canister or upright, what's your preference?

[n0oxy]

Hey everyone, I suppose this debate will go on as long as vacuums are in existence, just like the whole bagged verses bagless debate, but I thought it might make for some good discussion. Which does everyone prefer, canister or upright vacuums? I think canisters are actually called cylinders in Europe. Anyway, which do you prefer and why? For me, it's canister all the way, whether it's a portable unit, or using a central vacuum. My reasons are that canisters seem to have much better suction and airflow. If you need to clean carpets, you can use a power nozzle, so in theory, a canister should be able to clean carpet as well as an upright if a power nozzle is used. When it comes to hard floor and above floor cleaning, a canister or central vacuum will provide much better suction and airflow through a hose than any upright I have seen. Also, you can get under things much easier with a canister, many uprights do not fit under beds or couches. So, I guess the main reason I prefer canisters is because they are much more flexible.

 

[countryguy]

Here's a similiar thread on this topic.

http://www.vacuumland.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?29779_70

 

[sptyks]

Yes. Lets use the thread mentioned above for all posts on this topic.


 


The thread is in the Vintage forum:  


 


http://www.vacuumland.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?29779_70~1

 

[vacuumlover]

Both for me. Both have their advantages and disadvantages but I'm nit going to go into that.

 

[kenkart]

I like canisters best...BUT!

Yes ,canisters do have more sealed suction, but very few have as much airflow as a dirty air upright...A Kirby, Royal or old Hoover ,checked with an airflow meter will move much more air than vacuums such as Electroluxes, Compacts and Filter Queens.

 

[tolivac]

Mentioned before-I use both machines.

 

[kirby519]

I prefer an upright.

As I have tight areas that you have to back out of. I have come close to taking a tumble over a canister several times. (But then I could trip over a bobby pin in a shag carpet) I also vacuum from the far corner of a room backing my way out of the room. so that I can push with the nap of the carpet and pull against it. Restores the nap better, deeper cleaning and easier handling.

Convert to the hose and still have something to grab onto the keep the unit out of the way.

 

[hvrvaclvr]

I prefer uprights, I find them easier to use. I don't like how canisters bang into things when you're pulling them. However, I just got the Shark Powered Liftaway True Pet, and I have been putting it on the caddy and using it as a canister! It is great!

 

[luxman107]

I don't know any other way to do above the floor cleaning except with a canister

 

[vacuumlad1650]

Uprights for a quick clean and canisters when i have time to move that thing around behind me