Have you noticed lately all the ‘new improved’ commercials there are on TV toting the acclaims of the newest vacuum cleaner designs on the market?
Turbo motors, twin designs, hepa filters, cordless, even robotic models that claim to vacuum your room with no hands on interference from the housekeeper! Yet the biggest debate out there seems to be if a bag style vacuum is obsolete or if the new bag-less versions really are the best way to go. In the market for a new vacuum cleaner? Which should you choose to get the job done, bag or bag- less? Let’s take a look at a few things to consider before putting down your hard earned money.
First and foremost consider the job you expect your new vacuum cleaner to handle. Are you a single apartment dweller with Berber carpeting at work all day and little traffic? Then you may not even need much more than a simple non-motorized carpet sweeper. However most of us have at least a moderate amount of traffic, ground in sand and maybe even pet hairs to contend with.
How often do you vacuum and how much dust dirt and grime actually gets collected with each use?
If you only use your vacuum cleaner occasionally, say once a month or less, than a bag-less vacuum cleaner may be a good option as the amount of use as well as the quantity of messes you need to clean up is probably not a large issue. You probably would only need to empty the canister once per use and clean the filter as directed replacing it every 6 months (or less).
Do you suffer from allergies, have numerous pets or a pet that sheds heavily? Are you finding yourself reaching for the vacuum at least weekly or maybe even several times a week?
If so, consider sticking with the tried and true bag type vacuum cleaner. The newer bags are made nearly dust free and will hold a larger amount of debris between changes. Bag-less vacuums often leak dust when in use and there is no way around handling the dust and being exposed to the contents when emptying the canister. Most allergy specialist recommend the use of a bag-style vacuum with triple lined bags and a hepa filter for use several times per week to reduce expose to known allergies to dust and dust mites.
Once you have decided which type vacuum cleaner you are in the market for, shop around! All vacuum cleaners are not created equal! Not long ago some friends of our decided on a vacuum cleaner that used triple layer bags. and got a good price for it. They got home, inserted the bag that came with it and happily put it to use cleaning an over abundance of pet hairs, sand and sawdust from some construction, out of their carpets. They filled the first bag and replace it with the second free bag that was included with their purchase. When it came time to replace that bag they went back to the store to obtain a new supply of replacement bags only to find the store didn’t carry the bags because they had obtained a limited number of that style vacuum cleaner at a ‘one time only’ purchase. They have a slightly used vacuum cleaner sitting in the closet next to another new vacuum cleaner that they are able to find bags for! Buyer beware! You get what you pay for.
When it comes to ‘solving’ the debate between which vacuum cleaner is best to buy, a bag type vacuum cleaner or a bag-less vacuum cleaner, consider your personal needs, they types of carpet and cleaning you will be dealing with and shop around for the best options.
When it comes to a vacuum cleaner purchase, bag or bag-less, the choice is yours to make!
Resource:
The Vintage Vacuum Cleaner Museum.
May 14, 2007
.
