Vacuum Cleaner Buying Guide

Type Of Vacuum Cleaners

Cylinder

Cylinder models are more compact and are easier to use on upholstery, on stairs or around furniture, though they can be more difficult to control. With their reliance on suction power they work well on hard floors.

Upright

Upright cleaners are suitable for large areas of carpet as the brush combs the pile. Since the dirt has less distance to travel up the cleaner, wattage isn't as important as with a cylinder vacuum.

How do they work? 

In upright cleaners the motor is situated in the head of the cleaner. It drives a fan which sucks up air and dust into the dust bag via a tube. The dirt is retained in the bag, and filtered air passes over the motor before it is pushed out of the cleaner. Upright cleaners have suction power, revolving, belt-driven brushes and sometimes an agitator beater bar that helps loosen and sweep up ingrained dirt from the carpet.

In cylinder cleaners the motor turns a fan that in turn sucks up dust and dirt from the cleaning head, through the hose and into the dust bag. Cylinder cleaners rely entirely on suction to draw the dust in, so they tend to be more powerful.

Bag or bagless? 

Bagged cleaners are usually cheaper than bag-less models, but they have the added expense of purchasing additional bags. Some cleaners have self-sealing bags, which make disposal less messy and offer a boon for allergy sufferers.

With bag-less cleaners there’s no fuss of inserting fresh bags, and though the technology makes the initial outlay expensive, in the long run they can be cheaper. Some bag-less models are easier and cleaner to empty, and come with anti-bacterial protection which substantially reduces house dust mite and cat allergen content.

Type of flooring 

The main type of flooring your home has should dictate the type of cleaner you buy:

·       Wooden, tiled or vinyl: cylinder cleaners

·       Loop pile carpet: either cylinder or upright but make sure you turn any turbo roller attachment off as it may flatten or damage the pile

·       Cut pile carpet: upright or cylinder with a turbo brush attachment

Filters 

All cleaners have some form of filtration system. Some models have more sophisticated filters or ones suitable for those with either allergies or pets

·       Stage filters: they usually vary between 3 and 7 stages. A typical 4-stage filter would comprise of a double-skinned bag (2 stages), a filter between the dust bag and motor chambers, and a final filter

·       Lifetime filters: there is no need to change the filter during the lifetime of the machine – normally 7-10 years

·       HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air): also known as S-Class, these retain even the smallest of allergy-causing particles

·       Charcoal filter: they comes with a charcoal layer that removes any nasty smells and is particularly suitable if you have pets.