Should I Buy A Cordless Vacuum?
If you’re on the hunt for a new vacuum cleaner you may have asked yourself – ‘should I buy a cordless vacuum cleaner?’. If so, you’re not alone. Cordless vacuum cleaners continue to grow in popularity but the fact that they are still relatively new in terms of technology and can cost a lot more than traditional cleaners can make people hestitate.
Below we will aim to help you answer the question ‘should I buy a cordless vacuum’ by going through the main advantages and disadvantages of cordless vacuums and hopefully giving you enough information to make your decision.
Here at Vacuum Stuff we recently bought a cordless Dyson V7 Motorhead vacuum cleaner and our experience has helped shape this review. In addition to the Dyson V7 Motorhead, we also have a Henry corded vacuum cleaner which helps to provide a useful comparison.
Should I Buy A Cordless Vacuum?
Cordless Vacuum Cleaners: Advantages
High Convenience
One of the best things about cordless vacuum cleaners is just how convenient they are when it comes to cleaning. As there’s no need to have it plugged into the wall as you are using it, you are free to pick it up and roam around the home wherever you need to use it. You do not have the bother of having to go into the storage cupboard (or garage in our case) to retrieve it and then find a plug near where you need to clean.
The lightweight nature of most cordless vacuum cleaners tends to encourage you to clean up more frequently as it’s so easy.
Easy Storage
Another great advantage of cordless vacuums is that you tend to need far less storage than you would for an upright or corded vacuum cleaner. Most cordless vacuums tend to be stick type cleaners which take up minimal storage space. The Dyson V7 Motorhead cordless vacuum cleaner comes with a mounting bracket that allows you to hang it up on the wall both for storage and charging. We’ve found that the thin and lightweight nature of the Dyson V7 allows us to store it in palces we otherwise couldn’t keep a traditional vacuum cleaner (we have a Henry that needs to be kept in ample space in the garage).
Lightweight Designs
The extra money we spent on a cordless vacuum cleaner model really shows its worth when its time to hoover the stairs. With a corded vacuum cleaner (e.g. like the Henry we also have) we’d have to lug the unit up the stairs and in some instances hold it awkwardly against one of the steps part way up the stairs. This can be a strain and not to mention tricky. With a cordless vacuum cleaner however, you don’t have this problem as there’s no long cable, cylinder or hose to deal with. It makes cleaning the stairs in particular a whole lot easier as we’ve found in recent months.
Safety
One factor that we had never really thought about until we had the cordless vacuum is the fact you no longer have to deal with a potential safety and trip hazard. When you have a corded vacuum cleaner plugged into the wall especially when it may be plugged in at the bottom of the stairs, there’s always the potential risk that you or someone else trips over the long cable.
High Versatility
With a lot of cordless vacuum cleaners, you not only get a model that’s suitable for carpets and floors but also ones that can be used as more compact handheld units that are suitable for the car. The Dyson V7 Motorhead for example that we use at home does the job of in-car vacuum cleaner very well as it’s simply a matter of removing the wand/main tubing and attaching a crevice tool or brush.
As well as being useful for cleaning the car or other small areas in the handheld mode, the lightweight nature of many cordless vacuums means you can easily lift them above your head for cleaning the ceiling and other high reach areas.
Bagless Technology
A major advantage of most cordless vacuum cleaners is the fact that they are bagless meaning the dirt collected goes straight into a reusable compartment rather than a disposable bag. This means you save a significant amount of money over the lifetime of the vacuum cleaners as you do not have to keep buying replacement bags.
However, one slight drawback is the fact you can be exposed to some of the dust as you are emptying out the bin.
Cordless Vacuum Cleaners: Disadvantages
Limited Battery Life
One of the more prominent limitations of cordless vacuum cleaners is their battery life. Most models will do in the range of 15 – 30 minutes though there are some on the higher end that will go up to as much as 60 minutes. This can be limiting if you have a particularly large home or if you simply forget to charge the battery after you last used it.
Based on our experience however, ensuring the vacuum cleaner is charged is no more problematic than making sure your phone or any other modern day device that requires it, is fully charged.
Relatively High Cost In Comparison To Traditional Models
The cost of cordless of vacuum cleaners in comparison to their traditional counterparts has to be one of the main disadvantages. As the technology is relatively new they tend to be more expensive with some of the best units starting from around £200 and going as high as £700.
The pricing itself is not so much a problem as from what we’ve seen of the Dyson V7 Motorhead, it’s well worth paying the premium. The disadvantage relative to corded and upright models is the fact you don’t have as wide range of price points. Whereas you can get some great corded vacuum cleaners for less than £100, that is a harder proposition for cordless models.
Conculsion: Should I Buy A Cordless Vaccum?
Ultimately whether or not you should buy a cordless vacuum will depend on your individual needs. However, from the experience we’ve had of owning a cordless as well as a corded vacuum cleaner, it’s clear that cordless vacuum cleaners have some major advantages.
The ease of use and convenience that you get from some of the best cordless vacuums alongside excellent performance, means cordless vacuums are a real winner. If your budget can accommodate a highly rated cordless vacuum then it may be something you want to consider.
