10 Tips to Consider Before Buying a Vacuum Cleaner

Buying a vacuum cleaner may seem like it would be straightforward. But a quick online search of the best vacuum cleaners for sale brings up a ton of results. You soon realize that choosing the ideal vacuum to buy is trickier than you first thought. In this article we look at 10 things that you should consider when purchasing a vacuum cleaner.

Best Vacuum First, you need to pick between upright vacuums, canister-type cleaners, or stick vacuums. But then you may be tempted to purchase a robotic vacuum. After that, you must consider the type of flooring, if you want a bag less model, and one with a high-efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA).

On top of all that, you still must consider noise levels, ease of use, weight, and affordability. All these factors are vital if you want to purchase the perfect vacuum for your needs.

This article is a comprehensive guide to buying the best vacuum cleaner. You will find handy tips on what to consider before you invest in a high-quality home appliance. At the end of this guide, you will have a better idea of which vacuum is ideal for keeping your home spotless.

If you are asking: “what do I need to know before buying a vacuum cleaner?” then please read on to discover some answers.

What You Need to Know Before Buying a Vacuum Cleaner

Before purchasing any type of vacuum, you should consider a few things. These considerations are the floor surfaces in your home, vacuum performance, and ease of use. After all, you buy a vacuum to make your housework easier, not more difficult.

What do you need to know before buying a vacuum? Here are ten essential things to consider when choosing your next home cleaning appliance.

1. Consider the Type of Carpet or Floors to Vacuum

The first consideration when deciding on your next vacuum is the type of flooring. Generally, upright vacuum cleaners are better for cleaning carpets. Canister-style vacuums are better for hardwood or tile flooring. However, it’s also vital to consider if you need to vacuum a staircase because canister vacuums are more suited to those areas.

Typically, most homes have a combination of carpeted floors, vinyl plank floors and hardwood floors. In this case, there are some excellent choices of canister-style vacuums or stick type vacuums. Some of the best models have motorized floor nozzles for cleaning deep-pile carpets. Then various other attachments make cleaning hardwood floors or stairs a breeze.

2. Choose a Vacuum Cleaner with the Best Performance

A vacuum cleaner’s performance determines how easy or difficult it is to suck up dust, dirt, and debris. Its performance depends on several factors, including airflow, type of motor, filters, and kind of power head. The best vacuum models have strong airflow with various suction adjustments.

Here are some handy tips on how to measure a vacuum cleaner’s performance:

  • Airflow—This is the amount of air flowing through the vacuum and is rated in cubic feet per minute (CFM). The larger the airflow, the better the cleaning power.
  • Water lift—This measurement tells you the real suction power of the vacuum. A vacuum with a high-water lift will pick up larger debris easier.

3. Consider Footfall, the Types of Dirt, and Pet Hair

Before choosing the right vacuum cleaner, it’s vital to consider the amount of dirt that typically needs cleaning. Areas with high footfall require a powerful vacuum with a large capacity. Also, if you have pets, take into account that the bag or tank will quickly fill up.

Generally, upright vacuums and canister-type models are excellent for high-traffic areas. If you just need light maintenance cleaning on hard floors, then a robot vacuum or stick vacuum is perfect for the task.

4. Buy Vacuum Cleaners with a Filter if Someone has Allergies

Filters on vacuums stop contaminants going back into your household air. A vacuum with a HEPA filter is ideal if anyone has allergies as it captures microscopic particles. This means that the air leaving the vacuum is cleaner and free of allergens.

If you have pets, buying a vacuum with a charcoal filter will help remove odors from rooms.

It’s good to remember that extra filtration on vacuum cleaners increases maintenance. HEPA filters can get clogged up quickly, especially if there’s a lot of dirt to clean. Additionally, quality HEPA filters can restrict airflow.

5. Purchase the Best Quality Vacuum Cleaner Depending on your Budget

Stick VacuumBudget is an important consideration when buying a quality vacuum cleaner. For a decent vacuum, you should expect to spend between $150 and $200. Cheaper vacuums under $50 usually have weak airflow, low suction, and break easily. However, many variables can affect the price.

For example, cordless stick vacuums will be more expensive than corded ones, especially if you want good battery life. Robotic vacuums are easy to use, but high-end ones with smartphone connections are more expensive than entry-grade models. The price of canister-style vacuums depends on the number and type of attachments you get.

6. Ease of use is a Factor to Consider

The type of vacuum best suited for your needs also depends on weight. If you need to carry it around a lot, you should opt for a lightweight stick or canister vacuum. However, it’s good to remember that lighter vacuums may have less power than sturdier, canister or upright models.

Remember that ease of use isn’t all about weight. Upright vacuums can have difficulty cleaning hard-to-reach places, even with the hose attachments. Canister-style vacuums and stick vacuums are easier to clean under furniture, stairs, or tight corners. Robotic vacuums do the cleaning themselves, but they generally only do light cleaning.

Also, corded vacuums are limited to the length of cable, whereas cordless models can go everywhere. This means you can also use cordless vacuums to clean your car or any other area where there’s no electrical outlet.

7. Consider How Easy Vacuum Cleaner Maintenance is

After the initial costs of buying a high-quality vacuum, you need to consider maintenance time and cost. Maintaining a vacuum requires emptying the bag or canister, cleaning and replacing filters, and cleaning the brush roll.

What are the differences between maintaining different types of vacuum cleaners? Here are a few things to consider before buying a vacuum:

  • Bagless vs. bagged—Bagless vacuums typically need emptying after every few cleans. You also need to clean filters regularly to maintain airflow.
  • Roller brush head vs. only suction—Brush heads with roller mechanisms tend to clog up with hair. In contrast, suction-only models don’t have this issue. However, vacuums with rollers are better for cleaning deep-pile carpets.
  • Cordless vs. corded vacuum—The performance of cordless vacuums depends on the charge in the battery. Although you can go anywhere, you are limited by the battery life.

8. What Attachments Come With the Vacuum Cleaner?

After considering the areas you need to clean in your home, you should decide what attachments you require. Upright vacuums and canister-type vacuums typically have hose attachments with various types of nozzles. If you buy a canister vacuum to clean carpets, make sure it has a powered turbo brush.

Vacuum AttachmentsHere are some examples of attachments that typically come with vacuum cleaners:

  • Mini turbo tool—This is a spinning brush bar and an ideal attachment for most canister vacuum cleaners.
  • Mattress and upholstery tools—These vacuum attachments have short, firm bristles that help clean dust and skin cells from mattresses and soft furnishings.
  • Up-top tools— These are flexible wands that help clean high, hard-to-reach places.
  • Pet grooming tool—Perfect to remove dirt and debris from your pet’s coat.
  • Car cleaning nozzle—For cordless and corded vacuums, a wedge-shaped nozzle will help keep your car’s interior spotless.
  • Dusting brush—The long bristles on vacuum cleaner dusting brushes are perfect for gently dislodging dust from lampshades, baseboards, air vents, and window screens.

9. Vacuum Cleaner Noise

Vacuum cleaner noise levels are another consideration when looking for the ideal appliance. Some vacuums are extremely noisy, whereas others are quiet as a whisper. While noise levels don’t always reflect performance, they can make vacuuming an unpleasant experience—for you, your family, and pets.

Upright vacuums tend to be noisier than canister-style ones. Most stick vacuums are relatively quiet; however, they don’t have as good suction as canister vacuums and upright models.

Generally, it’s best to avoid choosing a vacuum with decibel readings over 80dB. Anything between 70dB and 80dB should be acceptable for general household cleaning.

10. Bag or Bagless — Which Vacuum Cleaner is Best?

For most consumers, buying a vacuum with or without a bag is the top consideration. What is the difference between a bagged and bagless vacuum?

Bagged vacuums usually are cleaner and easier to maintain. There is no need to touch any dirt when emptying the appliance. All you have to  do is throw the bag in the trash. The dust bag also acts like a filter which helps extend the life of your vacuum cleaner.

Bagless vacuum cleaners don’t require purchasing dust bags. But it’s good to remember that you need to empty them fairly regularly to keep good airflow. Also, the filters in bagless models tend to clog up faster and require regular cleaning.

What to Consider Before Buying a Vacuum Cleaner — In Conclusion

Choosing the best vacuum doesn’t have to be too challenging. It is vital to think about what kind of flooring you have, the vacuum cleaner’s performance, and if you want a bagged or bagless model. When you know what you need from your vacuum cleaner, you can look for the best one that fits your budget.