Different Types of Vacuum Cleaners: A Thorough Guide for Buyers

You should ask yourself what kind of vacuum cleaner you need and why you need it, to ensure that you buy a vacuum cleaner that will not cost you more or even one that doesn’t help you achieve your desired goals. There are so many different types of vacuum cleaners available on the market today.

They come in different sizes, shapes, and colours. Moreover, they have different prices and functions. Choosing the best vacuum cleaner can sometimes be very difficult. That’s why we have researched the different kinds of vacuum cleaners that will fit your lifestyle and other kinds of situations.

This article will help you choose the best rated vacuum cleaners with the right vacuum types that will suit your home, whether it is a big or small apartment, whether the floor of your house is left bare or covered with a shaggy carpet, or even whether you have many pets and toys.

Using a vacuum cleaner while cleaning floor at home

Factors to Consider Before Buying a Vacuum Cleaner

There are so many factors that you need to keep in mind before buying a vacuum cleaner. The most important ones include:

●  Bagged vs bagless

The first and most important factor that you need to consider before buying a vacuum cleaner is whether the vacuum cleaner is bagged or bagless. Bagless vacuum cleaners will require you to clean them periodically and they require more filters. However, they will save on the cost of buying bags.

In addition, emptying the bag can sometimes be problematic, especially if you have allergies or asthma. You should always remember to empty bagless vacuum cleaners outside to avoid recontamination.

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●  Price of the cleaner

Another important factor to keep in mind before purchasing a vacuum cleaner is its price. Most people believe that the higher the price of a vacuum cleaner, the better the quality. However, this is not always the case. You should not assume that the more expensive vacuum cleaners are better than the cheap ones.

Always ensure that you buy a vacuum cleaner that provides the most benefits and is within your budget. You need to take your time, draw up a budget, and choose wisely to ensure you don’t overspend or underspend on a vacuum cleaner that will not meet your needs. A vacuum cleaner is an important investment that will part of your home for a very long time.

Bagless cyclone vacuum cleaner

●  Wet and dry vacuum

The second factor that you need to consider before buying a vacuum cleaner is whether the vacuum cleaner that you want to buy is a wet or dry vacuum cleaner. If you have higher incidences of spillage, then you will definitely need to buy a wet vacuum cleaner that has a waterproof can.

Dry vacuum cleaners, on the other hand, are not meant to be used on wet surfaces.

●  Purpose of the vacuum cleaner

Last but not least, it is important to determine the purpose for which you will be using your vacuum cleaner. Whether you’ll be using it to clean your house, office space, or even your car, different vacuum cleaners are designed to perform different tasks. Most of them are task-specific. You should always ensure that you know the purpose of your vacuum cleaner, then choose the one that aligns with your purpose.

Types of Vacuum Cleaners

Vacuum cleaners come in different shapes and types, each performing different functions. Here are the different types of vacuum cleaners that are available on the market today.

●  Handheld vacuums

Handheld vacuum cleaners are among the best types of vacuums that everyone should own. They appeared in the market for the first time in 1979. They are very small and are designed specifically to lightly and quickly clean surfaces that are hard to reach. You can also use these vacuums to clean upholstery and pet hair.

Young joyful man vacuuming a carpet with a handheld vacuum cleaner

Some handheld vacuums are even made in such a way that they can vacuum liquids. Moreover, the best thing about these vacuums is that they can be held with only one hand, as the name suggests. The versatility of these vacuums allows users to suction up debris and dirt in tight places such as the interior of cars.

In addition, they come in many different forms, each at a different price. These vacuums can be powered by batteries or even from a main power system. However, a handheld vacuum is not suitable for cleaning floors because it would take a lot of time to do so.

●  Canister/cylinder vacuums

Another type of vacuum cleaner is the canister vacuum cleaner. Canister vacuum cleaners have qualities of both stick models and upright models. They have a slender frame like stick vacuum cleaners but are very powerful just like upright vacuums. The dust collector and the motor are in separate units.

The hose does all the vacuuming and there are attachments at the end. Some of them have bags while others are bagless. Although canister vacuums are among the most expensive models, they are multifunctional and technologically forward. In addition, they have a long wand and can thus be used to clean and maintain bare floors, stairs, areas under the furniture, and carpeted areas.

Some canister vacuums are quieter, while others produce loud noise. The best thing about these vacuums is that they are much lighter than other vacuum cleaners, as they have separate powerheads. However, canister vacuums are very hard to squeeze into the closet because of the hose and wand configuration.

●  Upright vacuums

Yet another type of vacuum cleaner is the upright vacuum cleaner. They are sought-after forms and the most popular types of vacuums. They have tall handles and bodies. Moreover, they have a powerhead and many are battery-powered. Upright vacuums are very powerful.

There are two sub-variants: a dirty air fan, in which a large fan is mounted next to the suction opening and a bag allows the dust to pass through the fan, and a clean air fan, which has a fan after the bag. They are very easy to understand and use because almost everyone has used them. The good thing about these upright cleaners is that they provide settings that allow you to clean both bare floor and carpeted areas.

They are also very light and convenient, especially if you need to clean up a mess quickly. You don’t have to bend while using upright vacuums.However, most of them are noisy and their dirt bin capacity is very small.

Cleaning lady in black leggings cleans dust in an empty room using a cordless handheld vacuum with led lights on

●  Stick vacuums

Stick vacuums have long stick-like handles and bodies, just like the upright vacuums. They have a slender construction, making them easy to neatly tuck into any corner when not in use. They are also battery-powered and have powerheads. Stick vacuums are very lightweight and are best primarily when you want to clean a mess quickly or pick up litter on surfaces.

They also have a knack for cleaning light carpeting, hardwood floors, and small area rugs. You don’t necessarily have to bend over while using stick vacuums. However, you should note that stick vacuums are very noisy and are the least powerful of all the vacuum models. Their bins are also very small. Moreover, they are not suitable for cleaning carpets.

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●  Robotic/Autonomous vacuums

Another type of vacuum cleaner that will do the drudge work for you while you simply relax is the robotic vacuum. Robotic vacuums have become very popular in recent years because of the little effort required to do the cleaning. Even better, there are new models that you can simply operate and control by using an app on your smartphone.

Robotic vacuums will help you clean places that larger vacuums cannot reach and will therefore save you time. They can touch up between manual vacuuming sessions and regular vacuuming sessions, especially in an uncluttered room. Some models can easily find their way out of extension cords and tight spots while sucking up all the dirt, dust, and small messes in their way.

Some robotic vacuums can empty the dirt they collected and are made to recharge themselves. However, you should note that these robotic vacuums are not suitable for cleaning area rugs and shag carpets. They are also very expensive.

Robotic vacuum cleaner cleaning the room while woman relaxing on sofa

●  Central vacuums

Central vacuum cleaners are the easiest vacuums to use. They have only powerheads and hoses, and they have no vacuum body to push or pull along. The best thing about central vacuums is that they are relatively quiet and have large-capacity bins that won’t need to be emptied frequently.

Cleaning is done by connecting an attachment to the room which is to be cleaned. However, you should note that central vacuums require professional installation, as they are part of the building. They are also very expensive compared to other vacuums.

In addition, the hoses are very long; some measure up to 30 feet, which can make them cumbersome to wield. The hoses also require a lot of storage space. Unfortunately, there is not always a place to store your hoses while cleaning.

●  Drum vacuum cleaners

Drum vacuum cleaners look almost the same as canister vacuums; they are simply a heavy-duty version. They can either stand on wheels or use vertically positioned drums to stand. The best thing about drum vacuum cleaners is that most of them have a large bin capacity and, hence, can carry large amounts of dust without having to be emptied frequently.

Although most drum vacuum cleaners are very big in size and are connected to air compressors to create the venturi effect, there are also smaller versions that are suitable for use in small workshops and garages.

●  Wet and dry vacuum cleaners

Another type of vacuum cleaner that is available on the market today is the wet and dry vacuum. These are designed in a special and specific way such that they can clean both liquid or wet surfaces and dry surfaces at the same time without getting damaged. In addition, you can use them to clean both indoors and outdoors. The best thing about these vacuum cleaners is that their airflow can be reversed.

●  Cyclonic vacuum cleaners

Cyclonic vacuum cleaners do not use filters but, rather, use cyclonic separation to separate the dirt. While you clean your carpets or floor, the air that carries both dirt and dust enters the cyclonic vacuum cleaner. It then creates a vortex while hitting the walls of the cylinder. Under the influence of gravity and centrifugal force, the dust and dirt leave the cylinder.

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●  Backpack cleaners

The last type of vacuum cleaner that is available on the market today is the backpack vacuum cleaner. These are very small and most of them can be worn on the back. This will allow you to move faster while vacuuming, saving you the energy required to pull the machine behind you like other, bigger vacuum cleaners. These machines are mostly used for commercial cleaning purposes.

Conclusion

Many brands of vacuum cleaners are available on the market today. The most popular ones include Devil, Samsung, Dyson, Kenmore, and Shark. They also come in different shapes, designs, colours, and sizes. However, the most important thing is how well a vacuum cleaner cleans and fits your cleaning needs.