Some are already capable of detecting dirt, although others do not have the necessary power. The battery has traditionally been the weakest link. However, there are many other points to consider before buying one.

The question is: which cordless vacuum to buy?

Buying that type of products is not as simple as checking its power and seeing how long the battery lasts.

A cordless vacuum cleaner is like an organism in which everything is related:

• No lasting power if the filter system is not efficient
• If there is no power in normal mode, speeding up will cause you to run out of battery
• If there is no battery, you will not be able to use it.

In addition, the design must be taken into account: if it has a lot of autonomy but is heavy for you, you will get tired very soon and will stop using it.

If you are thinking of acquiring a new vacuum cleaner, and you are clear that it will be cordless, this article will teach you to discover the key points.

What to look for before buying a cordless vacuum cleaner?

1. Power  of cordless vacuum cleaner

• What is a powerful model? How is power measured?
• Operating modes: Does it have good power at normal speed?
• What are suction losses?
• Smart models: what are they? How can they benefit you?
• What power do you need to have? (carpets, pets, upholstery, hard floors)

2. Autonomy

• What does the autonomy of a cordless vacuum cleaner depend on?
• Click battery so as not to be left half in the worst moment.
• Battery charge time
• Do you need a long-distance runner?

3. Filters

• Why are there models that only suck well on the first day?
• Differences between filters and filtering system
• The (almost always) unknown advantage of cyclonic technology
• Important questions about filters

4. The deposit

• How much does the container hold?
• How does reservoir size affect suction?
• The emptying mechanism: to lose sight of the dirt (definitely).

5. Structure

• The handle and grip
• Main tube: straight or flexible?
• Weight
• Sound level

6. Display

• How do you know if something is wrong? Alerts (filters, blocks)
• Battery status
• Power indicator

7. Floor brush

• Types of brushes
• What do you need? (carpet, hard floor, pet hair)
• Endowment  with accessories Mini motorized brush (the essential in homes with pets)
• Extendable tube (so you don’t have to go to the petrol station to clean the car)
• Corner units (normal, flexible, extra-long …)
• Mop for the option of mopping the floor

9. Brand

• Warranty
• Spare parts
• Technical service

POWER OF CORDLESS VACUUM CLEANERS

There are different quantities related to the power:

• Battery volts
• Engine power

However, we are interested in having data that measures the ability to vacuum and suck up dirt.

This value is expressed in:

• Various air
• Suction pressure (kilopascals)

There are 2 ways to measure the presumed performance

Suction Power in Air Watts (aw) – Indicates the watts used by the machine to transport a unit of air from the nozzle to the reservoir.

Suction pressure in kilopascals (kPa) – pressure that exerts a force of 1 newton on a surface of 1 square meter). This force creates a vacuum that is what allows the machine to suck.

How powerful is it in normal mode? (the one that is used normally)

Most models have several modes of operation:

• ECO – for minimal battery consumption
• MED – optimizes suction and battery
• MAX – is for specific moments (it is the data that always appears well in sight)

In principle, the most powerful in maximum power mode can also be more powerful in medium power mode. But it is not always true.

It depends on the difference between each power mode. That is why it is interesting to investigate what power the vacuum cleaner has in the mode that you will use it most frequently.

If you have to turn the power to the maximum to suck up normal dirt well, we are going wrong.

For example, the Dyson v15 Detect has almost 4 times less power in medium power mode than if you aim at full speed.

Why is it no longer aspiring as the first day?

Power is a good start, but it’s not everything.

If the vacuum cleaner is not efficient at separating the dust BEFORE it reaches the exhaust filter, it will get dirty and little by little, it will block the airflow.

It is known as suction loss, and it is an old problem with vacuum cleaners: as they vacuum, and the reservoir (or bag) becomes full, they clean less and less.

Suction losses are avoided when a powerful cyclone is generated in the vacuum reservoir. You will see the dirt circling, and although it is not appreciated, the finest dust falls to the bottom of the bucket.

What power to select at each moment? The “smart vacuums” advantage

How to know what speed to use so that the floor is spotless and the battery does not drain?

It is not easy:

Excess power drains the battery very quickly

In eco mode, floor cleaning can be superficial

Is a carpet vacuumed the same as a laminate or porcelain floor? Not really.

More suction is needed on carpets if you want to vacuum thoroughly.

The most advanced cordless vacuum cleaners solve all these situations with 2 types of sensors:

• Dirt sensor – detects the density of dust and adjusts the power. Increase or decrease when necessary.
• Carpet sensor is usually a mechanism that goes into the brush and measures the resistance to know what type of floor is being vacuumed. It also adjusts the suction automatically.

What power will you need in your cordless vacuum cleaner?

TYPE OF CLEANING POWER (MAXIMUM)

Rugs 90-110 aw

Hard floors 50 aw

Hairs on textiles or upholstery 150 aw

A model with a maximum power of 90-100 watts of air is already enough to vacuum the carpets.

On the other hand, on hard ground, you do not need as much power. With about 50 watts of air, it would be enough.

However, to vacuum the hairs on the car’s upholstery or those that get stuck to the sofa, you will probably need a more powerful vacuum (150 aw). The advantage is that it will take less time.

That the vacuum cleaner has more power is always an advantage, although there are other important factors that are closely related to the power, such as the following 2 sections.

THE AUTONOMY OF THE CORDLESS VACUUM CLEANER

One of the most common complaints is the little autonomy that the cordless vacuum cleaner has. Some people think that they have even been deceived: “Where are the 50 or 60 minutes they said they had?”

There is nothing more frustrating than vacuuming, and suddenly the machine shuts off, or the indicator starts flashing.

Considering that they do not work with cable and that the charging time is 4 hours on average, the vacuum cleaner must have the “travel” you need.

The maximum autonomy (the one that they indicate) is never the one you are going to enjoy

The data that usually appears (very visible) is the maximum wing that can be reached. In principle, it is the one that is achieved using the minimum power mode (ECO mode).

What happens if you increase the power because, in the eco mode, it is not enough?

The consequences can be a very drastic decrease in operating time. Maybe in turbo mode, you can only breathe in for a few minutes. Some do not know this.

It is essential to know what the operating time is at medium power since it is the one that is usually used.

What other factors does the autonomy of a cordless vacuum cleaner depend on?

• Surface  – on carpets and rugs, there is more friction than on a smooth floor where the vacuum cleaner glides like an ice skater.
• Accessory  – autonomy on the ground continuously decreases, almost the same as with any motorized accessory.
• The filters  (indirectly) – if they saturate quickly, you are forced to increase the power to compensate for suction losses.
• The battery – the capacity it has to store energy

How should the battery of a cordless vacuum cleaner be so that it works for a long time?

Ultimately, it is the battery that must supply the power to function. It would be like the car tank.

In batteries, energy is stored in cells. In principle, the more you have, the better, although what determines the storage capacity is the mAh (milliamp hour).

The most powerful vacuum cleaners and having batteries with more volts have more capacity batteries.

The removable battery advantage

Some vacuums already come with 2 batteries (in the example above, the Tineco A11 Master). Although it has less capacity (mAh), it has the advantage that you can alternate 2 batteries.

Each battery weighs less, which makes the vacuum cleaner lighter. More comfortable, without losing operating time.

In addition, the removable batteries allow you to increase the autonomy if, for any reason, you have bought a model that does not have enough autonomy.

If the battery is removable, when it reaches the end of its useful life, you will not have to send it in for service or go around removing and replacing screws.

Battery charging time

It charges fast if it does it in less than 1-2 hours, although most usually take between 4-5 hours.

Fast charging is an advantage because it allows you to have the vacuum available much earlier.

What autonomy should the cordless vacuum cleaner have?

The first key is you. It depends on how you intend to use the vacuum cleaner:

If it is for the day today, it is not the same as if you plan to do a thorough cleaning. For example, one day a week, you plan to give your whole house a pass.

It depends on the size of your home and the type of floor (remember that in carpets and carpets, the battery is consumed earlier due to the greater friction and the accessory used).

FILTERS FOR CORDLESS VACUUM CLEANERS

A very powerful cordless vacuum cleaner with a very good battery would be very inefficient without a good filtering system. It would be like an athlete with a lot of muscle whose lungs fail.

How do cordless vacuum cleaners filter?

Many people think that checking if the filter is HEPA is enough.

It may be from the point of view of the quality of the air it expels. The more allergens it retains, the better.

However, the filtering system can affect the performance. Precisely because that HEPA filter (or high efficiency) collapses very quickly.

What is the filtering system of a cordless vacuum cleaner like?

Cordless vacuum cleaners usually have a filter system that consists of several stages. in each one of them, the particles from larger to smaller size are separated

For instance:

• Phase 1- the cyclone in the bucket sends the largest particles directly to the bottom of the tank (bread crumbs, soil, any remaining food, etc.)
• Phase 2 – some mesh or screen retains lint and lighter particles
• Phase 3 – foam filter is responsible for retaining dust.
• Phase 4 – outlet filter, retains microparticles (usually high efficiency, and in some cases HEPA).

The key is in the number of phases (successive barriers that retain dirt) and how efficient the vacuum cleaner is at filtering.

Ideally, the finer dust should be separated by the force of the cyclone (or cyclones) rather than with a physical filter that will end up dirty and cause the suction to block.

What is cyclonic technology, and what types are there?

You will find hundreds of models that use cyclonic technology. Thanks to the centrifugal force, they get the powder to go directly to the bucket (without going through the filters).

Most are monocyclic. You will see that the dirt goes around in the bucket and ends up falling into the bucket.

Within these, there are more or less powerful. That will depend on the power. It is another advantage of the more powerful models.

Finally, there are the multi-cyclone vacuum cleaners. Instead of being limited to a large cyclone, they have small cyclones responsible for filtering the finest dust so that it does not reach the last outlet filter (HEPA).

The latter is the best, but they are usually the most expensive because they are only in the high ranges of some brands.

There are excellent mono cyclone vacuum cleaners and others that use another system that is proven to be functional. However, the most efficient filtering system you will find is multi-cyclone cordless vacuum cleaners.

Some important questions about filters

Filters are consumable. They do not last for a lifetime. If you forget about them, you may think that your vacuum cleaner is very weak, and it does not have to be that way.

About filters:

• What kind of filter is it?  – the famous HEPA filters are the most efficient because they retain the most allergens such as pollen, mould fungi or dust mites.
• How many filters does it have?  You will have to clean them, and you should know where they are and how many there are.
• How often do you have to clean them (and how)?  – there are vacuum cleaners that require cleaning every time they are used, while others require much less maintenance. Many are washable.
• Are there spare parts?  – Filters must be changed in most models (at least) a couple of times a year. They must be easily found (and reasonably priced).

THE TANK AND CAPACITY OF THE CORDLESS VACUUM

Leaving aside the Dyson Outsize, which has an XL tank, the rest of the vacuum cleaners move between 300 ml until they reach almost 1 litre of capacity (more than triple).

A  larger deposit has several advantages:

• You avoid emptying it more times; you gain in comfort. If you have pets, more hair will fit
• You actuate the mechanism fewer times: a possible breakage of a tab is less likely
• You can vacuum longer without stopping. If the tank fills up, the machine loses power.

As the container fills, the vacuum cleaner will lose suction capacity. It is pure logic.

When is container capacity not important?

There are very good vacuum cleaners that have a seemingly small bucket. You should not discard them from the start, and less in the following cases:

• You usually use it for a short time
• You don’t have rugs (which tend to collect a lot of dust)
• You don’t live with pets that shed a lot of hair
• You live in a small studio or apartment
• You have the floors up to date, and not much dirt usually accumulates

Emptying the bucket

You don’t want to see dirt or paint.

Do not think that once the dirt has disappeared from the floor, everything ends there. It is time to empty the tank.

It is not like a model with a bag in which all the dirt is sealed inside.

Emptying can be easy and instant or a much more time-consuming process.

Ideally, you should press a button and have all the junk fall straight into the trash can – no clouds of dust, no rummaging inside, and no need to remove filters or disassemble anything.

VACUUM STRUCTURE

Cordless vacuum cleaners are becoming more powerful every day. It also has more autonomy. This has caused the weight to also increase.

It is useless if the model has high performance if you find it heavy.

How much should the cordless vacuum weigh?

The weight of the complete vacuum cleaner, with the main tube and the floor head, must be distinguished from the weight it can have when you use it as a handheld vacuum cleaner.

It is considered that

COMPLETE VACUUM CLEANER (BODY ONLY)

Normal 3 kg 1.5 kg

Light 2.5 kg <1.5 kg

Sometimes it pays to sacrifice performance in exchange for a cleaner being lighter.

Do you have to hold down the button?

Many models have an energy-saving system: they only work when you keep your finger on the button.

It is an unquestionable advantage. Not only do you prevent the vacuum from staying on when you change position (something common in this type of vacuum cleaner), but you possibly extend the life of the motor.

This savings system makes some people uncomfortable. Therefore, there are already many vacuum cleaners that give you the option of blocking the suction if you consider it appropriate.

Straight or flexible tube?

Nobody likes having to bend over or bend over to vacuum under furniture.

The fact that the it has a flexible main tube is an advantage since you can easily reach the bottom of the floor under the furniture.

Broom-type or Dyson-type vacuum?

The trend is that the vacuum cleaner is like the Dyson: the reservoir is close to the handle, or by removing the tube, you can attach accessories and use it as a handheld vacuum cleaner.

However, there is a more traditional format, which has the advantage of standing. The tank is closer to the ground, and they seem lighter. However, they are more limited when used as a handheld model.