One of the most important aspects of vacuum cleaner is its motors suction rating. Over the years there have been many different terms used. Do you understand any of these terms? I am sure most people feel that a 1600 watt motor simply uses 1600 watts when vacuum cleaning a room. Not quite. Here is a rundown of the terms used over the years.
Amperage or Amps: the maximum amount of electrical current that can flow through the vacuum cleaner’s electrical system. Amp ratings are not power ratings; they are however a part of the formula for computing the input power of the motor.
Peak Horse Power: the peak horse power rating has pretty much disappeared in recent years. It was an inflated rating found by taking the suction motor without any fans and adding as much load as possible without burning it out. This was the peak horse power.
Air Watts: air watts measures the output power of the vacuum cleaner rather than the input power. This rating is mostly used for rating central vacuum system.
Sealed Suction: sealed suction is a measure of water lift of a vacuum cleaner and is a good indication of how well it will perform.
Air Flow: air flow is a measure in cubic feet per minute. While the air flow rating is not a direct rating of the power of the suction motor, it is affected by its suction. Air flow does not take into consideration any obstacles that may impede air flow.
Wattage or Watts: wattage ratings are simply a mathematical formula found by multiplying the amperage (amps) by the voltage (volts). Wattage is a measure of the input power of the motor.
A vacuum cleaners suction rating is an important aspect to consider when comparing vacuums prior to purchasing. However, don’t assume that a higher rating means better cleaning. Cleaning can be affected by the surface being cleaned, the vacuum cleaners maintenance condition and the condition of the various components such as filters and dust bags.
Before buying a vacuum cleaner talk to those who can best advise you. They will take into account all the conditions under which the vacuum cleaner is to be used and make recommendations. GoVacuum.com are vacuum cleaner specialist and will be only too happy to answer any questions and point you in the direction of the right vacuum cleaner for your needs.
When considering purchasing a new vacuum, many factors come into play. But the most commonly asked question is whether you will be purchasing an upright or canister. If you were to shop in one of our retail stores in northern Virginia, one of our professional salespersons would find out your cleaning habits and needs. When choosing between a upright and canister, the type of flooring in your house is the most important consideration. Traditionally, homes with wall to wall carpeting are most easily vacuumed using an upright. This is because uprights generally have a strong beater bar that always spins when the vacuum is on. The beater bar is then able to dig deep into your carpet to get the dirt and grime out.
Canisters, on the other hand, are better for homes with both carpets and hard floors. Canisters generally have power heads that can be turned on and off depending on whether you are vacuuming carpet or hard floors. Power heads are turned off when vacuuming hard floors so to avoid scratching or damaging the surface.
Most people who have any kind of experience vacuuming have an opinion on canisters and uprights. This is usually because people feel one way or another about how maneuverable uprights and canisters are. Some enjoy the fact that uprights utilize direct maneuverability, where one unit is simply pushed where you want it to go. People say canisters can be cumbersome because they feel like they have a dead weight dragging behind them when they vacuum. Others enjoy canisters because holding the power head part of the vacuum is lighter than holding an entire upright machine with one hand.
The good thing about canisters and uprights is that that the technology has improved tremendously over the years. In terms of maneuverability, some canisters have seen improvements through the introduction of new wheel systems. For example, the Miele Canisters have 3 independent wheels that let the vacuumer push or pull the machine around in any direction without any friction. Check out the maneuverability of the Miele Callisto Canister wheel system in the video here.
Uprights have also seen significant improvements. The Sebo X series uprights automatically adjust the head of the machine to accommodate different types of floors. The machines actually automatically lower and raise the head of the machine depending on what type of floor it is vacuuming. The problem of breaking belts is no longer a concern on these machines. If something gets vacuumed up into the machine that isn’t supposed to (a sock or small toy, for example), the machine automatically shuts off the beater bar to avoid damaging the belt, and potentially overheating the engine.
In the end, the final decision between a canister or upright can really be about personal preference. Some people hate uprights and swear by canisters, and vice versa. Interestingly enough, canisters are the most popular machines worldwide; meanwhile, uprights remain king in the United States.
If you can’t decide which upright or canister you want, feel free to check out our GoVacuum pages for both categories with research and comparison tables available.
A vacuum cleaner may seem like one of your more basic household appliances, however there is nothing basic about a commercial cleaner. Commercial wet dry vacuum cleaners need to be robust and reliable given the amount of work they must do.
Commercial vacuum cleaners, unlike home models, don’t get used for 30 or 40 minutes and packed away until the next day. They are rather often used for several hours at a time, particularly when it comes to cleaning large office spaces.
In one building you may find a wide variety of surfaces ranging from the smooth timber or vinyl finishes to carpets with various pile lengths. For the need to occasionally remove stained areas with commercial cleaning fluids and water, a commercial wet dry vacuum cleaner is a must.
As for reliability, select the right model of commercial wet dry vacuum cleaner and you may find that it has an engine life in excess of 2500 hours. This can equate to four or more years of use and with care and frequent servicing, this can be extended.
Commercial wet dry vacuum cleaners have the ability to clean dry material such as dirt, debris, dust and other allergens as well as wet areas such as small water spills or larger flooded areas. With the flick of a switch, the wet and dry vacuum cleaner can go from one mode to another without hassles. The design of the wet and dry vacuum is simple; a hose that comes standard with several attachments plugs into a large tub canister that is usually on wheels. As with any vacuum cleaner, once the canister is full it gets emptied before moving on the next task.
Commercial wet dry vacuum cleaners come in many different shapes and sizes. It is simply a matter of choosing the right one for your needs.
How often do you turn to places like Consumer Reports for advice on what to purchase? We know many consumers do this, as evidencedby the number of customers who come into our retail stores in Northern Virginia with Consumer Reports in hand, asking us if we carry the # 1 rated Canister or Upright. For the most part, the Consumer Reports number one ranking for any vacuum category is largely different than what we’d recommend to our customers. I can’t comment on why we have such differing opinions with Consumer Reports. But I can say that for us it leaves us with greater piece of mind to sell a vacuum that will last a long time and truly make the customer happy (as a result of a clean house) rather than simply sell a vacuum that Consumer Reports claims to be the best.
Since our view on what the best Canister is in the market is contrary to the “mainstream” opinion, we decided to put together a video demonstration comparing Consumer Reports’ best canister and what we consider to be best vacuum canister available.
The Canister that we recommend is the Miele Callisto S5280 . For years the Consumer Reports magazine has rated the Kenmore Canister number one. The Miele Callisto S5280 has been ranked by Consumer Reports at 5 or 6 over the years.
Having many, many years of industry experience, the Consumer Reports ranking has left us baffled because theMiele Callisto is one of our best canisters because of its high quality, unbeatable performance and long life.
In order to compare the vacuums, we are performing three tests with the machines. First, the machines’ filtration systems are being tested with the use of a laser particle scanner which calculates the number of particles being emitted from the exhaust filter on the canisters.
Second, the machines are tested on their ability to side clean, meaning how well the machines’ power heads can clean when against a wall or any other surface.
Lastly, the machines are tested on their maneuverability. One of the things that people complain most about when considering canisters is how difficult they are to maneuver, especially when you have the feeling that you are dragging a dead weight behind you.
All in all, the Miele Callisto S5280 definitely came out on top as the winner. But you will have to check out the video below to see the results yourself.
Since I just realized that not all of our blog readers are newsletter subscribers, I thought I might as well post a snippet of our latest newsletter that got a lot of positive feedback. If you’d like to subscribe to our monthly newsletter, please click here or email ShaliniGoVacuum@gmail.com.
Since the deep-cleaning and gift-buying season has now arrived, we’ve seen a sudden increase in the same kinds of questions around here. On the phone, through our website, and in our stores, everyone wants to know: What IS the best vacuum, really?. The simple answer? In canisters, we recommend Mieles. For uprights, the SEBOs. If you’re tired of messing around with a mediocre or downright frustrating vacuum, check out the Mieles or SEBOs, and finally experience what a REALLY clean home feels like.
Best Canisters
Best Uprights
— End Newsletter Snippet —
Of course, every home is different, every situation is different, everyone has different needs, and no one vacuum will suit everyone’s needs. But, when money is less of a concern and you want the easy answer, there it is. If you have specific questions, feel free to leave them in the comments, email me, or call one of our knowledgeable sales staff at 1-866-468-2288 (9am - 7pm, Monday - Saturday, EST or 9am - 6pm on Sunday, EST).
Everyone’s always asking, so I’ll try to help clarify matters: Vacuums that use a bag or bagless vacuums? Which kind is better?
It depends on your needs but it comes down to one basic question: Are you a clean-freak? Or, do you have allergies? Does dirt’s very presence in your home completely squick you out? Do you wish you could pretend that every dust particle you sucked up in your vacuum was magically being transported to a fairy-tale land where kittens considered dirt to be vital nourishment? Yeah? Well, then don’t even bother with a bagless vacuum. Bagless vacuums just won’t suit you. Dust, dirt, and debris (not to mention nasty allergens) will escape and it will most likely be terribly messy. Sure, some bagless vacuums make it less of an ordeal to empty the dirt container ( e.g., Dyson’s push button release), but even the best designs can’t compete with a quality paper bag system (or even better: paper bags with HEPA filtration).
If you’re not worried about a little extra dirt being released back into your environment, there is one advantage to bagless vacuums: You don’t have to buy replacement vacuum bags. That’s good for two reasons:
1) Cost. This is the advantage bagless vacuum manufacturers talk about the most, claiming it’s more cost effective. Honestly, it’s not all that cost effective, considering that most bagless vacuums come with more expensive filters that have to be replaced more often. But, it can be less of a hassle, not having to keep a constant supply of bags at hand (not that it’s very hard with GoVacuum’s vacuum bag subscription plan) and that’s always nice.
2) Environment. It’s environmentally friendly, obviously. And if you’re the environmentally conscious sort, you’re probably used to dealing with less-than-sterile conditions and a little extra effort. Again, however, the filters still have to be replaced more regularly. You can try to prolong the life of your filter by washing it often but carefully and always letting it dry thoroughly in the sun (otherwise some customers complain of a mold/mildew odor).
If you have any more questions, please ask them in our comments section, and we’ll do our best to answer them promptly.
There’s always a lot of debate about what the “best vacuum EVAH!” is, and with good reason. It’s a complex question. Obviously, it varies from person to person, based on cleaning style, home surfaces, household inhabitants, level of allergies, etc. Some people are very content with the most basic of all vacuums — cleaning just isn’t a huge priority, and as long as they’re not crawling with bedbugs, all is well. Then, there are others who have severe allergies, long-haired pets, hardwood floors, thick carpets, heavy drapes, AND a severe case of housecleaning-based OCD — for them, the $50 Wal-mart special-of-the-week just won’t cut it.
Seeing as how vacuums are our passion, we spend a lot of time arguing about our favorites. We also find certain favorites among our customers. Obviously, on the internet, any Dyson is king. It appeals to the Apple-generation, with its bright colors, snazzy usability features, and high-tech story. Older folks who visit our retail stores tend to prefer the Kirbys, Hoovers and Orecks of the world. It might be just the name recognition, or it could be the quality that comes with years of practice in the industry. We get people who say their housekeepers insist that they get Mieles if they want their homes really clean. Housekeepers themselves come in and swear by Kenmores. Consumer reports favors the Hoover WindTunnel for uprights, while Good Housekeeping likes the Hoover Savvy. Customers who’ve been coming into our stores loe these 30+ year years, repeatedly buy Riccars and say they’ve spread the good word to friends and family (Unfortunately, Riccar doesn’t allow sales over the internet — check out your local authorized retailer if you’re curious) and will never use anything else. No matter what the customer’s situation or style, when they find a vacuum that really works for them, they become passionate about it too. (And likewise, when they have a really bad experience with a vacuum, they become passionate about warning others away from it).
What are your favorites? We have ours, obviously, and we recommend different ones based on different needs. (If you haven’t found your favorite yet: You can call one of our knowledgable sales staff (1-866-468-2288, 9 am - 6 pm, Monday through Saturday), explain your needs and get a custom recommendation, or browse our charts yourself.) But, we’re always curious to learn more. Please, feel free to share your experiences below in our comments section.
