The vacuum cleaner market is booming, with research predicting an annual average growth rate of 9.1% over the next five years. While the world is buying vacuum cleaners more than ever, the process is becoming more complex in tandem. With so many competing options, brands, cleaning techniques and the rapid change of technology it’s hard to know what’s truly important when it comes to vacuum cleaners. 

We’ve heard all the questions out there. Buyers must know the facts about what they’re buying and how to use it. Vacuum cleaners can be expensive and a serious investment for many families that value a clean, safe and healthy home. Here are five of the most common questions people want answers to - they’re a mystery no more!

 

What is a ‘sealed system’ and why is it important?

The air we breathe is critically important with allergens and germs found in the air, the cleaner, the better. You might think that vacuuming your home will automatically remove these particles. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. Vacuuming will reduce the total amount of debris on your floors. However, many will simply eject it back into the environment. 

“If it’s not a sealed system, you may be unknowingly spreading allergens throughout your home”

A sealed system is one that firstly, uses a HEPA filter and secondly, retains the filtered dust particles within instead of letting them back out into the air. A sealed system is created by the quality of the engineering and materials used to manufacture your vacuum. Check with your manufacturer if your vacuum is indeed sealed. If it’s not, you may be unknowingly spreading allergens throughout your home.

 

HEPA filters, what are they and do I need one?

HEPA stands for ‘High-efficiency particulate air’ and is an efficiency standard used to categorise air filters. Filters that meet the requirements of HEPA - removing at least 99.97% of airborne particles 0.3 micrometres in diameter - can identify as a real HEPA filter, regardless of their mechanism or material. As a critical component of an effective sealed system, HEPA filters are essential in order to ensure allergens, dirt and dust are removed from your home during the vacuuming process. 

If you suffer from allergies or respiratory conditions, then you need to make sure your vacuum is working for you, not against you. After using a HEPA filter, you may notice the resulting improved air quality and benefits to your health and wellbeing.

 

Does a better motor actually mean more suction?

Many manufacturers will use their appliance’s motor’s power as an attention grab, implying that a more significant number is automatically more impressive and worthy of your purchase. In reality, it’s far too simplistic to consider the power of a vacuum cleaner’s motor without taking into account the whole design. The engineering of the device, including filtration, will impact the resulting airflow.

“CFM or airwatts are more useful than the manufacturer’s claims regarding the size of the motor”

While the power of the motor is not an excellent guide, there are a few metrics we can use to represent a vacuum cleaner’s suction power. Firstly, airflow can be measured by ‘CFM’ (cubic feet of air per minute), the higher the reported CFM, the more suction power that vacuum cleaner has. Another popular measure of vacuum suction is ‘airwatts’ which also takes into account the power produced by the motor. Whatever metric you choose to use, remember that CFM or airwatts are more useful than the manufacturer’s claims regarding the size of the motor.

 

How often should I replace the dust bag?

While you should empty your vacuum dust bag as often as possible, it will be necessary to completely replace the bag when it reaches the end of its useful life. For most vacuums, this will occur every few months of frequent use, while others are washable and can last years. 

The required frequency depends on how much debris has accumulated within the bag. If you’re cleaning carpets or have pets that shed, the life of your dust bag will be lower as airflow is reduced far quicker.

 

What’s the best type of vacuum?

It depends! 

If your home has a lot of carpet, pets or messy children, you’ll need a heavy-duty device for your primary clean, such as a handheld stick vacuum. The power of a manual vacuum can’t be matched yet by robot vacuums. Robot vacuums make a great backup or a staple for your regular clean. A typical way to use both devices is to set your robot cleaner to run its route regularly (every day or two). Once a week (or less), you can perform a manual clean with your stick device. Almost every home can, and should, take advantage of a robot vacuum cleaner. They’re now as affordable as ever and the time savings easily outweigh the cost.

Roborock is a global leader in the robot vacuum space, continually pushing innovation and the latest in smart-home cleaning automation. Our newly announced model, the Roborock H6 Adapt, is the world’s longest-lasting handheld stick vacuum. The Roborock H6 is exceptionally lightweight, comes packed with bonus attachments, and features an advanced sealed filtration system. You can check out our full range here. If you have any questions or need advice, contact us today.