Are you curious about the pros and cons of a vacuum cleaner? We emphasized how much home vacuum cleaners changed the world since their independent innovation in the early 1900s in both the United States and Great Britain. We also tried to mention many variations of this handy suction-based machine, but its appearance and performance are undeniably still developing. However, because some main components remain the same—filter, suction hose or opening, and dust, debris, and trash collection bag—a lot of merits and demerits will remain. In contrast, some key downsides will likely disappear in some years. Now, let’s dig into the advantages and disadvantages of a vacuum cleaner.
Advantages of vacuum cleaner
We know the pros of a vacuum cleaner over other cleaning tools interest users the most. Thus, we’ll cover the advantages of vacuum cleaners first:
1. Vacuum cleaner is easy to use and hygienic
Vacuum cleaners are invented to be convenient, and although they required more fiddling with cables and plugging in the past, that slowly disappears. Modern hoovers for home use are usually plug-and-play and let you add or remove extension cords and suction ends on the fly. That means you can adjust the type of cleaning on the go. You can leave bigger surfaces and narrow corners spotless, remove debris with brushes, and even add or remove the length of the pipe. Moreover, compared to sweeping with a broom, which releases dust, spores, and allergens into the air, vacuums suction the dangerous air pollutants and debris at once, making the surface simultaneously clean-looking and hygienic.
2. It saves users effort, money, and time
The convenience of hoovers was the main selling point in their home application back in the early 20th century. Vacuums let users clean huge surfaces and hard-to-reach places in minutes compared to hours of sweeping or wiping with a rag. Some are strictly suction-based and rely on a dust bag. Others can release water to help separate dirt from the surface and have waterproof storage or a special dust bag. Moreover, vacuum cleaners can be used on draperies, floors, upholstery, clothes, and even walls, making them useful for residential and commercial applications. Some expensive models have HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters that can catch and absorb tiny air particles and dirt that absorb nearly all dangerous substances.
3. It is usually low-cost and reliable
Hoovers are drastically more expensive than brooms, but the investment pays off quickly. Industry presence of over a century ensures that there are vacuums in all price ranges and with wired and wireless (also called cordless) functionality. Most importantly, they can all last for years and even decades with regular maintenance.
4. Vacuum cleaner is excellent for cleaning pollutants, hair, and hard-to-reach places
Multipurpose is perhaps the biggest upside of a vacuum cleaner since more expensive models are modular. They permit the cleaning of dry and wet surfaces, with dangerous particles such as mold or air pollutants, and are efficient in tight places and wide surface areas alike. Dust bags can be exchanged to fit each purpose, and some home-use vacuums offer professional-grade performance. A good example is that they can catch debris, specifically human and pet hair, and even liquid and oil stains from a carpet pile. That’s something a broom cannot do, and would require scrubbing, combing, or special chemicals.
5. It can have advanced features
We usually think about vacuum cleaners for home use when the term is mentioned. However, there are also hand-held cordless vacuums that have a commercial application, or those with a HEPA filter for particularly dirty spaces, dangerous fumes, and heavy-duty daily professional applications. Commercial use also includes static vacuums with drastically larger dust bags and filters with a long lifespan in-between replacements. Additionally, robotic vacuums are the future and will act on schedule, autonomously, and wirelessly. That means humans will neither require training for use nor time and energy to do the cleaning.
Disadvantages of vacuum cleaner
Without further ado, we’ll jump into the disadvantages of vacuum cleaners:
1. Vacuum cleaner can be noisy
We begin with the noise of vacuum cleaners, which is a downside that’s slowly diminishing. Home hoovers are still quite loud, which is inevitable due to their motors and the sound suction makes in contact with the surface. However, newer models are built with noise-reduction features that make the experience more pleasant. The biggest noise producers are undoubtedly commercial machines. Hand-held battery-powered cordless models are less powerful, thus the sound isn’t as loud.
2. It increases your electricity bill
Hoovers use powerful motors to create suction and require electricity to work, which adds to the monthly electricity bill expenses. The same applies to hand-held models whose batteries need to be charged. That makes it a less desirable investment for new homeowners. They not only have to purchase a machine but also use it frequently enough for it to pay off, meaning electricity bills go up. Electricity costs of vacuuming are particularly important in commercial use such as cleaning factories and laboratories but also in residential objects such as apartment complexes, hotels, and motels.
3. Vacuum cleaner may be wired and heavy to lift
This con of vacuums doesn’t apply to all models. However, the most powerful ones are limited by the length of a power cord and the position of the nearest power outlet. Additionally, some models are large and heavy, making them less portable. Portability becomes a huge problem when a facility has a big surface or several floors. Ease of use requires multiple machines, long extension cords, or constant re-plugging into outlets.
4. It cannot clean everything
While undeniably multifunctional, vacuums are still surface-level cleaning machines and are not always efficient. Thus, they may need to be combined with other traditional cleaning methods such as wiping, scratching, scrubbing, and degreasing. Some are incapable of cleaning wet surfaces. Even if they pull it off, that may damage the dust bag. Also, the efficiency of particle capture and absorption heavily depends on the filter quality.
5. Vacuum cleaner requires occasional maintenance and part replacement
You cannot continue vacuuming once the dust bag is full or the filter becomes too clogged to be efficient. Their replacement can be a huge hassle if you’re in a hurry or forgot to purchase spare bags. Additionally, some bags and filters get discontinued and newer vacuums may use different attachments or models. Avoiding the purchase of new vacuum machines forces you into looking into third-party, second-hand, or refurbished items. The same is true for replacement parts, which may be hard or impossible to find, or exorbitantly priced.