How we test vacuums

As Vacuumtester I'm on a mission to find the best vacuum cleaner for you (and for your floors' too)

I've tested more than 35 vacuums

Research methodology

Vacuumtester.com focuses on testing vacuum cleaners. After more than ten years of experience in testing vacuum cleaners, an extensive research methodology has emerged, which we refer to as a ‘reliable study'. We test every vacuum cleaner in the same way. On this page I will tell you how we test vacuum cleaners and how we ultimately reach a conclusion.

Suction performance

We start every review by testing the suction performance of a vacuum cleaner. Suction performance includes the suction power, airflow and filtration of a vacuum cleaner.

The suction power of a vacuum cleaner is measured with a vacuum tester. The suction power is thus indicated in kilopascals (kPa). The measurement results make it possible to compare the suction power of vacuum cleaners.

The same applies to the measurement of the airflow. We perform this with an anemometer. With this we discover the air speed of a vacuum cleaner in meters per second (m/s).

Then we look at the filtration: the dust emission of a vacuum cleaner is an important part of the suction performance of a vacuum cleaner. We investigate the type of filter and the degree of filtration.

Cleaning result

How well does a vacuum cleaner clean? That is the question that is central to the cleaning result test component.

When choosing a vacuum cleaner, it is very important to pay attention to the suitability for a specific floor type. That is why we test every vacuum cleaner on three different floors: (hard) wooden floors, low-pile carpet and high-pile carpet. We do this in custom-made floor trays, so that the cleaning result is clearly visible.

We test the cleaning results with different types of dirt: from small to coarse dirt. We also study the results with animal hair.

Usability

One of the biggest topics of vacuum cleaner reviews is the ease of use of the vacuum cleaner. In other words: how easy and nice can you vacuum? This depends on a large number of factors that we test one by one.

Noise level

It is important to investigate how much noise a vacuum cleaner makes: no one wants a noisy vacuum cleaner. We test the noise level with a decibel meter.

Weight

A vacuum cleaner is often lifted: for example to move it to another floor or to store it. Therefore, the weight of a vacuum cleaner is important to investigate.

When we weigh a vacuum cleaner, we make sure that it is emptied and equipped with the accessories needed to vacuum.

Maintenance

Emptying a vacuum cleaner and cleaning or replacing filters is important to maintain good performance. We investigate how easy this is and how much necessary costs may be associated with regular maintenance.

We investigate how easily a vacuum cleaner can be emptied. We also check to what extent you can be eligible for dust and dirt when emptying a vacuum cleaner. We also check whether filters are washable. And if the filters need to be replaced: how often should this be done and how much do new vacuum cleaner filters cost?

Working range

The working range, also known as the range, of a vacuum cleaner is important to check. Do you have a vacuum cleaner with a cord? Then you don't want to constantly have to change the plug.

We check the range of the vacuum cleaner by investigating the cord length. With cordless vacuum cleaners, we fully charge the battery and then time the maximum battery life in minutes.

Design

In the design review section, we investigate which accessories you get with a vacuum cleaner. This determines how versatile you can use a vacuum cleaner. We also check the type of accessories: is there a motorized floor brush, for example, with which you can easily remove animal hair?

We also check how ‘sturdy' a vacuum cleaner feels. Can it take a beating and, for example, is it equipped with rubber wheels instead of cheap plastic swivel wheels?

Review of vacuum cleaners

We assign a mark on a scale of 1 to 10 for each review section. The average mark of these four sections provides a final assessment for the vacuum cleaner.

An example:

Review score: ((7.5+8+6.5+7)/4)= 7.5

Awards for the best vacuum cleaners

At Vacuumtester.com we occasionally hand out awards to vacuum cleaners. With this you can also discover outside our platform which vacuum cleaners have performed excellently in our studies.

We currently have two awards: the ‘Best Tested' award and the ‘Best Buy' award. Read more about our Vacuum Cleaner Awards.

Independent research

Vacuumtester.com is a completely independent platform. So is our research and we do everything we can to ensure it independently. Our approach to keep our research completely independent:

We buy every vacuum cleaner with our own money
We do not accept free vacuum cleaners
We measure with our own measuring instruments
We measure all specifications ourselves
We carry out every vacuum cleaner review ourselves

Learn more about Vacuumtester and our approach.

Earnings

Without earnings, Vacuumtester.com could not exist. We therefore work together with various webshops where you can buy vacuum cleaners and parts. When you click on a link, we may receive a fee for this.

We emphasize that possible merits do not affect the research results. Learn more about our earnings and current partnerships in our disclaimer.

Sustainability of our research process

At Vacuumtester.com, sustainability is of paramount importance. For example, we support the Repair Café: a foundation that prevents the unnecessary disposal of household appliances.

We also try to carry out our research process in the most sustainable way possible. For example, we use dirt that we can reuse in our tests. For example, rice grains and macaroni, which we can reuse after emptying the vacuum cleaner.

In addition, we optimize our studies in the field of power consumption. For example, if we test the maximum battery life, we will also conduct other studies with this vacuum cleaner in the meantime. This way it is not left on unused.