuum cleaner
These are incredibly lightweight and slim , perfect for those who are not strong enough to handle uprights or canisters .They rely on a rotating brush as well as very light suction to pull and whisk dust and debris into the bag or bin. They have tall bodies and handles, and a powerhead that can be easily moved around furniture, making them a great choice if you have a lot of furniture in your rooms .
They are great for cleaning small messes and light dust . Since they do not have strong suction they cannot help you in deep cleaning your carpet and it will be difficult to clean large messes with them . They can be used on both hard floors as well as carpets and are recommended for small apartments which do not create large messes . Stick vacuum cleaners come in both corded and cordless varieties .
handheld vacuum cleaner
These are small and powerful vacuums that are designed to be picked up and carried to where the mess is located . They are generally cordless so that you can carry them anywhere . If you need more power , corded handheld vacuum cleaners are also available but the cord of the vacuum cleaner will limit how far you can carry the handheld vacuum cleaner without changing the plug . They are suitable for cleaning cars , small messes , sofas and piles of dirt etc.,
robot vacuum cleaner
These are the latest technology vacuums that automatically do the cleaning of your home , so you can just sit and relax and the robot vacuum cleaner will do the cleaning for you . Many models can be controlled via a smartphone app . Robot vacuums cannot do deep cleaning like canisters or uprights , but if you are out of your home robot vacuum cleaning will be helpful for you .
They are usually programmed to bump into and then avoid furniture so that they can get as close as possible to your furniture and don’t leave behind a lot of dirt or dust. Some robot vacuum cleaners will automatically dock themselves on a charger when not in use .
bagged or bagless
Both canisters and upright come in bagged and bagless varieties. If you suffer from asthma or allergies then bagged vacuum cleaners might be suitable for you because when you remove the container of dust of bag less vacuums , a cloud of dust and allergens can release in the air while throwing it out .
bagged vacuum cleaner
pros
- very hygienic as the dust and debris is contained within a closed bag .
- you won’t have to clean or replace the filter very often
cons
- Bags need to be replaced every time they become full , so replacing them is an inconvenient and ongoing expense .
- Bagged vacuums can use hundreds of bags over their lifetime so they are not eco-friendly .
bagless vacuum cleaner
pros
- save on cost of purchasing bags
- environmentally friendly
cons
- require more filters that need periodic cleaning
- cleaning the dust container of a bagless vacuum can be messy and re-release allergens into the air while emptying.
filtration
The type of filtration depends on the environment to be cleaned . Most quality vacuum cleaners will do an adequate job of filtering the air that leaves the machine. We strongly recommend buying a vacuum cleaner with HEPA filter , HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air .To be considered certified HEPA, a filter must be individually tested and verified , filters that have gone through this process are known as true HEPA . HEPA filters are designed to trap 99.97% of particulates 0.3 microns or larger .
Terms like “Certified HEPA,” “True HEPA” or “Absolute HEPA.” are used for filters that meet the same HEPA standard . But you need to be careful of terms such as “HEPA-like” or “HEPA quality” or something similar that is used where you expect to see “HEPA”, these filters have not been individually tested or verified . It is also referred to as S-Class filter in some countries .
other important specifications to consider
airflow
It is one of the most important specifications of vacuum cleaners for determining the cleaning ability of the vacuum cleaner . It is measured in cubic feet per meter CFM . The force of airflow picks up dirt across various surfaces and moves it to the bag or dirt container . More airflow means better cleaning ability of the vacuum cleaner .
Sealed suction (water lift)
The second important consideration should be water lift (sealed suction) measured in kilopascals(kpa) etc., Seal or water lift suction (Kpa) is important in vacuums that require lifting liquids such as water over a great distance
Overall if you are trying to suction a large volume of air including particulates, vapours, bacteria, and viruses through a filter, you want high velocity or high CFM. If you are wanting to pull a liquid through the suction you want high seal suction or high kPa.
upright vacuums
- Although these come in a wide variety of designs there are two basic designs that affect airflow and waterlift . these are :
- Direct Air or Dirty Air design
- In these dirt passes through the motor before any filtration on route to the dust bag.
- Dirty air uprights are only rated in amps .
- by-pass motor design
- unfiltered air does not go through the motor instead , only filtered or completely clean room air passes through the motor
By-pass uprights will usually provide airflow but not water lift specifications and a high performing upright will offer 60 CFM or better.
- Direct Air or Dirty Air design
- There is no need for water lift ratings on uprights because there is little distance for the air and soil to travel. CFM ratings do not have to be as high as canisters for the same reason.
canister vacuums
- On canister vacuum cleaners (with or without power heads) airflow of 100 CFM or more and water lift of 90 inches or more is recommended.
watts & amp
watts and amp measure the electrical consumption of the vacuum’s motor .
brushroll
Its a spinning brush that agitates carpet to loosen dirt and push it upwards then the suction pulls it into the vacuum cleaner. These tend to scatter dirt on hard floors .
brushroll switch
It switches the brushroll off to clean hard floors .
brushroll height adjustment
It’s the setting that lifts the brush roll up of the cleaning surface . Different types of carpets need different brush roll heights for best cleaning . try a hit and trial method to determine which height is suitable for your carpet .