Unless you live in a hotel room or have a daily maid service, a vacuum cleaner is one of those must-have appliances. Choosing the right vacuum can be an important decision, as most people expect their vacuum cleaner to outlast their carpet, and there are quite a few to choose from, ranging from expensive vacuums filled with fancy science, to affordable models that simply get the job done, to robots that do all the work for you.

Vacuums that do it All

If you’re like most people, you probably need a vacuum for the occasional spill and cleaning up before company comes over. You could go ahead and spend nearly $1000 on the Miele S5481 Canister Vac (one of the best in the industry), but unless you plan to start your own cleaning business, that’s probably a bit overkill.

For occasional use, you’re really best off sticking to something on the cheaper side that still offers all of the features you need, like the Hoover UH70120, which can be found for less than $100 and has plenty of attachments and even a self-winding cord (a lot more useful than you might think).

Now if you’re vacuuming a little more often, or if your occasional cleanings are predominantly heavy with pebble-sized particulates (kitty litter for example), you might want to be a bit more careful about purchasing a cheaper vacuum, as few would last more than a year in such conditions. Don’t get sucked into all of the hype, though; an expensive vacuum isn’t necessarily a good vacuum. What you really want to look for is a vacuum with a long warranty period, such as the Dyson DC25 series, which features a full 5-year warranty as well as some fairly technologically advanced features.

Before buying any vacuum, make sure to take it for a dry run. See how heavy it feels as you roll it around, and make sure you can maneuver it easily enough. Check out all of the accessories, like the hose and attachments, making sure they fit well and can reach as far as you may need them. Most importantly, keep the receipt and all of the packaging until you’re certain everything is in working order so that you can return it if needed.

Entering the Robotic Age

We haven’t quite made it to the era of the Jetsons, with Rosie the robotic maid to tend to our every household need, but we have made it as far as small robotic vacuums that clean our houses for us while we’re away or sleeping. Products like the Roomba and Samsung’s Navibot can be set to patrol your house for dirt and grime, but unfortunately, they aren’t that great at it.

They’ll keep your house looking cleaner longer, but you’ll still need help you can get help from www.dutycleaners.ca. At upwards of $200 for even the cheapest models, it’s a pretty steep price to pay for the petty cleaning they actually do. They also take quite a bit of effort to set up correctly, many limited to cleaning just a single room, and you’ll still need to empty the collection bin manually. They all have their kinks that need to be worked out, but the Roomba 563 is currently one of the best choices when it comes to automated cleaning. These little buggers make great toys for pets as well.