How to choose a vacuum cleaner: professionals advise

“How to choose a vacuum cleaner for the home?” - this is the question that torments any person. Not so long ago, when only a couple of models were available for everyone, no one even thought about various characteristics. The presence of a vacuum cleaner in the house of our grandmothers was already perceived as happiness.

Today, entering a home appliance store, eyes just run up from the abundance of models. Moreover, if some of them are quite similar to the usual vacuum cleaner, then part resembles a spaceship in miniature. The price tag for different models also varies significantly. But is the sample really good, the price of which is close to the prohibitive in comparison with its cheaper “colleague”. And which vacuum cleaner is better to choose?

General criteria for choosing a home appliance

The first thing you need to pay attention to is how often and how much you have to clean. If you live in a one-room apartment without children and fluffy dogs, then you do not need a bulky model with many nozzles. And it’s completely different when a family has a small child or an allergic person.

Thinking which vacuum cleaner to choose for the house, it is worth considering such moments. If the apartment has laminate and tile, then a super powerful vacuum cleaner is not needed. Any device, even the most budgetary one, will perfectly cope with the cleaning of such surfaces. If there is a long-pile carpet in the room, on which a baby crawls, pulling everything that is in his field of vision into his mouth, and a long-haired cat is hiding in the closet, then the choice becomes a little more difficult. It is also important to decide whether to choose a vacuum cleaner for dry cleaning or whether a washing vacuum cleaner is required.

It is worth considering where the vacuum cleaner will be stored, because many models take up quite a lot of space. If cleaning is required every day, then pulling out a heavy unit in order to tidy it up a bit and then putting it back in place is an impermissible luxury.

Well, of course, the price. There are models in the store whose price tag is comparable to a good computer. Therefore, going to buy, you should clearly understand what exactly you need and how much money you expect to spend on this purchase.

Power as the main selection criterion

On most models, their power is written, and many consumers are guided by this criterion as the most important. However, the indicated capacity is the power consumption of electricity. That is how much the vacuum cleaner will eat electricity, for which you have to pay.

When answering the question of how to choose a vacuum cleaner for an apartment without a bag, two powers must be taken into account. And the main thing will be such an indicator as net power, that is, the one with which air is sucked in and from which it will depend on how efficient the cleaning will be. This indicator is indicated in the characteristics of the product, and it is precisely on it that maximum attention should be paid.

So if it is supposed to clean smooth floors, then a useful power of 250 watts is enough. This is the minimum power and the price of such a vacuum cleaner, as a rule, is not large. If the house has a carpet with a small pile, then it is worth considering models with a capacity of about 350 watts.A longer pile needs a stronger device, but too powerful can ruin the coating. All this you need to know in order to confidently choose a vacuum cleaner by power.

The best option would be to choose a model with a power regulator. This will allow you to choose the mode depending on the conditions of cleaning.

Filtration system

Even a child knows how a vacuum cleaner works. The device draws in air along with dust and dirt, which settle in the dust collector, and air, passing through the filter system, goes out. Depending on the model, the filtration system may trap certain dust particles.

When deciding how to choose a good vacuum cleaner and choosing between models with replaceable or permanent filters, it is worth making a choice in favor of the former. If the filter is dirty, the suction power is lost, and dust particles burst out. And if the replacement filter can be changed, then the permanent one will have to be cleaned. At first glance, this is more economical, but there is a risk of damage to the device’s engine and then the costs will increase significantly.

If the house is allergic, then you should think about a model with the thinnest filters that trap all particles. Today, HEPA filters do the best job of this. So S-class filters are able to retain more than 90% of particles from 0.5-1 microns. This is important during an exacerbation of an allergy to pollen, as it constantly penetrates the house and is difficult to clean.

What are the vacuum cleaners?

Few people know how to choose the right vacuum cleaner. First you need to try to arrange these household devices in order. Such a classification is very arbitrary, but will help to make a choice.
The simplest division for the consumer by the method of collecting dust will look like this:

• a vacuum cleaner with a bag for collecting dust;
• a vacuum cleaner with a container;
• vacuum cleaner with water filter.

Vacuum cleaner with dust bag

Those who found the old Typhoon vacuum cleaner used by our grandmothers remember that it had to be cleaned constantly. Modern models with a bag are not far from their ancestor. Still all the garbage is sucked into a special bag.

Bags are of two types: reusable and disposable. The first, as a rule, are made of fabric and after cleaning it is necessary to remove garbage from them. Cloth bags are economical, but troublesome, because the bag will have to not only be cleaned, but also washed.

The second is more convenient, but since they are disposable, they are discarded after use. Their price is not great, but the bags are made for specific models. And it often happens that they may not be in the store.

Vacuum cleaner with container

If everything is simple with the familiar model, not everyone knows how to choose a vacuum cleaner without a bag to collect dust. These models differ from their “colleagues” with the bag in the principle of operation. Specialists call them cyclone. There is no familiar bag, but a special container that is easy to clean. And since it is reusable, there is no cost to purchase related products.

To answer the question of how to choose a vacuum cleaner without a bag, you need to know the principle of its operation. Dust and debris, getting into the pipe, are sucked into a special tank and there they not only pass through the filter, but are unwound in a spiral, which allows you to separate the debris from the air. During rotation, dust is collected in a heap and falls to the bottom of the tank, and air passes freely through the filters. This allows not only to increase the power of the device, but also better protect the engine. After all, much less dirt gets into the filters, which extends their service life.

Among the minuses of this model are:

• the price is slightly higher than that of a simple vacuum cleaner;
• more weight and size.

But the quality of cleaning with this technique will be higher, ceteris paribus, compared with a bag counterpart.

Vacuum cleaner with water filter

Why is everyone so fond of wet cleaning? The answer is simple, because wet dust is not able to fly away again. It is this principle that is used in vacuum cleaners with water filters.Once in the tank, the dust collides with water and, wet, falls to the bottom. Knowing the principle of operation, it is easy to answer the question of how to choose a vacuum cleaner with an aquafilter. It should be powerful enough and equipped with additional filters.

This system also has disadvantages. Of course, this is the price, because such a device is more expensive, because it is technically more complicated. And the second minus is the need to wash the tanks after cleaning. If in a simple container it is enough to shake it out in the bin, then in this case you will have to rinse and dry the entire system.

Obviously, each of these categories has its pros and cons, which must be taken into account when deciding how to choose a vacuum cleaner.

It is also worth highlighting separately:

• washing vacuum cleaners;
• robotic vacuum cleaners;
• vacuum cleaners-electric brooms.

Vacuum Cleaners

Their difference is that they are able to do wet cleaning, which means they save time. In such models there are two containers: one for water with detergent, the second for waste. There is no need to mess with wet rags and buckets, because the vacuum cleaner sprays water itself and collects it. The owner will only have to wash the containers themselves. There are a number of nuances that need to be considered.

Answering the question of how to choose a washing vacuum cleaner for the home, you need to take into account the size of the room. If this is a small two-piece, then the tank is enough for 2 liters. But if you want to wash a large apartment at a time, then it is worth making a serious decision.

Or buy a small and relatively light vacuum cleaner, but during cleaning you will have to change the water several times. To do this, you will have to disassemble the machine and pour out water, which requires a certain amount of time and effort. If you are not ready for this, then it is worth considering a model with a large tank volume. Such a device will be heavier, larger and less maneuverable.

But it is not without flaws:

• Cannot be used on carpets and some types of laminate. Some manufacturers claim that a washing vacuum cleaner can be used to clean carpets under a number of conditions. One of them will be carpet removal after washing for subsequent drying. If you expect to wash the carpet and leave it on the floor, then prepare for the fact that it will dry for a very long time and at the same time there is a risk of mold.
• After cleaning, two containers have to be washed and dried. If this is not done, a musty smell will appear, getting rid of which will be very difficult.
• To clean the floor, a special tool is used, which costs more than ordinary ones.
• The price of the vacuum cleaner itself is higher than that of its "land colleagues."

Robot Vacuum Cleaner - Small But Hardworking

A robot vacuum cleaner is an incredibly convenient thing for housewives who do not like to clean, but at the same time want the house to be clean. Small in size, such a worker will crawl around the apartment for about an hour, trying to collect dirt in his container. Its plus is that it works without human intervention. Many models are equipped with a virtual wall, which limits the cleaning area and does not let the worker go where he does not belong. Many of them are equipped with special sensors that allow you to bypass obstacles and deftly maneuver in the corners.

When the charge level drops to the minimum allowable, the robot itself goes to the base for charging. There are also models that can be programmed for cleaning at certain hours. In this case, the vacuum cleaner will disconnect itself from charging and begin to work. At first glance, just the perfect home appliance. But he also has cons:

• A small dust container that quickly fills up and needs to be cleaned. Therefore, you will have to find a robot that will blink lights and refuse to work until it is cleaned.
• Not too powerful battery, which limits the time of use.
• Despite the fact that such a robot sees obstacles, it is often confused about what lies on the floor.So, before you start cleaning, you will have to collect all the wires, toys, socks, slippers, etc. from the floor. Otherwise, having wrapped a trophy on the brushes, the robot will again begin to “complain”.

It is impossible to consider it as the only way to clean a large apartment. It is rather an addition to the existing vacuum cleaner, which does all the dirty work, and the baby simply assists him.

Vacuum cleaner electric broom

Answering the question of how to choose a manual vacuum cleaner for the home, it’s worth imagining what this device looks like and what features it has. We are all used to the fact that the vacuum cleaner is a large body, from which a hose with a brush stretches. But there are vertical models that represent a large mop. At the bottom is a brush, and next to it is a waste bin.

Such devices are very light and compact, which allows them to be used in small apartments. The handle is telescopic, which makes it possible to install it so that the cleaning will be as comfortable as possible and do not have to bend over.

Such a vacuum cleaner can work both from the mains and from the batteries. The latter is more convenient, since the wires do not stretch around the apartment, but the charge lasts about 30-40 minutes. To clean a small area, this is enough, but in a spacious apartment an electric broom will be an assistant, not the main tool. With a conventional vacuum cleaner, such an electric broom is suitable when you need to quickly remove dirt. For example, a flower pot fell, a child in dirty shoes ran around the apartment, some little things scattered. If you have such a broom, you can quickly restore order without getting a massive vacuum cleaner out of the bins.

When there are animals in the house

Pet owners know how difficult it is to remove wool from carpets. A fluffy pet is able to turn the house into hell when the fallen wool sticks to things and spreads throughout the house. And given that city animals have long failed to comply with the rules of molting twice a year, and molt almost constantly, the wool can drive you crazy. But the most annoying thing is that even a good vacuum cleaner does not always cope with this scourge. Something else is needed here - a special turbo brush for cleaning.

The principle of its work is that a rotating brush collects wool, hair, threads and the like from the floor and twists them onto itself. Special bristles do not allow garbage to escape, and some fall into the garbage container, and some remain on the brush. Its design allows you to remove the rotating part and clean it

If you come to the store, you will have a clear idea of ​​how the vacuum cleaner works and what parameters you need to look at, then the choice will be simple. Even at around the same price, there are models that vary widely in their characteristics.