Tip of the Day: Buy a reliable vacuum

A reader recently posted the following comment on our vacuums forum: "And quite simply a product that works great but doesn't last can hardly be considered a so called Best Buy."

That person was right, of course. Vacuums can be expensive, so you want one that lasts for years. Warranties aren't the answer. The majority of the upright and canister vacuums we've tested offer a one-year limited warranty that covers defects in materials or workmanship but doesn't include routine repairs.

Some vacuums come with a longer warranty, but wouldn't you rather have a one-year-warranty model that never breaks than a five-year-warranty appliance that you have to haul to the repair shop once or twice a year?

That's where our brand-reliability data for uprights and canisters (available to subscribers) will help you make a wise choice when you buy a new vacuum. This information, from the Annual Product Reliability Survey conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, is based on the experiences of 135,000 readers who bought a vacuum in the past five years.

Based on this large sample of readers, we know that, in general, canister models have been more repair-prone than uprights, and that Kirby has been among the more reliable brands of upright vacuums. Eureka and Kenmore have also been reliable brands and offer the best combination of performance and price, earning these uprights Best Buy status. Some of the recently tested Hoover uprights offer good performance at an attractive price, but other brands were more reliable.

When you're standing in a store where dozens of different models are on display, shopping for a vacuum can be daunting. You have to not only choose among all the different types but also consider myriad features and the manufacturers' hype, not to mention staying within your budget. It would help if you could test-drive the vacs, but often you can't.

To find the best vacuum for your home, consider how a model did in our latest tests and select a brand with a good repair history to improve your odds of getting a vacuum that will last.—Kimberly Janeway

Essential information: Before you head to the store, watch our exclusive video buying guide for vacuums (above).

Comments

[Laura]

I took my dyson to a vacuum repair store...after the gentleman took it apart..he said the problem was related to all the carpet powder I had been using....it got stuck inside the system including the engine...once he cleaned it out, it was fine...although I am surprised so many people use powder if this is such a problem - haven't found much in terms of research on this subject....do you know anything that either supports or invalidates this claim?

[Mary Walker]

In your latest article about vacuum cleaners, you mentioned testing the Filter Queen Majestic 360 AT1100 but I found no references to this vacuum in your ratings. Where might I find your ratings of this vacuum? M Walker

[Stephen Newby]

which vacs have best suction through hose devices?
Uprights and cannisters