What Are The Different Types Of Vacuum Cleaners? (With Pros And Cons)

2024-11-26

ECOVACS T10 robot vacuum cleaner sweeping in a room

If you are on the lookout for a new vacuum cleaner, there are many criteria you should consider before making your purchase. Factors like the size of your household, the layout of your home, and the flooring all have a bearing on the type of cleaner you buy.

Then there are your personal preferences when it comes to housekeeping. Do you want something lightweight like a stick vacuum so that you can do a quick clean or a heavy-duty central vacuum that does a more thorough job? Maybe you’d like to have an active role in cleaning your home with a canister vacuum or prefer a more set-it-and-forget-it approach to your routine with a robot vacuum.

All these different considerations can be overwhelming, so we’ve got a ready reckoner of the different types of vacuum cleaners to help you decide what works best for you and your home needs.

Canister Vacuums


A canister vacuum cleaner on a hardwood floor. The red-and-black canister is connected to the vacuum head with a hose and pipe.

This is a corded vacuum in which the motor and dirt container are in a canister and connected to the power head with a hose. They work best on non-carpeted floors and homes with more floor space.

Pros: Powerful suction, versatile for different surfaces, quiet, long-lasting, lightweight hose and wand

Cons: Inconvenient to store, difficult to take from room to room and up and down stairs

Best for: Hardwood floors

Corded Vacuums


A yellow corded vacuum cleaner on a hardwood floor

These more conventional vacuums plug directly into your home’s power source. They usually come with retractable cords, which lets users store the cord inside the vacuum when it isn’t being used and adjust its length during cleaning.

Pros: Powerful suction, unlimited runtime, works on different surfaces, long-lasting, cost-effective

Cons: Bulky, cord management required, limited portability, storage challenges, noisy

Best for: Deep-cleaning carpets and large homes

Read More: Robot Vacuum VS Regular Vacuum: What To Choose?

Upright Vacuums


A woman in an aquamarine bathrobe holds a maroon upright vacuum cleaner to clean a hardwood floor.

This vacuum stands, as the name suggests, upright on the power head. It’s an all-in-one device in which the head, dirt container and motor are in the same unit.

Pros: Powerful, easy to, often includes a wider cleaning path, enhanced portability in cordless models, convenient to store

Cons: Relatively heavy, less effective for tight spaces or stairs, reduced portability in corded models, limited battery life in cordless

Best for: Carpets and large, open areas

Cordless & Stick Vacuums


A woman in a blue shirt cleaning her curtains using a stick vacuum cleaner. She is holding the cleaner by the handle with her left hand while her right hand is free.

This is a lightweight and compact version of the upright vacuum cleaner, and is suited for small and medium-sized homes. Buyers have the option of getting the corded or battery-powered cordless variety, as is the case with the DEEBOT T30S COMBO that comes with a multifunctional stick vacuum.

Pros: Lightweight, portable, provides cord-free convenience, compact and easy to store, quiet operation

Cons: Limited battery life, weaker suction power, smaller dustbin capacity, expensive, not ideal for heavy-duty cleaning

Best for: Hardwood floors, quick cleanups

Read More: Robot Vacuum VS Cordless Stick Vacuum: What To Choose?

Robot Vacuums


ecovacs deebot t20 omni cleaning hardwood floor

Robot vacuum cleaners are advanced devices equipped with LiDAR technology for precise navigation and mapping, ensuring efficient cleaning routes. They are quiet compared to other vacuum cleaners, making them ideal for daytime use. There are many advantages of using robot vacuum cleaners, such as their self-emptying bins and their ability to offer reliable suction power to handle dust and debris. Their smart mapping features ensure targeted cleaning, combining convenience and performance for a hands-free cleaning experience, and they can be used in multi-storey homes with ease.

Pros: Hands-free convenience, compact, quiet, versatile for different surfaces, smart technology features

Cons: Limited suction power, small dustbin capacity in some models, battery-dependent, not suitable for deep cleaning, navigational hiccups in older models

Best for: Hardwood floors and light cleaning in homes with minimal clutter

Our robot vacuum with mops


Handheld Vacuums


A woman is surrounded by other pieces of furniture, such as a wood side table with a potted plant, a light brown cupboard and a thin carpet. There is a blank white canvas on the wall above the sofa.

These small and handy cleaners, which are typically battery-operated, are useful for homes with small children and pets. They’re more likely to be secondary vacuums because of their limited storage capacity.

Pros: Compact, lightweight, cordless convenience, versatile for small messes, affordable

Cons: Limited suction power, short battery life, small dustbin capacity, not suitable for large-scale cleaning

Best for: Quick cleanups on upholstery, cars, and small, hard-to-reach areas

Wet/Dry Vacuums


Wet/dry vacuums are versatile cleaners capable of handling both liquid spills and dry debris. They’re generally larger and more robust than regular vacuums, making them ideal for workshops, garages, and heavy-duty cleaning tasks.

Pros: Powerful suction, multipurpose functionality, durable, large capacity, works on various surfaces

Cons: Bulky, difficult to store, restricted portability, noisy, maintenance-intensive

Best for: Garages, workshops, cleaning large spills, areas with heavy debris

Carpet Cleaners


Carpet cleaners are specialised machines designed to deep-clean carpets by removing embedded dirt, stains, and odors with water and cleaning solutions. They are best suited to households with pets, children, or high foot traffic.

Pros: Powerful suction, built-in cleaning solution system, specialised for carpets, handles large areas, versatile attachments

Cons: Heavy, requires drying time, high maintenance, inconvenient due to cords, not suitable for all surfaces

Best for: Deep-cleaning carpets and rugs in homes with heavy foot traffic or pets

Steam Mops


Steam mops use heated steam to clean and sanitise floors without the need for harsh chemicals. They’re especially effective when it comes to removing tough stains and bacteria on sealed hard surfaces like tiles and hardwood.

Pros: Chemical-free cleaning, quick drying, lightweight, easy to maneuver, versatile attachments

Cons: Limited to hard surfaces, small water tank, no suction power, restricted portability, potential for damage

Best for: Sealed hardwood floors and tiles requiring sanitisation without chemicals

Central Vacuums


A woman wearing a yellow short-sleeved top, grey pants and yellow shoes vacuums the tiled floor of her house with a central vacuum cleaner. The cleaner's hose connects the head of the vacuum to an inlet valve. The woman is vacuuming near the hardwood stairs of her home, in front of a wooden cabinet. In the background is the dining table area.

The motor of this heavy-duty vacuum is generally kept in a separate space from the cleaning components. Dirt and dust picked up by the vacuum head travel through a long hose plugged into an inlet valve, which is connected to the central device of the cleaner via PVC pipes.

Pros: Powerful suction, quiet, improved air quality

Cons: Expensive, incompatible with small homes

Backpack Vacuums

These vacuum cleaners are worn on the user’s back and come with or without cords. Since they’re portable, they’re largely used by commercial cleaners who work in large spaces or by professionals who deep-clean homes.

Pros: Powerful suction, ergonomic design, versatile for different surfaces, lightweight wand and hose, efficient for large areas

Cons: Bulky to wear, corded models require management, may require specialised training, inconvenient to store, limited battery life in corded versions

Best for: Commercial cleaning and large spaces with heavy traffic

Discover Smart Vacuums, The Future Of Home Cleaning

ECOVACS, pioneers in the field of smart vacuum cleaners, is at the forefront of in-home robotic cleaning solutions. The company has a host of robot vacuums that come with a variety of features. Some standout products are:

DEEBOT X5 PRO OMNI


ecovacs x5 pro omni in black

DEEBOT X5 PRO OMNI is the latest robotic cleaning solution from ECOVACS designed to deliver unparalleled cleaning precision and efficiency. It’s equipped with the AINA 2.0 Intelligent Navigation Model to priovde real-time navigation and obstacle avoidance, as well as the TruEdge feature to meticulous edge cleaning. This model also comes with ZeroTangle technology to prevent hair entanglement, as well as Al Instant Re-Mop that intelligently identifies significant stains, adjusts water levels accordingly, and makes multiple passes over the soiled area to ensure that they are eliminated.

Shop DEEBOT X5 PRO OMNI Now


DEEBOT T30S COMBO

DEEBOT T30S COMBO

The ECOVACS T30S COMBO comes with AIVI 3D 2.0 Technology, which uses structured infrared light patterns to deduce three-dimensional object contours and depth information, thereby allowing precise obstacle avoidance with tailored strategies for various objects. This is enhanced by its TrueMapping 2.0 technology, which has the ability to map 100 square meters in just six minutes, allowing the device to navigate complex scenes and multiple floors. This model also uses ultrasonic sound to recognise carpets with extraordinary accuracy, and the Auto-lift Mopping System raises the mopping plates when a carpet is detected — therefore ensuring that your carpets don’t get wet during the cleaning process.

Shop DEEBOT T30S COMBO Now


DEEBOT N20 PLUS

ecovacs deebot n20 pro plus in white

The DEEBOT N20 PRO PLUS gives users powerful and long-lasting suction for pristine floors and cleaner air, all thanks to the ECOVACS PureCyclone Technology. This uses a two-stage separation process and multi-cone structural design to ensure 95% dust separation rate, minimal suction loss even after 100 uses, an extended lifespan for the motor and cotton filter, and stable dust collection efficiency. This model also has a new OZMO Pro 2.0 Vibrating Mopping System that uses high-frequency vibration to eliminate stubborn stains. As with other ECOVACS robot vacuum cleaners, the DEEBOT N20 PRO PLUS is operated via the ECOVACS HOME App by giving users customisable cleaning settings such as suction power adjustment, water flow regulation, and vibration frequency control, along with various cleaning modes and scheduling options.

Shop DEEBOT N20 PLUS Now

 

FAQ

What vacuum cleaner is best for my home?

This can depend on how hands-on or hands-free you want your housecleaning routine to be. If you have a busy work-from-home schedule or are prone to allergies, you may prefer a more autonomous cleaning experience. For instance, the ECOVACS DEEBOT family — in particular the OMNI series — can auto-empty the dust the vacuum collects and self-clean its mop pads.

How to choose a vacuum cleaner for my home?

Pick a vacuum cleaner that is versatile — one that works on a variety of surfaces, cleans different kinds of messes, and suits different family situations. A robot vacuum cleaner like the ECOVACS DEEBOT T20 OMNI can switch between the vacuum and mop modes seamlessly for hardwood flooring and carpets, clean small spills and large areas, and take care of thick pet hair and dust particles effectively.

Are robot vacuum cleaners a good option for me?

Robot vacuum cleaners are ideal for people with different housecleaning requirements thanks to their sleek design and autonomous nature. The DEEBOT family of robot vacuum cleaners from ECOVACS, for example, is equipped with voice recognition, 3D mapping capabilities, visual recognition, and self-cleaning stations. These features can work for people who live in small spaces, with busy routines, and who have mobility issues, among others.

What type of vacuum do professionals use?

Professionals often use commercial-grade vacuums like backpack vacuums, wet/dry vacuums, or canister vacuums, depending on the task. These models offer powerful suction, durability, and efficiency for deep-cleaning large areas or tackling specialised jobs. Features like ergonomic designs, large capacities, and compatibility with various surfaces make them ideal for professional use.

What vacuum should I buy?

The ideal vacuum depends on your needs. For versatile, everyday use, choose an upright vacuum. A cordless stick vacuum is great for portability and small spaces, while robot vacuums offer hands-free convenience. Canister vacuums handle various surfaces quite well, and wet/dry vacuums are suited to heavy-duty tasks or liquid spills.

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