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Cheap Vaccum Cleaners, Best Vacuum Cleaner Reviews
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Cheap Vacuum Cleaners Buying Guide (Uprights)
Shopping for a cheap vacuum cleaner can be a daunting task. Although upright vacs -- the most popular by sales volumes -- are all designed to suck up dirt, they can range in price from about $60 to $1,000, which gets you a German-made Miele. Moreover, the product features are vast and include everything from special models for pet owners to lightweight models for the dorm room. The good news for the budget-minded consumer is that a vacuum cleaner capable of picking up pet dander, pollen, dust mites and embedded dirt in carpets and on hard-surfaced floors can be had for under $180.
In the low-priced segment, Bissell, Hoover, Dirt Devil, and Eureka are the top manufacturers. Each offers a variety of reasonably-priced uprights at several price points between $60 and $180. The product features vary and include cleaning width (or path), power cord length, on-board tools, bag or bagless design, filtration, and hose length as well as the overall machine weight and ease of use. With so many features and user requirements, how can the price sensitive shopper make the best buy?
To help in that choice, we've compiled a rundown of basic, must-have features that can be found on inexpensive vacuums as well as a summary of budget uprights' performance.
Back to top »What To Look For: Cheap Vacuum Cleaners Features
Low-Cost Upright Vacuums Filtration.
When it comes to tackling dirt, high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration is a ”must have” feature. This particular technology, dating to the late 1940s, traps more than 99.9% of the dust, bacteria, pollen and other assorted nasty particles that zip into it. User postings on Epinions.com indicate that pet owners and folks sensitive to allergens are pleased with HEPA filtration, which is an increasingly standard item on low-priced upright vacuums like the inexpensive Eureka 4870 Boss Smartvac (starting at $110, Amazon
) and the Bissell 3950 Velocity Bagless (starting at $120, Amazon
).
Economical Upright Vacuums Bagless Design.
Bagless designs and the subsequent introduction of “cyclonic” technology was once reserved for more expensive vacuums from Dyson and Hoover, which sell at price points above $400. But now these designs have migrated down to the low-cost upright vacuum segment. Ease of use with bagless cups is a no-brainer: there are simply no bags to change or replace. The Bissell 3950 Velocity and the Dirt Devil M088160 Breeze Upright (starting at $60, Amazon
)—on our best budget buy and good budget buy list, respectively—feature bagless design; the Eureka 431A Optima Lightweight Upright Bagless (starting at $60, Amazon
) and Hoover U5512900 Elite Rewind Bagless (starting at $120) are also popular models.
Note that even with a HEPA filter, bagless designs don't always capture all the allergens the vacuum picks up. This is why manufacturers still produce low-priced upright vacuums with bags that need replacing. Of the cheap uprights, the Hoover U5140-900 Tempo Widepath Bagged Upright (starting at $70, Amazon
Inexpensive Upright Vacuums Cleaning Path.
The Hoover U5140-900, the affordable Bissell 3950 Velocity, and the Eureka 4870 all feature a wide 15-inch cleaning path, which is a full two inches wider than the Dirt Devil M088160 Breeze. Why does cleaning path matter? Well, a broad path design requires fewer “sweeps” across the floor and is ideal for large carpeted or bare floors. The downside, though, is that wide-path machines don’t work well in smaller rooms with tighter fits and more furniture; in short, smaller cleaning paths are easier to use around furniture. Reviews of the Dirt Devil Breeze on Buzzillions.com indicate that most users are not put off by its narrow width and are pleased with its performance.Cheap Upright Vacuums Ease of Use.
Twenty years ago, most vacuums were bulky beasts that often weighed 30 or 40 pounds. They cleaned well, but were cumbersome. Over time, motors hit the market that were smaller and lighter and the major vacuum manufacturers began incorporating stronger and lighter metals and plastics into their models. New ergonomic designs and handles also made carrying machines up and down stairs and around the home a whole lot easier. The Bissell 3950 Velocity, for example, features an ergonomic and lightweight design that user reviewers on Epinions.com favorably compare to the pricier Dyson.Lower-priced Upright Vacuums Power Cord Length.
The length of the power cord is often an afterthought that can frustrate thrifty consumers who quickly find the cord too short for normal uses. Depending on the area to be vacuumed, five feet of cord can mean the difference between cleaning efficiency or frustration. In the budget upright segment, the Bissell 3950 Velocity and the Eureka 4870 Boss Smartvac come with 35- and 30- foot power cords, respectively. Most user reviews, like this one on Epinions.com, give the long cord on the Eureka 4870 a hearty thumbs up.Budget Upright Vacuums Hose Length.
Hose length (and the variety of on-board attachments) ranges widely on budget upright vacuums. The Bissell 3950 Velocity features a hose that stretches 14 feet, while the Hoover U5140-900 has a flexible hose with two hard sections for reaching the tops of windows and other difficult spots. One frugal user posting on Epinions.com nonetheless finds the 29-inch hose on the Hoover way too short.Bargain Upright Vacuums Weight.
The weight of upright models evolved into a feature as vacuum makers realized that consumers were willing to sacrifice cleaning ability for lightweight design. Who wants to lug a 35-pound machine up and down stairs? The better-performing vacuums—regardless of price—still require larger motors and air flow design, which tip the scale towards heavy. Among the budget uprights, the Dirt Devil M088160 Breeze Upright Bagless weighs in at a mere 12.5 pounds compared to the Eureka 2996AVZ Altima Bagless (starting at $110, Amazon
), which hits 20.8 pounds. Still, satisfied users of economical uprights posting on Epinions.com say weight is an important consideration and prefer the lighter models.
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What To Expect: Inexpensive Upright Vacuums Performance
When it comes to buying an inexpensive upright vacuum, the process requires some thought. Questions to ask yourself before making the purchase include: Where will I use the vacuum most—on hard-surface floors or carpets, or both? Do I need a high filtration model with a HEPA filter? Will I need a lightweight model to carry up and down stairs and easily move around my home? And of course, which budget model does the best job?
Among user and expert reviews of budget upright vacuums, the consensus on overall performance varies. Most reviewers, however, say noise, cleaning ability, and the machine’s weight are the issues that merit the most attention.
Value Upright Vacuums Cleaning Performance.
Vacuums are now multi-tasking machines: they pull up dirt from rugs and carpets, “sweep” hardwood and ceramic tile floors, “dust” around moldings and furniture, and pick up pet hair and dander wherever they fall. The best low-cost uprights have powerful suction and well-designed attachments. One expert review of the Eureka 4870 Boss Smartvac on howstuffworks.com praises this budget machine's cleaning power and affordability; user reviews on Amazon.com echo this assessment. One consumer notes on the Amazon site that the Eureka 4870 Boss Smartvac digs deep into the carpet for cleaning and brings back its plush feel, and performs admirably on hard floors, as well. The Bissell 3950 Velocity Bagless likewise excels on carpets, according to users posting on Amazon.com, where one comments on how much dirt this low-priced model picked up during its maiden voyage and how well it cleaned cat hair from upholstered furniture. The experts on howstuffworks.com also praise the Hoover U5140-900 as a machine that performs as well as far pricier models. Even with a short hose, the suction is so powerful on this thrifty Hoover, writes one user on Epinions.com, that it will suck up a sock and other sizeable objects. (Of course, the hose might get clogged or the belt might break, but that’s another matter…) The Eureka Altima 2996AVZ Bagless, on the other hand, garners its share of criticism. One user posting on Amazon.com says it spews dirt and dust, and the hose, filter, and dust catcher require an annoying amount of maintenance.Low-cost Upright Vacuums Noise.
Vacuum cleaners have long suffered a reputation for being a noisy appliance. But because muffling the sound can send the price skyward, budget vacuums are often forgiven their loud ways. User reviewers on Buzzillions.com like the budget price of the Dirt Devil M088160 Breeze and its lightweight design, but say the machine is simply too loud. Similar sentiments are echoed in user reviews of the Bissell 3950 Velocity on Target.com, although one reviewer soberly notes that all vacuums are noisy. So here’s a tip: if the noise is really irksome, consider using small ear plugs while vacuuming or wait until no one is home.Budget Upright Vacuums Weight.
Both expert and user reviewers of cheaper upright vacuums seem willing to overlook concerns about the machine’s weight as long as it performs well. One user review on Epinions.com of the Eureka 4870 Boss, for example, appreciates this reasonably-priced upright for its power and cleaning ability, but cites its 21 pounds as heavy and too cumbersome to use on shag rugs. Best Buy customers posting on the retailer’s website also give this inexpensive model extremely high marks for performance, quality, and value, but gripe about its weight.Upright Vacuums Warranty.
Most economical upright vacuums have a one-year warranty on parts and labor. Keep in mind that pets in the house tend to take a heavier toll on the machine’s durability, regardless of price. Also, more vacuums are sold during the winter months when pine needles from holiday trees clog motors and overall use increases because folks spend more time indoors and clean more often. Back to top »
Good Inexpensive Upright Vacuums
Hoover U5140-900 Tempo Widepath Bagged Upright
Less glamorous and feature-rich than other uprights in its price class, the TempoWidepath locks horns with competitors on power and filtration, and as the name implies, cleaning width; user reviews consistently give this budget upright a solid grade.
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Don't Bother Cheap Upright Vacuums
Bissell 3576 CleanView II Bagless Upright
Despite a wide cleaning path and plenty of power, user reviews of low-cost upright vacuums say this budget model is a messy machine and its hose is too short.
Euro-Pro NV30 Infinity Bagless Cyclonic
Although this upright entry in the cheap market segment is described in user reviews as stylish, the consensus is that this is a poor performer with both function and design issues.
Products Mentioned in This Review
Bissell 3576 CleanView II Bagless UprightEuro-Pro NV30 Infinity Bagless Cyclonic
Eureka 2996AVZ Bagless
Hoover U5140-900 Tempo Widepath Bagged Upright
Dirt Devil M088160 Breeze Upright Bagless
Bissell 3950 Velocity Bagless
Eureka 4870 Boss Smartvac
