You can choose a lightweight or heavyweight machine. If you have a lot of flooring to vacuum you'll want a model with floor attachments that use brushes, and/or an upright vacuum with metal bottom plates. A good vacuum cleaner should maintain constant suction.



A vacuum cleaner should expel or exhaust only fresh, clean air. If you have family members with long hair get a vacuum cleaner that has a stainless steel brush roller with ball bearings. Bagless models use a series of filters to trap dirt in a dust cup while allowing air to pass through the machine; however, they can be very messy to empty.

Canister vacuum cleaners that have onboard tool storage make tools handy to reach. A self-propelled vacuum cleaner may sound great, but they're actually very heavy to lift. Canister vacuum cleaners can come with a bag or be bagless.

Uprights in the higher price ranges may have suction hoses that are more sturdy and crush resistant. Try assembling and taking apart the attachments before you buy. If you plan to buy online you can still try out vacuum cleaners at your local vacuum cleaner dealers and stores that carry vacuum cleaners.

It's important to find out exactly what kind of maintenance your new vacuum cleaner will need. Many people find they don't like to bend over to move the vacuum around so prefer an upright over a canister. You can save a lot of money buying vacuum cleaners online if you do some thorough research first.

A low-end upright model will usually have only a suction hose with a crevice tool, stair brush, and extended wand piece. Canisters at the uppermost end of the price range may be merely expensive, and not necessarily of higher quality or more effective. Check out the manufacturer's warranty for the new vacuum, and if your place of purchase will extend the warranty.

Find out the air watts to get a good indication of its suction power. In the lower-end of uprights you will find a few models that have an additional feature, like bagless models or models with bags and a full bag indicator light. If you buy a unit with a bag, you'll need to change bags frequently to cut down on the possibility of dirt, dust and other particle leakage.

HEPA type or HEPA-like filters may be made in similar ways to true HEPA filters and may resemble them but do not have to meet the same standards as true or absolute HEPA filters. True or absolute HEPA filters must pass a strict test to be considered HEPA worthy. Some vacuums will have a HEPA filter; this is always a good idea to keep your air free of the tiny particles that are stirred up when you vacuum. Look for the serial number and test results that are printed on true or absolute HEPA filters; make sure that the test results at .3 microns are 99.97 percent or above.

Check out the vacuums with the patented internal filtration system. Reducing or eliminating particles will make cleaner air for everyone in your home. It's up to you to decide if a true HEPA is essential for your family, or if capturing a smaller amount of particles is worth the price break on filter costs; however your family's health is worth paying a little higher price.

Make sure you add on replacement bags to your initial investment if they're required. There have been a lot of advances in vacuum cleaners over the years so it's hard to buy one that's bad or you'd be unhappy with. Take time to do your research, the same way you would for any major purchase and buying a vacuum cleaner won't be difficult.