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Upright Vacuum Cleaners Overview:
Choosing the Best Upright Vacuums
Most experts agree. Upright vacuum cleaners are best for carpet. But they're also quick to point out that newer models of upright vacs can also do a better than decent job of cleaning bare floors too.
Now I'm all for having options. That's good. But sometimes too many choices can lead to paralysis of analysis. Or worse result in costly mistakes. Which is made all the more likely given people spend less than 10 minutes when trying to decide on their next vacuum.
Add to this all the changes in design and suction power upgrades and it's easy to see why such models have received intense scrutiny from the pros at Consumer Reports and similar rating publications.
You'll also come across the odd less structured review in other magazines too. These casual conversational looks can give you insights into these cleaning machines too. As can browsing user comments on Amazon.com.
Reading any of this and you'll soon discover the hot buttons. Weight. Suction power. Ease of use. Ability to suck up pet hair and other challenges lying around. Not to mention increase emphasis on HEPA filters designed to remove more than just every day dirt from the air recycled back into your home.
And you'll quickly figure out that neither an upright or canister performs better by design. Although some models within in type certainly do.
Of course uprights are not known for their ability to reach under furniture. There you'll have to move the furniture rather than extend the head of the machine under the sofa.
Then too you have to consider the type of vacuuming you do. Stairs. Wall to wall carpeting. Or is it more hard wood floors and area rugs.
When it comes to having to deal with a filter bag or bagless model it's more personal preference. With a bagless design you've got no bags to buy. Plus you can see the dirt accumulating as you vacuum along.
Usually there's a dust bin to empty along with some filters that have to be cleaned periodically. Some complain that emptying the dust bin results in a cloud of dust that settles back into your home. Others prefer not viewing what the vacuum sucked up.
Find out what kind of agitator brush a given model has. Nonstop suction power is nice. But if there's not enough going on to stir up the dirt from deep within the pile of the carpet what good does it do you? For that reason you probably want something that can spread the carpet fibers similar to how you would with your fingers to expose the embedded dirt to that advertised nonstop suction.
Have you heard of the brand name on the badge on the machine or not?
Is it equipped with a HEPA filter so as to capture next to 100% of the dust mites, pollen and such.
Uprights are a good tool for heavy-duty, day to day vacuuming. They are best for deep-cleaning medium- to deep-pile carpeting. You may find they cost less and store easier too.
Just remember you're pushing and pulling the entire weight of the machine whenever you use one. As opposed to a canister model where you're pushing a beater brush or head attached to a light weight wand and hose set up.
NOTE: Self propelled models do exist. But the added propulsion brings with it more weight so lifting might be harder.
Plus any on board tool caddy or accessory storage is nice. But it only adds to the weight being pushed around.
Anyway it's hard to find one vacuum that will handle all possible cleaning chores. Uprights are best for extracting dirt from carpets. Some will work on hard surfaces, but in general that's the task they excel at.
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