Are you pulling your hair out because there seem to
be more vacuum cleaner models than floors to use them
on? Never fear! The KHounds are here to help you make
sense of it all.
For starters, get a vacuum designed for your mix of
carpeting and flooring. If you have lots of flooring
to vacuum, look for models with floor attachments that
use brushes and/or uprights with metal bottom plates.
Make sure that the height can be set low enough and
that the plate, wheels and so on won't scratch your
flooring.
For carpets, make sure the vacuum has enough suction
power, especially with deep pile styles. On the other
hand, there's no need for an energy hog if the situation
just doesn't call for it. Make sure the height can be
adjusted high enough for your needs.
If you or other persons in your household have long
hair, get a vacuum that has a stainless steel brush
roller with ball bearings. In general, metal components
are better than plastic ones. Of course, they also make
the unit heavier.
If keeping dust out of the air is one of your goals
(and it should be), choose a bag model over a bagless
one. Look for an after motor "true HEPA
filter" in a "sealed system". Be aware
that there's no standard that sealed models must meet.
If possible (and especially if you suffer from asthma),
test air-tightness for yourself. One way is to vacuum
for a bit with a floor model and then see how much dust
has collected on the outside of the unit.
Try assembling and disassembling the attachments before
you buy. Make sure that they're easy to assemble, that
they stay together and are airtight during use, and
that you can still disassemble them with a minimum of
effort.
Check the height of the fully assembled attachments
to ensure that you won't be stooping or holding your
arm up in the air to use them. Don't be dazzled by an
array of attachments. Think about what you really need
and aim for that.
Make sure that the power switch, height level controller
and any other controls are easy to access and use. They'll
need to be sturdy, especially if you'll be using your
foot to operate them.
Make an inventory of all the parts that will require
replacement, how often the replacement should occur
and how much it will cost you annually. For example,
many units will need a filter, after-filter, bag and
maybe even belt replacements within a year's time or
less.
When making comparisons, compare apples to apples.
The best floor sweeper in the world won't do as good
a job as the worst vacuum cleaner, and an upright vacuum
will handle differently than a canister. Cordless models
won't match the power of one that plugs into the wall.
Don't let fancy demonstrations cloud your ability to
critically judge a product.
There are many, many vacuum cleaner models on the market.
After speaking with several vacuum experts, we've put
together a list of brands that they agree warrant your
consideration:
Air Storm
Lindhaus
Miele
Nilfisk
Panasonic
Rainbow
Riccar
Samsung
Sharp
Simplicity
and some Kirby and Hoover models
Some of these machines can get quite expensive. If
your budget is tight, be sure to take a look in the
local classifieds, at online auctions and, most importantly,
in the yellow pages for vacuum repair stores in your
area. Most carry refurbished units.
You may be able to find the right model for a fraction
of its original cost. Make sure there's some kind of
warranty, so that you can return a defective machine
if need be.
If you need user reviews of a specific model, try Epinions.
Scroll down for ratings.
Now go suck up some dirt!... with your new vacuum cleaner,
of course. ;)
