How long should a vacuum cleaner last?

So a friend of mine just replaced his vacuum cleaner after 35 years, it was an old pink and grey upright Hoover, and he couldn’t find spare parts and swore by its abilities. Virtually magical, an old Hoover is like an old 1950’s TV, all tubes and blurry vision, but it’s hard enough to take a nuclear blast and still work. Actually, that’s true of modern devices too if cared for properly, but to be honest, the reduction in the quality of materials with the ever increasing use of modern technology does raise the question, how long should a vacuum cleaner last?

Well, the answer is actually more complex than giving a specific date, such as the US consumer report that claims a vacuum cleaner should last 8 years. Why? Why 8? Why not 18 or 7?

The real answer lies in two factors, quality, and maintenance. Where a good quality vacuum cleaner, when maintained properly, will last well over 8 years and into the decades before replacing it becomes an issue based on spare parts and not performance.

vacuum Rug

After all, what does a vacuum cleaner do? It creates a vacuum that draws up dust, particles and other dirt from a variety of surfaces.

According to the home dweller, vacuum cleaners come in a variety of shapes and sizes, powered by different sources, operated by different means and designed with different features. There are basically 6 types of vacuum cleaners, and these are:

Upright Vacuums
Canister Vacuums
Stick Vacuums
Hand-Held Vacuums
Robotic Vacuums
Central Vacuums

Each category is defined by its application and preference. Let’s take a look at each one and determine the application focus and the life expectancy when full maintenance is in order,

Upright Vacuums:

These are the classic models, like my friends old Hoover, they come with a central column that provides a handle, and is linked to the vacuum head with a hinge. The models usually collect the dirt in a sealed canister or a bag inside the body and offer a wider cleaning swath that other models. Due to their weight and application, they focus on cleaning carpets and provide a deep clean, especially the bagged models. These models are usually easy to store in their upright position. The downside of these models is their weight, where some heavy-duty versions can weigh over 20 lbs., and they are also usually the noisiest of all the categories. When properly maintained, this category will last well over 10 years.

Canister Vacuums:

Canister vacuums are defined by their two component build, where the canister is separated from the vacuum head by a tube. These are the clumsiest of the vacuum models since you need to attach and detach different applications to the head constantly, and the tubes need to be coiled for storage. When storing these, it’s sometimes like handling an octopus. On the pro side, the overall comfort, ease, and versatility of vacuuming with these models are far more advanced than other models, and with a plethora of head shapes to choose from, you can clean virtually anything from anywhere. Due to the mechanical issues of so many moving parts, these models tend to break down faster than the standing models and as such their life expectancy runs between 5-8 years.

Vacuum rug

Stick Vacuums:

These are the lightweight uprights. Basically, they are the upright without the weight or capacity and don’t provide you with the same level of power than an upright provides. With this, they come with all the advantages of an upright, including storage, handling, and overall maintenance ease. The stick models are best suited for smooth surfaces such as wood and ceramics, or light carpeting. They have small dirt bins and are extremely noisy due to lack of soundproofing volume in the build. Their life expectancy is also lighter than the upright, and are usually around 5-8 years.

Hand-Held Vacuums:

Handheld vacuums come in two categories; the household connects to mains type and the more portable wireless models that are powered on batteries. As a rule, handheld vacuums are weak, they are sued for surface cleaning only. They can take off a lot of pet hairs and will clean car upholstery, but these are small handheld units designed for simple and fast jobs. Due to their lack of bulk, these models tend to damage much faster than other models, and you will find yourself replacing them once every 3-5 years, or just giving up on them.

Robotic Vacuums:

The latest craze for the lazy cleaner. This is a small usually circular robotic unit that is used to clean on a constant basis over most surfaces. They do clean carpet too but don’t have the weight or the power to perform a deep vacuum truly. The latest models are all IoT and connect to your mobile with an app. As such, you do get extremely versatile on the go cleaning over shiny surfaces, and some do so automatically with built-in LIDAR. However, these are not really good for carpet cleaning. Their life expectancy usually ranges around 2-3 years, only because they do get bumped and tripped over, played with by pets, and the technology becomes fast outdated, sending their owner to buy an upgraded model. (Just like a smartphone).

Vacuum rug machine

Central Vacuums:

These are commercial units, not usually found in residential use. However, some larger properties with lots of carpets will opt for such a model. Since the actual vacuum unit is stationary and only the head is attached in specific locations, these models last for over a decade and in many instances 2-3 decades and require replacement only due to outdated spares that are inaccessible.

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