Upright Vacuum or Canister Vacuum

Both uprights and canisters have a number of beneficial features, one style is not better then the other but one may make your vacuuming easier and more time efficient. Since there are quite a few manufactures on the market for both styles these points are general guidelines and may not apply in every case.

Surface: Generally an upright vacuum is more effective at cleaning carpeting. Uprights have a rotating brush that can clean deeper in carpeting but may spray dirt on hard surfaces. Where as the canister vacuum may do a better job on hard flat surfaces such as tile, linoleum and hardwood floors, without the rotating power brushes it is less effective on carpet. However with advancements in both upright and canister vacuums has advanced their effectiveness on either style of floors. If your home is mostly carpeting perhaps lean toward an upright vacum and if your home is mostly a hard type of floor consider the canister vacuum.

Storage: The upright generally takes up less storage space.

Weight: Canister vacuums are usually lighter and the power nozzle is easier to move around in tight areas and on stairs. Uprights vacuums have dropped in weight and the lightweight models generally weigh in around 15lbs. (Oreck has a very popular 8lb.model)

Attachments and Features: Both styles come with a large selection of attachments. Review the accessories by visiting the manufactures site for specific features.