Personal Review Of Best Upright Vacuum
If you have large areas of carpet in your home, an upright vac is going to be your best choice.
“So how do you decide which is the best model for you?
-As a professional carpet cleaner, I am asked this question at least once per day.
My answer is always to go to the top end of your budget and then some more because a good vacuum cleaner is a great investment. It will save you a considerable amount of money, time, and effort. And this is why.
Carpets and flooring are usually the most expensive furnishings in the home, costing thousands rather than hundreds. Regular vacuuming is the single most important element in keeping them clean and extending their useful life. It is in your best interests to invest as much as you can in the best upright vacuum cleaner to save as much as you can in flooring replacement costs. To break it down a bit further, I advise homeowners to think of how much they are prepared to invest per year to help maintain their furnishings and then multiply this by 3 to 5.
This is because after 3 to 5 years, depending on how much vacuuming is needed; you will be ready for a new machine. Once you have decided on a budget then this is a list of the more important criteria to think about.
Protecting The Health of Your Family and Your Pets
Once you’ve addressed the cost, the next thing to consider is your health and the health of your family. This is because the air exhausted out of a vacuum cleaner can contain bacteria, pollens, and allergens that have been sucked out of the carpet.
-These can be harmful to people and pets, especially those with breathing difficulties such as asthma.
Look for a vacuum incorporating filters that trap the harmful particles and prevents them from being released from the vacuum. These are usually referred to as HEPA filter vacuum cleaners, S Filter, and Hospital Filtration vacuums. According to NIOSH (the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), a HEPA filter is one that can trap 99.97 percent of dust particles that are 0.3 microns in diameter (where a micron is one-millionth of a meter).
There’s nothing particularly significant about particles 0.3 microns in diameter: they are simply the ones most likely to get through the filter. To put 0.3 microns in perspective, a typical human hair is roughly 50-150 microns in diameter, so a HEPA filter is trapping dust several hundred times thinner, including dust mite dung, mold spores, and even some bacteria and viruses. A vacuum with proper HEPA filtration will move virtually all (over 90 percent) of the dirty air through the HEPA filter. This means that HEPA filters obstruct the airstream in vacuum cleaners. It takes a lot of suction to pull air past through the filter so true HEPA vacuum cleaners need more powerful and therefore costly motors.
See More: Personal Review Of Best Upright Vacuum
Bagged Vacuum Cleaner or Bagless Vacuum Cleaner?
This is truly a matter of personal choice. Personally, as I am asthmatic, I prefer a bag vacuum cleaner because I do not like the idea of dust particles escaping when I empty the dust container. However, I have clients with asthma who have no problems emptying a bagless machine. On-Board Tools and Attachments
A good length hose is preferable and ideally, the hose should reach the height of a flight of stairs. This means that the vacuum can stand safely at the bottom of the staircase while you can use the hose to clean the individual steps. However, if your preferred vac does not have such a hose, invest in a handheld model for the steps. Never vacuum a staircase from above as the vacuum could fall down the stairs and cause injury.
Vacuum Cleaners For Pet Hairs
If you have pets, a vacuum cleaner that will effectively pick up their hair is essential. You will need a model with a powerful motor to ensure strong suction. As well as power, you need a vacuum cleaner with good turbo brushes to loosen and lift the hair. The best way to be sure the vacuum cleaner will have the brushes you need is to look for ‘Pets’ in the name and description. If the vacuum cleaner is described as being suitable for pet hair, you’ll know it’ll be able to cope with the most demanding conditions.
Variable Power Vacuum Cleaners
While you generally need the most power for vacuuming your carpets, if you also have rugs or delicate fabrics to vacuum, a vacuum cleaner that gives you the option to turn the power down can be really useful. The option of adjusting the power means you can vacuum rug tassels without destroying them, curtains without pulling them down, and delicate upholstery without destroying them. So the ability to vary the suction levels can make vacuuming safer and easier! Agility and Maneuverability
Traditionally, upright vacuums have had fixed wheels, making it harder to change direction and to clean around obstacles. This is especially so if you have significant areas of carpet to vacuum or if your movement is restricted through age and or conditions such as arthritis.
So features that make vacuuming easier are well worth the investment. In recent years, manufacturers have developed models with pivot heads, swivel neck joints, and castor rollers that allow you to change direction and clean around obstacles with just a turn of your wrist. Dyson models incorporate a ball to improve maneuverability. Bosch uses a pivoting head in its Felix range, as does Hoover in its Slalom model. Miele uses a swivel neck joint in its S7 range of vacuum cleaners.
With these pointers in mind visit retailers, test models for yourself, check online reviews. When the time comes to decide, you will have armed yourself with sufficient information to make an excellent informed choice
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