With so many different vacuum cleaners to pick and choose from today, finding the best vacuum cleaner can be a little bit of a chore.

Obviously, having dozens and dozens of different choices to select from isn’t exactly the worst problem to have – but it is a problem or challenge that you are going to have to tackle before you know (with real certainty) that you’ve bought the best vacuum cleaner for your specific needs.

We’ve outlined a couple of details that you’re going to want to think about before you pull the trigger on a vacuum cleaner purchase below.

This guide not only illustrates exactly what you should be thinking about before you look at vacuum cleaner options, but also breaks down the three most popular form factors of vacuum cleaners today and some of the key features that top options have in common.

Hopefully all of this will help better inform your purchasing decision!

What kinds of floors are you going to be vacuuming in the first place?

The very first thing that you are going to want to consider before purchasing a vacuum cleaner (or even think about looking at different options) is the types of floors that you are going to be cleaning in the first place.

Hard surfaces like wood, tile, and stone floors (as well as other hard and solid surfaces) aren’t going to require the most powerful or efficient vacuum cleaners in the world to tackle. Alternatively, they also can be cleaned pretty efficiently with a mop, swiffer, or the like.

Softer surfaces like carpets and rugs are going to require a more powerful approach, especially those that are thicker and more plush than most. You’re really going to require a considerable amount of suction power to pull dirt, dust, and debris out of these softer surfaces. You also can consider using professional steam carpet cleaners.

Most homes include multiple types of flooring surfaces, so you’ll want to think about which types you have more of to inform your purchasing decision. If you have a lot of carpet you’re going to need a powerful upright or stick vacuum, and if you have a lot of harder surfaces you can probably use a cheaper canister vacuum or even robotic cleaner.

How portable/flexible do you need your new vacuum cleaner to be?

Secondly, you are going to need to think about how portable and how flexible you need your new vacuum cleaner to be.

Some people are only looking for a simple and straightforward upright vacuum that can do a little bit of simple maintenance from time to time, while others may need a very portable and versatile cleaner that can suck up the smallest pieces of dirt, dust, and debris to eliminate allergens and other “microscopic bad nasties”.

Again, this is all going to come down to personal preference, and is something that only you will be able to decide on before moving forward. If push comes to shove and you aren’t quite sure of whether or not you should move forward with a more straightforward or a more flexible vacuum, think about “future proofing” your purchase and go with the more flexible option.

For the most portable cleaners, you can consider cordless stick vacuum that often comes in 2-in-1 vacuum that is a stick vacuum that can be convertible to hand vacuum.

What kind of budget are you operating off of?

Lastly, you are going to need to really think about how much money you are willing to spend on a new vacuum cleaner.

There are options to fit every single budget unimaginable (from $30 always up to $1000 or more), so the marketplace is pretty wide open. Unless you know exactly how much you’re willing to spend it’s very, very easy to get sucked into spending a lot more on a quality piece of equipment than you expected to – just because of the marketing, advertising, and extra features that a more expensive vacuum may bring to the table.

Set your budget in stone before you pull the trigger on a purchase. Next, it’s crucial for you to know the types of vacuum you will be going to get.

The type of vacuum

1. The Canister Vacuums

Canister vacuums are the “old faithful” models of the vacuum world, but are still some of the best vacuum cleaner options on the planet today.

Capable of a ridiculously deep clean and much more powerful than all but the most powerful of the upright vacuums, these are the kinds of pieces of equipment that individual serious about giving their home a deep clean are going to want to opt for.

Not as portable and not as convenient as upright vacuum cleaners, they are capacity is much larger (so they don’t have to be emptied out as often) and they usually run a lot quieter.

2. The Upright Vacuums (including Stick Models)

Probably the most common type of vacuum on the market today, these upright vacuums are some of the most versatile available.

Considerably cheaper than all but the cheapest canister vacuums, it’s not that difficult to get your hands on one of the best upright vacuum cleaners with just $100 or so – in the cleaning efficiency that it provides is going to be on par with multi-hundred dollar canister vacuums.

They can be a little bit on the heavier side of things and may not be quite as portable or as flexible as a canister or handheld vacuum, but nothing beats firing up an upright vacuum and quickly zipping all over the floors. You can have an entire home cleaned with an upright in record time.

3. The Handheld Vacuums

Incredibly compact vacuum cleaners, handheld vacuums are going to open up a world of cleaning flexibility that simply doesn’t exist with larger systems.

You’ll be able to use these vacuums in tight confines and hard to reach areas, as well as spaces that your traditional vacuum cleaner simply wouldn’t have been able to clean previously – like your car, your boat, or RV.

At the same time, handheld vacuums don’t exactly have a tremendous amount of capacity or power, so you probably shouldn’t rely on them for the day to day cleaning.

4. The Robot Vacuums

Nowadays, people getting lazy and hence robotic vacuums are getting more and more popular. This is because this type of cleaner can do the job automatically. It’s good for hard floor but cannot do above floors cleaning including stairs.

Closing thoughts

Finding the best vacuum cleaner for your specific needs is a very personal decision, and one that you are hopefully going to find easier to make thanks in large part to the information provided above.

With so many different options to pick and choose from it can get a little bit frustrating, but if you use the info we’ve broken down in this guide you should be able to streamline the process significantly.