Canister Vacuums Reviews

The reviews below are assigned ratings by ConsumerSearch. These ratings are based on credibility in testing, evaluating and identifying the best Canister Vacuums. See our ratings criteria

For recommendations of best Canister Vacuums, see our Fast Answers page, which summarizes what these reviews say. A longer summary and analysis appears in our Full Story report for Canister Vacuums. Our Where to Buy page contains information on retailers and Canister Vacuums prices.

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Canister Vacuums Reviews Reviewed
Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Canister Vacuums Ratings Comments on Reviews
1. Consumer Reports >> Details/Subscribe	Vacuum Cleaners Editors of Consumer Reports Jan. 2008		For this latest update, Consumer Reports' editors test 24 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.

Canister Vacuums Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Canister Vacuums Ratings Comments on Reviews

2. Which.co.uk >> Details/Subscribe	Vacuum Cleaners Editors of Which.co.uk Feb. 8, 2008		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 its latest roundup, editors thoroughly test 80 uprights 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 the Miele Cat & Dog TT 5000, which doesn't have a direct U.S. equivalent.
3. Choice.com.au >> Details/Subscribe	Test: Mid-price vacuum cleaners Editors of Choice.com.au Sept. 2006		Choice is the magazine of the Australian Consumers' Association. Testing is as thorough as at Consumer Reports and Which? Online, but most of the tested canister vacuums here aren't available in the U.S. Twelve canister vacuums are tested on carpet and bare floors, and all are tested with Choice magazine's tools. Several top models are chosen, but editors don't put them in any particular order. Canister vacuums from Wertheim, Bosch and Miele are among those rated as Best Buy picks.

Canister Vacuums Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Canister Vacuums Ratings Comments on Reviews

4. The Green Guide	Ventilating, Vacuuming, & Filtering Out Allergens Emily Main May/June 2006		This brief article discusses High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters and window-unit filters for filtering out allergens affecting allergy sufferers. Author Emily Main recommends the Miele S514 Solaris, Sebo C2.1 and C3.1, the Aerus Electrolux Lux Guardian and the Dyson brand in general. However, it does not appear that any specific testing of these models was performed and no product comparisons are provided, so this article doesn't carry much weight from a testing standpoint. The general information is helpful, however.
5. Amazon.com	Canister Vacuums Contributors to Amazon.com As of Feb. 2008		There are more owner-written ratings for canister vacuums at Amazon.com than at Epinions. Most canister vacuums get mixed reviews overall, and it's tough to tell which are better rated than others. 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.

Canister Vacuums Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Canister Vacuums Ratings Comments on Reviews

6. Allergy Buyers Club.com	Vacuum Cleaners Editors of Allergy Buyers Club As of Feb. 2008		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.
7. Ristenbatt Vacuum Cleaner Service, Inc.	Ristenbatt Vacuum's Preferred Models David E. Ristenbatt As of Feb. 2008		This retailer sells over 75 different 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, along with a lot of info about specifications and features. Expensive Miele and SEBO models dominate this list, along with a sprinkling of other brands. 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.
8. ABC Vacuum.com	ABC's Picks and Ratings Editors of ABCVacuum.com As of Feb. 2008		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.
9. Epinions	Canister Vacuums Contributors to Epinions As of Feb. 2008		Epinions invites users to rate their own vacuums, and while it takes a fair amount of clicking to get to the reviews here, 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.
10. Helium.com	Best Vacuum to Buy Contributors to Helium.com As of Feb. 2008		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 at this time.
11. Consumer Guide.com	Canister Vacuums Editors of ConsumerGuide.com As of Feb. 2008		The editors at Consumer Guide don't discuss test methods or results, nor do they mention any significant drawbacks to the machines. Write-ups are based on features, and no testing appears to have been performed. Fourteen canister vacuums are rated Best Buys and four of those are given five-star ratings, but we're not sure why.
12. ThatHome Site.com	Appliance Forums Contributors to ThatHomeSite.com As of Feb. 2008		In this forum, which is frequented by appliance enthusiasts, 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.

Canister Vacuums Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Canister Vacuums Ratings Comments on Reviews

13. About.com	Top 8 Canister Vacuum Cleaners Barbara Whiting As of Feb. 2008		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 that ConsumerSearch and About.com are owned by the same parent company, but are not affiliated editorially.)
14. Appliance.com	Floor Care Appliance – The Latest New Products Editors of Appliance.com As of Feb. 2008		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.