Should it be a classic vacuum cleaner with a bag or a model without a bag? Is it worth buying an innovative vacuum robot? In this vacuum cleaner guide, you will find answers to the most important questions about buying a vacuum cleaner.
What type of floor do you want to use your new vacuum cleaner on?
If you are wondering which vacuum cleaner to buy, first think about the area of application:
Mostly carpeting and carpets
Mostly hard floors
A mix of both
A vacuum cleaner needs more power to get dirt and dust out of deep-pile carpets than it does to zip across laminate flooring.
Do you prefer a cordless or canister vacuum cleaner?
The classic canister vacuum cleaner consists of a body that you pull behind you on rollers and a removable suction tube with a suction cup. This makes it wonderfully flexible. When vacuuming the floors, however, you usually adopt a posture that is not very back-friendly and bent over.
Cordless vacuum cleaners guide you across your floors in an upright position like a broom. Since they do not require a cable, they can be easily transported from one room to another. The only downside: if the battery is empty, you have to pause for a while until it charges.
What are the advantages of a vacuum robot?
The vacuum robot does the vacuuming for you independently. If you program it accordingly, it will go out every day and free your floors from dust, dirt, and crumbs.
Are you unsure which vacuum robot to buy? Above all, pay attention to the area coverage and the maximum operating time so that the device can cover all floors in one go.
What are the differences between vacuum, wet mopping, and dust mopping robots?
Are you reading this advisor because you are unsure which model is the best choice for you? Pay attention to the small but subtle functional differences:
Vacuum cleaning robots suck dry dust from hard floors and carpets. They are ideal for cleaning up large living and dining rooms with carpeted floors and for exploring the laminated hallway.
Wet mopping robots have one or two integrated water tanks and wipe hard floors with a damp cloth. They are a good choice if you have almost exclusively hard floors in the house, such as laminate and tile.
Dusting robots are hybrid models that can do both. They clean carpeted floors just as reliably as tiled floors in the kitchen and bathroom.
What is the auto-return function of a robot vacuum?
You don't have to worry that your new helper will suddenly run out of breath in the middle of the living room. If the battery is almost empty, the auto-return function automatically returns the device to the charging station.
How does obstacle detection work on a vacuum robot?
Modern vacuum robots are equipped with various sensors. With simple models, the vacuum robot must first collide with the obstacle before the contact sensor reverses.
High-quality designs work with infrared or ultrasound and avoid the obstacle before it collides. This protects chair legs and other furniture.
For this purpose, the devices have a special fall sensor that warns them of steps, for example.
Which functions of your new vacuum robot can you control via the app?
For example, you can use the app to set up fixed times for vacuuming with a timer. If you bring spontaneous visitors with you in the evening, give the remote command to the vacuum robot in advance to vacuum quickly.
Some high-end models even come with an integrated camera that you can access via an app. You can use your smartphone to drive around your home on vacation and check that everything is in order.
What does "systematic cleaning" mean for your new vacuum robot?
Vacuum robots work according to two different principles:
The chaotic cleaning is based on the principle of randomness. This causes the device to run over some places several times and miss others.
During the systematic cleaning, they move on fixed paths that they have previously explored and determined using a camera or laser.
If you are unsure which vacuum robot to buy and the price plays a minor role, choose systematic cleaning. In the long run, it saves a lot of time and ensures really clean floors.
Do you want to use a bagged vacuum?
A vacuum cleaner with a bag is a good choice for people who are allergic to house dust, as they hardly ever come into contact with the dust.
With the bugless vacuum cleaner, empty the collection container regularly into the dustbin. A small cloud of dust whirls up every time. On the other hand, you save the running costs for vacuum cleaner bags.
Do you need a special filter against house dust or animal hair for your new vacuum cleaner?
If you are an allergy sufferer and are considering which vacuum cleaner to buy, look out for HEPA filters. The abbreviation stands for High-Efficiency Air Filter. The percentage of classes indicates what percentage of dust particles are filtered out of the air.
E10 (85%)
E11 (99.5%)
E12 (over 99.5%)
E13 (99.95%)
E14 (99.995%)
Classes E13 and E14 are recommended for allergy sufferers. Pet owners should not only pay attention to high-quality filters, but also to special animal hair brushes that reliably pick up even the smallest hair. Some manufacturers offer entire product ranges for pet owners, for example, Miele Cat & Dog and Bosch Zoo'o ProAnimal.