A motor with a high-amps rating need not have incredible power. The current drawn by a motor is measured in amps (A). Although a high-capacity motor generally draws more current, an inefficient motor could also draw a high current. The power of a motor is measured in output watts, so that is what you need to look for in the specifications. Vacuum cleaner motors have output wattages in the range of 1,300 watts to 1,800 watts. The suction power of a vacuum cleaner is measured in air watts. But because air watts is a bit difficult to measure, the standard method of measuring suction power is airflow expressed in cubic feet of air per minute (CFM).