Vacuums: Canister or Upright? Bagged or Bagless?

This week I'm going to be talking about vacuums, carpet cleaners and other topics related to carpet care. Today I thought I talk about what to look for in a new vacuum.

I used to own this Bosch canister vacuum

So last August, we moved from Utah to Washington so we could live closer to family. As we were getting packed up and ready, our vacuum died after 5 years of use. What bugged me the most about it dying though was the fact that it was just a part within the vacuum that no longer worked and if I could have opened it up to replace it, it probably would've lasted a few more years. But the manufacturers of the vacuum created it so there was no way to get the cover off of the head. There were no screws or anything as far as I could tell. I don't even know if I could have taken it to a certified vacuum repair shop to have it fixed because I didn't see how it could have been repaired. Typical of our throwaway society right? I hate that!

So I borrowed a friend's vacuum to get our place ready for moving and once I got settled into our new place, we decided to look for a new vacuum.

Canister or Upright?

Upright vacuum from Bissell

The first thing to consider is whether you want a canister vacuum or an upright. We really like our canister vacuum for the most part because the head was so small, it was able to get underneath furniture like the couch and beds so we didn't have to move furniture in order to clean underneath. It also makes vacuuming the stairs really easy and you were only pushing a light head back and forth instead of the entire heavy vacuum.

However, when I started researching vacuums, I discovered something about canisters. In order for them to work as well an upright, you need to have the motor that's in the body and a separate motor in the canister head. Otherwise, the head is using air to turn the rug beater and it's not going to have as much power as an upright vacuum. Because of this, the less expensive canisters are really made to work with carpets that have no pile whatsoever (which isn't very common for homes).

Obviously having two motors costs more, so in order to get a good canister vacuum that will do as good of a job as uprights, you're looking at paying $100 to $300 more than for a comparable upright. Something you'll have to consider if you decide you want an upright.

Bagged or Bagless?

Bagless upright vacuum by Panasonic

The next thing you'll have to consider when purchasing a vacuum is whether you want to go with a bagged vacuum or a bagless vacuum. Bagless vacuums seem ideal. You no longer have to pay for bags, which can be expensive. Instead just dump the dirt into the garbage when you're done vacuuming. There is a hidden cost to these bagged vacuums, though — the filters. Sometimes you don't think about the fact that many bagless vacuums have filters that have to be replaced every so often and can easily cost as much as vacuum bags.

Bagged vacuums come with bags. Many consumers try to buy off brand bags for their vacuums, but this isn't always wise. Branded bags are usually made using cotton and paper that is designed to trap particles so they don't escape when you remove the bags from the vacuum. These thick, 3-ply bags trap the dirt and dust particles so you can remove them cleanly. However, off brand bags often just use paper and have small holes in them allowing the smaller particles to escape releasing them back into the air to settle on the floor once again. If you're allergic to dust, it's especially important to buy the name brand vacuum bags.

So when it comes to vacuums, there are lots of decisions? Do you want to have a vacuum that is light and easy to push around? That's easy to clean stairs or can easily be transported upstairs and downstairs? Are you willing to put in an investment into your vacuum or would you rather pay less and go with a middle-of-the line vacuum?

Tomorrow I'll tell you which vacuum I chose and give you a review on it. In the meantime, tell me which vacuum you use. Do you love it or hate it?

Vacuums: Review of the Dyson DC40 Animal Upright Vacuum

So I'm sure you're dying to know (and I've made you wait in anticipation long enough). So what vacuum did I end up buying? I went with the Dyson DC40. Let's go over why I picked it and then I'll talk about the what I like and what I don't.

Why I Chose the Dyson DC40 Animal Upright Vacuum

Here is why I chose the DC40:

• Got it at Costco, which has a great return policy and they had it for $100 off.
• Though it's an upright, it's light and you can easily maneuver it around furniture.
• It's bagless with washable filters, so you don't have to replace either bags or filters on it. 
• You can easily take it apart to clean the rug beater (have I mentioned I have long hair?).

What I Like about the DC40 Animal Upright Vacuum

For the most part I do like this machine. Here are some of the highlights:

• To release the cord, you just flip the cord minder down and then pull it off. 
• It's really easy to dump the dust that's in the dust bin into the garbage (my one-year-old proved this by doing it himself ... all over the newly vacuumed carpet).
• The dust bin opens at the bottom, so you're not taking it and turning it upside down to dump it (which I think would cause more of a mess).
• It's light and easy to push around and get around furniture.
• It has powerful suction to really clean the carpet.
• And, as I mentioned, it's easy to take it apart to clean or to take out filters and such. 

Here's What I Don't Like about the Dyson DC40 Animal Upright Vacuum

Though it's a great vacuum, there are some things I would like to see improved:

• Though the hose has really good suction, it's also really awkward to use. Half of it is a flexible hose and half is a stiff hose, and the stiff hose just seems to long and you can't take it off to use the vacuum without it.
• The head doesn't go under the furniture. It's those days I wish I still had a canister.
• It doesn't seem to work as well on hardwood floors. OK, so I don't have hardwood floors, but I noticed a lot of reviews mention this, so I figured I'd add it to the list in case you do. I really think this vacuum was made for carpeted floors (I haven't used it for the kitchen or anything so I couldn't say).

Just the Facts:

Store: Costco
Price: $400
Date Purchased: August 2012
Rating: 4/5
Recommended: Overall, yes, but it's an expensive vacuum. It's possible there are cheaper vacuums that work as well.

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