Important features Vacuum cleaners
FOR UPRIGHTS AND CANISTERS
A top-of-the-line upright might provide a wider cleaning path, have a HEPA filter, and a full-bag indicator.
Typical attachments include crevice and upholstery tools, along with extension wands for reaching high places. A full-bag alert can help prevent an overstuffed bag from reducing cleaning ability. Canister vacs often have a power nozzle that cleans carpets more thoroughly than a simple suction nozzle. Suction-control lets you reduce airflow for drapes and other delicate fabrics. A brush on/off switch helps prevent thrown debris when vacuuming bare floors; some uprights automatically stop the brush when the handle is in the up position. Most canisters and a few uprights have a retractable cord that rewinds with a tug or push of a button. A manual pile-height adjustment can improve cleaning by letting you match the height of the vacuum to the carpet pile better than systems that adjust automatically.
Bagless vacs trade the usual bag for a see-through bin, though emptying them can raise enough dust for concern even if you don't have allergies. A self-propelled mode takes the push out of some uprights but tends to add weight. Some vacuums have a HEPA filter, which may benefit someone with asthma. But many with conventional filters perform just as well. A dirt sensor tells you when the concentration of dirt particles in the air stream reaches a certain level. But it signals only that the vac is no longer picking up dirt, not whether there's dirt left in your rug. Some brands also push microfiltration, which typically uses a bag with smaller pores or a second electrostatic filter. But how much dust a vacuum emits depends as much on its overall design as its filter. With some uprights, dirt sucked into the machine passes through the blower fan before entering the bag, which can damage the plastic fan used on most models; others filter dirt through the bag before it reaches the fan.
FOR CENTRAL VACS
Midpriced accessory kits typically include an electrically powered cleaning head—a must for carpets—as well as a floor brush, crevice tool, upholstery brush, dusting brush, and extension wands. Spending more buys more tools, a premium powerhead, and a longer hose. Some include a sound-deadening muffler installed in the exhaust air pipe near the base unit (you can add it to others for about $20 or so). Most have a suction switch that lets you turn the vacuum on and off at the wand.
FOR UPRIGHTS AND CANISTERS
A top-of-the-line upright might provide a wider cleaning path, have a HEPA filter, and a full-bag indicator.
Typical attachments include crevice and upholstery tools, along with extension wands for reaching high places. A full-bag alert can help prevent an overstuffed bag from reducing cleaning ability. Canister vacs often have a power nozzle that cleans carpets more thoroughly than a simple suction nozzle. Suction-control lets you reduce airflow for drapes and other delicate fabrics. A brush on/off switch helps prevent thrown debris when vacuuming bare floors; some uprights automatically stop the brush when the handle is in the up position. Most canisters and a few uprights have a retractable cord that rewinds with a tug or push of a button. A manual pile-height adjustment can improve cleaning by letting you match the height of the vacuum to the carpet pile better than systems that adjust automatically.
Bagless vacs trade the usual bag for a see-through bin, though emptying them can raise enough dust for concern even if you don't have allergies. A self-propelled mode takes the push out of some uprights but tends to add weight. Some vacuums have a HEPA filter, which may benefit someone with asthma. But many with conventional filters perform just as well. A dirt sensor tells you when the concentration of dirt particles in the air stream reaches a certain level. But it signals only that the vac is no longer picking up dirt, not whether there's dirt left in your rug. Some brands also push microfiltration, which typically uses a bag with smaller pores or a second electrostatic filter. But how much dust a vacuum emits depends as much on its overall design as its filter. With some uprights, dirt sucked into the machine passes through the blower fan before entering the bag, which can damage the plastic fan used on most models; others filter dirt through the bag before it reaches the fan.
FOR CENTRAL VACS
Midpriced accessory kits typically include an electrically powered cleaning head—a must for carpets—as well as a floor brush, crevice tool, upholstery brush, dusting brush, and extension wands. Spending more buys more tools, a premium powerhead, and a longer hose. Some include a sound-deadening muffler installed in the exhaust air pipe near the base unit (you can add it to others for about $20 or so). Most have a suction switch that lets you turn the vacuum on and off at the wand.
