6 Awesome Tips About Vacuum Cleaners From Unlikely Sources
Other Vacuums to Take into Account
From left to right, our runners-up: Miele, Electrolux, Kenmore, and Dyson.
This was the most luxurious vacuum we tested, with graceful
Maneuverability, a quiet purr -- even it is cord seems "designed." We hardly heard it when
We flipped it on, and once powered up, it stayed nice and quiet: If you're living in an
Apartment, you definitely won't disturb your neighbors with this one. It doesn't look
Particularly maneuverable, but this high-end model handles like a dream -- we already
For all of
This ease, you do lose a little cleaning power: Dense sand, especially on hardwood, took
Numerous moves to fully clean.
This popular vacuum has great maneuverability on carpet, and only a
Little less so on bare floor. It is on the heavier side (around 18 lbs), but quite the cleaner,
Devouring all of the Cheerio piles we placed before it. The design isn't for everyone -- lots
Of industrial-looking molding and all its moving parts look like possible breakage points --
But if you like it, you love it, and lots of people do. Plus, we can't argue with the title: It's
the coolest of the lot.
Kenmore Elite. We tested two Kenmore versions (one in every price category), and you
The vastly superior Elite cleans both carpets and hardwoods
In just a few fast passes (unlike the Progressive, which did not even come close). It's the
Standard big-and-bulky type, and a number of its settings are confusing -- recall that fancysounding
dirt sensor?
Accredited by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (such as the Samsung VU7000
Motion Sync) and easy-to-use features.
Tacky it took two of us together to switch the setting from carpet to bare floor.)
Electrolux Precision Brushroll Clean. This Electrolux has the most bells and whistles of any
Of our picks, such as a self-cleaning brushroll, a liftaway wand with super-long stretch
Hose, and several attachments for above-floor cleaning. This makes it extremely
Customizable, but also a little fiddly, and there's an extra learning moment while you figure
Out that pedal does what: If you get it wrong and fix the carpet setting too low, the
Vacuum is really tough to push. Once you get the hang of it, though, we loved its cleaning
power and it slalomed through our obstacle course like a champ.
Best Vacuum Cleaners: Summed Up
Oreck XL Classic Carpet
Samsung VU7000 Motion Sync Bare Floors
Miele Dynamic U1 Twist Luxurious
Dyson Ball Animal Maneuverability
Cleaning power is more complex than your vacuum manufacturer tells
you.
Historically, manufacturers and their entrepreneurs say that a vacuum's cleaning power is the
Amperage of its own motor. It found a minimum correlation
Between power and cleaning performance -- cleaning head design, brush mechanisms, and
other design elements are more important; filtration and dust removal are independent of
power, too. Though a vacuum may tout 12 amps of cleaning power, that does not actually tell
you much.
Amp WarsIn the 1990s, an "amp" marketing war ensued among vacuum
manufacturers. At the time, most had 8 amp ratings -- today, the Vast Majority of uprights
In the usa have 12 amps (the maximum allowed for UL approval).
It really comes down to suction and airflow (measured in cubic feet per minute, or CFMs).
In vacuums, powerful suction is created by air passing quickly and unrestricted through an
intake port. Now, for a bit of physics: Since the rate of the fan is constant, so is the
No matter the size of the intake port, the same
Number of air particles will need to pass through -- the smaller the port, the more quickly air
particles will move. This increase in airspeed decreases pressure, which results in higher
suction. (This is why narrow vacuum attachments can pick up heavier dirt particles than
wider ones.)
The tricky thing with airflow evaluations is that most upright makers don't actually list them --
They just list amps -- so you have to look at the way the vacuums are made. There are two
Basic designs of upright vacuums: direct air and skip.
Immediate air (or "dirty air"): These models are designed with large fans located on the vacuum
Nozzle, which draw air and dirt through the motor before any filtration on its way to the
dust bag. The advantage to this design is higher airflow (CFMs) and Fantastic cleaning
Electricity: The Orecks we tested are direct air versions and they really did wow.
That said, the lack of filtration means these vacuums are not so good for those with asthma
and allergies. Also, accessories aren't as convenient or effective as with skip models (the
Orecks do not even have any), and since debris moves directly through the motor, sucking up
A hard thing could damage the fan.
Bypass (or "clean air"): With this type of vacuum, unfiltered air is designed to bypass the
Motor, rather collecting in the bag or chamber; only clean, filtered air is then passed
Through the engine to cool it, which means it's the better choice for allergy sufferers. It's also the
Most frequent type of vacuum found in the marketplace today -- all of our best picks save the
Orecks are bypass models.
While there is a decrease in airflow (CFMs) and these models therefore have to work harder
To suck up the same amount of stuff, "bypass models" are optimized for suction, so the
Attachments tend to work much better. And, because dirt and debris do not pass through the
Motor, you do not need to worry that vacuuming up an errant Lego brick is going to result in
repairs.
We didn't weigh in on the bagged vs. bagless debate.
Both designs have been proven to clean well, so one isn't always better than another.
It is a matter of preference. Bagless vacuums provide less waste (and save you money since you
Are not buying replacements), but some say you must empty them over bagged
vacuums. Folks with acute allergies will want to go for a bagged model though: The bags
Seal, trapping dust and allergens.
But if you have allergies or asthma, you will want to take more precaution.
The best thing to do if you have asthma or allergies is to live without carpeting -- carpets are
Notorious for catching dust, pollen, and other irritating particles. If that's not a possibility,
Routine vacuuming becomes even more significant.
Second, while everything we found pointed to bagged vacuums as being the better option
For allergies, Dr. Rivera-Mariani warns that regular bags easily become tiny tears that allow
leakage. If you have a model with bags, replacements with electrostatic properties (these are
Available for most major vacuums) help keep pesky particles contained. (The electrostatic
Causes the dust particles to stick together, so they're less likely to escape.)
And last, Dr. Rivera-Mariani strongly recommends a sealed HEPA filter. There are less
Stringent types of filtration, like the fundamental sort all vacuums have (including our Hoover top
Pick), which absorb dust, but don't capture pollen or pet dander. These are generally fine for
Most people, but if you're sensitive to irritants, HEPA is the way to go. Dr. Rivera-Mariana
Goes as far to urge HEPA filtration even if you've got no respiratory issues. Allergies
Can develop over time, and symptoms may show up suddenly in previously non-allergic
individuals.
Broken vacuum? Fix it.
Craig Amick from Electrolux told us that retailers across all brands report tons of vacuum
Returns, mostly due to broken or ailing parts. Don't return it: Your vacuum is completely
Worth repairing, and most repairs are simple and inexpensive.
While you can still locate the owner's manual (we know it'll end up getting tossed), figure
Out the basic things: where the belt goes, how to remove the filter, and at which a clog could
happen. These are the most common vacuum issues, and Amick quotes that first-timers
Can do simple repairs and replacements in under half an hour. When in doubt: Turn to
YouTube for some Useful DIY tutorials or call the customer service telephone number usually
Located on the back or bottom of your vacuum.
The Bottom Line
Vacuuming is something we do all of the time and, for the majority of us, it is a significant chore. But a
Great vacuum -- one with powerful suction and effortless maneuverability -- which makes the
Whole process simple (if not a little pleasure).
From left to right, our runners-up: Miele, Electrolux, Kenmore, and Dyson.
This was the most luxurious vacuum we tested, with graceful
Maneuverability, a quiet purr -- even it is cord seems "designed." We hardly heard it when
We flipped it on, and once powered up, it stayed nice and quiet: If you're living in an
Apartment, you definitely won't disturb your neighbors with this one. It doesn't look
Particularly maneuverable, but this high-end model handles like a dream -- we already
For all of
This ease, you do lose a little cleaning power: Dense sand, especially on hardwood, took
Numerous moves to fully clean.
This popular vacuum has great maneuverability on carpet, and only a
Little less so on bare floor. It is on the heavier side (around 18 lbs), but quite the cleaner,
Devouring all of the Cheerio piles we placed before it. The design isn't for everyone -- lots
Of industrial-looking molding and all its moving parts look like possible breakage points --
But if you like it, you love it, and lots of people do. Plus, we can't argue with the title: It's
the coolest of the lot.
Kenmore Elite. We tested two Kenmore versions (one in every price category), and you
The vastly superior Elite cleans both carpets and hardwoods
In just a few fast passes (unlike the Progressive, which did not even come close). It's the
Standard big-and-bulky type, and a number of its settings are confusing -- recall that fancysounding
dirt sensor?
Accredited by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (such as the Samsung VU7000
Motion Sync) and easy-to-use features.
Tacky it took two of us together to switch the setting from carpet to bare floor.)
Electrolux Precision Brushroll Clean. This Electrolux has the most bells and whistles of any
Of our picks, such as a self-cleaning brushroll, a liftaway wand with super-long stretch
Hose, and several attachments for above-floor cleaning. This makes it extremely
Customizable, but also a little fiddly, and there's an extra learning moment while you figure
Out that pedal does what: If you get it wrong and fix the carpet setting too low, the
Vacuum is really tough to push. Once you get the hang of it, though, we loved its cleaning
power and it slalomed through our obstacle course like a champ.
Best Vacuum Cleaners: Summed Up
Oreck XL Classic Carpet
Samsung VU7000 Motion Sync Bare Floors
Miele Dynamic U1 Twist Luxurious
Dyson Ball Animal Maneuverability
Cleaning power is more complex than your vacuum manufacturer tells
you.
Historically, manufacturers and their entrepreneurs say that a vacuum's cleaning power is the
Amperage of its own motor. It found a minimum correlation
Between power and cleaning performance -- cleaning head design, brush mechanisms, and
other design elements are more important; filtration and dust removal are independent of
power, too. Though a vacuum may tout 12 amps of cleaning power, that does not actually tell
you much.
Amp WarsIn the 1990s, an "amp" marketing war ensued among vacuum
manufacturers. At the time, most had 8 amp ratings -- today, the Vast Majority of uprights
In the usa have 12 amps (the maximum allowed for UL approval).
It really comes down to suction and airflow (measured in cubic feet per minute, or CFMs).
In vacuums, powerful suction is created by air passing quickly and unrestricted through an
intake port. Now, for a bit of physics: Since the rate of the fan is constant, so is the
No matter the size of the intake port, the same
Number of air particles will need to pass through -- the smaller the port, the more quickly air
particles will move. This increase in airspeed decreases pressure, which results in higher
suction. (This is why narrow vacuum attachments can pick up heavier dirt particles than
wider ones.)
The tricky thing with airflow evaluations is that most upright makers don't actually list them --
They just list amps -- so you have to look at the way the vacuums are made. There are two
Basic designs of upright vacuums: direct air and skip.
Immediate air (or "dirty air"): These models are designed with large fans located on the vacuum
Nozzle, which draw air and dirt through the motor before any filtration on its way to the
dust bag. The advantage to this design is higher airflow (CFMs) and Fantastic cleaning
Electricity: The Orecks we tested are direct air versions and they really did wow.
That said, the lack of filtration means these vacuums are not so good for those with asthma
and allergies. Also, accessories aren't as convenient or effective as with skip models (the
Orecks do not even have any), and since debris moves directly through the motor, sucking up
A hard thing could damage the fan.
Bypass (or "clean air"): With this type of vacuum, unfiltered air is designed to bypass the
Motor, rather collecting in the bag or chamber; only clean, filtered air is then passed
Through the engine to cool it, which means it's the better choice for allergy sufferers. It's also the
Most frequent type of vacuum found in the marketplace today -- all of our best picks save the
Orecks are bypass models.
While there is a decrease in airflow (CFMs) and these models therefore have to work harder
To suck up the same amount of stuff, "bypass models" are optimized for suction, so the
Attachments tend to work much better. And, because dirt and debris do not pass through the
Motor, you do not need to worry that vacuuming up an errant Lego brick is going to result in
repairs.
We didn't weigh in on the bagged vs. bagless debate.
Both designs have been proven to clean well, so one isn't always better than another.
It is a matter of preference. Bagless vacuums provide less waste (and save you money since you
Are not buying replacements), but some say you must empty them over bagged
vacuums. Folks with acute allergies will want to go for a bagged model though: The bags
Seal, trapping dust and allergens.
But if you have allergies or asthma, you will want to take more precaution.
The best thing to do if you have asthma or allergies is to live without carpeting -- carpets are
Notorious for catching dust, pollen, and other irritating particles. If that's not a possibility,
Routine vacuuming becomes even more significant.
Second, while everything we found pointed to bagged vacuums as being the better option
For allergies, Dr. Rivera-Mariani warns that regular bags easily become tiny tears that allow
leakage. If you have a model with bags, replacements with electrostatic properties (these are
Available for most major vacuums) help keep pesky particles contained. (The electrostatic
Causes the dust particles to stick together, so they're less likely to escape.)
And last, Dr. Rivera-Mariani strongly recommends a sealed HEPA filter. There are less
Stringent types of filtration, like the fundamental sort all vacuums have (including our Hoover top
Pick), which absorb dust, but don't capture pollen or pet dander. These are generally fine for
Most people, but if you're sensitive to irritants, HEPA is the way to go. Dr. Rivera-Mariana
Goes as far to urge HEPA filtration even if you've got no respiratory issues. Allergies
Can develop over time, and symptoms may show up suddenly in previously non-allergic
individuals.
Broken vacuum? Fix it.
Craig Amick from Electrolux told us that retailers across all brands report tons of vacuum
Returns, mostly due to broken or ailing parts. Don't return it: Your vacuum is completely
Worth repairing, and most repairs are simple and inexpensive.
While you can still locate the owner's manual (we know it'll end up getting tossed), figure
Out the basic things: where the belt goes, how to remove the filter, and at which a clog could
happen. These are the most common vacuum issues, and Amick quotes that first-timers
Can do simple repairs and replacements in under half an hour. When in doubt: Turn to
YouTube for some Useful DIY tutorials or call the customer service telephone number usually
Located on the back or bottom of your vacuum.
The Bottom Line
Vacuuming is something we do all of the time and, for the majority of us, it is a significant chore. But a
Great vacuum -- one with powerful suction and effortless maneuverability -- which makes the
Whole process simple (if not a little pleasure).
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