How to choose the best vacuum for your space
A clean home is a healthy home — and fall is a great time to get your house back in shape after a hectic summer. From tips on improving your indoor air quality to the best ways to clean up household messes, Canadian Tire has everything you need to Prepare for Fall.
Keeping your home clean shouldn’t be a constant battle, and the right vacuum will go a long way in helping you stay on top of things. But with so many options and styles – as well as constantly evolving technology – it can be difficult to figure out how to choose the best vacuum cleaner for your space. Fortunately, there are a few key considerations that will help you narrow down the list of choices and find the perfect vacuum for you and your unique needs.
Here are five questions to ask yourself when shopping for a new vacuum cleaner.
How big is your home?
One of the first things to consider when buying a vacuum cleaner is the size of your home. If you have a big house – or one with a lot of people, pets or kids going in and out – you’ll want something that can deal with the higher levels of dirt and dust they’ll be kicking up. That means looking at a full-size vacuum with a large dust bag or canister that will require less frequent emptying.
For a versatile canister vacuum that can conquer large spaces with ease, the Miele Complete C3 Excellence Multi-Floor Canister Vacuum Cleaner features a powerful roller brush to help remove dirt from low-medium pile carpet and area rugs, while the universal floor tool provides effective cleaning for a wide variety of surfaces. Plus, the 1200 watts of power won’t leave you wanting while you clean across the 11-meter operating radius.
Have a smaller space, such as a condo or apartment? You may want to consider a stick vacuum. We like the Dyson V11 Absolute Extra Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner as a good all-around option. It features a high torque cleaner head with a crazy powerful Boost mode that gives you twice the suction of other cord-free vacuums, plus an Eco mode for max run time. It also easily switches to handheld to help you tackle quick clean-ups and tough-to-reach places.
How much carpeting will you need to clean?
Carpeting is a major factor in choosing the best vacuum for your space. What the carpet is made of matters too. Most modern carpets are made from nylon, olefin, or polyester and are very durable. That means you can use the most powerful vacuums on the market without worrying about damage.
For an all-around vacuum that works great on carpets, the BISSELL PowerLifter Swivel Pet Lightweight Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner is a solid choice. The multi-cyclonic suction is paired with a Triple-Action brush roll that pulls up deep dirt and embedded pet hair. Meanwhile, the large capacity container means you can finish the job without having to pause to empty it out as often.
When shopping for a vacuum, always make sure to check what kind of accessories come with. If your rug or carpet is made of natural fibers – like wool – you’ll want to opt for a bristle brush with soft, flexible bristles that attaches to a canister vacuum like the BISSELL PowerLifter 15X Multi-Cyclonic Lightweight Bagless Canister Vacuum Cleaner. Soft bristles will help prevent you from accidentally bending or damaging your carpet fibers.
Need to pull up dirt, dust mites and pet dander that have been ground deep into the carpet fibers? You may want to consider a carpet cleaner. Unlike traditional vacuums, these deep cleaners use moisture and heat to break down dirt and stains. Many of them disinfect as well, killing bacteria and germs in the process, like the Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe Pet Carpet & Upholstery Deep Cleaner, which automatically mixes detergent and water for best results and uses forced heated air to deliver faster drying times. It’s even got tools for upholstery, stairs, and crevices to help you get into all the nooks and crannies.
Do you have hardwood or laminate flooring?
If carpeting isn’t your style and you’re regularly cleaning hardwood and/or tile floors, you may want to consider a steam mop, which uses steam to clean and sanitize hard surfaces. The BISSELL PowerFresh 2-in-1 Hard Floor Steam Mop Cleaner kills 99.9% of germs and bacteria that can collect on your floor, plus the portable handheld steamer lets you clean kitchen and bathroom surfaces as well using its handy bristle brush and grout tool.
Looking for something a little more versatile that both vacuums and washes hard floors and area rugs? The BISSELL CrossWave All-in-One Multi-Surface Wet/Dry Vacuum Cleaner features a Dual-Action brush roll that allows you to vacuum and wash at the same time, and easily switches from hard flooring to carpeting and back again with the touch of a button.
Will you need to carry your vacuum up and down stairs?
When you have a multi-level home, you don’t want to have to trudge a heavy vacuum up and down multiple flights of stairs. That’s where lightweight stick vacuums are a great solution. Stick vacuums generally weigh less than 10 pounds, and while they may be “light” on attachments (they typically don’t have as many as uprights), many of them have clever features that make them ideal for cleaning stairs and ceiling fans.
The Dyson V7 Motorhead Origin Lightweight Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner, for example, is a little lighter than the Dyson V11 Absolute Extra stick vac mentioned above, but its direct-drive cleaner head is still powerful enough to lift ground-in dirt from carpets. More importantly, the lightweight design allows you to take it up and down stairs and clean high-up places with ease. It’s got up to 20 minutes of floor cleaning run time for quick cleans, while the handheld mode gives you up to 30 minutes, making it perfect for staying on top of dirt, dust and minor messes.
Canister vacuums also work well for stairs, giving you maximum reach and flexibility while still being lighter weight than an upright. The BISSELL AeroSwift Compact Lightweight Bagless Canister Vacuum Cleaner is another good option here, thanks to its compact yet powerful design and bagless Easy Empty tank.
Would you prefer to have your vacuum clean for you?
For those who prefer a more hands-off approach to vacuuming, consider opting for a robot vacuum. These technological marvels are self-propelling and fully programmable, using sensors to navigate your space while easily cleaning places that are tricky to reach with a standard vacuum, such as underneath furniture.
The iRobot Roomba 691 Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum Cleaner lets you schedule regular clean-ups using its iRobot HOME app, and will even suggest an extra clean when pollen count is high in your area or during pet shedding season. It also integrates with Google Assistant and Alexa-enabled devices, so you can simply tell your Roomba to start cleaning, then sit back and kick your feet up.
