Bags, Power, Performance and More
Want to know if upright is right for you? Are you taken by the idea of cordfree convenience? Maybe a barrel vacuum is waiting to bowl you over, or you could be ready to join the robotic revolution. With so many vacuum cleaners available at Appliances Online, choosing one can be overwhelming. This buying guide will run you through everything you need to know before selecting a vacuum cleaner for your home.
What are the main types of vacuums?
Cordfree Vacuums
A cordfree or stick vacuum offers lightweight convenience and is ideal for small-to-medium homes that are maintained with the occasional spot clean. These vacuums work best on hard floors, and are adept at taking care of pet hair. It is important to note canister size and what sort of battery gives the vacuum its power.
Benefits
- Complete manoeuvrability with no cord to limit your reach
- Works well in corners and also on upholstery
- Can almost always be converted to a handheld vacuum for the ultimate control over intricate jobs
- Will vacuum cobwebs and any other dust that builds vertically
Find out how to pick the right floor tool for your cordless vacuum
Barrel Vacuums
A barrel or cylinder vacuum follows you around your home on wheels. They are generally equipped with tools for cleaning carpet or hard floors, and are popular thanks to their compact size. They are great for homes that have a lot of furniture to work around, and for large homes with multiple types of flooring.
Benefits
- Easy to carry up or down stairs
- Can manoeuvre around furniture and reach into tight spaces
- Can reach high places
- Wide choice of bagged or bagless models
- More options for storage
Find out how to pick the right floor tool for your barrel vacuum
Dreame D9 Max Robot Vacuum and Mop Cleaner DRE-D9M-GEN2
Yet to be reviewed
Nilfisk GD5 Commercial Battery Backpack Vacuum Cleaner 41600840
Yet to be reviewed
Robotic Vacuums
Between work, our social lives, and personal leisure time, we must find the hours to keep our homes tidy. Robotic vacuums are proving a popular solution for the time-poor, removing the grunt work associated with vacuuming. Some models will manoeuvre around your furniture and will know to put the brakes on at the top of your stairs. If this convenience isn’t enough, you can even control some of these vacuums using an app on your smartphone or tablet.
Benefits
- Sit back and let the vacuum manoeuvre itself around your floors
- Some models allow for pre-programing so the vacuum can clean while you’re at work
- Robotic vacuums are compact, so storage is made easy
- Fantastic for households with a lot of hard flooring
Roborock Qrevo Edge C Robotic Vacuum Cleaner White RR-QREC02-03-WHT
Yet to be reviewed
Dreame L10s Pro Ultra Heat Robot Vacuum-Mop and Auto Empty DRE-L10SPUH
Yet to be reviewed
Dreame D9 Max Robot Vacuum and Mop Cleaner DRE-D9M-GEN2
Yet to be reviewed
Upright Vacuums
An upright vacuum negates the need to stoop as you clean your home. You can see exactly where you’re going because the vacuum is pushed rather than dragged. Their larger profiles generally allow for more powerful motors and generous dust capacities, ideal for the spacious, carpet-heavy home.
Benefits
- No need to bend over; great if you have back problems
- Large home specialists with powerful motors and large capacities
- Built to dislodge and vacuum deep-rooted debris from carpet
What Should You Think About Before Purchasing?
Now you’re familiar with the three main types of vacuum cleaner, it’s time to think about the makeup and character of your home.
- Does anyone in your home suffer from allergies or feel sensitive to dust?
- Do you have pets that shed hair around your home?
- Would you prefer a bagged or bagless vacuum?
- Is your home dominated by carpet or hard floors? Or is there an even distribution of both?
- Is one vacuum enough for your needs? Or do you need an additional cleaning device for more convenience?
When the Price is Right
With the cost of living always on the rise, being budget conscious is more important than ever. Thankfully when it comes to home appliances, like our Vacuums, you can always find one that suits your needs and won't break your bank. To make things as easy as possible, we've already put together all of our budget friendly models in one easy click. Remember, cheap doesn't mean bad - it just means you get the items you are after, at a great deal!
SHOP CHEAP ROBOT VACUUMS | SHOP CHEAP VACUUMS
Allergy Sufferers
HEPA filters
HEPA stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Arresting. A vacuum with a HEPA filter is recommended for people with allergies, because it traps even the tiniest pollutants. These filters have been proven to retain more than 99.95% of dust particles, and can even capture dust mite faeces as small as 0.3 micrometres. The air that is processed through this filter and expelled by your vacuum is more hygienic than ambient room air. HEPA filters are either of a washable, replaceable, or lifetime variety. We encourage you to refer to your vacuum’s manual for instructions on maintaining the filter.
Pet Owners
Owning a pet is not all cuddles and walks in the park. Your furry companions can shed hair around the house at the best of times, but thankfully there are vacuums that specifically cater to the responsibility of looking after your dog or cat. If you’re unsure whether a pet vacuum is worth your while, here are some key points:
- These vacuums use powerful turbo heads which simultaneously brush and suck pet hair that has been pressed deep into carpet.
- A pet vacuum containing a HEPA filter is especially beneficial to allergy sufferers.
- These vacuums often come with mini turbo heads for picking up pet hair from your sofa, or for getting inside the car after your pooch rides in the back seat.
Bagged vs. Bagless
Bagged
Bagged vacuums hygienically capture dirt and dust in a disposable bag which is replaced periodically. Here are some things to consider about bagged vacuums:
- The bag is a filter in itself, with some brands boasting up to nine layers of filtration in the bag alone.
- Bagged cleaners compact the dust and dirt, allowing you to clean for longer without having to stop.
- The bags are simple to change and maintain. One in, one out.
Bagless
Bagless vacuums may save you the hassle of buying and changing vacuum bags, but this does not mean there’s no maintenance involved. Here are some things to consider about bagless vacuums:
- All dirt and dust is contained within a canister which can be emptied straight into your bin. Some vacuums enable quick ejection with the touch of a button.
- Most models will have filters that need to be checked and cleaned regularly to ensure strong, consistent suction.
- You avoid the ongoing cost of having to buy vacuum bags.
Barrel Vacuum Floor Tools
Combination Tool
This tool is the ultimate all-rounder, engineered with bristles that provide suction on carpet as well as hard floors. If you’re vacuuming your entire home and adjacent rooms have different floor types, the combination tool is your best friend. Simply control the type of floor treatment using foot switches on top of the tool. This floor tool comes with just about every vacuum, so it doesn’t have to be purchased separately.
Hard Floor Tool
The name is self-explanatory. This is your go-to tool for hard floor vacuuming, especially surfaces that are prone to scratching from sturdy bristles, such as polished concrete, timber, or lino. Hard floor tools usually have fine bristles that reach inside deep gaps, and some brands offer flexible variations of the tool.
Turbo Head
The most effective carpet cleaning is achieved through a combination of brushing and vacuuming. Vacuuming alone is not always enough to uproot deeply embedded strands of pet hair. Turbo heads agitate your carpet to remove tougher clusters of dirt and dust. Not only beneficial to pet owners, a turbo head is also useful for vacuuming high-pile carpets.
Power Head
Older carpets that have seen a lot of foot traffic might require a more intensive clean. That’s where a power head, equipped with an electronically driven brush bar, is especially handy. A power head will not only remove deeply embedded dirt from your carpet; it will also help lift the pile of your carpet.
Tool | Carpet | Tile | Timber and other hard flooring |
|---|---|---|---|
Combination | YES | YES | NO |
Hard floor | NO | YES | YES |
Turbo | YES | NO | NO |
Power | YES | NO | NO |
Cordless Vacuum Floor Tools
Motorised Brush Tool
These tools use tough bristles on a motorised rolling brush to dislodge debris before drawing it into the suction channel. Cleaning the surface of your carpet is only the first step—these powerful brushes uproot the dust you can’t see. While these tools are carpet specialists, they are also engineered for gentle hard floor cleaning.
Hardfloor Tool
It can be frustrating to use a vacuum cleaner that pushes dirt across hard floors. These tools (which are generally included with selected models) use a rolling brush to smother even larger bits of debris. Because they are soft, they go easy on your sensitive hard floor surfaces while not sacrificing on a comprehensive clean.
Supplementary Cleaners
The below cleaners are recommended as supplementary cleaning devices with an upright, barrel, or cordfree vacuum cleaner.
Handheld vacuums
From cleaning up after home haircuts to dealing with the aftermath of a craft session, a handheld vacuum is ideal for concentrated clusters of mess around the house. Effortlessly cover up accidents, clean your dog’s favourite couch cushion, or vacuum inside your car. Like their name suggests, handheld vacuums can be controlled with one hand, allowing you to hone in on debris-heavy areas that might be out of reach for your main vacuum cleaner. They are a handy addition to any large family household.
Carpet washers
Carpet washers or shampooers are becoming increasingly popular in busy households, as they can do one thing that vacuum cleaners cannot: remove stains from carpet. These appliances inject concentrated detergent deep into your carpet, and then scrub it thoroughly before using suction to get rid of embedded dirt and grime. Some models come with additional tools for treating upholstery, spot cleaning, and managing hard floors. It is recommended you do a full clean of your home with a carpet washer about twice a year. Owning a carpet washer, as opposed to hiring a professional cleaner, will save you time as well as money.