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Bag or Bagless Vacuum?? Recommendations?

Moms View Message Board: General Discussion Archive: Archive February 2006: Bag or Bagless Vacuum?? Recommendations?
By Kate on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 08:47 am:

Do you prefer bag or bagless? If a home had three small bedroom carpets and one living room carpet, four teen boys, three cats, one dog, and a vacuum was needed for less than $100, what would you suggest? Tall order, I know!! Thanks!

By Karen~moderator on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 08:59 am:

Bagless!

By Angellew on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 09:09 am:

most definitely bagless!!!!! SOOOOO much easier!

By Amecmom on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 09:16 am:

I have a Miele which is not bagless. I love it. I just pull a little tab and the bag closes and comes out. Very simple.

I have two bagless vacs and I don't use them because I hate emptying the dirt cups. I have bad allergies and just emptying the cup makes me sneeze. Then, of course, I'm not sure that it's clean enough, so I have to rinse it.

Conversely, the bag I just pull out and and put in another. I find it much easier.
Ame

By Vicki on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 09:23 am:

bagless

By Colette on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 09:36 am:

I have a bag for the reasons Ame listed.

Here is what consumer reports said

Important features Vacuum cleaners

Typical attachments include crevice and upholstery tools. Most vacuums also include extension wands for reaching high places. A full-bag alert can be handy, since an overstuffed bag impairs a vacuum�s ability to clean.

Lately, many uprights have adopted a bagless configuration with a see-through dirt bin that replaces the usual bag. Performance has improved for bagless vacs, though emptying their bins can raise enough dust to concern even those without allergies. You�ll also find dirt-collection bins on most stick vacs and hand vacs. Some of these have a revolving brush, which may help remove surface debris from a carpet. Stick vacs can hang on a hook or, if they�re cordless, on a wall-mounted charger base.

Canister vacuums we�ve tested have a power nozzle that cleans carpets more thoroughly than a simple suction nozzle. Look for a suction-control feature; found on most canisters and some uprights, it allows you to reduce airflow for drapes and other delicate fabrics. On uprights, also look for an on/off switch for the brush if you plan to use attachments. Stopping the brush protects the user from injury, the power cord from damage, and your furnishings from undue wear. Some uprights automatically stop the brush when the handle is in the �up� position.

Most canisters and a few uprights have a retractable cord that rewinds with a tug or push of a button--a plus, considering the 20- to 30-foot length for most. Another worthwhile feature is manual pile-height adjustment, which can improve cleaning by letting you match the vacuum�s height to the carpet pile more effectively than machines that adjust automatically. While a self-propelled mode takes the push out of more and more uprights, it can make them heavier and harder to transport.

Midpriced accessory kits for central vacs typically include an electrically powered cleaning head--a must for carpets--as well as a floor brush, crevice tool, upholstery brush, dusting brush, and extension wands. Spending more gets you more tools, a premium powerhead, and a longer hose. A sound-deadening muffler, installed in the exhaust air pipe near the central-vac base unit, comes on some models but can be added to any model for about $10 to $25. Most central vacs have a suction switch at the wand�s handle so you can turn the vacuum unit on and off where you�re standing.

Some vacuums have a dirt sensor that triggers a light indicator when the concentration of dirt particles in the machine�s air stream reaches a certain level. But the sensor signals only that the vacuum is no longer picking up dirt, not whether there�s dirt left in your rug. That can result in your vacuuming longer and working harder with little or no more cleanliness.

You�ll also hear lots of claims about microfiltration, which typically uses a bag with smaller pores or a second, electrostatic filter that supplements the standard motor filter in an attempt to capture fine particles that may pass through the bag or filter and escape into the air through the exhaust. Some vacuums have a HEPA filter, which may benefit someone with asthma. But many models without a HEPA filter have performed just as well in Consumer Reports emissions tests, since the amount of dust emitted depends as much on the design of the entire machine as on its filter.

A vacuum�s design can also affect how long it lasts. With some uprights, for example, dirt sucked into the machine passes through the blower fan before entering the bag--a potential problem because most fans are plastic and vulnerable to damage from hard objects. Better systems filter dirt through the bag before it reaches the fan. While hard objects can lodge in the motorized brush, they�re unlikely to break the fan.

By Crystal915 on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 10:11 am:

I have a bagless, but think a bagged vacuum would be better. I hate changing bags, but I don't think the bagless is as sanitary.

By Boxzgrl on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 12:36 pm:

We use bags. I don't know much about vacuums under $100 though. Have you tried looking at consumer reports?

By Kim on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 03:22 pm:

Hmmm, now I am in a quandry. I can't stand my vaccuum and it has a bag. The reason I can't stand it is because it smells like my dog! She smells so the hair I vaccuum up smells and it messes with my allergies. I was thinking of going bagless also but I also have dust allergies. hmph.

By Insaneusmcwife on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 03:49 pm:

I don't know much about the vacuums under $100 but I have a bagless and it has a filter.

By Brandy on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 04:13 pm:

I see less and less bagged ones in the stores along with the bags and stuff to go with them.I have a rainbow (cost a small fortune) lol and i actually hate it.Well i love the job it does because it does do a good job i just hate lugging it around if i were to get another one it would probably be a dyson although i'm sure my husband wouldn't appreciate spending that much again on a vacuum lol = )

By Insaneusmcwife on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 06:25 pm:

I love my dyson!

By Cocoabutter on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 09:23 pm:

Try using vacuum bags that are lined with HEPA for allergies. The extra lining helps reduce the odor and exhaust particles that might get into the air through a regular bag.

I had the same problem with my dog smelling bad. I got a special shampoo with hydrocortisone. It helps in the summer months (I live in Michigan) when I give her baths every month, but in the winter I don't give her baths. She gets one on Halloween (sort of a tradition now) and her next one in the spring. I was told that the smell is from a protective oil that her body secretes to protect her skin from the dry weather.

By Kate on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 11:42 pm:

Thanks everyone! I just ordered the Eureka 4870 GZ Boss Smart from Amazon. It was MAJORLY on sale AND had free shipping, AND had an additional $25 off promotion so I got the entire thing, ship, no tax, and all, for $114.99. Consumer Reports rated it a best buy. And it does have bags.


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