Vacuum cleaners are cleaning machines that can clear up your floors, upholstery and are also capable of cleaning your furniture items. These devices are appointed with filtration system that improves the quality of air that your breathe in by capturing all allergens, dust, dirt, pollen and dander. A wide range of vacuum cleaners are available in the market and you can choose the style that best suits your requirements.
In this article we have offered some important details on popular styles of vacuum cleaners including canister, upright, handheld, robotic and stick style vacuum cleaners. There are various factors that one must consider when choosing to buy one of these types.
Some Of The Factors that Affect Vacuum Cleaner Buying Decision Include:
- Type of flooring and amount of carpeting in your house.
- Your ability to operate a cleaning device.
- Allergy and asthma suffering buyers.
- Versatility of use.
- Budget.
- Type of filtration system installed.
- Battery powered or electric powered, etc.
Some vacuum cleaners are bagged while some are vacuum cleaners offer bagless convenience. When you are buying a bagged device, you must also buy replacement bags. With these varied options available, there are also different price ranges for all the different styles of cleaners and cost of each within one type depends upon quality, suction power, accessories included and more.
The 5 Types of Vacuum Cleaners
1. Canister Vacuum Cleaners:
Canister vacuums are cleaners that include a long wand attached with the machine through a flexible hose. It also includes a powerful motor and the cleaner is mounted on wheels. This cleaner thus can be pulled around the place for cleaning. This is one of the most popular hard floor cleaners in the market now.
Advantages:
- Canister vacuums are easier to use in comparison to conventional upright cleaner and user can easily maneuver.
- These cleaners offer versatile cleaning operation and most of them can be used on different kind of flooring with additional attachments.
- Canisters can effectively clean hard floors, draperies, stairs and upholstery.
Disadvantages:
- Canisters are usually more expensive than traditional upright cleaners.
- You need to drag them instead of pushing in upright and some people claim that user may get in the back of the canister as they pull the machine.
- Some of the canisters require manual changing of accessories.
2. Upright Vacuum Cleaners:
As the name suggests, this kind of cleaner is used in the upright position and it is considered an ideal choice for heavy carpet cleaning. The main parts of this cleaner include motor that drives the fan, ports (intake and exhaust) and a dust collection bag. Controls are usually attached to the handle of the unit through which you can control all the actions. A filter is included with the upright machines that ensure that the dust remains in the bag. You may also find some upright cleaners with flexible attachments and hoses that make your equipment more versatile. You can use this cleaner to clean over stairs and around tight corners.
Advantages:
- Uprights usually feature a simple foot switch and users can use these machines for versatile cleaning. They can easily switch between carpet and bare floor cleaning option.
- Uprights work better on carpets in comparison to canister vacuums.
- Upright vacuums both bagged and bagless are easier to empty.
- More capacity for dust collection and thus bag change would be less frequent.
Disadvantages:
- These machines are harder to reach tight spaces and for cleaning around difficult to reach places.
- These machines are heavy weight cleaners and thus it is difficult to carry it around. Carrying up and down would be difficult.
- Upright are not really compact and thus you need to check for storage space that your particular vacuum model may require.
3. Stick Vacuum Cleaners:
This lightweight stick vacuum cleaning device also named as electric broom cleaner. It includes a motor located in the handle of the vacuum or it may be along the wand. If you have small carpeted area or low pile carpeting around your house, you would find this vacuum cleaner as the most suitable one for your needs.
Advantages:
- Design of these vacuum cleaners is compact making cleaning of dust and dirt easier.
- Light weight machines that you can carry easily all around cleaning area.
Disadvantages:
- These cleaners are not as versatile as canister vacuums.
- Lack of suction power in comparison to other vacuums such as upright or canisters.
- Additional attachments are missing.
- These cannot handle high pile carpeting.
4. Handheld Vacuum Cleaners:
Handheld vacuum cleaners are small cleaners that you can use easily for small spills and for cleaning around difficult to reach areas such as corners, interior of cars and stairs. These devices can be used along an upright cleaner. Handheld cleaners usually have rotating bristles and these are designed for removal of debris and pet hair from around your house or workplace.
Advantages:
- Handheld vacuums are inexpensive in comparison to others.
- You have options of getting either a corded or a cordless model. Battery operated is a little more expensive than corded ones.
- These are compact size and portable devices.
- These machines can effectively clean difficult areas and services.
Disadvantages:
- The handheld vacuums are not as powerful as other traditional and canister vacuums.
- Their capacity of holding dirt and dust is quite small.
5. Robotic Vacuum Cleaners:
Robotic vacuums are automatic light weight cleaners that offer minimized assistance and can operate on their own on the basis of instructions entered by the owner. These cleaners work on the basis of cleaning instructions that user enters through its console or with the use of a remote control. You can get the cleaning job done and you don’t need to stay within the premises as these chores are being performed.
Usually these cleaners give users option to select intensity of cleaning. The machines when finish tasks, they automatically turn off. Electronic sensors are installed in these cleaners that avoid their contact with walls and other obstacles like furniture items as they maneuver to clean the room. Rubber bumpers are also installed in order to soften the impact if any object comes in the cleaning path.
Advantages:
- Sizes of the cleaners are compact enabling it to clean under different furnishings.
- No tangling in cords as these are cordless devices but you would need to charge them.
- The cleaners don’t need bags.
- No assistance required and these machines work on instructions.
- Makes less noise than traditional vacuums.
Disadvantages:
- These machines are pretty expensive ones.
- Their operating time/battery life is not extensive and these usually work for around 2 hours in a charge.
- These small cleaners cannot hold large amount of dust so if you are cleaning a larger room, you would have to empty captured dirt.
- Some objects lying on the floor may clog operation of robotic vacuums and thus you need to first clear the room.
- It may not be able to replace traditional vacuum and at some points you would need to use other vacuuming machine.
Conclusion
It’s not easy if you want to get a new vacuum. There are many vacuum models that may fit your budget and preferences. Choosing the type of vacuum is just one of the many options to consider.
You must consider the size of your house along with lifestyle in order to select one or two vacuum cleaners for everyday cleaning keeping in view all the features of those cleaners including size, suction power, attachment tools etc. We hope that going through this guide will help you in making a wise investment.