When all you own are bagless vacuums

[niclonnic]

Do you know someone who has almost exclusively owned bagless vacuums? I know I am among one of those. This is a counter-thread to the one about only owning vintage-looking vacuums.

I have come up with a few factors. The first one is prevalence. It seems like this is the type of vacuum that younger generations (born in the 1990s and later) have become accustomed to. My parents had a bagged Eureka Ultra in my childhood apartment, but then got hit by the Dyson/Fantom bug of the mid/late 90s. They bought a Fantom Fury around 1996/97 after falling for its infomercial. I can only imagine how monumental it was for them to transition to a vacuum that operates without a bag, not to mention with tools on board. As a kid, it was so fascinating to see the dirt swirling around in the translucent collection bin. Alongside the Fantom, the old Eureka was relegated to being a "burner" vacuum for cleaning out the fireplace. In retrospect, this made sense, as my mom didn't want to clog up the Fury with ash. After moving out of the apartment and getting rid of the Fantom, my parents, as well as myself later on, have exclusively bought bagless vacuums, avoiding bagged ones like the plague, albeit with one exception. I got a cordless Oreck for Christmas back in 2020, but I later sold it after only a year of ownership.

Another factor is convenience. With a bagless vacuum, there is no need to buy bags, which saves time, money and memory (remembering the correct bag to buy). This is something that my family greatly values.

Bagless vacuums are also known for their ease of use. The clear bin enables me to see how well the vacuum is working, and I can always see when it needs to be emptied. Because of my pets, I have to empty the bin after every single use. Call it instant gratification, in contrast with a bagged vacuum. I can also see if I've accidentally vacuumed up something valuable, such as jewelry or coins. That way, I don't have to tear open a filthy bag.

Finally, Dyson's influence has played a major part. Sir James' pioneering work, combined with the brand's prominent marketing and "brainwashing" tactics, were major factors in the adoption of bagless models. This also applies to Fantom and their infomercials.

This is NOT to say that I'm boycotting bagged vacuums; these are factors I've come up with as to why bagless is the norm for younger generations. Do you agree with my sentiments?

 

[panasonicvac]

More than one person I can think of have always owned bagless vacuums at least from what I recall. They're examples of what I should NOT own, coming from someone who has mild allergies. While bagless machines don't need any bags, you're forgetting they have filters that do eventually need to be replaced unless if you have a Vacuflo true cyclonic central vacuum for example. You'd be surprised to hear by how many people would buy incorrect filters for their bagless vacuums. For saving money, well the problem with bagless machines is the cyclones and primary filter don't filter as well as a bagged machine thus reducing the life of the motor with so much dust inside of them where you'd end up having to spend on buying a new vacuum. This is why alot of commercial vacuums are bagged. Another problem is they can be a mess to clean, I don't like having to smell or even touch the dust as I maintain them. Although this doesn't happen with like a Rainbow for example but even those still have to be cleaned every time I use them. I only empty out bags once in a while like whenever the bag check indicator goes on. For my ideal vacuum to own, an MD central vacuum, I probably would change my bag out once a year or longer since they're so huge and I'm a type of person that'd keep a very clean house. I'll admit, you brought a good point where you can see what you're vacuuming up and retrieve something you'd suck up. However, I rarely vacuum up something I shouldn't. In fact I always check my floors before I start vacuuming. And with seeing what you're sucking up, I can guarantee if you went over with another vacuum it'd for certain pick something up that your bagless vacuum would leave behind even if you don't see anything else coming into the dirt bin. Whatever Dyson is preaching to me, I'm sticking with bagged machines.

 

[vac14012]

As far as I can tell, it seems Dyson is the only company that still makes a quality bagless unit. The latest (maybe last?) upright they sell, and even their stick vacuums, have fairly effectively cyclones (although I prefer pre-ball setups) that keep the filters clean, and maintenance isn't too bad.

For some reason even though a lot of their cyclone patents have expired, all the Bissels/Sharks/Walmart Shelf Brands etc still use like a shitty single cyclone setup, so all the filters get clogged instantly, and suction dies. Miele did the same thing with their stick vacuum line, almost unusable with how fast the filters clog up. So if you really need bagless, I'd say get a Dyson, otherwise bagged is the way to go imo.

I wish someone would sell a DC07 clone, i'd buy that so fast.

 

[niclonnic]

More than one person I can think of have always owned bagless vacuums at least from what I recall. They're examples of what I should NOT own, coming from someone who has mild allergies. While bagless machines don't need any bags, you're forgetting they have filters that do eventually need to be replaced unless if you have a Vacuflo true cyclonic central vacuum for example. You'd be surprised to hear by how many people would buy incorrect filters for their bagless vacuums. For saving money, well the problem with bagless machines is the cyclones and primary filter don't filter as well as a bagged machine thus reducing the life of the motor with so much dust inside of them where you'd end up having to spend on buying a new vacuum. This is why alot of commercial vacuums are bagged. Another problem is they can be a mess to clean, I don't like having to smell or even touch the dust as I maintain them. Although this doesn't happen with like a Rainbow for example but even those still have to be cleaned every time I use them. I only empty out bags once in a while like whenever the bag check indicator goes on. For my ideal vacuum to own, an MD central vacuum, I probably would change my bag out once a year or longer since they're so huge and I'm a type of person that'd keep a very clean house. I'll admit, you brought a good point where you can see what you're vacuuming up and retrieve something you'd suck up. However, I rarely vacuum up something I shouldn't. In fact I always check my floors before I start vacuuming. And with seeing what you're sucking up, I can guarantee if you went over with another vacuum it'd for certain pick something up that your bagless vacuum would leave behind even if you don't see anything else coming into the dirt bin. Whatever Dyson is preaching to me, I'm sticking with bagged machines.

Right, I completely forgot to mention bagless filters. Most of the time, I've either washed them, banged them out or brushed the dust off of them. Even then, they will degrade over time with frequent cleanings. My Dyson DC07 Animal had its pre-motor filter become faded and shrunken down slightly from all the washings that I did over the years. So, in late 2020, I hopped on eBay and bought a brand new, genuine filter for only $15. I had also purchased a new hose, since the original one ripped right near the cuff. Going back to 2018, during the time when this machine was my mom's, she replaced the clutch (with the help of her then-fiancé) and the HEPA filter. Replacing all these parts was a good move in the end, as my dad later sold this Dyson nearly a year after I had bought the new hose and filter. So I essentially fixed it up real good for the new owner.

My mom also doesn't like bagged machines. She's been very spoiled by the Fantom Fury (being the primary user of it back then). Nowadays, she uses a Shark Navigator Lift-Away with Zero-M. However, in an alternate scenario, I'd argue that bags are better for a small, one-bedroom, pet-free apartment, since I estimate that they would only have to be changed once every 3-4 months.

Yes, I agree that bagless vacuums in general are a mess to clean and empty. I tend to be careful when emptying them to minimize the chances of redepositing dust back into the space I had just vacuumed. Most cheap Bissells, like the older CleanView and PowerForce Bagless models, had foam filters that were essentially fine dust compactors. This makes for large quantities of dust when I go to shake them off (preferably outside). I even had a newer Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Lift-Off, and its primary foam filters got caked with dust, just like the aformentioned older models. But ironically, the PHE didn't lose any suction whatsoever.

As for the Rainbow, its science sounds neat on paper. But, having to rinse and dry the basin after use turns a Rainbow into a high-maintenance machine, particularly sensitive to mold and mildew. I prefer my vacuums to be nice and simple, since I tend to do quick cleanups with a hand vac.

Finally, I do always check the floors prior to vacuuming, just so I don't vacuum up something valuable. This is especially true, considering I have a Shark robot that runs every weekday downstairs. I always have to check for any dog litter, just to reduce the chances of a "pooptastrophe."

 

[cheesewonton]

There is one pretty decent bagless upright nobody seems to mention and that is Workhorse. What? It's the old Amway Cleartrak. New ones are still being made in Michigan. The vacuum sits on a steel subframe and is designed for commercial use. It is Dyson's first dual cyclone design. As long as you don't over fill one they filter well and don't lose power as the bin fills. If you over fill it however you have an ugly mess on your hands. Figure complete tear down, scrub and new filters. Old fashioned heavy duty wooden agitator with a stretch belt. Basic stuff but they seem to be durable and clean well.