Electrolux has been a market leader in the manufacture of small household appliances and Electrolux vacuum cleaners have, in the past, received high consumer ratings. The company has a reputation for manufacturing high performance canister vacuums. The most costly of these is the Oxygen 3 range. So, how does the Oxygen 3 canister vacuum cleaner perform and is it worth the high price-tag?

There are three vacuum cleaners in the Electrolux Oxygen 3 range; the Oxygen 3 Canister Vacuum (the EL7000), the Oxygen 3 Ultra (the EL7020) and the Oxygen 3 Ultra Combination (the EL7025).

All three models in the Oxygen 3 range of vacuum cleaners share some basic characteristics. All models look pretty much the same and the dust bag in each model has a capacity of 2 quarts. All 3 models come with Electrolux MicroSeal technology ? a combination of a sealed motor and a HEPA filtration system, which ensures that 99.97% of dust and particles that are picked up stay inside the vacuum bag and are not expelled back out into the air. On the canister itself there are various indicators to let you know that the vacuum is operating at peak performance. Probably the best (certainly most user-friendly) feature is the buttons on the handle; you can turn the machine on and off, turn the brush roll on and off (when using the powered head), and increase or decrease suction.

The cheapest model that Electrolux make in the Oxygen 3 range is called the Electrolux Oxygen 3 Canister Vacuum (or the EL7000). Its claim to fame is that is supposed to clean bare floor types and comes with a rather long hose ? a good 21 feet! Don't worry if you have carpets; this vacuum still does a very adequate job. It comes with the lowest power ? 10 amps, which still delivers good suction. If you're looking for a no-fuss buy well-made vacuum cleaner than stick with this model.

The next in line is the Oxygen 3 Ultra vacuum. Its hose is 7 feet long and comes with a more powerful motor at 12 amps ? despite having a more powerful motor the vacuum still weighs the same as the Oxygen 3 at 27 lbs. Electrolux say that the Oxygen 3 Ultra vacuum cleaner is great for cleaning all floor types, however this model only comes with one head attachment ? the Ultra Combination comes with two; the standard 13? width and a smaller, lightweight nozzle, which is much better for cleaning bare floors.

The Electrolux Ultra Combination vacuum is supposed to be a marrying to get of the two previous models. I feel that this is a little bit of a marketing ploy ? why not have developed one model to do all floor types and forget about models that just do carpet or just do bare floors?

Pricing might be the answer. The Electrolux Oxygen 3 vacuum cleaner isn't cheap and the EL7025 is considerably more expensive than the EL7000.

Talking about expense, replacing the dust bags isn't cheap either; something to think about when buying a vacuum cleaner.

Another minus point about the Oxygen 3 vacuum cleaner is that the vacuum handle turns to one side so that it will stay standing in an upright position when not in use. This is fine, but it does make the vacuum hard to steer around the room.

Having said all that, the Electrolux Oxygen 3 vacuum cleaner does have excellent suction and will clean just about all floor types. It's great for allergy sufferers as its HEPA system retains 99.97% of particles ? which is as good as any other manufacturer. The Oxygen 3 by Electrolux is an expensive vacuum cleaner but no more expensive than is competitors.