Why Buy A Cordless Vacuum Cleaner?
It can be difficult to know which type of vacuum cleaner to go for these days if you’re searching for a new one. There are so many different types of vacuum cleaners let alone brands. Cordless vacuum cleaners have grown in popularity and choice in recent times but why buy a cordless vacuum cleaner?
Below we are going to take a look at just that question and delve into the pros and cons of cordless vacuum cleaners before suggesting a few possible options.
What Is A Cordless Vacuum Cleaner?
A cordless vacuum cleaner is one where the unit is battery operated and does not need a direct connection to the mains/electricity to operate.
Why Buy A Cordless Vacuum Cleaner?
Why buy a cordless vacuum cleaner? Well, let’s take a look at some of the best reasons below.
Lightweight
A major advantage of cordless vacuum cleaners is the fact that they tend to be relatively lightweight making them easy to pick up and move around with in the home. For example the Dyson V7 Motorhead is only 2.3kg.
Their lightweight nature means jobs that would ordinarily be somewhat awkward with a corded unit become a lot easier. This is particularly the case on jobs such as the stairs, curtains and other high areas for cleaning.
Range of Cleaning
One of the best things about cordless vacuum cleaners is their range of cleaning. As they are battery operated you do not have to worry about where to plug them in whilst you are cleaning, you can simply get on with the job. This is particularly handy if you live in a home where the plug points are not conveniently located for a whole-home clean. You do not have this issue with cordless vacuums as you are not tied down to any plug point.
With corded models you are limited in your cleaning range by the length of the cable (typically 6 – 10metres) and the length of the tube and hose. You do not have to deal with these limitations with cordless models.
Convenient
A number of the benefits mentioned (lighweight, range of cleaning etc) make cordless vacuum cleaners very convenient to use. This means that, based on our own experience of owning both corded and cordless models, you are more likely to want to just pick up and go with a cordless model as you know you can get the job done with no setup.
Versatile
Another noteworth advantage of cordless vacuum cleaners is the fact they can often be used as both upstanding and handheld vacuum cleaners. For example the Dyson V7 Motorhead has the flexibility to detach the main tube/wand and brushhead to then fit various tools that can be used for cleaning the car and the stairs. This means that rather than having to buy a separate handheld unit or finding a way to get your corded model plugged in close enough to your car, you simply attach the right fitting to the cordless and off you go.
Less Noise
Owning both corded and cordless models of vacuum cleaners, one of the best things we’ve noticed about cordless models is how quiet they are in comparison to corded. As cordless vacuums only run on a battery they have less power during and typically have smaller rated motors. This can result in less noise than some of their corded counterparts.
No Bags
One advantage of cordless models we particularly like is the fact you typically can buy models that are bagless.
This means that you do not have to worry about replacing your bag every time it gets full saving you money.
What Are The Disdvantages of Cordless Vacuum Cleaners?
Let’s take a look at some of the disdvantages of cordless vacuum cleaners.
Limited Battery Life
Perhaps the biggest mark against cordless vacuum cleaners is the fact that you are reliant on battery power that is often quite short. Even at the very high end of the cordless vacuum market, you are still looking at around 60 minutes of runtime on a single charge if you are lucky. Typically cordless vacuum cleaners will run between 15 – 45 minutes on a single charge. This can clearly be a cause of frustration especially if you have a large home or have to handle particularly tricky cleans.
When buying your cordless vacuum be sure to take a close look at the stated battery run time and get clear on what exactly that covers. Often times the longer stated run time may only apply to the use of certain fittings e.g. non-motorised attachments.
Can Be Expensive
With cordless vacuum cleaners still being relatively new, they tend to cost more than their corded counterparts.
It’s not to say that there are no expensive corded models as there are plenty but you tend to find that the cordless alternatives have a higher starting price point.
Smaller Capacity
One of the other more noticeable drawbacks of cordless stick vacuum cleaners is that their dust bin capacities tend to be a lot smaller than their corded counterparts. With corded models you can get a dust bin capacity of up to 6litres (Henry HVR160-11 for example). A lot of cordless models on the other hand only have capacities of around 0.4 – 0.6 litre. This means you end up having to empty out the dust bin much more frequently then you would on a corded model.
This is easy enough to do with most cordless models as they tend to be bagless however, it could also mean you’re more regularly exposed to dust during disposal than you otherwise would.
What Are The Best Available Cordless Vacuums?
Let’s take a look at some of the best cordless vacuum cleaners around that you may want to buy.
#1 – Dyson V7 Motorhead Vacuum Cleaner
Having used the Dyson V7 Motorhead ourselves for a number of months now we are big fans of this lightweight stick cordless vacuum cleaner. If you want a high end cordless vacuum cleaner with a decent battery life and hand-held cordless functionality for smaller jobs all at a relatively reasonable price, then look no further.
#2 – Dyson V8 Absolute Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
The next model up from the V7 series, the Dyson V8 Absolute is a very highly user rated cordless vacuum cleaner with some eye-catching upgrades. With up to 40 minutes run time (non-motorised attachments) on a single charge, it offers fantastic cleaning capability with powerful suction.
Why Buy A Cordless Vacuum Cleaner?: Tell Us Your Thoughts.
