8 Tips for Choosing the Best Vacuum Cleaner

When it comes to choosing a vacuum cleaner for your home, it's essential to think about details such as the size of your home, and the type of flooring. Learn how to choose the right one for your home.
8 Tips for Choosing the Best Vacuum Cleaner

Last update: 28 January, 2021

Vacuum cleaners are very useful tools for cleaning and maintaining your home. They don’t just help save time on your chores – they’re also great for cleaning those hard-to-reach places. But do you know how to choose the right vacuum cleaner?

Nowadays, there are lots of different types of vacuum cleaners on the market. The one you choose will depend on your own personal needs. Among other things, you’ll need to consider aspects such as the size of your home, whether you have pets and the type of flooring you have.

So, to help you choose the right vacuum cleaner for your home, we want to look at some of the most important things you need to take into account and give you some advice on how to choose the right one.

Tips for choosing the best vacuum cleaner

Each of the many vacuum cleaners on the market today is designed to meet a different set of needs and requirements. As a result, you might have some doubts when it comes to deciding which is the right one for you. So, what are the most important features to keep in mind when it comes to choosing a vacuum cleaner?

1. Power and suction

One of the main things to think about when it comes to choosing a vacuum cleaner is the power and suction capacity. Many people believe that the greater the power, the better the suction, but in fact, these are two entirely separate things.

The power is measured in watts. Vacuums usually have between 1400 and 2200 W. However, a high power capacity doesn’t mean it will necessarily give you the best results. So, beyond simply looking at the wattage, you also need to look at the suction capacity.

Cleaning a carpet.

Without good suction capacity, you might find your appliance is a little lacking when it comes to cleaning those hard-to-reach places. Among other factors, the suction capacity you choose will vary depending on the surfaces you want to clean and the size of the room.

2. Filters

Filters are another important aspect to keep in mind. While there are some filterless models, they are highly recommendable for who has allergies. They help to trap allergens that can’t always be seen with the naked eye.

3. Pets

Do you have pets in the house? Animal hair can cause blockages in your vacuum cleaner, and even get tangled in the motor. So, if you have pets, you need to choose a cleaner that is able to cope with large quantities of pet hair.

4. Noise and other details

To avoid annoying everyone with an excessively noisy vacuum cleaner, you need to look for one that produces less than 70 dB of noise. You can also think about features such as the length of the cable, whether it has wheels, the different nozzles that come with it, and other accessories.

5. Weight and portability

When it comes to choosing a vacuum cleaner, it’s important to think about the size of your house. Your appliance needs to be small enough and portable enough that it can clean every corner of your home. So, ideally, you need to choose one that you can move around easily.

6. Storage capacity

The size of the bag or dust collector is a fundamental aspect of any vacuum cleaner. Choosing a cleaner with a large storage capacity means that you won’t need to empty it as often. Many models on the market today have a warning light that switches on when the container is almost full.

Vacuum cleaner bags can be reusable or disposable.

7. Safety features

The most modern vacuum cleaners come with some really practical features. For example, some can tell you when the filter needs cleaning, or when you need to change the bag. You can also find models which come with thermal protectors, wheel locks, and can tell you if there is a problem with the vacuum bag.

8. Types of vacuum cleaner

Our last tip for choosing the right vacuum cleaner is to do some research into the different models on the market before you go out and buy one. In this next section, we’ll go over the advantages and disadvantages of the most common types of vacuum cleaner.

Bagged vacuum cleaner

This is the classic vacuum cleaner. The body is large and solid and contains a bag to collect the dust (either disposable or reusable). Some models also come with a water filtration system, which prevents the dust from becoming airborne.

  • Advantages: they are really versatile, and can be used on most surfaces.
  • Disadvantages: they are very heavy, and can be difficult to handle due to the length of the tubes and cables.

Upright vacuum cleaner

These vacuum cleaners are really easy to use. Thanks to their upright position, they are really versatile and ergonomic.

  • Advantages: you can find both rechargeable and corded upright vacuum cleaners. They are usually light, and easy to move around the house.
  • Disadvantages: they generally have a lower storage capacity, and can be fairly noisy.

Steam vacuum cleaner

The classic steam vacuum cleaner continues to be one of the most popular models on the market. The steam function prevents dust from being propelled into the air as you clean. Their high power capacity combined with the effect of the steam makes them perfectly adapted to removing tough stains from most surfaces.

  • Advantages: great for deep-cleaning tiles, curtains or carpets.
  • Disadvantages: very expensive.

Handheld vacuum cleaner

Handheld vacuum cleaners are designed to be used alongside other vacuum cleaners. Because they are so light and portable, they can be used to clean shelves , furniture, and other spaces traditional vacuum cleaners can’t reach. They are rechargeable and have a small storage compartment for dust rather than a bag.

  • Advantages: they are perfect for cleaning the smallest corners of your house, and can be used on high furniture and otherwise unreachable surfaces. They can even be used for cleaning cars.
  • Disadvantages: because they are smaller than normal vacuum cleaners, they naturally have smaller storage capacity. They are also less powerful than other vacuum cleaners and need to be operated by hand.

Robot vacuum cleaner

Robot vacuum cleaners do all the work for you.

While these vacuum cleaners haven’t been on the market for long, they have already won the hearts of the general public. They are great for those who don’t have much time to clean, as they can do all the work themselves. Thanks to technological advancements, these little cleaning robots are becoming more and more efficient.

  • Advantages: they use very little electricity, and do all the work themselves.
  • Disadvantages: as they are usually round, they can’t reach the corners.

Choosing the vacuum cleaner that best suits your needs will make cleaning your home quicker and easier. You can even ask for help at your local store so that you can find the brand and price that works best for you.