How to Compare the Suction of Upright Vacuum Cleaners

Upright vacuum cleaners come with a variety of attachments such as this round brush designed for dusting household surfaces.

Upright vacuums do not rely purely on suction to clean your carpets. They have beater bars and revolving brushes to loosen dirt which the suction then draws into the dust receptacle. However, they do rely on suction alone when the attachments are being used.

Watts and Air Watts

As a general rule of thumb, the higher a vacuum cleaner's wattage, the more powerfully it will draw up dust and dirt. However, its air wattage measurement is a more accurate way of gauging its strength of suction.

Minimum Air Wattage

Hoover, a company which has been manufacturing vacuums for many years, says on its website upright vacuums require a minimum air wattage of 100 to be effective.

Comparisons

Compare carefully the air wattages of different models before making any purchase. It's important to be completely satisfied the cleaner you choose will produce sufficient suction to cope with all your cleaning tasks. Brushes and beaters combined with suction will clean your carpets, but you need to ensure the suction on its own will prove equally efficient when it comes to using the upholstery nozzle on your living room suite or the dusting brush on your shelves and baseboards.

References

• Hoover: Upright Vacuum Air Wattage Details