OTHER POINTS TO CONSIDER
The last thing to consider is whether your floorcare appliance will suit your home and family. You can have a myriad of features, but if the cable won’t stretch the length of your living room, or if it’s no good at picking up hair from your beloved pets, then it’s not right for you.
HOME SIZE
The size of your floor space should have a significant impact on your choice of vacuum cleaner.
Uprights generally have wide cleaning heads, which cover a large area in one motion. This, plus their high suction power and long handles, makes them ideal for bigger homes and longer periods of vacuuming.
Cylinder vacuums are more compact and easier to manoeuvre. This means they’re suited to smaller homes, where the distance you’ll need to cover is minimal. They’re especially useful for tackling difficult areas such as the stairs and under furniture.
Cordless vacuums sometimes have a limited battery life of 20 minutes or less. Make sure this is long enough to clean all of your rooms in a single session.
Robotic models are best suited to small homes, due to their run time and size, and so are carpet sweepers, because of their light-cleaning nature.
If you have a larger house, you’ll pick up more dust and dirt. So, choosing a cylinder or upright model with a more generous capacity, and a longer cable of at least 10 metres, will make life easier.
FLOOR TYPES
Hard floors and carpets have different cleaning requirements. Cylinder vacuums glide over wooden, tiled and vinyl flooring with ease, but might need a turbo brush attachment for cut pile carpets.
Uprights are perfect for carpeted areas, and while they clean hard floors well, you’ll need to use an attachment without a roller to prevent damage to loop pile carpets.
Steam mops are better suited to hard surfaces, while carpet washers are designed to revitalise your carpets.
If your home has a mix of flooring types, a model with automatic height adjustment will let you move from room to room without stopping.
More power and stronger suction will come in useful if most of your home is carpeted. Most vacuum cleaners have variable power levels and a range of attachments, which will help you switch between different floor types, rugs and upholstery.
If your home has a mix of flooring types, a model with automatic height adjustment will let you move from room to room without stopping.
WEIGHT
If you have steep stairs, or someone in your household may struggle lifting your vacuum cleaner, the weight of it is particularly important. Stay away from heavy upright designs, and perhaps look at lightweight models. Robotic vacuums could remove the physical strain of cleaning completely.
LIVING WITH ALLERGIES
Allergy and asthma sufferers need to take extra care to keep their home hygienic. HEPA and S-Class filters are proven to remove up to 99.97% of allergens. Bagged vacuums lock in dust when you’re emptying, hypoallergenic sealed systems prevent it escaping when you’re cleaning, and carpet washers can get rid of deeply ingrained dirt.
Handheld cleaners can also help you regularly keep on top of pet hair.
LIVING WITH PETS
Pet hair can be a real pain to clean. You’ll need a vacuum with a beater brush, turbo tool or specific pet attachment to keep everything spotless – some models are even designed just for pet owners. Handheld cleaners can also help you regularly keep on top of pet hair.
BUSY LIFESTYLES
If you find yourself struggling to vacuum as often as you’d like, some designs make quick cleans much easier. Look for a grab-and-go cordless or carpet sweeper model, or a robotic vacuum which you can leave to take care of your home.
ALTERNATIVE SURFACES
If you don’t own a handheld vacuum, additional tools can help you cover a wider range of surfaces with your regular cleaner. A dusting brush can be used to clean bookshelves and window sills, while upholstery tools will help you freshen up curtains and furniture. A crevice nozzle is perfect for cleaning in between stairs, reaching cobwebs in the corners of a room, or removing dust from behind radiators. Think about how you can get the most out of your new vacuum cleaner.
If you find yourself struggling to vacuum as often as you’d like, some designs make quick cleans much easier.
