A good quality vacuum cleaner is an excellent investment in your home and in your home cleaning equipment. 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. There are quite a few things to look for before you buy an upright or canister vacuum cleaner.



Metal components in a vacuum cleaner are better than plastic but will make the unit much heavier. 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. A good vacuum cleaner should cost nothing to maintain.

There are no standards set for sealed models. You want to make sure to get a vacuum designed for your mixture of carpeting and hard flooring. The vacuum industry is making great strides in making powerful vacuum cleaners that weigh much less.

It's important to find out exactly what kind of maintenance your new vacuum cleaner will need. Lower end uprights may have headlamps and/or bumper protection for your furniture. A vacuum with a bag will keep the air you breathe free of dust, allergens, pollen, smoke particles, and other chemicals and pollutants found in household air, IF it doesn't get clogged.

Do you really need a deluxe model? 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. Consider where the vacuum cleaner will be stored to make sure it will fit the space.

Find out the air watts to get a good indication of its suction power. Once you feel fully informed, if you can, go to a local store to get a look at those you've picked and try them out. 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.

Find out how much common replacement parts will cost. Find out how often belts, filters, and other items will need to be cleaned and/or replaced. You'll need to decide whether you want a bag or a bagless vacuum.

Canister vacuum cleaners that have onboard tool storage make tools handy to reach. Higher priced uprights have a wider cleaning path, possibly dirt sensors, and some will be self-propelled; they may have pre-motor filters to protect the motor from damage too. Find the extra tools and features you need, and forget about the ones you don't.

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. Check out the vacuums with the patented internal filtration system. 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.

HEPA filters trap small particles that may cause respiratory and other problems for asthma and allergy sufferers and others with health problems. There are two different categories of HEPA filters that can make understanding the abilities of your filter confusing. You want to get rid of as much dirt, dust, mold spores, fungus, bacteria, dust mites and allergens as possible.

Don't be totally dazzled by a complete array of attachments. Know that you're getting the best vacuum cleaner for your money. Buying a vacuum cleaner online or offline doesn't have to be intimidating when you've done your homework.