For deep cleaning of embedded dirt, you want a regular-sized vacuum, either upright or box. But for smaller jobs or a quick one-off, a smaller vac may fill the need.
Smaller vacuums don’t cost too much, so the average dad wants to keep track of them in different areas of the house. Some more efficient vacs cost less than some less reliable models that cost more. This is an analysis of lab-tested vacuums from Consumers Union, as published in their Consumer Reports October 2008 magazine. Consumers can rely on objective comparisons to judge the best values for themselves.
Stick Vacs are useful for cleaning small areas without treatment, most purely with suction power, but some are equipped with a brush that wraps around. They are obviously better at cleaning bare floors than cloth, and some cost the same as regular vacuums. Prices range from $20 to $120.
The $100 Dirt Devil Kruz stick didn’t clean the bare board or edge well.
The $60 Shark Transformer Stick Vac had a removable handle, which transformed it into a handheld model that cleans more than some others competitors With the handle attached, it was only fair on arrival and poor on controlling dust emissions.
Handheld Vacs are good for small vacuums and can perform well on light carpets, bare areas and edge cleaning. . Cordless vacs don’t run long and have long recharge times. You need to stop to get to the dirt. Prices range from $115 to $200.
Brooms/Brooms are delicate for cleaning the surface and you don’t need to use them. “Rolling from a suctulous brush makes some quiet.” Scopes need effort. It sticks better on floors; Handhelds work better on carpets and rugs. But these only cost $10 to $100 so you might want to look around for one.
Robotic Vacs should be used between regular vacuum cleanings in “uncluttered” rooms. These can be time consuming to set up and are not good at edges and corners. They are also expensive, ranging from $130 to $1,800.
The $350 robotic Roomba 560 roamed around for 35 to 45 minutes before returning to its tray, but it did a poor job of cleaning edges and corners, and sometimes it went outside of electronic boundaries.
Lead to Ratings. “Overall crimes” mainly reflect “surface and edge cleaning, facility use, emissions, noise, and run and crime times.” All are rated on a 100-point scale.
“Carpet” refers to the cleaning surface of the middle pile of carpet.
“Bare floor” tests were performed on grouted tiles.
The “edges” are where the floor meets the walls.
“Leisure use” refers to bag capacity, operating effort, and clearance items.
“Emissions” is the emission of particulate matter with engines, with and without ventilation.
“Night” levels are measured with a decibel meter. Recommended Hearing protection for those rating “poor”.
“Pet hair” is a pickup in the middle of a carpet hat.
“Weight” when pregnant.
“run time” = average per charge.
A “lead time” is given for a full charge, for a cordless, depending on the manufacturer.
“Price” is the next wholesale.
The opinions range from “excellent” for “good”, for “good” and “fair” for “poor”.
Stick Vacs – cords and cords – short carpets and bare boards are recommended.
Seven Browns were rated and only two earned the CR “Recommended” rating. Most people are bad at cleaning and hemming clothes.
1. Hoover Flair S2200 costs $40; marked 68; (wt. 7 lb.); he rated it “excellent” for bare floors and fine hair; rated “excellent” for margin and ease of use; rated “good” for clothing and noise; rated “poor” for emissions.
2. Dist Devil Power Stick M084100 cost $40; lacerated 67; (wt. 7 lb.); he rated it “excellent” for bare floors and fine hair; rated “excellent” for wear, ease of use, emissions, poor for margins and noise.
Shark Transformer EP602 cost $60; lacerated 56; (wt. 8 lb.); rated “excellent” for bare floors; “best” for margins; “good” for pet hair; “fair for carpet and noise, poor” for ease of use and emissions.
No. 4, the Dirt Devil Kruz, previously averaged a score of 48, and others rated it even lower, including the $40 Eureka Vivo Up, $100 Electrolux Ergorapido, and $100 Electrolux Pronto.
Numbers 1 and 2 are recommended. I look forward to doing what you hope.
Hand Vacs are best suited for spot cleaning small areas.
CR rated 10 and earned only 3 “recommended.” These include “run times” in minutes and “charge times” in hours.
1. Black and Decker Pivot PHV1800 cost $60; marked 82; (wt. 4 lb.); run time = 10 min.; charge time = 16 hours; he rated it “excellent” for clothes, bare floors, fringes, emissions, and luscious hair; “good” for leisure and use and noise.
2. Electrolux Ergorapido EL1005 (comes as part of the approved staff vac) cost $100; (3 Jan.); lacerated 81; run time = 12 min.; charge time = 15 hours; rated “excellent” for carpet, bare floor, edges and emissions; “good” for ease of use and noise; “fair” for pet hair.
The Black and Decker Pet Series Retriever HV9010P costs $30; (4 lb.); to run the time and the crime was not held; lacerated 81; he esteemed the standing for the carpet, the bare floors, & borders; “best” for ease of use; “beautiful” for noise and fine hair; “poor” for emissions.
6. The Dyson one rated good for pet hair, but the price doesn’t deserve a “recommended” rating. Dyson Root 6 DC16 All Tables cost $150; lacerated 76; (wt. 3 lb.); run time 12 min.; charge a time of 12 hours; he rated it “excellent” for clothes, bare floors, fringes, emissions, and luscious hair; “good” for ease of use; “equal” for noise.
Note: Out of 10 hand rated vacs, the only other rated lower that CR “recommends” is the Dirt Devil, Number 7, below.
7. Dirt Devil Kurv M0216 cost $50; (2 Jan.); lacerated 74; run time = 15 min.; charge time = 16 hours; rated “excellent” for carpet, edges and emissions; “best” for bare floors and pet hair; and ‘good’ for coasts and noises.
CR “Recommends” numbers 1, 3 and 7. Number 1, Black and Decker, is a good pick-up of pet hair; # 7. The clay devil performed well and was light weight. Number 3 was the cheapest and the psaltery thus had an endless career. Number 6 costs more but is good for pet hair.
Warning: Not pleasant. CR finds the Handheld Dirt Devil Kone M0213 (L-code only) and similar M0212 parts from the exhaust, you put the danger to the eyes.
Reviews for Brooms/Brooms that are best for quieter cleaning without a belt.
1. Dist Devil Broom Vac MBV cost $50; lacerated 67; (wt. 4 lb.); run time = 17 min.; charge time = 16 hours; rated “excellent” for carpet, shedding and pet hair; rated “excellent” for bare floors and edges; rated “fair” for ease of use and noise.
2. Swivel Sweeper cost $35; lacerated 67; run time = 28 min.; charge time = 6 hours; rated “excellent” for bare floors, edges, ease of use and noise; “good” for clothing and pet hair; emissions N/A.
Others included: The Bissell Perfect Sweep Turbo cost $2880 40 and was poor in margins; The Shark Cordless VX3 cost $80 and is also poor in margins and only “nice” for pet hair.
Numbers 1 and 2 are recommended. Dist the devil well to clean and pet the hair, although it was a little difficult; Number 2 was easier to use, but less well.
Source:
Consumer Reports magazine October 2008. Small Vacuums. CR is published by the Consumer Union, an independent, nonprofit organization that receives no advertising fees, tests thousands of products a year and results preaches for consumers.
