Shopping for a vacuum cleaner is not as easy as it once was. The cleaners of yesterday offered little difference in features and capability. It used to be sufficient to choose the style of cleaner you preferred and then picked from the offerings of a trusted manufacturer. Contemporary machines are equipped with a litany of features and styles to enable shoppers to choose a vacuum cleaner that fits their specific home cleaning needs. When shopping for your next cleaner, pay attention to these key factors to make your choice the best pick for your household chores.

1. Style

The first choice in deciding what your next vacuum cleaner will be is the choice between an upright or canister vacuum cleaner. Each style offers a unique array of capabilities. Those who are primarily planning to use their cleaner for carpeted flooring will find the upright vacuum the smartest choice. The motor and cleaning surface are close together, which gives the upright vacuum the most effective and powerful tool for cleaning deep-down dirt from carpets and rugs.

Canister vacuum cleaners are best for above-the-floor cleaning. The canister comes with attachments and tools that allow you to select the specific cleaning instrument to tackle a specific job. Canister vacuums also commonly come with tools that are capable of cleaning hard floor surfaces with a brushless cleaning device.

2. Features

There are a few standard cleaner features that span virtually the entire arena of vacuum cleaners. Most cleaners can clean multiple surfaces, have height adjustments to set the cleaning head at the optimum distance for your type of carpeting, and have tools and cleaning implements to handle specific jobs effectively. There are still some features that are not standard and may make the difference between you getting an adequate machine or one that matches your needs perfectly.

One such feature is a motorized cleaning head for upholstery and carpeted stairs. Suction alone is insufficient to draw deeper dirt and dust from stairs and upholstery. The way to get the deepest clean is to add agitation to the suction power of your cleaner. A motorized cleaning head that is able to be lifted off the floor is a feature that will come in handy for deep cleaning above the floor.

3. Filtration

Newer vacuum cleaners offer  a wealth of advancements in the area of filtration. High Efficiency Particulate Arrest, or HEPA, is the standard by which vacuum cleaners are rated for filtration performance. Buyer’s should look for cleaners that offer HEPA Certified bags or filters as well as cleaners that retain suction power. The balance that each machine attempts to achieve is maximum airflow to foster stronger cleaning power, and maximum particle arrest to keep the exhausted air free of dust and debris. More robust filtration stifles exhaust and airflow. Finding the right balance of filtration and cleaning power is a crucial element in choosing the best vacuum cleaner for you.