Alexandra Ramirez
1. SharkNinja
Best Overall Bagless Vacuum Cleaner
5/5 Product Rating
Perhaps its most heavily-advertised feature is its lightweight status. Now, it can be easy to equate “lightweight” with “missing features,” though it’s important to note that this is not the case here. Rather, you’ll find that the Shark NV501 makes a very small amount of noise (at least, for a vacuum) when it is in use. Despite this, it doesn’t seem to have sacrificed on sucking power to achieve such an effect. This is great whether you enjoy listening to music while cleaning or simply live with others who aren’t exactly thrilled to hear the vacuum go off while they’re going about their day.
Even if you find yourself rather disinterested in the Shark NV501’s low level of noise, it still performs great as a standalone vacuum. It has an excellent level of mobility (allowing you to cut sharp corners and bring the vacuum up and down the stairs with ease), a great sucking power and an installed HEPA filter – a technology often used in both residential and commercial air filters – which not only cleans your floor, but aids in sanitizing your house as a whole. Despite coming with a rather long list of premium features, the vacuum can be had for under three hundred dollars, giving it a good overall sense of value.
– Sarah Lytle
2. Dyson
Best Overall Bagless Vacuum Cleaner – Runner Up
4.7/5 Product Rating
Outside of its innovative features which are physically apparent, you’ll also find it does a very effective job in all of the ways you would expect in a vacuum. Its sucking power, for example, is easily one of the best (if not the best) among vacuums in its price range. It also comes with a five-year warranty. This isn’t too shabby at all, considering the unit can be had for roughly four hundred dollars. This translates to over one year of coverage for every one hundred dollars spent on the purchase. Of course, the warranty in question specifically covers any possible manufacturing defects you may happen to find in the vacuum. Dyson themselves has shown time and time again that they have no issue responding in a quick and polite manner in the event that you find yourself needing to cash out on the warranty in the first place. Of course, this should be expected in any sort of manufacturer’s guarantee.
– Sarah Lytle
3. Bissell
Best Budget Bagless Vacuum Cleaner
4.5/5 Product Rating
Despite the vacuum’s ability to trump the effectiveness of vacuums in all price ranges, it can be had for roughly one hundred and thirty dollars. This easily makes it the best bargain you’ll be able to get your hands on in the world of vacuums when weighing both the unit’s cost and its overall level of quality. Because the Bissell CleanView refrains from using any fancy features, you’re getting a vacuum which does a perfect cleaning job despite its low price. This makes it great if you simply do not want to pay for features you know you’re not going to use in the first place.
– Sarah Lytle
Bagless Vacuum Cleaner Buying Guide
What is a Bagless Vacuum Cleaner?
Or perhaps none of the above options seem to click for you? Despite the high level of quality in these vacuums, it goes without saying that you and I each have a different home which has its own list of cleaning needs. As such, you may find it beneficial to skip on the above list and see what you can find on your own. As it turns out, I can help you there as well. Try keeping the below considerations in mind when vacuum shopping and you’re sure to find just the product for you.
How long should your vacuum’s cord be?
A whole lot of people don’t bother checking the length of a vacuum’s cord before finalizing a purchase. And why would they? It can be very easy to assume that a long cord should be a given in a vacuum. However, this is not the case. Typically, cords of ten feet in length will be just fine. If you want to be absolutely sure, you may take measurements in you home. Simply measure the longest stretch in your house from one of its outlets to the center of the floor, add another two feet on top of that to be safe and you have yourself the ideal minimum cord length.
How much open space do you have in your home?
And how much of it needs to be vacuumed (as opposed to swept)? The larger a room, the less maneuverable your vacuum needs to be. While getting a Dyson ball sounds nice, it should be noted that you don’t exactly need this much maneuverability if you only plan on vacuuming large rooms. For smaller rooms; however, the maneuverability in such a ball will prove to be extremely convenient and time-saving.
What will you be vacuuming?
Why bother using a carpet vacuum to run over your delicate hardwood flooring when you could use a hardwood floor vacuum or all-purpose vacuum instead? To find out whether or not a vacuum has been made to tackle hardwood, simply take a look at its advertised features, as this will let you know immediately. If a vacuum has no indication of what type of floor it is best suited toward, it’s safe to assume that it’s a standard carpet vacuum.
Bagless Vacuum Filters
The vast majority of bagless vacuums sold in today’s age come with built-in filters. Lots of jargon is thrown around when these filters are described by their manufacturers. Do you know what they are and which type you need?
- HEPA Filters – When a commercial establishment uses an air filter, you can bet that it is one of the HEPA variety. If you’re in the business of capturing solid objects (bacteria, pollen, etc.), nothing beats a HEPA filter. As such, this particular type of filter is your best choice when it comes purely to sanitization through eliminating the presence of microorganisms. On the other hand, it’s not the best at removing odors or gasses of any sort.
- Carbon Filters – The other type of air filter commonly found in vacuums. These are essentially the opposite of HEPA filters. Carbon filters just aren’t all that great (though are still at least somewhat effective) at removing solids from air. When it comes to odors or gasses; however, these filters can’t be beat. They are especially effective for cigarette smokers and those trying to remove smells from their carpet.
Common Bagless Vacuum Cleaner Features
Although everyone’s vacuum needs will vary from person to person, there are a few features which are always nice to see in a vacuum. Keep an eye out for them when shopping to ensure you get the best possible product.
- A Warranty – Usually, a warranty on a product acts as a nice bonus which goes on to further separate said product from the competition. In the world of vacuums; however, warranties have become the standard. When a manufacturer doesn’t offer any sort of guarantee that their product will work for even one year, it makes you wonder why. If a manufacturer isn’t confident in their product, why should you be?
- An Easy-to-Empty Tank – The whole point of a bagless vacuum is to come out with a more convenient product. If you spill your tank every time you try to empty it, you won’t only have an inconvenient product, you’ll have a cleaning device which makes a mess. An ironic household appliance just isn’t worth three figures.
Conclusion
It’s safe to say that a good tank and a warranty of some sort are nearly essential in a vacuum. Outside of these features; however, it’s up to you to decide what vacuum characteristics would best suit your home. Luckily finding out is easy through following all of the above advice. With all of the technology offered to us today, getting the right vacuum is a piece of cake with the proper knowledge.
Resources
- http://www.dyson.com/vacuum-cleaners/upright/dyson-ball-compact/dyson-ball-compact-animal.aspx
- http://www.walmart.com/ip/Shark-Rotator-Lift-Away-Professional-Bagless-Upright-Vacuum-NV501/22562481
- https://canada.bissell.com/cleanview-vacuum-with-onepass-technology-1331c
