Vacuum Cleaner Reviews – Start Your Search Here
Vacuum cleaner reviews – quick start guide
Best vacuum for hardwood floors
Miele Olympus S2120 Canister Vacuum Cleaner
This is probably one of the most common problems that people are trying to solve.
Hardwood floor vacuums need to be light and agile enough to not scratch your floors but also powerful enough to suck up everything in their path.
I have done some research and found the best models which offer the best compromise between price, power and effectiveness as well as providing general tips on the subject of buying the best vacuum to start with.
Dyson DC25 Animal Ball-Technology Upright Vacuum Cleaner
Close behind is the demand for a good pet hair vacuum cleaner. Most vacuums will pick up some of the pet hair but will leave the majority of it behind, either embedded in the carpet or by blowing it around the house.
Of course, we all have different needs when it comes to pet vacuum cleaners. Some people might only have one animal in the home and only need a light, hand-held model for casual use.
Others who love to let their dogs inside might need something more heavy duty.
Electrolux UltraSilencer Green Canister Vacuum Cleaner, EL6984A
Canister vacuum cleaners are generally smaller than their upright counterparts, so it makes sense that they are easier to maneuver and more agile around the home.
You would think that this would be a given, but unfortunately some canister vacuum cleaners are terribly uncoordinated, have cheap plastic wheels and short cords.
The best canister vacuum will be able to turn on the spot. Futhermore, it should be reasonably adept on all types of surfaces and have some useful attachments.
Hoover Platinum Lightweight Upright Vac UH30010COM
Many people will start their search for a vacuum cleaner here because the upright is quite a popular format to go with.
They tend to be more powerful than canister vacuums, but in most cases they are not as agile or as light. Therefore it is crucial to find an upright that can get under chairs and other furniture without too much hassle.
You also want something that can vacuum right to the very edge of your floors if possible and something with a wide cleaning path to get more cleaning done with every pass.
Eureka Hand-Held Vacuum, 71B
There are many small and hand-held vacuum cleaners available, which are best suited for those small odd-jobs around the home where you don’t want to have to deal with the hassle of getting your large vacuum out of the cupboard.
Obviously many people shy away from smaller vacuum cleaners because they believe them to be largely ineffective because of the fact that they are less powerful than their bigger brothers.
While this is largely true, there are some hand-held vacuum cleaners that do pack a punch in the power department and you will be pleasantly surprised.
Vacuum cleaner reviews – what to look for
Vacuum cleaners come in all shapes and sizes, so much so that it can be difficult to know which one you need and why. But help is at hand.
By looking through the vacuum cleaner reviews around the web, you can easily see which robotic, canister or any other type of vacuum cleaner is best to buy.
Now all that remains to do is guide you through the choices of the types of cleaner that may suit you.
To help you as best as we can we have split this down into 4 main sections. Each of these mini vacuum cleaner reviews will go through what the main consideration and uses are, along with a few tips and a couple of bestsellers we recommend.
Now you don’t have to completely trust us on this, so we highly recommend that you use the links to go and check them out and read the real customer vacuum cleaner reviews for each one carefully before making your choice.
Best Upright Vacuum Cleaner Reviews
An upright vacuum cleaner is exactly like it sounds. The most readily recognizable cleaners that our moms used to have, before technology changed so much. They are still much loved by many people for a few reasons and incredibly popular still.
First of all there is less back strain. As you move them around by the top of the upright handle, these vacuum cleaners don’t usually involve you bending over much. The broad sweeping movements and wide heads make the best upright vacuum cleaners a breeze to use, covering large areas of floor in double quick time.
Look for vacuum cleaner reviews that mention powerful motor so looking for an upright vacuum with a quiet motor is a big advantage.
What else do you look for in vacuum cleaner reviews?
- Anti-scuff bumper - It is a weakness of the upright that as you try and get as close to the edge of the floor as possible, you tend to rub along walls, furniture, doors, etc. This will stop marks being left where your contact with those surfaces. Also look for upright vacuum cleaners that can get to very edges of your floor without you having to use another tool.
- Lightweight - If you don’t get a pretty light upright vacuum cleaner, they can be a real monster to move around. In fact you will probably end up with a bad shoulder and take longer. There really is no reason for a vacuum to be heavy these days. Have a look at the Hoover UH30010COM if you want something light but don’t want to sacrifice performance.
- HEPA filter - again, there is hardly any reason why you wouldn’t expect all modern vacuum cleaners to have a HEPA filter. Such filters are important for regulating exhaust air quality and keeping dust and allergens out of the air. All but the very cheapest models will have them.
- Useful accessories – the best vacuum cleaners will not only come with a host of attachments, but a host of attachments that are actually useful. Upright vacuum cleaners in particular will have trouble getting to every nook and cranny.
So you get some nozzle attachment to help. Make sure there is a good range including crevice tool/nozzle, an upholstery fitting and a small head version of the one on the main vacuum (sometimes known as a turbo or power brush).
Also ensure the ‘wand’ hose to use them is a decent length. I have often used ones where they are too short and you might end up with a vacuum on top of you as it is pulled over. Check the upright vacuum cleaner reviews carefully for this.
Top Rated Upright Vacuum Cleaners
Okay on to the selections. The two that we have chosen today epitomize what you need to be looking for. They are light, powerful and well equipped as well as being great value for money.
Hoover WindTunnel T-Series Rewind Upright Vacuum, Bagless, UH70120 (right)
This is the top selling upright vacuum cleaner on Amazon.com. A 27 foot retractable cord copes with the largest rooms; there is a good selection of tools, a HEPA filter and for convenience a rinse clean filter.
The Hoover Wind Tunnel Technology claims to “…removes embedded dirt and minimizes blowback or scatter on carpet.”
Shark Navigator Upright Bagless Vacuum Cleaner, NV22L (below left)
This model sits just behind the Hoover in the best upright vacuum cleaners on Amazon. Again it is a bagless vacuum, meaning not spending money constantly on new bags.
It is slightly heavier than the Hoover by 2lb, but comes with a better set of tools and a 5 year limited warranty unlike Hoover’s two year one.
At the time of writing this nearly 83% of vacuum cleaner reviews rated this 4 stars or better. That is a pretty good endorsement and something which you should definitely note down.
What to look for in hand-held vacuum cleaner reviews
Hand-held vacuum cleaners are a different animal all together. You are not going to use these mini devices to clean your home top to bottom. That would take you forever.
What their main function will be is to be a handy emergency vacuum to get rid of those little spills here and there or minor drops of particles, like a bit of dirt from a shoe, without having to go to the trouble to get your main vacuum cleaner out. They are ideal for getting in tight spots as well as the insides of your car for a quick clean up.
So looking at their function, we can safely say that the best hand-held vacuum cleaners should be very light, portable and able to be used and maneuvered into tight spaces without being a strain or unwieldy. They have to pack a punch in the suction department as well to be at all useful.
Top buys in hand-held vacuums
If you have been online looking for a hand-held upright vacuum cleaner, then you might have seen a few options in your travels, but trying to weed out the best hand-held vacuum cleaners can seem like a big task.
So we have done the leg work for your. We have picked 2 of them which you can see below. Have a good look and go and have a look at the details so that you can compare the hand-held vacuum cleaners to find the better of the two for you.
The Eureka is a nice little cleaner, with a powerful 5.5 amp motor to generate ample amounts of suction. In fact it has a separate motor for suction, so that the power needed to rotate the brush doesn’t detract from that suction.
It is only 5lb, comes complete with a crevice tool and is one of the top rated hand held vacuum cleaners at the moment in all of the vacuum cleaner reviews.
Hoover S1120 Hand Held Wet/Dry Hand Vacuum Cleaner
One of the good cheap hand held vacuum cleaners. It is cordless and bagless, has the usual handy Hoover washable filter and weighs only a lightweight 3lb.
Being wet and dry it is ideal for around the house and kitchen, especially if you have little ones.
What to look for in robotic vacuum cleaner reviews
For those of you on a busy schedule, regular cleaning can be difficult at the best of times. A robotic vacuum cleaner could be the answer. Whilst not the be all and end all of vacuum cleaners these new technology vacuum cleaners.
They are a human free alternative to allow regular surface cleaning of rooms to keep the general dirt and hair levels down.
The best robotic vacuum cleaners can be programmed to clean at specified times and they are self navigating. They are not advisable in a room full of slightly raised furniture where they can get stuck and do require regular cleaning, but that is a 5 minute job.
As a hand free cleaner that will do a good job whether you are in or not they can be invaluable.
Top rated robotic vacuum cleaners
Evolution Robotics Mint Automatic Hard Floor Cleaner, 4200
A specialist robotic vacuum cleaner designed for those hard floor areas only. It is one of the best in its class and will run for 3 hours before needing another charge. It has no bins to empty and change and no filters, utilizing standard microfiber cloths making this a cheap solution.
The mapping system for navigating has been commented on in the vacuum cleaner reviews, as one of the most intuitive.
iRobot 560 Roomba Vacuuming Robot
This iRobot Roomba has been specially designed to cope with pet hair that many of us find builds up rapidly every day. By programming it to emerge and keep this down, a deep clean becomes and easy operation.
It is well equipped, with 2 bins, to facilitate sweeping on hard surfaces as well and is very reliable at what it does. When reviewed by customers at the time, this compact robotic vacuum was given at least 4 stars by over 80% of them.
What to look for in canister vacuum cleaner reviews
Canister vacuum cleaners are the little brothers to the upright vacuum cleaner. With a main portable power module, they usually lie on the floor and cleaning is carried out by using an extendable length of metal tube attached to the power and dirt collecting unit by a flexible plastic or rubber hose.
** UPDATED September 2011 – click here to view our best 5 canister vacuums!
The key when looking at the best canister vacuum cleaners is that the criteria can be similar to the uprights, such as power, noise levels and selection of tools. But in addition, you should be looking at the canister vacuum cleaner reviews for a couple of other pointers to.
Crucially, check how long that aluminum tube is, how many sections and how many of them are extendable. This will determine your reach, how flexible it is to cope with more cramped situations, and the strain on your back from bending over if you are very tall.
Capacity of the bags or bins if bagless may also sway your decision. A canister vacuum cleaner is great for house where rooms are smaller, or full of furniture, or where your storage space is limited as they are very compact.
Top rated canister vacuum cleaners
Electrolux UltraSilencer Green Canister Vacuum Cleaner, EL6984A
This Electrolux with bag canister vacuum boasts to be made of 55% recycled plastic materials, which is quite impressive if correct. It is quite light as well at 12 pounds.
But it carries a 2 year warranty and an impressive array of tools. It is a very quiet yet powerful vacuum and customers noted that it is amazingly quiet, has convenient controls and deals comfortably and efficiently with most dirt, dust and pet hairs. Three quarters of the canister vacuum cleaners reviews, in fact rated it at the full five stars so far. Read the full Electrolux EL6984A review here.
Eureka 3670G Mighty Mite Canister Vacuum
Another bagged canister vacuum, it weighs about the same as the Electrolux and seems to be very compact.
As a cheap canister vacuum cleaner it excels, with a reasonable set of tools, powerful suction and relatively low noise levels it passes most of the standard tests with flying colors with over 80% of customers at the moment giving it 4 stars and above.
Hopefully this has given you somewhere to start, best of luck in your search for the best vacuum cleaner reviews and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me here.
Something else you should look out for is technology
No doubt you are well aware of the increasing amounts of technology that are incorporated into the vacuum cleaners for sale today.
However, the newer, more advanced models do not necessarily do a better job of cleaning and you can easily pick up a high quality vacuum in the $100-$200 price range. In fact plenty of the vacuum cleaners I have suggested above do fall into this range.
Be careful of new vacuum cleaners with new technology as there is the inevitable teething period where the new bells and whistles malfunction from time to time while the manufacturer is trying to iron them out.
If in doubt, always go for a proven performer, even if the model itself was released a few years back.
Noise and other factors
If you own a vacuum cleaner that is even remotely old then you will know all about noise. Heck you might even know what I’m talking about if you own a relatively new vacuum cleaner!
It can be hard to gauge noise levels online, even when a video is playing. The best you can do is go into a store and look at a demonstration model. Then you can sneakily come back online and buy it for a cheaper price 
.
Anything over 85 dB is perhaps too loud for your ears without protection.
Actual power output
A lot of people won’t care about the raw numbers. That is – the suction power which is measured in Watts. Anything over 1000-1200 is getting to be very high powered indeed.
More power is generally more important on cylinder (canister) machines because the suction has to travel up the hose (it has a longer distance to travel) thus more sucking power is required.
Noise will also generally be correlated to power output too, except in the highest quality canister vacuum cleaners.
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