There are a lot of vacuums to choose from out there. The CNET Appliances team has already delved into the cute and somewhat unpredictable world of robot vacuums and today we're expanding to uprights. Yes, the stately upright vacuum is the most common type of dustbuster found in homes today.I exposed myself to dirt particles large and small to test the $309 Electrolux Precision Brushroll Clean against the $649 Dyson DC41, the $499 Dyson DC50, the $399 Oreck Touch, and the $199 Shark Rotator Pro Lift-Away.I would recommend the Electrolux Precision Brushroll Clean to anyone looking for a reliable upright vacuum -- even if you can spend more. It was competitive with all of the more expensive vacuums and, in many cases, far exceeded my expectations for a midrange model. Somehow, Electrolux found a way to merge thoughtful design, high-end features, and sturdy construction all into one 17-pound vacuum. Combine those three things and you get top usability and performance. The only caveat is that it isn't the most maneuverable or the most versatile of the five models.

For the best turn radius, consider the Oreck or the Shark (and for maximum versatility, the Shark excels). Design and usability The Electrolux Precision Brushroll Clean is a durable vacuum with a silver finish and orange accents. henry vacuum cleaner hvx200All of its components feel substantial on their own and fit together nicely with the rest of the machine. vacuum cleaner repair berkhamstedI really like the look of this vacuum. vacuum cleaner store barrhavenIn fact, it's my favorite design of all five models tested. Even without a swivel function for navigating around furniture, it's still incredibly easy to operate. Also, the sturdy dust bin is a breeze to remove, empty, and snap back into place. It is heavier than the other four, so if you're concerned about lifting the 17.2-pound Electrolux, the 15.5-pound Shark might be more appealing.

While the Dyson machines look modern and efficient, their construction doesn't feel solid. This led to some usability problems with opening the bin, angling the vacuum during tests, and holding the awkward, handleless wand accessory. That's a touch too sparse, wouldn't you say, Dyson? In contrast, the Oreck is a very well-designed vacuum that also offers optimal pivot action with the turn of a wrist. The Shark isn't quite as streamlined as either the Electrolux or the Oreck -- the design is less modern and it doesn't look as high-end, but can I fault it for that? It's only $200.Features The Electrolux handle is quite a multitasking pro; it doubles as a wand accessory and the hose stretches incredibly far. The Electrolux wand was the unanimous favorite of the group; the handle is comfortable to grip, it comes with a suction control feature for making power adjustments and a quick release button. Also, it snaps back into place with minimal effort. There's also a crevice tool, which targets corners, stairs and other hard-to-reach-places and a dusting brush for dusting.

It probably won't fit under most couches unless you switch to the wand and its many attachments.This model comes with a switch that lets you select between a "carpet" and a "bare floor" mode. Choose "carpet" and it turns on the brush, choose "bare floor" and it turns it off. Using the brush on bare floors can potentially cause damage or at least scatter the stuff you're trying to vacuum all over the room. The transparent dust bin comes with a removable, washable filter, and it has a handle for carting it to your garbage can. You'll also get a removable HEPA filter, a three-level height adjustment lever, and my favorite feature: brush-roll clean technology. Just press a lever and any gunk that got trapped inside your brush will be pulled into the dust bin. It's a vacuum miracle.One thing that sets the Electrolux apart from the other four vacuums is maneuverability; both Dysons use the Dyson ball technology, Oreck has swivel steering, and Shark comes with a pivoting head. Some models also include more brushes and accessories than the Electrolux, but the Shark trumps them all.

You can convert the Shark upright to a canister vacuum and it even comes with a separate wheeled caddy for rolling the canister rather than carrying it. The Electrolux is still simple enough to steer, though.Performance So, what did performance testing entail? For the Electrolux, I vacuumed Fruity Cheerios, a mixture of sand and sawdust, pet hair, human hair, and a whole bunch of nuts, washers, and bobby pins on thin carpet, thick carpet, and hardwood. It performed very well overall and when it needed a little extra help, the brush-roll clean feature came to the rescue. Cheerios, 1 oz. (percentage picked up)(Longer bars indicate better performance) 92 97 95 92 97 93 73 88 97 93 88 92 80 83 The Electrolux picked up nearly all of the Cheerios for every test. That's a score of 88 percent or better on low-pile, mid-pile, and hardwood. Both the Oreck and the Dyson DC41 outperformed the Electrolux, with the Shark coming in fourth, and the Dyson DC50 coming in last.Electrolux Vacuum Cleaners, What’s Inside:

The Electrolux vacuum cleaner brand consists of a design philosophy dedicated to six areas and all of their products are manufactured with these in mind: Intuitive- their vacuum designs anticipate and adapt to consumer’s needs with a simple design that is easy to use without the need for lengthy explanation on how to use it. Design- Electrolux vacuum cleaners have designs that function with a quiet and stylish look. Simplicity- Electrolux vacuums are designed without a lot of clutter and are clean and classy looking to blend in with the consumer’s homes. Reliable, uncomplicated technology- Electrolux machiness are both reliable and simple to use. Why Electrolux vacuum cleaners performs so well: 1. Motor - Electrolux vacuum cleaners feature high-efficiency suction motors for maximum performance. 2. Durability - Through consumer satisfaction feedback they have determined that nearly nine out of every ten Electrolux canister owners believe their products offer superb quality and that they would definitely buy another Electrolux.

3. Warranty - Electrolux stands behind their vacuum cleaners as seen by their recent introduction of a five year manufacturer’s parts and labor warranty, which was an improvement on their previous two year warranty on full sized models. 4. Emissions - Many of Electrolux’s vacuum cleaners are designed to make it easier for allergy sufferers and those preferring clean air to be able to breathe clean air with a sealed HEPA filtration system that holds inside 99.97% of dust, dirt, and allergens. 5. Ultra-quiet - Electrolux offers the quietest premium power team vacuum cleaner on the market with the UltraSilencer Deep Clean. Double Hull construction and air tight design to insulate and keep the noise inside the vacuum. Internal air path to minimize air turbulence, which is another source of noise It is constructed with vibration absorbing motor mounts Sound absorbing foam is used to quiet the exhaust air 6. Sealed Construction - Many vacuums cleaners that use a HEPA filter allow dust to escape around the filter and through cracks and failed seals in the machine.

The Electrolux vacuums have sealed HEPA filtration, which means the entire vacuum cleaner, is sealed throughout so the air flow from the floor to the exhaust filter so that dust will not escape. The result being that 99.97% of all the dust and particles taken into the vacuum cleaner will remain inside without having a chance to get back into the air. 7. Bags - A patented dust bag design ensures dust will not escape. One of its key features is the patented S bag design, which uses an auto close feature to seal the vacuum bag, preventing dust and dirt from escaping back into the air when disposing it. The bag has a sturdy construction and is guaranteed to withstand the pressure of powerful suction and damage from vacuuming hard particles like gravel. HEPA filter-The replaceable H12 HEPA filter in Electrolux vacuums is designed to filter out 99.5% of all dust particles and allergens down to .3 microns. Washable HEPA filter- Many Electrolux vacuum cleaners feature washable HEPA filters for easy maintenance Clean every 3-4 months or as needed.

Replace every 2-3 years as needed. The H12 washable filter captures 99.5% of all dust, pollen, and other airborne irritants Pre-motor filter- protects the motor from any particulates 1 micron and larger and is washable. Electrolux UltraActive bagless canister and the Nimble bagless upright offers a true cyclonic separation system to separate most of the dirt from the air before it reaches the filter so the filter stays clean and the vacuum retains maximum cleaning power. 9. Green - The new Electrolux vacuum cleaner green line featuring the ErgoSpace Green, demonstrates the company’s commitment to sustainability. The plastic parts in vacuums in the green line are made mostly from post consumer recycled plastics with the ErgoSpace Green consisting of 55% of them. Electrolux vacuum cleaners accomplish this by reclaiming durable plastics from landfills. The result is a savings of 50 percent of the water and 85 percent of the energy used to manufacture virgin plastic*.

By using a mix of recycled and non-recycled parts, Electrolux reaches the same high quality standards it does with its other vacuum cleaners, ensuring that the vacuum’s lifespan helps to keep it out of landfills longer. In 2010 and for the fourth consecutive year, Electrolux was recognized as a leader in the consumer durables industry sector in the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. Electrolux ranks among the top 10 percent of the 2,500 largest companies for social and environmental performance. The canisters in the Electrolux green line will soon feature a patented sustainable dust bag. The large capacity s-bag GREEN is a long lasting, eco-friendlier dust bag made of completely renewable resources including plant starches, natural rubber, and recycled cardboard. Available only on Electrolux products, the s-bag GREEN ensures a high level of vacuum performance. It uses 42 percent less nonrenewable energy in production, making its environmental impact significantly less that that of a typical dust bag.

Electrolux vacuum cleaners have the following intuitive, ease-of-use features to streamline the cleaning process: Digital display on canister indicates suction level and when it is time to replace the filter and dust bag. Electronic push buttons on the handle control power, brush roll and suction level. Power brush w/ edge to edge cleaning, foot pedal for quick carpet height adjustment and finger tip brush roll control which easily removes from the wand with its quick release foot pedal. Quick release telescopic wand offers height adjustment from either end. LED headlights illuminate hard to reach areas for thorough cleaning Long power cord and auto-rewind. Cord pulls out smoothly and the large foot pedal enables easy auto-rewind. All pieces of an Electrolux vacuum cleaner snap into place with quick release buttons for removal. Filters are easy to access and can be changed in seconds. Hose swivel where it attaches to the handle and the canister prevents tangling and crimping of the hose.