There are a variety of vacuum cleaner types from canister, handheld and even robotic vacuums, but the most common is the upright vacuum cleaner. When shopping around for an upright vac there are things you should be comparing and looking for.
Features to be aware of:
dirt capture – This is the way in which the upright vacuum actually captures the dirt from your carpets and floors. There are 5 different methods you should be aware of, bagged, wet/dry, steam, bagless and wet.
bagged – uses a vacuum bag to capture dirt and debris.
bagless – this system does not require the use of bags, all the dirt is captured into a plastic chamber for easy cleaning.
steam – this type of machine uses steam to make your carpets and upholstery look like new once again.
wet/dry – cleans your carpets with the use then it dries the carpeting.
amperage – this is the amount of power that the vacuum motor puts out.
You should also become familiar with the various features that you can expect with a vacuum cleaner.
Hepa filtration – these filters are designed to rid your carpets of harmful allergens and dust mites. If you suffer from allergies, you’d want a very powerful vacuum that would help you get rid of the allergens. The best upright vacuum cleaner for such situation must have an excellent filtration system. Moreover, it must not have too many crevices in its body as this would scatter irritants that trigger your asthma, skin problems, or other allergies. This calls for a tightly sealed vac. And to be a lot safer, pick up one that has a HEPA filter, which has the ability to trap 99.97% of dander, pet hair, pollen, dust, and mod spores.
For example, Dyson vacuum cleaners are equipped with a Hepa filter. Dyson is one of the vacuum cleaner brands that have high price tag, so it was a refresher to see the brand deliver a less expensive model but maintaining the technologies they are known for. The Dyson vacuums is equipped with the patented ball technology that allows the machine to have a wide range of pivoting motion. As a result, even if it looks bulky, it is exceedingly maneuverable.
Performance-wise, it does a good job. Large debris particles and pet hair on carpets have no escape from this machine. As to hard floors, Dyson keeps its promise of excellent suction. Note that the rollerbrush must be disabled when cleaning such surface as to avoid scratching the floors. Bonus is its lifetime washable filter.
Self-Propelled – self-propelled is a technology that enables the motor to suck up dirt as well as move the vacuum, requiring less effort from you.
Edge cleaning – this feature enables you to clean right up to the wall.
Telescopic wand – you can extend the length of the vacuum wand to reach those hard to get to areas.
Cordless – battery powered vacuum that requires no cord.
Some of the manufacturers you should check out include, Dyson, Shark Rotator and Hoover. All 3 offer exceptional products, that I can recommend.