The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete Please contact the server administrator at to inform them of the time this error occurred, and the actions you performed just before this error. More information about this error may be available in the server error log. Additionally, a 500 Internal Server Error error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.Vacuuming is a no-brainer. You flip the switch, clean out the filter every now and then, and go to work on that area rug your dog likes better than his bed... right? We aren't saying buying and using a vacuum is rocket science, but we do want to point out a few of the things you might have missed when, like most of us, you tossed your machine's owner's manual into a junk drawer. Here to help: Consumer Reports' Senior Home & Yard Editor, Ed Perratore, who shared some of the most common vacuum cleaner dos and don'ts with HuffPost Home.

DO: Keep in mind what you'll use your vacuum cleaner for the most. "The toughest job for a vacuum is deep-cleaning carpets, which is what our research says is the number-one job people want in their vacuum. leather cleaner for ugg bootsEqually important is being lightweight enough that it's not hard to push, pull, lift and generally maneuver. best canister vacuum cleaner review DO: At least try and lift the vacuum before you leave the store.price of lg vacuum cleaner "Try, in the store, to push and pull it around. air duct cleaning logosTry to turn it around tight corners and lift it from its intended handle. duct cleaning equipment reviews

Look for a power switch that's mounted high on the unit to avoid bending. DO: Check out the "minor" details.best vacuum cleaners for carpet and tile "If it's a bagless, compare its bin size to that of other models. Look for a brush on/off switch if you have bare floors, suction control if you'll be vacuuming drapes. And before buying either a bagged or bagless model, look up the price of the bags and filters. Some filters just need washing out, not replacing, but there's often more than one." DO: Buy a vacuum that works with your lifestyle. "We test for pet-hair pickup and find that some models do very well at getting up what their pet sheds without the hair wrapping around the brush. Neither uprights nor canisters have the edge there. For apartment dwellers, the size of the unit matters a lot. If you have lots of carpets, we recommend bagged uprights since they tend to have the best airflow and suction.

If you don't want to lug around an upright and also maybe vacuum stairs a lot, consider a canister. And for general pickup of spilled dry items and dust, many people also have hand, stick and even robotic vacs--though you can't count on them for deep-cleaning." DON'T: Get hung up on the pricey models. "Our best models are often not the most expensive. And occasionally, a very inexpensive model scores highly, like the Hoover WindTunnel T-Series UH30300, priced at $140 and the Panasonic MC-CL935, which goes for $330. DON'T: Forget that it's all about HOW you use the vacuum. "There are a few ways to vacuum "wrong." Never vacuum water or even a wet floor; use a wet/dry vac instead. Change your bag or empty your bin promptly; it affects available airflow. Ditto for the filters; inspect them every couple of months. If you vacuum up something big like a sock, turn the vacuum off right away--besides blocking airflow, you could break the belt, which is there to protect the motor.

And if you vacuum a bare floor like wood or laminate and don't turn off the brush (or don't have a brush on/off switch), you'll wear away that floor's finish over time." DO: Get to know your machine. "Usually there's at least a crevice tool (for edges and tight places), a bristled brush for furniture, and one or two extension wands. Some vacuums also have rubber-bristled brushes for picking up pet hair from furniture without static." DON'T: Expect your vacuum to last forever. "We've seen recent EPA figures of 5-8 years, but we think people replace their vacuums more often than that." You know a vacuum is ready to be replaced "when it either will not start, or it starts, but no longer picks [anything] up. [Provided you've checked that] hoses and other points of airflow are neither damaged nor clogged, the brush roll is not jammed up or filters don't need replacing, and the bag or bin isn't full. In other words, if you're properly maintaining the vac and it still won't pick up, it's time to at least get it looked at--perhaps replaced.

DO: Take note of these top models. Buying A Vacuum Vacuum Cleaners Vacuums Carpet Cleaning VacuumThe vacuum cleaner market is filled with a variety of types, brands and technologies but when it comes to looking at vacuum cleaner types there are 3 main categories: upright, cylinder and cordless. This guide focuses on upright vacuum cleaners. Why choose an upright vacuum cleaner: While upright vacuums offer a number of advantages, there are also some downsides: So our advice: choose an upright vacuum if you have a medium to large size house with many carpeted rooms. For smaller homes, a cylinder or cordless model will be sufficient. Thankfully, vacuum cleaner features are relatively straightforward and the comparison guide further below should help you compare the leading models. The key features to look for are: As of 1st September 2014, all corded upright and cylinder vacuum cleaners are required to have an Eco label (similar to other household electrical appliances) that show their cleaning and energy efficiency along with a number of other ratings.

All corded vacuum cleaners are allocated an “A” (best) to “G” (worse) score for each rating. We have not included the new energy ratings in our comparison table as most of the models we considered had an A or B score for carpet and energy efficiency. Dyson and Vax are two very popular brands when it comes to upright vacuum cleaners. They both do exactly the same job but the Dyson models will cost you at least £200,whereas a Vax machine can be yours for less than £100. Dyson was the first manufacturer to introduce the “cyclonic” bagless upright vacuum cleaner in the early nineties. The main benefit of these machines was they never lost suction like traditional vacuums did as their dust bags became full. Since then however many manufacturers have launched similar vacuums to the Dyson, while the Dyson range has been constantly updated and improved. When it comes to design, the Dyson machines still look very good but when considering features and specifications though there is little to compare the Dyson and Vax machines.

To help you choose between a Vax or Dyson vacuum cleaner we have compiled the comparison table below of the bestselling models. We then review the top sellers from both Vax and Dyson. Not only is the Vax Air Reach (model Reach U90-MA-Re) the most popular Vax upright vacuum it’s also currently the bestseller on Amazon.co.uk, and it’s not hard to see why. Although the Air Reach has an RRP of £280, it’s typically on offer for around £100. The Reach is part of Vax’s Air range and offers multi-cyclonic technology to provide excellent cleaning performance. The Reach can be used on both carpets and hard floors and achieves an “A” pickup rating for both these floor surfaces. The Vax Air Reach is also around 1kg lighter than similar Dyson models while still having a comparable 1.5 litre dust bin capacity. This particular Reach model also comes with an additional 2.3m hose, making stair vacuuming incredibly easy. The Vax Air Reach is also supplied with a “Turbo Tool” hand accessory that is designed to make picking up hairs easier.

If you can purchase this upright vacuum cleaner for around £100 then it makes a great value-for-money buy! The most popular Dyson upright vacuum cleaner has an RRP of £350 but typically retails for around £230, so a whopping £130 more than the Vax Air Reach. Although the Vax and Dyson are similar in many respects the Dyson has some unique features that go some way to justifying the difference in price. The first is the swivel ball technology which allows you to move the Dyson DC40 easily around the room whilst also making it easy to get into tight spaces and under tables or beds. The DC40 also features a self-adjusting head that adjusts the height depending on the surface, so you can vacuum between carpet and hard floor surfaces without stopping. Another useful feature on this Dyson upright vacuum is the hand tool and hose that pulls out of the handle without having to fix any attachment to the hose; and it can reach up to 12 metres from the vacuum cleaner! Is it worth the extra money though?