Although Americans may have significantly less carpeting in their homes than in decades past, the need for vacuum cleaners has remained.
“What we’re hearing, people are gravitating more toward hard surfaces with area rugs, but area rugs are actually why vacuuming remains so prevalent,” said Julien Levesque, senior vice president of product at SharkNinja, a maker of vacuums and home appliances. “The other piece is people are getting more comfortable with the notion of using a vacuum on a hard floor where maybe in the past they were worried about a product damaging their floors.”
So, whether you have hardwood flooring or carpets, a vacuum cleaner would likely make a welcome addition to your home. But what kind of vacuum is best for your home? It’ll likely come down to a choice between an upright or stick vacuum, and the answer will vary according to your home size, whether you have kids or pets and what features you’re looking for.
What is an upright vacuum?
An upright vacuum has that name because all its key components — including the brush head, motor, dust container — all feature on the same unit, which can stand upright when not in use. Examples include the Hoover Windtunnel and Bissell PowerForce Helix. To clean, the user bends an upright vacuum toward themselves and rolls the brush head over surfaces to pick up dirt and other debris.
Typically, upright vacuums must be plugged into an electrical outlet to function, although battery-powered uprights are now coming onto the market. Compared to stick vacuums, uprights typically are heavier and bulkier (around 15 pounds), but provide more suction power and larger dirt canisters or bags. Upright vacuums typically feature additional accessories that will help you clean in a variety of situations, from high edges to under furniture.
In terms of pricing, the entry point into the upright vacuum category is cheaper than stick vacuums, but can be expensive on the higher end.
Pros and cons of an upright vacuum
Pros
-
Upright vacuums are more powerful: These vacuums have more suction power than their stick counterparts, making them suitable for whole house cleanings or deep cleanings. Given their power, you may only have to vacuum a soiled area a few times as opposed to a stick vacuum.
-
They have larger dirt canisters: In addition to their suction power, which makes larger cleaning jobs easier, upright vacuums have more capacity to store dirt, dust, and other debris you’re picking up from the floor. This means you won’t have to empty that canister as often as you would with typically slimmer stick vacs.
-
Upright vacuums are more versatile: These machines typically come equipped with various accessories that will simplify specific cleaning jobs. For example, pull out the house and attach the long nozzle to clean hard-to-reach places, or use the pet-hair brush to pick up all your doggy or kitty’s leftover fur. Some upright vacuums also come equipped with HEPA-sealed dirt canisters that prevent dirt and allergens such as pet fur from leaking out.
Cons
-
They’re not quite portable: Given their bulkiness and need to be plugged into an electrical outlet, upright vacuums can be a bit of a pain to carry around the house, especially for houses with many stairs.
-
You’ll need to use attachments for certain jobs: “The biggest con on an upright vacuum is that you can’t fit it underneath beds and other furniture,” said Chris Kobrick, director of product management at vacuum maker Kenmore. “You can’t get it to be flat enough because the thickness of the unit itself doesn’t allow for it to be able to push fully underneath a bed or something with a low braying to it.”
-
They tend to be noisy: Given upright vacuums suction power, expect these machines to be noisy while in use.
What is a stick vacuum?
Stick vacuums, as the name suggests, are long, thin vacuum cleaners, with the motor and dirt canister near the top and brush head on the bottom. While they’re not as powerful as their upright counterparts, nor do they hold as much dirt, stick vacuums are comparatively lightweight — under 10 pounds on average. They’re also typically powered by a battery, like the Dyson V15 Detect and our current top pick for the best cordless vacuums, the LG CordZero. Starting prices for stick vacuums are generally higher than upright vacuums.
“Stick vacuums started out as more of a quick cleanup type of unit. They’ve gained in popularity. They’re easy to use. They maneuver well,” Kobrick said. Stick vacuums are for “quick, easy, get it out, do that specific job as opposed to whole home cleaning. If you live in a small space and maybe don’t have pets or kids, you could probably use a stick vacuum as your primary vacuum, but there are some limitations to it.”
Pros and cons of a stick vacuum
Pros
-
Stick vacuums are more portable and convenient: Because they are cordless and relatively lighter than uprights, stick vacuums are ideal for small, quick jobs. For example, you can keep it near your dining table and use it to quickly clean any messes the kids made during dinner.
-
They’re also more maneuverable: Many of the stick vacuums on the market today are made to contort to fit in a variety of places, including under the bed and on stairs. By using different attachments, you can also reach high-up places and even on surfaces such as your couch.
-
They’re easier to maintain: Compared to uprights, stick vacuums can be much simpler to clean. Typically, stick vacs feature dustbins that can be simply dumped into the garbage can after a few uses. They also have fewer filters to clean.
Cons
-
Stick vacuums need more frequent dumping: While it’s also a perk, expect to take more trips with your stick vacuum to the garbage can to empty the dustbin, since they’re typically smaller than in their upright counterparts.
-
Don’t expect to use it for big jobs: Stick vacuums are great for what they do — cleaning up smaller areas and more concentrated messes — but they don’t have the suction power required for larger homes and deeper cleans.
-
You’ll have to keep that battery charged: Along with the above, stick vacuums are also not suitable for big cleaning jobs because they run on batteries. Typically, you can expect up to 40 minutes of runtime on a full charge at lower suction settings.
Upright vs. Stick Vacuum: Which one should you choose?
While both types of vacuums use a motor to power a fan to generate airflow to pull dirt and other materials from surfaces, there are notable differences between upright and stick vacuums when it comes to their power source, suction power, portability, the size of the device as well as how much dirt they can hold.
In short, upright vacuums are more powerful machines typically plugged into an outlet and don’t need to be emptied as often as stick vacuums, making them ideal for cleaning larger homes. Stick vacuums, on the other hand, are lighter, more portable devices typically powered by a rechargeable battery and used for a variety of quicker cleaning tasks.
Upright vacuums remain the most popular on the market, with almost 56% market share of all units sold, while stick vacuums hold about 41% of the market, according to data shared by Chris Kobrick, director of product management at vacuum maker Kenmore (the canister vacuum is fading out of the market with less than 3% market share).
Upright vs. Stick Vacuum: Factors to consider
The most important factor when considering between an upright and stick vacuum is the size of your home. Other factors include whether you have kids or pets, and what your expectations are for a vacuum cleaner.
“Stick vacs are great for their power and the cleanup. They work very well. The limitation of the battery is the biggest [drawback],” Kobrick said. “If you have a 2,000 square-foot home and a couple of kids, you would want a full upright with some attachments that can really give you the versatility to clean your home.”
Essentially, if you live in a smaller home and want to clean in quick bursts, a stick vacuum may work as your primary cleaning device. Those with messy pets who leave hair everywhere or children or with larger living spaces may want the power and versatility of an upright vacuum cleaner.
You don’t need to limit yourself to one vacuum cleaner
It’s also worth noting that many Americans own more than one vacuum cleaner. According to research from SharkNinja, Americans own an average of 2.3 vacuums, which could be a combination of upright and stick vacuums.
“People on the higher end of that [vacuum] average [have] one for every floor,” Levesque said. “Usually, there’s a spare that’s in the basement if something goes wrong with one of the other ones.” He added that some people have a vacuum for their grossest messes, including highly trafficked carpets or where pets hang out the most.
FAQs
Are upright vacuums more powerful than stick vacuums?
Yes, upright vacuums typically feature more powerful motors that allow them more suction power than stick vacuums. Uprights typically need to be plugged into an electrical outlet to compensate for this power, whereas many stick vacuums run off batteries.
Are stick vacuums as good as upright vacuums?
“It’s based on how you define ‘good,'” Kobrick said. “[Stick vacuums] clean well for smaller areas. It comes down to the limitation of the battery and the battery length of time. An upright will overall do a better job. You get deeper cleaning and you have the power and the suction.”
Which vacuum works best for pet hair?
The safer choice for pet hair is an upright vacuum, given they offer more suction power. That said, a stick vacuum may work, but you may have to use it more often. Whatever choice you make, one useful feature for pet owners and those with long hair are self-cleaning brushrolls. Fur and hair often can get stuck around the vacuum’s brush roll, forcing the user to remove it manually, often with a scissor. This feature prevents that issue, either with a built-in blade or comb system so that hair and fur doesn’t clump up.
Read more link stack
Read the full article here
