Vacuum - Find a Vacuum that Suits Your Needs
HOW TO START LOOKING FOR A VACUUM
The pressure to find the best vacuum cleaner for your needs can be frustrating, and sometimes downright oppressive. It will be well worth your time to map out a game plan to shop for a vacuum cleaner. This involves jotting down your needs before you step into the vortex of vacuum cleaner shopping.
Jot down some notes on a piece of paper- you will be taking this paper with you when you go shopping. It will help you keep focused on what you need - and not the barrage of claims of salespeople all trying to sell you their latest models.
Surfaces you need to clean
- CARPETS: Type of floor you want to vacuum (don't forget stairways)
- FLOORS: Uncarpeted surfaces you want to vacuum
- FURNITURE: Type of furniture you want to vacuum
- WINDOWS & DOORS: Curtains, blinds, trim etc you want to vacuum
- OTHER : Furniture, ceiling fans, etc that you want to use a vacuum cleaner on
Special circumstances or needs
- ALLERGIES- Mold or other allergies aggravated by vacuuming
- LIVING CONDITONS- Sand, gravel, grass etc. that you need to vacuum
- PETS - Pet fur or other shedding which will be vacuumed
- FIREPLACE- Soot or ashes that the vacuum cleaner needs to handle
- WATER- If water spills are an issue you plan on vacuuming
TYPES OF VACUUMS
Upright vacuums
Upright vacuum cleaners are very powerful. They are the vacuum cleaner of preference when it comes to cleaning pile rugs. Many upright vacuum cleaners come with extra long hoses and attachments for cleaning other areas of the home, including curtains and small areas not accessible with the large vacuum cleaner nozzle. They often have filter systems. There are two major kinds of styles of upright vacuum cleaners:
Original style upright vacuum cleaners which have the debris go through the fan is the first style of upright vacuum cleaner that is available on the market today.
Two Motor Design Upright Vacuum Cleaners is the other design available. This design has a separate passageway to bypass the suction fan, thereby causing less damage and lower repair worries.
Here is a brief list of the advantages and disadvantages of upright vacuum cleaners that you might want to consider before making a decision about this style of vacuum.
Pros
- Cleans pile rugs more efficiently
- Can clean floor well if the brush roll has a switch to disengage it from the belt
- Easier to maneuver around corners
- Easier to store with smaller footprint
Cons
- If the fan is a small high speed fan this can cause breakage leading to many repairs.
- Hard to carry up stairs
- Can not use in damp areas
- Have to replace bags
I recommend an upright vacuum cleaner for someone with lots of rugs to clean, especially pile rugs. For someone who plans on cleaning draperies, ceiling fans, and other smaller places, I recommend that a longer attachment hose be purchased to use with it.
Bag vacuums
Portable bag vacuum cleaners have the motor housed in a unit with wheels on it, and in order to use the cleaner, the cleaning tube has a brush unit on the end of it and you drag the motor behind you while you vacuum with the brush head in front of you. Sometimes the brush roll unit is powered by a separate motor which gives it the title of POWER TEAM. Often this type has longer hoses and cord than upright vacuum cleaners.
Pros
- Attachments work better than with upright vacuum cleaners
- Longer vacuum cleaner hoses
- More floor oriented vacuum cleaner attachments
Cons
- Dragging separate motor housing can be frustrating around obstacles
- Not as effective as upright vacuum cleaners on rugs
I recommend a bag vacuum cleaner for anyone who needs a longer hose and who is especially interested in cleaning floors and using vacuum cleaner attachments. I also recommend that you consider closet storage space for a bag vacuum, as it tends to take up more room than an upright vacuum cleaner does.
Handheld vacuums
If you would love to have an upright vacuum cleaner but need to clean hard to reach areas, perhaps you might want to consider the addition of a Hand Held Vacuum cleaner to your repertoire. Hand held vacuum cleaners come in two styles. They can be either battery powered or corded. Battery powered models tend to be more convenient with lack of cord, but are less powerful. There are also some models that have a powered brush roll on them. These are good for cleaning rugs deeply- a quality excellent for carpeted stairways.
Pros
- Portable
- Cleans up larger particles (especially if open suction)
- Can be used on stairways
- Deep Cleans Pile Surfaces (if has a brush roll on it)
- Long cord
Cons
- Battery models run down quickly
- Battery models not very efficient
- Small areas only
I recommend a hand held vacuum cleaner for anyone with stairways that need to be cleaned. It is also excellent to have handy for small messes which need to be cleaned up quickly when there is not enough time to get out a full sized vacuum cleaner. Storage area required for hand held vacuum cleaners is minimal so it is also good for those with highly limited living space.
Electric stick vacuums
For that quick pickup job or if you happen to live in a small space and don't have room for a large vacuum cleaner, you might want to check into buying a stick vacuum cleaner. Also called an electric broom, a stick vacuum cleaner is a simple vacuum which cleans up spills adequately and is usually bag less.
Pros
- Excellent for quick spills
- Small storage space needed
- Corded versions are more powerful
- No expense for bag replacement
Cons
- Not appropriate for larger cleaning tasks
- Can leak if seals are not tight
- Battery versions are not very powerful
I recommend the stick vacuum cleaner style for college students, someone who has a small apartment, or for having around to pick up quick spills easily. It is possible to survive using only the electric broom or stick style vacuum cleaner for the a while if you do not use it too heavily. The seals will break down rather quickly making this style vacuum cleaner less efficient if you try to use it for your only vacuum cleaner.
Cyclonic vacuums
The cyclonic vacuum cleaner does not have the usual filter or bag system. There is a cone cylinder system that shoots air into a spiral path so that the dirt swirls around down into a cup which captures it. This style is bagless as well.
Pros
- High suction when full
- Bagless
- Easy to use
- Similar storage space to Upright vacuum cleaners
Cons
- Some models have expensive filters that need to be replaced often
I recommend this style vacuum for someone who is considering an upright vacuum cleaner but does not want to have the expense of buying bags. I would however, caution you to ask about any costs for replacement parts. I have been told by some that there are some models of cyclonic vacuum cleaners that have unexpectedly expensive parts that need replacing often which has been a frustration.
Wet-dry vacuums
Another option which is worth you consideration is the wet dry vacuum cleaner. This style of vacuum cleaner is an excellent choice because it gives you the flexibility of using it for an all purpose vacuum cleaner, or one that is able to pick up wet spills as well.
One thing to keep in mind about the wet dry vacuum cleaner is that if you plan on using it to vacuum your house as your main vacuum cleaner option, I highly suggest that you look into the contractor grade quality wet dry vacuum cleaner . A contractors professional grade wet dry vacuum cleaner tends to have a nice cloth filter and excellent floor and carpet attachments that will serve you well until you can get another vacuum cleaner at a later time specifically for rugs.
Pros
- Versatile
- Can clean up water spills
- Bagless
- Floor or carpet
- Can pick up larger particles than typical vacuum cleaner can
- Long hose
Cons
- Won't clean pile rugs deeply
- Can be cumbersome to drag around obstacles
I recommend a Wet Dry Vacuum for anyone who needs to save some money and wants to get the most use out of their purchase. If purchasing a commercial grade wet dry vacuum, it will last a long time and be able to give the most versatile performance of any of the vacuum cleaner choices out there and it costs about $200 or so.
Robotic vacuums
Robotic vacuum cleaners are little disc like units that will run about the floor in a pre set pattern. Less expensive versions will clean dust on regular flooring. More expensive models have features which will allow preprogramming by sensors. Some will even sense carpet to floor drops and dirtiness of the area to be cleaned.
Pros
- Can be programmed to avoid stairs
- Will work when you are not home
- Some will sense obstacles
Cons
- Can not have strings or other articles around
- Charge time can leave a job half finished
- Small dust bin can make it full before job is done
I recommend a robotic vacuum cleaner for anyone who does not have children or pets that will interfere with its routine. Floors must be picked up and careful attention must be made that the dust bin is emptied each time before it is used. Robotic vacuum cleaners are not for those who have messy homes or who can not keep an eye on them.
RECOMMENDATIONS
In all of my experiences I have had with vacuum cleaners, I have some recommendations for models or brands to consider.
If you are able to make an investment in an upright vacuum cleaner, I highly recommend the Simplicity vacuum cleaners. Their series 7 is an excellent vacuum and it has a great consumer feedback record. Other high end brands you might want to consider for upright vacuum cleaners are Miele vacuums or Electrolux vacuums . Eureka vacuum cleaners are a more moderate investment and have some good models to consider.
Good luck!
| silver king wet/dry vac | pbg | October 27, 2009 at 03:16PM |
