Remember The Good Old Days When Buying A Vacuum Cleaner Was Easy?

Until quite recently the vacuum cleaner was a humbleto handle. Most think that a canister is easier to handle
servant of domestic cleaning; locked away for thebut Dyson have recently introduced a ball into the head
most part and unloved. But how times have changed?of the upright model, making handling much
Those were the days before Oreck promised toeasier.What's all this bagless nonsense? Until Dyson
lighten our load, before Dyson bamboozled us withcame along most vacuum cleaners were fitted with
science and garish colours, and Miele offered usbags. Now most manufacturers offer bag or bagless
ultimate cleaning power with the stylish lines of amodels. Bagless models claim to offer suction power
German sports car.It used to be so simple. You eitherthat never diminishes, even when the dust
bought a model from a door-to-door salesman or youcompartment is nearly full. They also allow you to see
went to your local hardware shop and bought prettywhat has been sucked up, and easy retrieval - handy
much the same sort of vacuum your parents bought.when you've just vacuumed up something you
The vacuum cleaner hadn't changed in eons. It wasshouldn't have. However, emptying a bagless vacuum
what it always was; heavy, rather ugly and noisy. Butcan be a messy affair for some people.A filter used to
not anymore.These days the hapless buyer isbe a piece of foam in most vacuum cleaners. Not
overloaded with the latest technical advances, beguiledanymore. These days many people are concerned
by the latest colour and styling and confused by theand affected by allergens in the air. Vacuum cleaner
slick marketing techniques used to push these 'designmanufacturers have responded by introducing HEPA
icons' upon us. So how do you make that difficultfilters. The problem with older vacuums is that a
choice? How do you buy the right vacuum cleaner andcertain amount of dust was sucked in and blown back
avoid universal ridicule from friend and family? If youinto the atmosphere. Vacuums fitted with HEPA
are thinking of buying a vacuum cleaner, you shouldremove 99. 97 percent of particles 0. 3 micron in
think about the following points. Only by knowing whatdiameter (or larger) from the air that passes through
your requirements are can you make the rightthem.Attachments and Extras: What attachments do
choice.What type of flooring do you have? Theyou require? What length of electrical cord would you
vacuums of today are specialist - in case you didn'tlike? You should buy a model that has at least 20 feet
know. You'll want to buy a certain make of vacuumof cord. The hose should be at least 5 foot
for fitted carpet from a vacuum that's going to belong.Service: This is one thing that hasn't changed. Top
used for hardwood flooring. You'll need to pay closemanufacturers have always prided themselves on
attention to the vacuum heads. Also, what type ofafter sales service. This is still true today. However,
attachments will you needs? Do you have curtains tosome models of vacuum cleaners are more
clean? Windowsills? High alcoves?Canister or Upright?expensive to repair than others.Finally, how much are
Back in the good old days just about all came asyou prepared to pay? The rule of thumb is that the
upright. Then someone had the bright idea of themore you pay the better the product you'll be getting.
canister! But seriously, do you have a lot of stairs? IfBut this isn't always so. Some manufacturers rely very
so, you may prefer the canister. But if you have fittedmuch on their reputation; as a consumer you usually
carpets you may prefer the greater suction powerpay for this.
afforded by most uprights? Which do you find easier