Strengths and weaknesses of an upright vacuum cleaner

If you are planning to purchase new vacuum cleaner but have not yet settled on an upright or cylinder, read on. There are situations in which the strengths of an upright outweigh its weaknesses. However, in other cases, the opposite applies. This article aims to identify those strengths and weaknesses, providing you with information on which to base your final decision.

Upright strengths

If you have wide areas of carpeted floor, the large floor cleaning head on an upright is an advantage. Its cleaning path is wider than that of a cylinder's floor tool, which means the job can be completed in less time. Modern uprights also feature "edge cleaning" which removes dirt right up to the join with the skirting board. On many uprights, the height of the floor cleaning head can be adjusted according to the carpet pile depth. Some also have a hardfloor setting for which you turn off the brush-roll. Uprights, especially those with onboard tool storage, take up less vertical storage space than a cylinder.

Upright weaknesses

If you have a flight of stairs to vacuum, you must make sure the hose to which you attach the cleaning tools is long enough for you to clean every stair. Upright cleaners cannot stand on a stair tread. Attaching tools for above floor cleaning to an upright, involves having to remove the suction hose from the floor cleaning head. In some cases you have to lift the handle off the body of the machine and attach the tool to it. If you have areas of wooden floor to clean, you have to attach your wooden floor cleaning tool to the extension wand which is then attached to the suction hose. If the area of wooden flooring is large, the upright has to be lifted as you move around. You cannot pull it along. In confined spaces, an upright vacuum is less manoeuvrable than a cylinder and is also heavier to lift.

Conclusions

An upright will meet your needs if most of your floors are carpeted, provided the suction hose is long enough to allow you to clean your stairs in safety. Cleaning will take slightly longer because attaching tools for above floor surfaces is more involved than in the case of a cylinder. If most of your floors are wooden, an upright may not be the best vacuum for you as you will have to lift it around while using a special wooden floor cleaning head. If you have a lot of furniture, the large cleaning head on an upright. It means that you will have to attach tools to vacuum narrow areas. In this case, a cylinder may be easier to manoeuvre.