Best Vacuums

“Home, sweet home” cannot be sweet if it’s not clean. For a few, cleanliness is an obsession! And, for such people, the vacuum cleaner is quite a convenience. As when aiming to buy any electronic gadget, some research is essential to choose the one that suits you. We hope that this short guide which we have prepared after going through thousands of vacuum cleaner reviews will help you decide on the best vacuum cleaner for your needs.

What are the different types of vacuum?

Vacuum cleaners come in five different types, each with a different function:

• Handheld vacuums are ideal for deep cleaning hard-to-reach areas, such as inside the car and tight spaces. Battery-powered, they are portable and convenient.

• Upright vacuums are the most powerful cleaners, used not only on carpeted surfaces, but also bare floors. They use a motor-driven beater brush to remove dirt through suction.

• Stick vacuums excel at cleaning hard surfaces, rugs and light carpets, while getting into narrow spaces. They offer the convenience of a hand vacuum with the upright design of a traditional vacuum.

• Canister vacuums are the perfect bridge between upright and stick machines. With a separate canister attached to a long wand, they can be used for both carpeted and bare flooring.

• Robot vacuums can roam freely throughout your home, picking up everything in their path. They can reach places that larger vacuums can't, such as under the couch.

What is the advantage of bagless versus bagged vacuum?

Bagless vacuums are ideal for people who do not want to deal with buying and replacing bags, making them more cost-effective than bagged vacuums. However, those who are sensitive to allergens will benefit from bagged vacuums and with HEPA filters, as they are guaranteed to catch most particles.

What to check when buying a vacuum?

• Intention of use: Check if it fits your lifestyle and intention of use. Is it good for pet hair, for carpets/barefloors or is it intended for large/small spaces only.

• Filters: Users who have allergies should opt for vacuums with HEPA filters or UV disinfection to ensure that dust and mites are trapped

• Maintenance: Choose between bagged or bagless vacuum. Bagged vacuums needs to be replaced regularly while bagless vacuums needs to be cleaned on a regular basis

• Attachments: Check if it has the attachments that may be helpful such as pet tools, wands, crevice tool etc.

What type of vacuum do I need?

Knowing the right vacuum for your needs saves you time and effort when cleaning your home. Below are the different vacuums designed for specific areas:

• Canister vacuum: Suitable for hard surfaces or smaller carpeted areas, such as cars and stairs. They come with a suction hose that is retractable and is ideal for cleaning furniture and numerous surfaces. 

• Upright vacuum: The vacuum is best suited for large areas of the house with hardwood floors or carpeting. It has height adjustments for easy transition between different floor types, and uses a beater brush that gently loosens dirt and removes it through suctioning.

• Stick vacuum: They offer the convenience of a handheld vacuum with the upright design of a traditional vacuum. These lightweight, battery-operated devices are commonly used for cleaning hardwood floors, kitchen, and bathroom floors from spills and debris.

• Handheld vacuum: They are lightweight, easy to use and usually cordless which makes them ideal for cleaning small and hard to reach surfaces like car interior.

• Robotic vacuum: These cordless, compact vacuum cleaners use sensors to detect areas that need cleaning. They can be programmed to clean your home while you are away and automatically recharge when it runs out of power. Ideal for carpets and mulitiple floor types.

• Carpet cleaner: These vacuums are deep cleaners that use warm water for spot removal and carpet cleaning. The carpet is sprayed with soapy water, then the fibers are brushed and sucked up to remove the water, dirt, and stains. 

• Pet vacuum: Designed to collect pet hair and minimize pet odors in your home. With these vacuums, you can easily detach and clean the beater brush, which is often clogged by large amounts of pet hair.

How often should I replaced my vacuum dirt bag?

• Ideally, a vacuum bag needs to be replaced at least one or twice every six months. This will depend on the frequency of usage and the types of debris vacuumed. When the vacuum bag is 2/3 full, it is recommended that the bag be changed so that suction power and efficiency are maintained.

What type of filter should I choose?

Vacuum filters are designed to trap dust, dirt, and other particles from the air that is sucked into the machine prior to being exhausted back into the atmosphere. Below are the list of different types of filters that you may want to check out for your household needs?

• Cartridge filter: A cartridge filter is made of foam and synthetic materials, and it is cylindrical in shape. They filter minute particles and must be replaced from time to time based on the frequency of usage. The most common types of catridge filters are HEPA and ULPA filters.

  • HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) Filters: Filters of this type are ideal for those with asthma and allergies, as they are able to block dust, allergens, and other pollutants before the air is released back into the air. The filters are not washable and non-reusable thus they need to be replaced depending on the frequency of usage.

  • ULPA (Ultra Low Penetration Air) Filter: These filters are more efficient than HEPA filters as they can block very minute contaminants with diameter size of 0.1 microns and larger. Similar to HEPA filters, however, they are mostly not washable and reusable.

• Cloth Filters: Filters large dust and dirt particles. This type of filter is mostly found in heavy duty vacuum cleaners that are used at industrial sites. They are washable and can be reused several times.

• Foam filters: These are secondary filters that trap small particles before they are expelled into the air. Foam filters are washable so they can be reused many times.

• Disk Filters: Made up of cloth or paper, they are mostly integrated into robot vacuums and can handle low to moderate levels of dust particles.