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Vacuum Cleaner Buying Guide
We know it’s not the most enjoyable way to spend a Sunday afternoon, but with the right tool, you can clean floors without the faff. This guide makes sense of all the latest tech, so you can pick a vacuum that’ll help you clean quicker… and relax for longer.
Things to Know
The cleaning’s in the bag
Bagged vacuums have a bigger capacity and are great at keeping dust and allergens contained – both when you’re cleaning the house and emptying them. If you don’t want to keep replacing the bags though, a bagless model will suit you to a tee. They’re also transparent, so you can see exactly when they’re full – just be careful when you’re emptying as they can be messier.
Fill it up
Vacuum cleaner capacity lets you know how much dust it can hold to save you some trips to the bin. Cordless and handheld vacs hold less because they need to be compact and portable, whereas larger models like corded uprights and cylinders hold that bit more, making them ideal for bigger spaces.
Vacuums on the run
How long each vacuum can run on a single charge varies by type. Cart your cordless model to any room in the house with 15 to 120 minutes of run time. Kick back and let a robot vac do the hard work for 90 to 300 minutes - some can even automatically recharge and resume. For cleaning without time limits, a corded model does the trick. And handheld vacuums are made for quick jobs, so they work for 10 to 40 minutes. Bear in mind that the settings you use can also affect the run time. Popping on turbo mode uses more power than the standard vacuum function.
Vacuums have the power
The power level on a vacuum cleaner is measured by suction strength and the motor wattage. Upright vacuums have the most consistent and powerful suction, so they’re great for deep cleaning. Cordless models are made to be portable, so they’ve got slightly less suction power than corded – especially when you use settings like eco mode. Robot and handheld vacs are all about convenience, so their power level is usually lower too. Whether you’ve got a bagless or bagged model makes a difference as well. Bagged vacs maintain a more consistent power level as they fill, while bagless ones can lose power if they’re not regularly emptied.
Time to weigh things up
The weight of each model depends on the type of vacuum you’ve got. Larger corded models usually weigh more, making them less easy to manoeuvre and cart up the stairs – but they make up for it with extra power. If you want a mix of power and portability, cylinder vacuums are usually lighter than upright models. Cordless and handheld vacs are designed to be lightweight for quick tasks like cleaning up crumbs or giving each room a quick spruce. When you’re picking your next vacuum cleaner, consider what you need most to make your chore routine easier.
Essential Features
Above Floor Cleaning
Cover all your bases with a vacuum that converts from an upright model to portable. In one quick movement, you can detach the head to swap from giving your floors a clean sweep to tackling the stairs and small spaces. How's that for a two in one?
Allergy Care
Combat any allergens floating around your home with an allergy-friendly vacuum. These models collect dust, pollen, and pet dander, trapping it inside the machine with clever filters and extra-strong suction.
Automatic Floor Sensing
Seamlessly vacuum the whole house with automatic floor sensing tech making it a breeze. It can detect when you vacuum different surfaces, adjusting the suction power and brush roll speed to suit.
Automatic Mixing System
Carpet cleaners with an automatic mixing system use two separate tanks to combine the perfect amount of water and cleaning solution, so you can tackle marks and stains that bit easier.
Detangling Technology
Vacuums with detangling technology don't get anything in a twist. This clever feature has specially designed bristles, combs, or mechanisms that separate and remove hair, so it won't clog up and limit your vacuum's performance.
Easy Clean
After you've just vacuumed the house, the last thing you want is loads of faff emptying it. Some models have clever tech to make tipping the dust in the bin less of a pain.
Edge Cleaning
Get wall-to-wall cleaning with a edge technology. These vacuums are made to get right up to your walls, corners, and skirting boards with side brushes, edge suction, and flexible designs that let you get up close.
Flexible Cleaning
Vacuums with flexible cleaning adapt to reach every tricky area. From under the sofa to hard-to-reach corners, you won't struggle to get the vac wherever it needs to go.
Floor Mapping Technology
Robot vacuums use floor mapping tech to create maps and routes of your home, so it can clean up effectively. Its clever tech scans each room, planning a path that covers every corner and busts all that dust.
Floor Mop
What's better than having a robot vacuum cleaning up your home? Letting it mop up too. Some models have an attachment that lets the vac mop hard floors as it removes dust and debris. Smart, that.
Includes Accessory Tools
Some vacuum cleaners come with specific tools to suit a variety of tasks, helping you get the whole house spick and span in no time. The more accessories your model comes with, the more versatile its cleaning ability.
LED Headlights
Spot every speck of dust with a vacuum that has LED headlights. They light up the floor ahead, showing every bit of dirt and fluff, so you'll always know you've got the lot.
Object Recognition
Object recognition categorises different obstacles to help your robot vacuum respond to them correctly. That means it won't get tangled up in any stray cables as it cleans your house.
Pet Hair Removal
Some vacuums are specifically designed to take care of pet hair and dander. Look out for models with specialised features to combat pet fur, like powerful suction, anti- tangle brushes, and pet tool attachments for a thorough clean that'll give fluff the boot.
Sensor-controlled Clean
Let your sensor-controlled vacuum take the lead. It'll detect any extra mess and adjust the settings to suit - that means when you're cleaning up a particularly mucky area, it'll ramp up the suction without you needing to change a thing.
Smart Connected
Smart-connected vacuums let you connect them to your phone with Bluetooth or WiFi, so you can control them remotely. This gives you access to a ton of features from setting cleaning schedules on a robot vacuum to monitoring and optimising the performance of cordless models.
Stain Removal
Vacuum cleaners with stain-removing features combine strong suction power with extra cleaning tech to remove stubborn marks, no problem.
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FAQs
- How long do vacuum batteries last?
How long a vacuum cleaner battery lasts depends on a few things. Maintenance plays a key part, as long as you look after it and occasionally run it down to empty, it should last several years. It can also vary between manufacturers. Replacement batteries or repairs might also be available for some models.
- How long do vacuum cleaner batteries last per charge?
How long your vacuum battery lasts depends on the brand, the type of vacuum you have, and how it’s used. Cordless models tend to last anywhere between 15 and 40 minutes per charge, but if you use boost settings, it’ll run out quicker.
- Do you really need a HEPA filter vacuum?
HEPA filter vacuums are great for people with allergies or breathing conditions as they improve the air quality by trapping particles that can trigger asthma or allergies. They’re even good at stopping pet dander in its tracks, so you can breathe easy.
- Is 700W enough for a vacuum cleaner?
A 700W vacuum cleaner is fine for hard flooring, but you might want a more powerful model for carpets. A good wattage for a vacuum cleaner is typically 1000 Watts or higher.
- Which Dyson stick is the most powerful?
Some clever vacuum cleaners have WiFi so you can use smart features on them. For robot vacuum cleaners, it’s really helpful to have it connected to the internet so you can use it remotely, set schedules, and get software updates. Some models even give you cleaning reports or send pictures from the cleaning route.
- How many years should a Dyson last?
If you look after your Dyson vacuum cleaner, it should last around 10 years or more. Check out the manufacturer recommendations for your model to prolong its lifespan
- What is the best vacuum for extreme pet hair?
There are loads of vacuum cleaners that are designed to pick up pet hair, so look out for models that have pet hair tools or extra boost settings to get fluff out of your carpets and furniture
- How does Shark anti hair wrap work?
Shark Anti Hair Wrap tech features a bristle guard and comb to stop hair from clogging up the vacuum’s brush roll. This combined with powerful suction makes sure everything runs smoothly.
- What are the sensors used in a vacuum cleaner?
Different vacuum cleaners use different sensors to detect floor types, dust particles, and even obstacles. Robot vacuum cleaners have the most sensors to make sure they don’t bump into furniture and can map your home effectively.
- Can vacuum cleaner remove stains?
Vacuum cleaners are designed to pick up dry particles like dust, allergens, and hair that collects in your home. Some robot vacuums come with a mop function, so these models can get light marks out of hard floors. But if you need a stain removing from fabrics or carpets, it’s worth looking at carpet cleaners.
- How to vacuum when you have allergies?
If you suffer with allergies, we recommend vacuuming more often so the dust particles don’t build up as much. If you’re really sensitive, you might want to wear gloves and a mask when you empty the vacuum cleaner to make sure you’re not exposed to more allergens than usual. Also, look out for vacuums with HEPA filters as they’re really good at trapping all the hidden nasties.
