In this article we are going to show you how to buy a vacuum cleaner and give you some tips on buying a vacuum cleaner and saving some money.
So let's get started!
Well, before we get into how to buy a vacuum cleaner we want to let you know this: Vacuuming your carpets is the single BEST thing you can do on a regular basis to keep your carpets clean, lasting longer at a high appearance level, and keeping your carpet healthy. If you are not vacuuming three to five times a week (or even more) you are not vacuuming your carpets enough.
Please take a look at this article to see why vacuuming your carpets is so important.
As a professional carpet cleaning company in Vancouver, Washington we have seen about every carpet situation you can imagine, and we have used a lot of different vacuum cleaners. Our opinions in this article are based on FACTS and thousands of hours of cleaning vacuuming thousands upon thousands of carpets.
Ok, How To Buy A Vacuum Cleaner
If you read the article we directed you to then you know how important it is to vacuum your carpet on a regular basis. But what kind of vacuum cleaner should you use? This is a question we often get and our answer is always this:
Get A Vacuum Cleaner You Are Going To Actually Use On A Regular Basis!
When it comes right down to it, the kind of vacuum you use is not nearly important as actually using the vacuum you have. But there are certain characteristics of vacuum that make some better than others. In this article we are not going to recommend a specific type of vacuum cleaner because there are a lot of good vacuum cleaners on the market with many different prices tags.
Our recommendation is to get the best vacuum cleaner your budget allows - and then use it!
Before we get into what to look for in a good vacuum cleaner and tips on how to buy a vacuum cleaner without breaking your budget we will go over the three main types of vacuum cleaners. We are going to leave out the handheld vacuum because this article pertains to vacuum cleaners to vacuum carpets in your home.
We are pretty sure most of you reading this article do not want to be on your hands and knees vacuuming the carpets in your home with a handheld.
Types of Vacuum Cleaners You Can Buy
There are three types of vacuum cleaners you buy. Each vacuum has it's pluses and minuses. There is no set answer on what vacuum you should buy. What we recommend is buy the vacuum cleaner that you are the most comfortable with that fits your budget and has the basic functions that we recommend.
1. Upright Vacuum Cleaner: This is the most common type of vacuum cleaner you see in homes. In most cases these are considered full sized vacuum cleaners, but there are major differences in power.
The nice thing about upright vacuum cleaners is that they are easy to maneuver and usually come with more power than the other types of vacuum cleaners. While some say they offer better cleaning, we do not totally agree with that.
You can also purchase what are called stick upright vacuum cleaners. These are not as bulky as the full sized uprights and they do a fairly good job of cleaning. Remember, there is a reason vacuum cleaners are called vacuum cleaners! They clean.
Almost all upright vacuums use a collection bin for containing the dust and dirt that is vacuumed up. Later on in this article we are going to go over this very important detail.
Most upright vacuum cleaners have a wand extension for cleaning stairs and getting under tables and chairs the main body of the vacuum cannot get to.
Upright vacuum cleaners have a HUGE variance in price. You can get a good upright that does the basics for around $100 or you can spend $800 for an "elite" vacuum cleaner. Later on in this article we are going to tell you what we think you should buy (without recommending a specific brand).
Upright Vacuum Cleaner Overview:
Price: Usually from around $100 to $800. But you can buy a vacuum cleaner for less than $100. Just be careful.
Weight: Anywhere from 12 to 16 pounds, depending on the size of the vacuum and the attachments.
Pluses and Minuses: The pluses of a full sized upright vacuum cleaner are power and maneuverability. They are often more powerful than other types of vacuum cleaners. But not always. We find them easier to move around and deal with than canister vacuum cleaners because of NOT needing a hose and wand attachment. This is a personal preference of ours. Others feel differently.
2. Canister Vacuum Cleaner: Canister vacuum cleaners are not as common as upright vacuum cleaners, but they are still very popular. In fact, many people prefer them over uprights because they can be carried around and are a bit easier to use on stairs, although a good upright is also pretty easy to use on stairs with the attachments.
A good canister vacuum will have just as much power as an upright, but there are some drawbacks we do not like. We will explain those in just a bit.
Canister Vacuum Cleaner Overview:
Price: Canister vacuum cleaners are in about the same price range as a upright vacuum cleaners. There really is not much difference in the pricing. What you pay for a canister vacuum cleaner is based on the same factors as what you would pay for an upright.
Weight: Most canister vacuums, depending on size of course, weight around 8 to 10 pounds.
Pluses and Minuses: As we said before our favorite types of vacuum cleaners are upright vacuum cleaners, but it is a personal preference. Since we are a professional carpet cleaning company we find that uprights are easier for us to maneuver and easier for us to store in our vans.
But as far as for the average person, the pluses would be lighter weight and the ease of mobility. Although we do NOT find canister vacuums that much easier to move around, but many people do.
One of the big advantages of canisters (to some people) is the ability to more easily clean stairs, and get under and around objects. We totally agree with a canister vacuum's ability to get under and around other objects but don't think the stair issue is a big as many make it out to be.
The hoses and cords can also be an issue with canisters as they can get in your way and just be a general nuisance. We also find that canisters are uncomfortable to move around because you have to bend over to move them or use the wand and hose to pull them.
Having said that, the ability to sit a canister in the center of a room and just move around with the wand is a feature that we do like, and so do many others. Still, our preference would be an upright.
Robot Vacuum Cleaners: These little dust and dirt gobbling vacuum are catching on in popularity, and with good reason: They do a fairly decent job of getting some of the dirt, dust, and other particles off of your carpet and floor while you do something else, or watch in amazement as they do their work.
The main drawback would be that they just do not clean as well as the upright vacuum cleaners or the canister vacuum cleaners. But robot vacuum cleaners certainly have their place.
Robot Vacuum Cleaner Overview:
Price: $100 to $1000
Weight: around 8lbs or lighter. There are some models that are heavier, but most models we have seen are around 8lbs.
Pluses and Minuses: Robot vacuum cleaners still have a lot of skeptics and, to a certain point, rightfully so. But robot vacuum cleaners do clean and the good ones clean surprisingly well.
Do not expect a robot vacuum cleaner to clean as well as a good upright or a good canister vacuum cleaner. They just do not have the power to do so. But they can clean decently. And they are very convenient.
There are basic robot vacuum cleaners and much more sophisticated robot vacuum cleaners.
There are docking features, different types of sensors, most robot vacuum cleaners are programmable (you can even set cleaning schedules), and most clean carpets and bare floors.
Some robot vacuum cleaners have apps that allow you to start them up remotely and use them like a remote control toy! Technology is amazing.
We like robot vacuum cleaners for the ease of use. But we would not buy one for any situation we think would need deep aggressive cleaning.
So What Do You Need To Look For In A Good Vacuum Cleaner?
The number one issue with any vacuum cleaner is the ability to pull soil out of your carpet. So the vacuum has to have the power needed to do so. But vacuum cleaners do NOT need as much power as some of the vacuum manufacturers want you to believe.
With beater bars and brushes, a good vacuum cleaner can easily pull a lot of soil from your carpet, even when it is not the highest powered vacuum.
But one thing we HIGHLY recommend is a vacuum with a HEPA filter. HEPA stands for High Energy Particulate Air. These types of filters are really good at removing mold and other contaminants from the air, which is really important for good indoor air quality. And good indoor air quality is one of the main reasons for having carpet AND vacuuming that carpet.
We are also big believers in vacuums that have bins to store what is being vacuumed out of your carpet. While some people believe that bags do a better job of this, and they might be right, with the bins you can see how full they are. With bags it is much more difficult to see how full the bag is without opening the vacuum cleaner up. And with bins you do not ever have to buy bags.
What About All Of These Fancy Dancy Vacuums Like Dysons?
Dyson vacuum cleaners, and others like them, are EXCELLENT vacuum cleaners, but they usually come with a much higher price. Earlier in this article we mentioned that we were not going to give a vacuum cleaner recommendation and we are holding to that.
What we would say is this: Get the best vacuum cleaner for your budget as long as it has the features you want and has a HEPA filter. A vacuum cleaner that cost $100 can do just as good of job as a vacuum cleaner that cost $800. Remember, with these really expensive vacuum cleaners you are also paying for their marketing cost.
There is nothing wrong with buying a Dyson vacuum cleaner if it has the features that you want, and you want to spend the money. But there are plenty of other vacuum cleaners that do a great job and cost just a fraction of the high priced vacuum cleaners.
Here is the BEST tip we can ever give you concerning vacuums: USE THEM!
A vacuum cleaner that has enough power to suck your carpet off the tackless strip or a vacuum cleaner that has more features than the latest 4k HDTV's or a vacuum cleaner that has more tools that the US military is not going to do you any good if you do not use it. Use your vacuum cleaner and you will have healthier, cleaner, longer last carpet, and healthier indoor air.