Finding the Best Vacuum Cleaner

This morning I woke up and did a search for “Choosing the Best Vacuum Cleaner” on Google and found 10 generic search results that had roughly the same information. It’s so frustrating to see these generic guides written by “MFA’s” or made for adsense websites that rewrite each other’s articles in hopes they’ll generate a few bucks a day in advertising revenue. In an effort to make the internet a better place, your Sensei is going to post the most common questions people ask him in HIS VACUUM SHOP about buying the best vacuum cleaner.

1: What are HEPA Filters? Do they work? What can they do for me?
I know I’m going to be labeled a geek for knowing this but HEPA filters were actually developed for the Manhattan Project, the code name for atomic bomb research during World War II. HEPA filters purified the air to prevent radio active particles from polluting the air. The acronym means “High Efficiency Particle Arresting”.

A vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA filtration system is supposed to remove 99.7% of air particles .3 microns or larger from your air. There are a lot of vacuums out there with HEPA filtration; if you’re looking for a vacuum cleaner to reduce dust allergens and pollens in your homes look for a “sealed” HEPA filtration vacuum. Unsealed HEPA filtration systems allow air to escape from others parts of the vacuum cleaner unfiltered. If you’re looking for a good Sealed HEPA filtration vacuum I can recommend the HEPA Filtration Upright Vaccum Cleaner Model SC5845

2: What is a self propelled Vacuum Cleaner?
Self propelled vacuum cleaners are a must for the Vacuum Sensei. Upright vacuum cleaners equipped with a self propelled drive system help users push the vacuum so it’s much easier to move along your carpet. Just be aware that self propelled vacuum cleaners carry slightly higher maintenance costs.

3: How many amps should my vacuum cleaner have?
This is one of those “no right or wrong” answers. Some vacuum cleaners make better use of their power with efficient air flow designs and well made agitator brushes, so I can’t give you a set in stone number. Your Sensei can give you a good rule of thumb, don’t go with any upright or canister vacuum with fewer than 12 amps.

4: Which Vacuum Brands do you personally recommend?
I don’t recommend brands because their vacuum lineup changes from year to year and there’s almost always a dud or two in a manufacturers’ product line. I have no problem recommending specific vacuum cleaners but I will never, ever give a blanket endorsement to a company.

5: What’s the difference between vacuum cleaner types? Which one should I get?
There are three basic types of vacuum cleaners: Upright, Canister, and Hand Held.

Canister Vacuums
Canister vacuums are usually shaped like eggs with hoses attached to them. They’re made for people with hard floors and have customizable vacuum heads so you can switch to one with an agitator brush for cleaning carpets or one without when cleaning hard wood surfaces. They’re also great for people with lots of stairs and cleaning ceilings. The main drawback for canister vacuums is portability. Canister vacuums aren’t as mobile as their upright or hand held counterparts.

Upright Vacuums
Uprights are the most popular vacuum model. People with large carpet surface areas love them because they cover a lot of ground in a small amount of time and they’re easy to move around. They’re horrible at cleaning hard surfaces and will probably hurt more than help if you tried to clean your hard wood floors with an upright vacuum.

Hand Helds
I like hand held vacuums because they’re great for reaching small corners and cleaning cars. Hand held vacuum cleaners are usually kept on hand by people who like to spot clean. Buy a hand held vacuum as a supplement for Upright and Canister vacuums.

6: How much does a good vacuum cleaner cost?
You can get a great bargain vacuum cleaner for less than a hundred bucks. Some of the better, more powerful home vacuum cleaners on the market are made by Miele. They generally run from $300 to $600. But, you can still find a great vacuum cleaner for less than a hundred bucks. Just scroll through my reviews and find one with features you like, I’m sure you’ll find a great deal on a vacuum cleaner.

Well, that covers the most common questions I get about finding the best vacuum cleaner at my shop. If you have any other questions about finding the best vacuum cleaner for you, just send the Vacuum Sensei an email and I’ll be glad to answer you.

Sincerely,
The Vacuum Sensei
http://vacuumsensei.com
sensei@vacuumsensei.com