How to Choose the Best Vacuum Cleaner

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By Sandra Mireles
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Choosing a vacuum cleaner

Choosing the right vacuum cleaner is important to your quality of life. Dust and mold are two of the most common causes of household allergies. Skin flakes, pet dander and mites get into your carpets where they stay irritating your allergies and bringing on attacks of sneezing and coughing that lead to upper respiratory infections.

There are three types of vacuum cleaners. They are upright vacuums, canister vacuums, and HEPA filter vacuum cleaners.

Read on to learn more about the different types of vacuum cleaners.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Good buyers guide
Know how your vacuum will be used
Decide on your personal preference about tools and equipment you choose

Step 1

Decide on the purpose for your VACUUM CLEANER. Do you have allergies? Do you have carpets and rugs in your home, or are the floors bare? Do you need a high quality infiltration system to remove dust, mold, and other allergens from your home? What type of equipment do you like to use? Do you want to push your vacuum in front of you or would you prefer to pull it along behind. Do you have stairs that must be VACUUMED or do you have a one-story home? These are important questions before you decide to buy.
Step 2

Set a budget and stick to it. How much does it cost? Some vacuum cleaners offer good value at moderate cost. Other vacuums are quite expensive pricing as high as $1000 or more. Do not be fooled into thinking that an expensive vacuum is a better choice than a cheaper model. Do your research before you buy. Check out BUYERS GUIDES and consumer opinion polls before you sink your money into your new vacuum!
Step 3

Research before you buy! There are three basic types of vacuum cleaners. You may choose an upright vacuum cleaner or a canister vacuum cleaner. HEPA filter vacuum cleaners have special filters made of glass that is formed into paper filters and sealed to trap mold, dust, dust mites, skin flakes, and other pollutants that get into your carpets and upholstery.
Step 4

Upright vacuum cleaner

Upright Vacuum Cleaner

The most powerful vacuum cleaner is the upright vacuum. An agitator covered with bristles beats the carpet and brings up ingrained dirt, dust and mold that initiate allergy attacks. Upright vacuum cleaners work better on carpet than wood or tile floors. Most upright vacuum cleaners come with attachments.

Although the upright vacuum cleaner is powerful and removes all types of dirt and dust mites from the carpet, the bag is not sealed so dust can get out through the exhaust. This defeats the purpose of removing pollutants from your home. You cannot use an UPRIGHT VACUUM CLEANER to get under furniture or other hard reach areas.
Step 5

Canister vacuum cleaner

Canister Vacuum Cleaner

Canister vacuums make it easy to clean under furniture, drapes, stairs and other small cluttered spaces. Although canister vacuum cleaners may not be as powerful as upright vacuum cleaners, they do a good job removing pollutants from your home. Canister vacuums come with attachments. and do a better job on wood or tile floors.

Canister vacuum cleaners may cost more than upright vacuum cleaners. Canister vacuums will pick up most dirt, dust and mold in your home. All canister vacuum cleaners do not have sealed vacuum cleaner bags and allow dust and mold particles back into the air defeating the purpose of removing allergens from your home.
Step 6

HEPA Filter Vacuum cleaner

HEPA Filter Vacuum System

HEPA canister vacuum cleaners offer added protection against dirt and mold that get into your carpets. A HEPA infiltration system traps dust particles and keeps them in the bag. The HEPA filter is made from thin fibers of glass that are formed into paper that traps the dust, mold, and other particles within the filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals, and are recommended by most doctors. The HEPA filter offers a better solution to getting rid of dust and allergens that irritate your household allergies.

HEPA filters may offer different levels of protection. To be effective the HEPA filter must be 99.97 % for dust particles 0.3 microns or larger. Before you buy you need to check the percentage of the filter. You should choose a HEPA filter that meets the industry standard for trapping dust and pollens that irritate HOUSEHOLD ALLERGIES.
Step 7

There are many good vacuum cleaner products on the market but all of them are different and meet the needs of different customers. Establish your priority list and set a budget before buying your vacuum cleaner. A good vacuum cleaner is an investment in your home and your health. Make the right choice for your family and lifestyle!

Comments

kristara said

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on 5/8/2009 Great tips on choosing the best vacuum cleaner! 5*

ho1969 said

on 4/16/2009 I wish I had this article on How to Choose the Best Vacuum Cleaner a few years ago. I did not do my research very well and ended up with an overpriced model that was soon discontinued and is very pricey to repair. Thanks for the tips.

1GoGetter said

on 4/4/2009 Check with a cleaning service and ask for their recommendation. I bought a major brand, mid-priced vacuum 3 years ago and have had no complaints about its performance except when it breaks down. :( Your article does a good job of explaining how to choose a vacuum. 5*