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In this report

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Canister Vacuums: Ratings of Sources
Total of 18 Sources

For an explanation of how we rank reviews, see our ratings criteria page.

1. ConsumerReports.org
Oct. 2008
Vacuum Cleaners
by Editors of Consumer Reports
5 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment For this latest update, Consumer Reports' editors test 22 canister vacuums on their performance on bare floor and carpet (including their ability to pick up pet hair from carpet). Noise and ease of use are also considered and factored into the ratings. Consumer Reports' methodology is consistent and extremely thorough, making this the most valuable review we found for canister vacuums.
2. Which? magazine
Feb. 8, 2008
Vacuum Cleaners
by Editors of Which? magazine
4 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

British magazine and website Which? is as thorough and competent in its reviews as Consumer Reports, and although many of the canister vacuums tested here aren't available in the U.S., there's some great… general information, buyer's guides and reliability information on this site. In the latest roundup, editors thoroughly test 80 upright and canister vacuums. We liked that editors specifically test performance on different floor types, as well as with pet hair. Models in the Miele S4 series receive the highest overall scores, along with vacuums from Bosch and Nilfisk.

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3. Choice magazine
July 2008
Test: Mid-price vacuum cleaners
by Editors of Choice magazine
4 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

Choice is the magazine of the Australian Consumers' Association. Testing is as thorough as at Consumer Reports and Which? magazine, but most of the tested canister vacuums here aren't available in the U.S.… Fourteen canister vacuums are tested on carpet and bare floors, and all are tested with Choice magazine's tools. Three top models are chosen, but editors don't put them in any particular order. Canister vacuums from Bosch and Miele are among those rated as Best Buy picks.

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4. TheGreenGuide.com
Not Dated
Vacuum Cleaner Buying Guide
by Editors of The Green Guide
3 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment This buyer's guide covers vacuuming in general, with a focus on products that are energy efficient with low emissions. The general information here is helpful, but nothing you can't find elsewhere. Editors choose the Miele S251 as their top pick, but there's no evidence it was tested; in fact, the article states that picks are based at least partly on ratings at Consumer Reports.
5. Amazon.com
As of Dec. 2008
Canister Vacuums
by Contributors to Amazon.com
3 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

There are more owner-written ratings for canister vacuums at Amazon.com than at Epinions.com. Most canister vacuums get mixed reviews overall, and it's tough to tell which are better. Still, once you have… your choice narrowed down to a few models, Amazon.com is an excellent place to read owner-written ratings. Amazon.com lists a large number of discontinued models here, which is confusing, but this is an excellent place for verifying the opinions of professional reviewers.

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6. Allergy Buyers Club.com
As of Dec. 2008
Vacuum Cleaners
by Editors of Allergy Buyers Club
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

This website, which includes many comparison charts and articles, focuses on the needs of allergy sufferers. Vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters are recommended for people who need maximum removal of… allergens. While this is mainly a retail site, editors do report testing and owner satisfaction for most models. Unfortunately, the ratings tightly correspond with price and are not detailed enough to convince us of their objectivity.

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7. Ristenbatt Vacuum Cleaner Service, Inc.
As of Dec. 2008
Ristenbatt Vacuum's Preferred Models
by David E. Ristenbatt
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

This retailer sells more than 75 models of cleaners and publishes comprehensive product summaries, features and specifications on a limited number of models. Ristenbatt lists the models he and his staff… recommend most highly -- all expensive models from Miele and SEBO -- along with a lot of info about specifications and features. There's great information here about types of cleaners, filter differences and agitator types. Since there is no independent testing information and models recommended here are also sold here, this site has limited scope.

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8. ABC Vacuum.com
As of Dec. 2008
ABC-Vacuum's Top Picks for Different Price Ranges
by Editors of ABCVacuum.com
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

This retailer states, "Our personal picks are based upon our experience and knowledge to help you select a good vacuum cleaner." ABC offers only a very cursory discussion of each model and does not mention… any of the vacuums' shortcomings. Top-rated models include the Bosch Compact Plus BSA 2222 UC Hard Floor and the Hoover S3765-040 WindTunnel Bagless. Specific testing methods are not addressed, so as with other retail sites, it's hard to gauge credibility.

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9. Epinions.com
As of Dec. 2008
Canister Vacuums
by Contributors to Epinions.com
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

Epinions.com invites users to rate their own vacuums, and while it takes a fair amount of clicking to get to the reviews, it's nice to check here when you have your choice narrowed down a bit. Over six… hundred different models have reviews posted, but the vast majority of them only receive a handful each. We found some interesting comments for Electrolux canister vacuums. Several owners note that Electrolux vacuums are now made by Eureka, and that quality has taken a nosedive.

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10. Helium.com
As of Dec. 2008
Best Vacuums to Buy
by Contributors to Helium.com
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Helium.com is an odd site. While these are essentially user-generated product reviews, contributions look more like longer editorial articles than quick reviews. While the individual articles are sometimes interesting to read, there simply are not enough of them written about any one particular vacuum to make this site worthwhile -- at least not so far.
11. ConsumerGuide.com
As of Dec. 2008
Canister Vacuums Reviews and Prices
by Editors of ConsumerGuide.com
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment The editors at ConsumerGuide.com don't discuss test methods or results, nor do they mention any significant drawbacks to the machines they rate. Write-ups are based on features, and no testing appears to have been performed. Thirteen canister vacuums are rated Best Buys and four of those are given five-star ratings, but we're not sure why.
12. GardenWeb.com
As of Dec. 2008
Cleaning Tips Forum
by Contributors to GardenWeb.com
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment In this forum, there are some good discussion threads between impassioned owners. Models by most vacuum manufacturers are recommended here, as are shop vacuums, which are plugged by a couple of contributors who use them on their home carpeting. It is challenging to dig through all of the threaded messages, but if you have a specific need or concern, you might find a thread on it.
13. Sears.com
As of Dec. 2008
Vacuums & Floor Care: Canisters
by Contributors to Sears.com
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment If you're considering a Kenmore canister like the Intuition 28014, Sears.com is a good place to find user reviews; otherwise, you're better off looking at Amazon.com or Epinions.com. There are also two dozen reviews on the Dyson DC21 Stowaway, plus a few scattered posts for other models.
14. About.com
As of Dec. 2008
Top 8 Canister Vacuum Cleaners
by Barbara Whiting
1 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

The About.com guide to stay-at-home parents, Barbara Whiting, has a short list of her top canister vacuum picks. While it's useful that the models are ranked, there's no explanation of how they're assessed… and why they're chosen. There's also no mention of any drawbacks or vacuums that don't make the cut. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

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15. Appliance.com
As of Dec. 2008
Vacuum Cleaners & Floor Care Appliances
by Editors of Appliance.com
1 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Although Appliance.com does not offer reviews or testing of upright vacuums, they do describe new models in extensive detail -- interesting if you're really into vacuums. There's no comparison information here, however. Helpful buying guides and articles with general information about the different types of vacuums and features are also available on this website.
16. Viewpoints.com
As of Dec. 2008
Canister Vacuum Reviews
by Contributors to Viewpoints.com
1 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Viewpoints.com still lags well behind Amazon.com and Epinions.com as a source of consumer reviews, and only two dozen canister vacuums have been covered here so far. On the plus side, this site is nicely laid out and easier to navigate than most user review sites. Unless you really want to cover all your bases, Viewpoints.com probably isn't worth visiting yet for canister vacuums.
17. ExpoTV.com
As of Dec. 2008
Canister Vacuums Reviews
by Contributors to ExpoTV.com
1 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment ExpoTV.com is similar to other user-review sites, but contributors post videos instead of text reviews. With some product categories, there's enough content here to be worthwhile; when it comes to canister vacuums, though, there are just a few scattered reviews.
18. ReviewCentre.com
As of Dec. 2008
Vacuum Cleaners
by Contributors to ReviewCentre.com
1 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment ReviewCentre.com is based in the U.K., and many of the models covered aren't available in the U.S. One nice feature here is the ratings breakdown included in each user review. Another plus is that contributors state how long they've been using the product in question, helping to put reviews by brand-new owners into perspective.

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