Our Technical department recently unveiled a new lab for vacuum testing, the place where the rubber hits the road—make that bare floors and carpeting—for our continuously updated ratings of canister, upright, and small and handheld vacuums (available to subscribers).
This 1,500-square-foot lab has an additional humidity-controlled chamber that technicians will use to gauge how well vacuums deep-clean carpeting and pick up pet hair. They are also building a new apparatus to measure how hard it is to push and pull vacuums; consumers regularly complain to us about vacuums that are tough to move around. Another device they’re working on will electronically measure clearance beneath couches and other furniture.
The first two uprights tested in the new digs are the Miele S 7210 Twist and the Hoover T-Series WindTunnel Rewind Bagless UH70120.
The 22-pound Miele (shown) costs $550, $250 less than the similar Miele S 7580 Bolero, and stands out as an especially quiet upright vacuum that also scores highly otherwise. It’s a tricky balance not achieved by other fairly quiet models, such as the Dyson Ball DC24 All Floors upright, $400, and the Electrolux Ultra Silencer EL6986A, $300.
The 18-pound Hoover, a bagless model, also scored well. But this model lacks a brush on/off switch, an important device that can help protect finished bare floors. And though its power cord is retractable—most uprights lack this feature—it measures only 16 feet, the shortest of all upright vacuums tested. The short length means you’ll have to unplug and replug the cord more often as you move around your home.
—Ed Perratore
Essential information: If you’re in the market for a new vacuum, use our free buyer’s guide to vacuums and check out our October 2009 report. See others readers' opinions of dozens of models on our vacuums forum.
"The 18-pound Hoover, a bagless model, also scored well. But this model lacks a brush on/off switch, an important device that can help protect finished bare floors. And though its power cord is retractable—most uprights lack this feature—it measures only 16 feet, the shortest of all upright vacuums tested. The short length means you’ll have to unplug and replug the cord more often as you move around your home."
I looked at the Hoover web site, and it turns out that there are several versions of this Hoover with different levels of features. The highest priced version has a 27 foot cord and a brush on/off switch. It is misleading to say that these features are not available. With Hoover, you get more features by paying for more features. Even the most expensive model is only $159.
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