Upright Vs. Canister Vacuum Cleaners

When purchasing a new vacuum cleaner, one of the biggest delimas for many consumers is whether to buy an upright or a canister type vacuum cleaner. You may have grown, as I did, with a series of upright vacuums, and now that’s just the norm. Maybe your mother was a hard core canister vac user, and that’s all you really know. Whatever the case, it’s time to open your mind to other things, and decide for yourself which type of vacuum cleaner is best for your needs.

Uprights have their advantages. Most are fairly easy to use and store. You simply pull it out of the closet, unwind the cord and plug it in, and away you go. Attachments are usually located on the back for fairly easy access and use. When you’re done with this undesirable chore, you simply wind up the cord and place it back in the closet.

Upright vacuum are also easy to maneuver. You don’t have to deal with the long hose, especially each time you have to back up. Do you ever get tired of having to push the canister backwards each time you reach the corner of the room? I know I do. This is not an issue with upright vacuum cleaners. Uprights have made tremendous advancements recently, especially with the Dyson. Their patented “Ball” makes turning a breeze. No other vacuum will make turning corners and around beds easier. So, why even bother with a canister vacuum?

There are two distinct advantages to buying and using a canister vacuum over an upright. First of all, most canisters are capable of reach much further under beds and other furniture. I would not be surprising if a canister vac could reach entirely to the other side of your queen sized bed, or completely under a high sitting couch. The second major factor is the reach of a canister style vacuum. A canister has a long hose and a very long wand as opposed to an upright. Despite their claims, most uprights will not reach tall stairs the way a canister will and the attachment can be quite cumbersome and difficult to use. This is not the case with a canister. The later type vacuum cleaner will easily reach stairs, apholstery and even drapes.

Just make a list of your personal needs before shopping for that new vacuum cleaner, do some research and you won’t be disappointed.