Video:How to Buy a Vacuum

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Transcript:How to Buy a Vacuum

Hi, I'm Debbie Anderson for About.com. Vacuums come in all shapes, sizes, and prices.

So whether your vacuuming needs are great or small, there a few key considerations to determine before purchasing a new vacuum.

Determine the Type of Vacuum You Need

First, determine the amount of carpet and the type of foot traffic you have in your home, as this will determine if you need a heavy-duty upright vacuum or if you can get away with a smaller more compact vacuum.

The other options are bag or bagless vacuums, with the most popular being a bagless vacuum.

The benefit of the bagless vacuum is that you can retrieve important items that may be sucked up into the vacuum while cleaning, important items such as jewelry.

For homes with pets, a vacuum with a HEPA filter greatly reduces the amount of allergens floating around the air.

Choose the Vacuum's Power

Once you have determined size and convenience features, determine the amount of suction power you will need.

The first feature to consider is the number of amps that a vacuum uses, but suction power can also be determined by other factors.

Suction powers is largely determined by the design, whether or not it has HEPA filters and the types of filtration systems it uses.

So look at the design. A more fluid airflow design will help create greater suction power. The kind of hose design can also determine the suction power because of the way the air flows.

Look at the Brushes on the Vacuum

Finally, rotating brushes on the vacuum tends to determine how deep your vacuum can really clean the carpet. It is best to test out different-sized brushes before purchasing.

And if you are still not sure which vacuum to buy after considering all of these factors, consider the vacuum with the best warranty.

Thank you for watching. To learn more, please visit us on the web at homegarden.about.com.