Why choosing the right vacuum cleaner is crucial for your home and health

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Cleaning your floors isn’t just a daily chore that improves the visual appearance of your home. Dirty floors can harbor bacteria and pollutants that impact air quality, and leaving debris on the floor can scratch and wear down your flooring. That’s why a vacuum cleaner is a crucial tool that any home can benefit from. 

Vacuum cleaners prevent dirt, pollutants, bacteria, and more from building up in your home. Not only can they help improve air quality by collecting and trapping particles, but they can also help preserve the quality of your floors and lengthen their lifespan. 

How to choose the best vacuum cleaner for your home

There are various types of vacuum cleaners to choose from, including upright vacuums, cordless stick vacuums, canister vacuums, robot vacuums, and handheld vacuums. But with so many options available, there are some key factors to consider. Think about your floor type, the suction power you need, and if portability and versatility are important features. By narrowing down the main uses, you’ll be able to figure out which vacuum works best for you.

To help make the choice easier, we’ve broken down the main types of vacuums to choose from that will keep your home clean. Since vacuum cleaners can be so expensive, we’re here to make sure the investment is a worthwhile upgrade to your home and your health.

Upright vacuums

If you have a large home with a lot of carpeting, an upright vacuum can provide powerful performance and a deep clean. With powerful motors, heavy-duty suction, and large dustbins, they’re great options for tackling a lot of debris, as well as pet hair. They can also be used on hard floors, but you’re going to want to make sure the model you’re using has adjustable settings to prevent any scratches.

Since they’re so efficient, they can clean your floors quickly, but there are some drawbacks. The heavy-duty cleaning comes with a heavier weight, which can make them less convenient to move around, especially up and down the stairs. They’re typically corded, too, which makes them less portable than cordless options.

Shark Upright Vacuum

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Check price at AmazonCheck price at WalmartBissell PowerForce Helix Bagless Upright Vacuum

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Check price at WalmartCheck price at AmazonDyson Ball Animal Origin Upright Vacuum

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Check price at AmazonCheck price at WalmartCordless stick vacuums

When it comes to quick daily cleanings, it doesn’t get much better than a cordless stick vacuum. (In fact, they’re personally my go-to for vacuuming at least once a day in a household with pets.) Cordless stick vacuums work best with hard floors and low-pile rugs, and they often come with various attachments that cater to each floor type. They’re also great for small spaces, as they’re usually lightweight, compact, and easier to store in a closet or corner than other vacuums.

Some cordless stick vacuums also have multifunctional designs. With these types of stick vacuums, you can replace the long floor attachment with smaller attachments, turning them into handheld vacuums. So in addition to cleaning your floors, they can also clean your sofas and shelves, or even be used in a car. However, stick vacuums tend to have smaller dustbins, which means you’ll have to empty them more frequently than larger vacuums. You’re also limited to battery life, which can range anywhere from a few minutes on a higher mode to an hour on the lowest power setting.

Levoit Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner

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Check price at AmazonCheck price at WalmartKanfuaq Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner

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Check price at WalmartDyson V11 Origin Cordless Vacuum

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Check price at AmazonCheck price at TargetCanister vacuums

Canister vacuums are super versatile cleaners that work well with various floor types. They’re perfect for homes with hardwood, tile, or laminate floors, as well as rooms with carpets or rugs. They typically come with various attachments that add to their versatility, including a long wand that not only helps you reach under furniture, tight areas, and stairs, but also curtains, ceilings, and ceiling fans. 

While powerful and efficient for cleaning floors and beyond, the design factor might be a setback for some. Due to the design, it can be inconvenient to drag around the canister as you move from area to area, and they can be a bit more difficult to store than other types of vacuum cleaners since they require more space.

Eureka WhirlWind Bagless Canister Vacuum

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Check price at AmazonCheck price at TargetCheck price at WalmartKenmore Bagged Canister Vacuum

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Check price at WalmartProlux Tritan Canister Vacuum

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Check price at TargetRobot vacuums

Automating tasks saves you time and work, and crossing cleaning your floors off your to-do list is exactly the type of convenience a robot vacuum provides. Robot vacuum cleaners are perfect for daily maintenance, especially when they function with a simple press of a button. Many robot vacuums also let you schedule your cleanings, making them an even more low-maintenance way to keep your home clean. Even better, there are options with mopping features that make them two-in-one floor cleaning devices.

Robot vacuums work best with hard floors and low-pile rugs and carpets. They also work well with elevated pieces of furniture — whether it be a sofa, coffee table, or storage cabinet — with enough clearance to clean underneath those hard-to-reach areas. However, they’re not the most effective for areas with high-pile rugs or carpets.

Roborock Q7 M5+ Robot Vacuum and Mop

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Check price at AmazonPrettyCare C2-v2 Robot Vacuum and Mop

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Check price at WalmartiRobot Roomba 105 Vac Robot Vacuum

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Check price at AmazonCheck price at TargetHandheld vacuums

If convenience and portability are top priorities, a handheld vacuum cleaner is your best bet. Thanks to their compact size, they’re lightweight and easy to use, not just in a home, but virtually anywhere.

The tradeoff for their small size is less suction power than a larger vacuum, but that doesn’t mean they can’t get the job done. They’re ideal for quick cleanups and small areas, whether it’s tight corners, stairs, or in between couch cushions. They’re also great for cleaning up cars and boats.

Black+Decker Dustbuster AdvancedClean Handheld Vacuum

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Check price at AmazonCheck price at WalmartBissell Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Hand Vacuum

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Check price at AmazonCheck price at TargetCheck price at WalmartShark WandVac Handheld Vacuum

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Check price at AmazonCheck price at WalmartCheck price at TargetDyson Car+Boat Handheld Vacuum

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Check price at AmazonCheck price at TargetCheck price at WalmartWhat vacuum cleaner is the best for you?

When choosing the best vacuum cleaner for your home, factor in the type of floors you have, the amount of suction power needed to clean said floors, portability, versatility, and extra accessories like attachments. Upright vacuums are best for heavy-duty cleaning in carpeted households, but can work well with other hard floors with adjustable settings. Cordless stick vacuums are versatile and lightweight for daily cleanings. Canister vacuums can cater to all types of floors. Robot vacuums are great for maintaining clean floors. Last but not least, handheld vacuums are best for portability and quick cleanings. 

To clean your home with maximum efficiency, you can pair two types of vacuum cleaners together, like a stick vacuum for daily cleaning and a robot vacuum for light maintenance.

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