What should I look for when buying a new vacuum cleaner?

You should review your cleaning needs before you buy a new vacuum cleaner. Consider things like how plush is the carpet pile? Do you have both carpet and hard floors? Do you have areas that are difficult to clean like stairs or high ceilings? Do you have severe allergies? How important is it to have a lightweight vacuum? Because no vacuum is perfect for every situation, these considerations should help you choose just the right one.

If you suffer from allergies, perhaps the most important consideration for you is the bag. While the Windtunnel series from Hoover offers a bin rather than a bag, the HEPA filter systems are commendable, removing dust, pollen, pet dander, and dirt particles from the air. However, if your allergies are severe, you may want to consider a bag rather than bagless, since the bin must be emptied and the filter cleaned periodically. Bags can be removed and thrown away, keeping the dust and other allergens safely inside.

Let's quickly discuss each type of vacuum cleaner you might want to consider:

Upright vacuum cleaners

Upright vacuum cleaners contain a motor, hose, beater unit, and come in either bag or bagless versions. They are easy to manipulate around furniture or other obstables, and some are self-propelled to aid in covering large areas. Uprights usually work best on carpeting and have variable settings for different carpet pile heights as well as one for bare floors.
Upright vacuum cleaners come standard with some hose and wand attachments, but cannot easily traverse stairs or closets.

Canister vacuum cleaners

Canister vacuum cleaners are comprised of a canister, which houses the motor and bag, and a long hose. This would be a good pick for most hardwood floors, vertical surfaces, stairs, and/or curtains. Most canister vacs offer retractable cords and beater attachments, and all have exceptional suction for hard floors. You can also get differing weights for portability.

Broom or stick vacuum cleaners

Broom vacuums (also known as stick vacs) don't have beaters and rollers, but perform well on hardwood floors, curtains, furniture, tight spaces, and hard-to-reach areas. They use a dirt cup to catch dirt and dust.

Carpet steamers

Sometimes called steam vacs, carpet steamers don't actually use steam to clea, they just use hot water and a cleaning solution. Instead of a bag, they have multiple tanks to hold the dirty water and the cleaning solution. They usually have rotating heads that assist the cleaning solution into the carpet nap.

Now you need to match up the best vacuum cleaner to your needs, don't get one just because it sounds good on the box, really think about what you need from your new cleaner and if the ones you are considering will deliver the goods or not.