$150 for $300 Toward a Vacuum System or Air-Purification System at Aerus Electrolux $150 for $300 toward a canister vacuum, central vacuum system, G2 total-home air-purification system, or Guardian air purifier It all started with a single vacuum. In the 1920s, Electrolux took off thanks to designer Gustaf Sahlin and his invention of the canister vacuum, which could clean floors more efficiently than other models and didn't produce tiny tornados in the living room. Much of Sahlin's original design has remained throughout the decades and continues in the company's current vacuum line, which has grown to include uprights and central vacuum systems. In 2003, the company entered the new millennium with even more products and a new name: Aerus Electrolux. The change in moniker reflects its expansion into new areas, including systems for water purification and air filtration.ARTICLE: Ratings 101Vacuum Cleaner Ratings Now that you've educated yourself, you'll find the ratings as follows:

POWER: Given as C.F.M's, higher is better FILTER TYPE: listed as Sealed HEPA (best), or Other (prepare for disappointment) BELT TYPE: A 'geared' belt is best, as it will generally last for many years. 'Flat' belts will stretch, causing you to lose efficiency, and are prone to breakage. WARRANTY: Manufacturer's motor warranty, in years.sharp air purifier brochure PRICE RANGE: Advertised price range of these machines.cd lens cleaner flipkart NOTES: Miele's 200 series tend to give quality on a budget. honeywell air purifier chinaThe 200 Series Miele Plus does not have a HEPA filter, but because the machine design, even the standard filter tends to do better than junky brands which 'pretend' to have HEPA filtration (If you've read our filtration article, you already know this!).

If you don't suffer from allergies, you'll get a nice machine with a seven year warranty at an affordable price. NOTES: Miele's top models are Sealed HEPA capable, and they have models in every price range from the $699 Miele Solaris Electro to the $1200 Miele Capricorn, depending on which bells and whistles you want. One great thing about their product line (although it does get confusing) is the number of different floor attachments available, meaning you can get the perfect setup for almost any home layout. If you don't have a lot of carpet, less expensive models than those listed are available. NOTES: Water doesn't catch all the dust (in fact, their instruction manual warns against picking up fireplace soot, Carpet fresh, talcum powder, drywall dust, etc. It does have a good quality HEPA filter, however, the price is very high in relation to the actual power and performance of machines. Another consideration is the amount of work it takes to disassemble and clean the machine after each and every use (according to the manufacturer recommendations) - failure to do so can lead to some VERY expensive (and non-warrantied) repairs.

Still, some people swear by water filtration, and if this is what you want, there are companies that offer reconditioned Rainbow vacuums. NOTES: Another door to door brand, these machines use a series of specialized filters (non HEPA) to do an adequate filtration job. They are overall well built, but better filtration and performance can be found for less money elsewhere. NOTES: Company has recently changed name to 'Aerus'. High quality, but very expensive. The Guardian ranks with Miele as the best filtering machine, but be aware that the replacment filter cost is also very high (about $70 annually). While the 25 year motor warranty is impressive, keep in mind that over that span you'll be forced to spend about $2000 on replacement filters!Note also that cheaper Electrolux models are available, but have only average filtration (a.k.a. - they are not sealed), in which case better choices are available. NOTES: Only sold by in-home dealers, this company now also owns Electrolux, and shares the same powerhead design.

The canister is metal and of high quality, but steep in price, and suffers from very high filter costs (about $70 bucks a pop!). NOTES: We've grouped these common brands together, because power and filtration are virtually identical. These companies are better at advertising than in building machines, and for the educated consumer, there are much better choices available (such as Samsung or Miele) in the same price range. NOTES: Excellent power for it's price range. Uses a 3M Filtrete final filter, which does an above average job in filtration. A good choice for those who do not suffer from allergies. NOTES: These brands are all 'water trap' vacuums similar in design to the Rainbow'. We've grouped these together because these are all brands which are sold by in-home demonstrations. While any of these are decent machines, better units (such as Miele) are available for about half the price. Also, these brands have a very small market share, so if your local distributor goes out of business, you may not be able to find anyone to service your machine.

Our advice: avoid them. NOTES: Sebo has features such as a geared belt and a circuit breaker (which are not generally found in uprights). It gets outstanding power from a very efficient motor, and the filter cost is about half of what other companies charge. An onboard computer even monitors the height adjustment (setting it automatically) and system status at all times. Winner of numerous design awards, it's hard to find much not to like about this machine. NOTES: While we're not crazy about the looks of the machine, it has outstanding quality, great power, and wonderful filtration. One of the best you can buy.Be advised that they also make a cheaper model (called Aptiva), which cannot be purchased online. The Aptiva models are a large step down in quality, and for the few dollars difference, the Healthcare Pro models are the better buy. NOTES: Miele's uprights are not as of high quality as their canisters, and do not have sealed HEPA filtration. They are a decent buy in their price range for those who don't suffer from allergies, and you get a 2-year warranty.

NOTES: We've grouped Sharp and Panasonic together because they are similar in design, power, and filtration. While these brands we not have 'real' HEPA filters, they are made of higher quality components than other common 'store brands'. If you are on a tight budget, these are the best machines available in the $200 price range. NOTES: We've grouped these common brands together, because power and poor filtration are virtually identical. These companies are better at advertising than in building machines, and for the educated consumer, there are much better choices available (such as Sharp or Panasonic) in the same price range. NOTES: Once you take away the 'free' canister (which doesn't even have wheels!!) and the 'free' iron (which you can buy anywhere for $19 bucks), you're left with a cheap upright with a tiny motor and poor power when compared to other machines.It's important to not fool yourself: Lightweight = small motor = low power. An 8-pound machine simply cannot do what a full size upright will do.

If you can live with that fact, then an Oreck may be a good choice for you. NOTES: Built like a tank (and weighing almost as much), these are sold by in-home dealers. They don't use a HEPA filter, but the new Kirby HEPA Bag seems to filter well. The entire head of the machine must be removed to attach a hose or attachments, which can get tedious quickly. NOTES: Using the same 'recycled' design for about 15 years, technology has left their uprights behind, and they do not have a sealed HEPA filter. On the positive side, they do tend to hold up well over time. However, there are better choices (such as Lindhaus or Sebo) in this pricing range.NOTE: Keep in mind that the Electrolux models you see in retail stores are not the Electrolux of old (that your parents had), but simply rebadged Eurekas, which now own the name. NOTES: Fantom has gone out of business, and their assets bought by another company. While you may still find these on store shelves, we suggest avoiding them, as you will probably never find anyone to service your machine.