Which Are the Best Vacuum Cleaners?
How does a consumer determine the best vacuum cleaners from which to choose before making a purchase?
For starters, those consumers that are used to and prefer canister vacuum cleaners will probably choose a canister model. The same is true regarding upright vacuum cleaners for those who are partial to uprights. But if you really want to find the best vacuum cleaners, where do you go from there?
Do Ratings Show the Best Vacuum Cleaners?
You can get ratings for various vacuum cleaners that claim to pick the best vacuum cleaners according to factors such as power, filtering ability, ease of handling and reliability, but ratings according to whom? Although some consumer organizations test and rate vacuum cleaners and provide useful information in this regard, it might not be the whole picture.
The Best Vacuum Cleaners for the Consumer or the Manufacturer?
You’ve undoubtedly heard the expression, “They sure don’t make ‘em like they used to” applied to just about every product that’s been manufactured for longer than 10 years. Before you chalk that statement up to simple nostalgia for times past, consider that there is some truth to this notion that might be a clue to help identify which are the best vacuum cleaners (or which are not the best vacuum cleaners).
In the mid-1950s, an industrial designer named Brooks Stevens coined the phrase “planned obsolescence.” He used the term as an advertising idea meant to make consumers want to buy newer, better products more frequently. But before the end of that decade, planned obsolescence became a description for products that were designed to go out of style quickly or break easily.
Talk to an appliance repair person who’s been working in that field for a number of years and ask about the reliability of the best vacuum cleaners or other appliances. You’ll get some very interesting answers indeed.
Electrical Appliances often worked without fault or need of repair for 15 to 20 years or more. Maytag developed an entire advertising campaign featuring the loneliest repairman, who was lonely because he never had any repairs to make!
Nowadays, parts often wear out quicker and repairs cost more. Frequently, when a washer, dryer, stove or – yes — vacuum cleaner, breaks down it’s just easier to buy a new one rather than deal with the hassle and expense of repairing the old one.
All that said, when it comes to vacuum cleaners and other appliances, some do work better, handle easier and last longer than others. Getting advice from an expert – such as a local vacuum repairman – is never a bad idea. If you talk to someone good, you’ll probably get recommendations for brands and models that are overlooked by ratings publishers and are being recommended for reasons that you hadn’t even considered.
The simplest and quickest method for determining the best vacuum cleaners is to read online reviews by consumers who’ve purchased and used them. For this reason in particular, online retailers like Amazon.com that have a mechanism for customer reviews of products are an excellent place to shop for the best vacuum cleaners.