Vacuum cleaners are an essential housekeeping appliance, with a variety of different makes, models and styles available. This vacuum cleaner buying guide will help you to choose the right product for your needs. Vacuum Cleaner Buying Guide Vacuum cleaners are an essential housekeeping appliance, with a variety of different makes, models and styles available. 1. Types of Vacuums Barrel or cylinder vacuum cleaners have a compact design, making them ideal for smaller homes or those with limited storage space. Suitable across a range of surfaces, including hard floors, carpets and stairs, these appliances are solid all-round performers. Lighter and smaller than upright models Easily manoeuvred in awkward areas such as on stairs and around furniture Small, medium and large capacity cleaners available Upright vacuum cleaners are the best option for carpets of all shapes and sizes, lifting out trodden-in dirt and stubborn pet hairs. Their upright position also makes them easier to steer without stooping, which helps when cleaning large areas, particularly for people who have back problems.

Excellent performance on carpets & rugs for deep down dirt Great for cleaning large areas due to increased dust capacity & wide cleaning pathbest vacuum cleaner 2014 usa Unit is pushed in front of you rather than towed behind, making it easy to manoeuvreduct cleaning equipment for sale in india Stick and Handheld Vacuumsbest suction on vacuum cleaner Stick and Handheld vacuum models offer great manoeuvrability, as their light and compact design means they can cover all parts of the home – high and low – with little effort. best way to clean resin furniture

They are extremely useful in cramped spaces or for quick jobs such as vacuuming spills, crumbs, cobwebs or pet hair.best cleaner for manufactured wood floors Features to look out for include:best small lightweight vacuum cleaner Battery life and recharge time Additional tools, such as crevice cleaners For the ultimate in convenience, you may want to consider purchasing a robot vacuum cleaner. These devices run automatically throughout your home, cleaning as they go – making them ideal for busy households. While they won’t replace the need for regular cleaning, they can lengthen the time required between each vacuum. Some models have an extensive array of features that can detect particularly dirty floors, while also sensing furniture and stairs. Devices can be set to clean at specific times of the day, as well as having an automatic recharging function.

2. Difference in suction Suction: Suction is one of the most important parts of a vacuum cleaner. Suction ability depends on how well the cleaner converts watts into ‘air watts’. Higher air watts usually means more powerful suction. Other factors may include airflow and filtration, the quality of the brushes, and the hose/nozzle design. Watts: The watts on a vacuum cleaner refer to how much power is going into the appliance when it is switched on. While it acts as a decent baseline for the power of a vacuum, it is possible for a cleaner to have high wattage but poor suction if it is inefficient. Noise: Most vacuum cleaners will create a certain amount of noise, however this varies and in fact there are a number of low noise options available across all types. 3. Bag Vs. Bagless While bagless models have become more popular than bagged ones in recent years, both have their own specific advantages and disadvantages. No need to buy bags, which is cheaper and better for the environment

Easy to see when the bin is full, meaning it can be emptied before loss of suction Exposes you to allergens when you empty the bin Some models require frequent filter cleaning More hygienic and better for allergy sufferers Filtration at several stages, through the bag and the machine filters, to prevent more allergens being released back into your home Can lose suction as the bag fills up Often difficult to see when the bag is full unless there is an indicator light Replacement bags and new filters will be required There are two main types of filter found in vacuum cleaners, and which one you choose can be important if you have allergies. Micro filters: Found on many basic vacuum cleaners, these come in washable and disposable versions. However, they do release dust particles back into the air, which can be problematic for asthma sufferers or those with allergies. HEPA filter: HEPA filters catch and trap small pollutants, making them the best option for anyone with a sensitivity to dust particles.

To qualify to HEPA standards, the filter must remove 99.97 per cent of particles that are 0.3 micrometres or larger in size. There are several other features you may wish to consider when buying a vacuum cleaner, including: Full bag indicator: tells you when your dust-bag needs emptying Onboard tool storage: most good vacuums come with onboard space for additional tools such as crevice cleaners and different brushes Extendable tube: for hard-to-reach places Retractable cord: automatically rolls up the power cord Wand storage: clips the wand to the cleaning unit for neater storage Adjustable height: automatic or manual function that helps to tackle different floor surfaces more easily, rising for plush carpets and lowering for hard floors.With one of these feature-packed modern marvels, your home will be spick and span in record time The latest vacuum cleaners are fabulously state-of-the-art. Sporting labels with A (best) to G ratings for energy efficiency and performance, your main choice is still between upright and cylinder, but there’s now more crossover: for example, some uprights, like cylinder models, have a flexible hose for stair use.

Alternatively, cyclonic designs spin dust and keep suction power at its maximum as the bin fills. Look out for upholstery extras stored on board and mini turbo brushes – good for removing pet hair. Also, think about the size of the dust bag or bin capacity and the length of cable and hose before you buy. If you suffer from allergies, opt for a model with HEPA or S-Class filters, which capture minute particles. Other designs include wet and dry models; lightweight cordless stick uprights and ones that also steam floors, and even robot cleaners that do the work for you. The combi floorhead on the Dynamo Power Pet U85-DP-PE upright bagless from Vax switches from hard floors to carpet, effortlessly dealing with dust and pet hair. Attach the turbo tool with rotating brushes to this A-rated cleaner to tackle the dog’s bed.£94.99 Messy spills and DIY debris – both indoors and out – are no problem for the huge 12ltr container on the Tough Vac WD2 from Kärcher. Use it with bags when picking up fine dry dirt, or without for wet spills.

Powerful and bagless, the Cyclon Clean ZAN7860UKE from Zanussi can collect up to 1.8 litres of dust. Its 4.5m cable comes with a convenient rewind to avoid tangles. The combi crevice nozzle and brush is good for tight corners. UPRIGHT DESIGNS are usually recommended for carpeted homes. These models have revolving belt-driven brushes and beater bars to help loosen dirt from the pile. They can be heavier than their cylinder counterparts. CYLINDER MODELS work better on wooden, stone and tiled floors. The design enables easy manoeuvrability around chair legs, under the sofa and up the stairs. They’re also compact and therefore easy to store. BAGGED cylinder vacuum cleaners tend to have
a larger capacity. A bin design is straightforward
to remove and replace, but if dust makes you sneeze,
a model that uses sealed bags is worth considering. Up to 40 minutes cleaning time is offered by Morphy Richards’ upright and handheld bagless 2-in-1 732007. The illuminated floorhead is great for awkward spots and the collapsible handle is ideal for easy storage.