If you are looking to buy a new vacuum cleaner, you must have come across comparisons between canister vacuums and upright vacuums. And although both these types of vacuum cleaners get the job done, people are more inclined towards buying a canister vacuum cleaner. But are canister vacuums better than upright vacuums performance wise?
Yes. Canister vacuum cleaners are better, but only under certain conditions. If you clean your home or office space daily, canister vacuums are a great choice since they operate at a lower noise level, are great for cleaning different surfaces and are easy to carry around. On the other hand, upright vacuums are better for deep cleaning, usually a better choice for carpeted surfaces and rugs.
And because choosing between the two can be a pickle, the information we have gathered in the paragraphs below will give you the right facts to pull the trigger!
How Canister Vacuums are Different from Upright Vacuums
Upright Vacuums are compact, with the suction and motor unit built into one. This design makes them cheaper, more space-efficient, and better at deep cleaning carpets. They often also have a wider cleaning path.
However, they are louder compared to canister vacuums. The two-in-one unit design also makes them heavier (up to 20 pounds). Hence, they are more difficult to carry around the house and impractical to lift in order to clean upholstery or stairs. These types of vacuums might not be ideal for hard-to-reach corners or small spaces like areas behind couches or under furniture.
Canister vacuums are built with a separate suction and motor unit that are connected via a hose. This feature allows for better noise insulation and the separate suction handle enables better mobility. However, these machines might be bulkier, requiring more storage space. They are often more expensive compared to upright vacuums.
What Makes Canister Vacuums a Better Choice?
Here are some benefits of canister vacuums over upright ones:
- Powerful suction: Since the canister vacuums have a separate motor unit and do not have to limit the motor size, the suction is often more powerful than upright vacuums (that need to limit the motor size to accommodate it into the two-in-one design). A better motor allows for faster, more efficient, and deeper cleaning.
- Better mobility: Unlike the upright vacuums, you only must carry the suction wand with canister vacuums (since the motor unit has built-in wheels to drag along) which makes them easier to maneuver from place to place.
- Better reach: The separate cleaning wand enables you to use the vacuum for hard-to-reach places around the furniture. Since you do not have to lift the whole unit like you need to with upright vacuums, cleaning higher places like overhead cabinets and curtains becomes easy.
- More versatile: Canister vacuums can often be equipped with a variety of brushes and nozzles to make them more suited for different kinds of jobs. For example, you can add a mechanical brush attachment for carpet cleaning or a crevice nozzle for narrow spaces.
- Low operating noise: The separate motor unit allows for more noise masking, making canister vacuums far less noisy than upright vacuums.
What Suits You Better, a Canister Vacuum or an Upright Vacuum?
With all the information on canister and upright vacuums above, are canister vacuums better than upright vacuums for your cleaning needs?
Which vacuum you should get depends on the purpose you need it for and what you expect from it. We believe an upright vacuum is better for someone looking to deep-clean carpets and rugs and has most of the flooring covered by carpeting.
It might also be a good choice for people living in smaller spaces since it takes up less space and does not have to be carried around a lot, making it more practical.
However, if you are looking for a more suitable option for the routine cleaning of bare floors or hardwood floors along with ease-of-usage, a canister vacuum is a better choice. A canister vacuum is also more suitable for people who have multi-storied houses with a large cleaning area and ample storage space.
So, Are Canister Vacuums Better than Upright Vacuums?
It depends on the application and your cleaning needs. Canister vacuums may have an advantage over upright vacuumsin terms of having a more ergonomic design and being more versatile. The canister vacuums are also more powerful, less noisy, and easier to handle.
They cover a larger area with more precision, cleaning more efficiently as it goes. So, think about where you are going to use the machine and for what applications you are going to need it as you are making the decision.
