What Is a Cyclonic Vacuum Cleaner?

A vacuum cleaner is an essential household appliance that is used to keep our homes clean and tidy. However, with so many different types and models available, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one. One popular type of vacuum cleaner is the cyclonic vacuum cleaner, which is known for its powerful suction and ability to capture even the smallest particles. In this article, we will explore what a cyclonic vacuum cleaner is, how it works, and its benefits and drawbacks, so that you can decide if it is the right choice for your home cleaning needs.

A Cyclonic vacuum cleanerIf you are in the search of a vacuum cleaner, you must have come across words such as

  • cyclone technology
  • cyclonic separation
  • wind tunnel technology

This class of vacuum cleaners has gained a lot of popularity in the last few years, which is why most homeowners are going for these vacs.

What Is A Cyclonic Vacuum Cleaner?

Cyclonic vacuum cleaners are vacs that use cyclonic technology to separate dust and dirt from the air. Instead of using a dirt bag to trap the dirt, this technology pulls all the dirt into a canister.

To gain a better understanding, let’s briefly talk about the regular vacuum cleaners

How does a regular bagged vacuum cleaner work?

A regular bagged vacuum cleaner has a bag where all the dust and other dirt are trapped. The dirty air passes through the bag where all the dirt is trapped before the air is released into the room again.

There are different types of bags for different types of vacuums such as C, D, E, F, J, K, G, and U.

While bagged vacuum cleaners are very effective, they have some common downsides.

  • You will have to keep on replacing the bag
  • As the bag gets filled with dirt, the vacuum tends to get less effective
  • Most of these bags are not Eco-friendly

That’s where cyclonic vacuum cleaners come in

How do cyclonic vacuum cleaners work?

As I mentioned earlier, cyclonic vacuum cleaners use cyclonic technology to separate dust and dirt from the air, instead of using a bag.

What is cyclonic technology?

This is a separation principle that uses centrifugal forces to extract dirt from the air. The dirt air is directed into a cyclone with a fast-spinning vortex. The centrifugal force then separates the dirt from the air.

To understand centrifugal force, imagine you put marbles in a container and spin it around very fast. As you spin the container, the marbles will rise and eventually fall out of the container. This happens because of the centrifugal force.

That’s how the separation of dirt happens in a cyclonic vac.

Over the years this technology has improved. The design and number of cyclones in the model vary from one brand to another, as a way for brands to differentiate their models.

The different types of cyclonic technologies include

  • Single-cyclone technology

This is when the vacuum has only one cyclone where the dirt air is spun to separate the dust and dirt from the air.

  • Dual-cyclone technology

These are models with two cyclones to improve the filtration process.

  • Multi-cyclone technology

Today, most cyclonic vacs have multiple cyclones to improve the filtration process.

Some models have up to 30 cyclones. Brands also have different names for their cyclone technology. For instance, the Dyson Radial Root Cyclone™ technology

The History of Cyclonic Vacuum Cleaners

A Handheld Vacuum with Cyclonic TechnologyCyclonic technology was invented in the 1920s. In the vacuuming industry, the technology was only found in industrial vacuum cleaners.

In 1978, James Dyson observed that regular home vacuum cleaners were becoming less effective due to the dirt-bag getting clogged.

Inspired by the industrial cyclone tower vacuum, Dyson started looking for how to build a vacuum cleaner using the same principle.

In a span of five years, Dyson made over 5000 prototypes and eventually invented the first bag-less vacuum cleaner. The Dyson DC01 upright vacuum cleaner that was released in 1993.

That’s why the Dyson founder is regarded as the inventor of cyclonic vacuum technology.

Benefits of a cyclonic vacuum cleaner

Bagless

The key benefit of a cyclonic vacuum cleaner is that they are bag-less. This means you won’t keep on replacing these vacs as is the case with regular vacs. This also makes them cost-effective.

Better suction

Another key benefit of cyclonic vacs is that they have better suction. The main challenge with regular vacs is that the suction power tends to deteriorate as the bags get filled up.

This challenge was in fact the primary motivation why the first cyclonic vacuum cleaner was invented.

Easy to tell when the vacuum is full

Most cyclonic vacs have a transparent canister where the dirt is collected. This makes it easier to see when it’s full. This is usually a challenge with regular bagged vacuums.

They are Eco-friendly

One environmental concern with bagged hoovers is that the bags are not Eco-friendly since the bags end up in landfills. With cyclonic models, this is not a problem since they are bagless.

Downsides of Cyclonic Vacuum Cleaners

  1. Lady Emptying a vacuum cleanerEmptying the bagless vacuum is messy

Because the dirt is collected in a canister, emptying can be messy and some of the dust may be released back into the air if you are not careful.

Also, the user is exposed to dirt when they dispose of it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a multi cyclonic vacuum cleaner?

A multi-cyclonic vacuum cleaner is a model with multiple cyclones.

Are cyclonic vacuum cleaners more expensive?

Compared to some regular standard vacs, some cyclonic models are more expensive. However, there are many bagged and robot models that are more expensive than bagless models.

Are all bagless models, cyclonic models?

No, while all cyclonic vacs are bagless, not all bagless models use cyclonic technology. There are also a few cyclonic models that use bags.

Do all cyclonic vacs use filters?

Yes, all cyclonic vacs have filters. This is because not all of the dirt especially the super fine dust is extracted from the air in the cyclones. These filters filter all the dirt that does get trapped in the cyclones.

Because most of the dirt is left in the cyclones, the filters in these models don’t get as dirty as the ones in regular models.

How much do cyclonic vacuum cleaners cost?

The price of a cyclonic vacuum cleaner depends on the brand and the features.  A model from a top brand such as Dyson will cost more than a model from a fairly new brand. On average the price of a cyclonic hoover ranges between $300 and $1000.

Conclusion

In conclusion, cyclonic vacuum canisters offer many benefits over traditional vacuum cleaners.

These vacuums use cyclonic technology to separate dirt and dust from the air, which allows for more efficient cleaning and better air quality.

Unlike traditional vacuum cleaners that use replaceable or washable bags, cyclonic vacuum canisters don’t require frequent replacements. Additionally, the ability to trap smaller particles reduces allergens and improves air quality.

With their cleaning capabilities and convenience, cyclonic vacs are a smart choice for anyone looking to upgrade their cleaning routine.