You've probably used one. But unless you're a professional cleaner, you might be surprised by how much information you'll need in order to choose the perfect vacuum. Whether you have heavy carpets, bare floors, allergies, stairs, large spaces or other special factors to consider, there is a vacuum designed for your specific needs. Uprights are the best selling vacuums on the market, mainly because they're lighter, less bulky, easier to push, and easier to store than canisters. Great for carpets and effective on hard floors, the main drawback to uprights is that they are awkward for vacuuming stairs and under low furniture.
Canisters are well suited for hard floors, vinyl, and tile.
Get the right type, and cleaning will be easier. Above, the four basic types of vacuum. Compact vacuums are another option. Stick vacs , which look like skinny uprights, and hand vacs can be whipped out quickly for small jobs. While both types work well on bare floors, stick vacs are better at picking up surface dirt from carpets, and hand vacs are better at cleaning along wall edges, in nooks and crannies and on furniture.