I do not like to vacuum, but due to necessity (I have two cats) I must do this often. I have owned many vacuums over the years, but I have not found one that does all jobs truly well or at least without some hassle.

I now own four vacuum cleaners. I know this sounds crazy. Two of them are ones I’ve had for years, but they still work. I’ve had my canister vac for years, it still works good, so I’m certainly not getting rid of it. I have a bagless upright that I purchased when I had lots of carpet, and it still works good too. I moved into a new home a few years ago, and all of the flooring is hard surface which necessitated some changes. Here is what I’ve learned over the years about vacuums.

My Electrolux canister vacuum works great on hard floors. It does not have a carpet attachment like some models do, so it is best suited for hard floors, for when you need to get into hard-to-reach places or when you need to use attachments. It picks up extremely well – it sucks up cat litter and large particles with ease. It gets cumbersome dragging it around though, and it bumps into things while you are using it. Since I need to vacuum so frequently, I actually got tennis elbow from using it. So, I needed to find a vacuum that was lightweight and easy to maneuver for everyday use.

I’ve had several cordless vacs in the past, but most of them were the lightweight sweeper variety. Most of them also didn’t last very long – the battery would die, and it was cheaper to buy a new vacuum rather than replace the battery.

I bought a Dyson cordless stick vacuum, and I’ve been very happy with it. Dyson’s are expensive, but I purchased a model that had been out for a few years and was not horribly pricy. It turned out to be a great investment. It hangs on the wall along with a couple of its attachments, which makes it very convenient. Even though it is small and lightweight, it is a true vacuum. It gets into tight places and maneuvers easily. It picks up cat hair and dust very well. If there are really large particles on the floor, I sometimes have to go back over the area to get everything picked up. Everyone in my family likes this vacuum! The battery lasts about 20 minutes, which usually works fine for me. I believe the newer models have a longer battery life.

I also purchased a Roomba. Again, I didn’t get the latest model, because it was too expensive for my taste. It works okay for me, but my house has an open layout so it tends to get caught on my rugs and furniture. It does pick up the cat hair well, though. I think it works best as a way to keep floors picked up between regular vacuuming.

My existing upright is a Shark bagless model. It is several years old, and it still works fine. I now mainly use it on my rugs. The suction is good – it is amazing how much stuff comes up from just a few rugs! It works okay on hard floors, but it is too large to get into tight places. Also, the hose must be tightened securely to the body of the vacuum, or it won’t pick up well at all. I’ve vacuumed an entire room and had to redo it due to this issue. Newer models may have addressed this, but I have not checked them out.

One thing that I recommend with any vacuum cleaner is routine maintenance. Clean it thoroughly and check the filters. Be sure to check the intake – it may be clogged with all kinds of nasty stuff. If it has a roller brush, take it off if possible and clean it. Long hair and threads get wound around it and impede its ability to work properly. If your vacuum has a bag, be sure to checkif it is full and make sure to have extras on hand.

Choosing the right vacuum really depends on the type of floors you have and how much of each type of flooring you have. A good vacuum doesn’t have to be expensive, but it is a very important tool to keep your home looking its best.