The January sales are offering some fantastic deals on vacuum cleaners and carpet washers at the moment, with many models at half price or less. No matter how good the deal, it’s important to research the machine on offer to make sure it’s right for your needs.

Vacuum cleaners

Whether you choose an upright or cylinder vacuum cleaner tends to come down to personal preference and which type you find the most comfortable and effective for you and your home. Uprights tend to be kinder to your back during vacuuming and have a rapidly rotating brushbar that grooms the pile while you push the machine across the carpet. Cylinders are often less effort to carry up and down stairs and are easy store away after use, due to their compact size.  Whichever you prefer, there are a number of factors you should think about when picking the right model:

• Pets
  If you have cats or dogs you’ll know just how difficult it can be to banish their hair from your carpets and furniture. Vacuum cleaners designed for homes with pets typically have a special tool with rotating bristles that pick up pet hair as it spins. Some pet models may also have an anti-bacterial filter to trap and neutralise germs. Look out for models with a HEPA filter if you have allergies, as these high level filters trap small dirt and dust particles, helping to reduce the allergens in your home.
• Stairs
  If you regularly vacuum a tall flight of stairs you’ll find a model with an extra long stretch hose a real bonus, as you can reach right to the top of the staircase without having to unplug the machine and move it halfway through cleaning. Check the length of the power cord too, as a longer cord will make it much easier to vacuum stairs and multiple rooms without having to stop to swap plug points, saving you both time and effort. The capacity of the dust container can also vary widely between models, so look for a larger one if you don’t like having to empty the container too often.
• Floor types
  If you have a mixture of carpets and hard floors in your home you should check the vacuum cleaner you choose is suitable for use on hard floors. Some uprights have a brushbar control so you can switch off the rotating brushes and vacuum hard floors without risk of damage. Some have a hard floor tool that you attach to the hose for doing the same job. Many cylinder vacuum cleaners have a combination floor head that has a switch for changing between hard floor and carpet modes, and some models may have a dedicated hard floor tool.

Carpet cleaners

There are typically two types of carpet cleaners you can choose from – canister models, some of which are multi-functional and can also dry vacuum, and upright models. Canister models tend to be robust with large capacity tanks. They usually have castor wheels, so they are very stable and easy to pull along as you clean. Upright models resemble an upright dry vacuum cleaner and are typically manoeuvrable and easy to use.

• Upholstery and stairs
  Many carpet washers have a flexible hose and tools for cleaning upholstery and stairs, but do check the product specification carefully, as some upright models don’t have a hose and so are only suitable for cleaning flat areas of carpets. Canister models operate much like a cylinder vacuum cleaner, with a selection of tools that attach to the hose for cleaning carpets, upholstery and stairs.
• Spots and stains
  If your carpets have areas with a lot of wear and tear, or have stubborn spots and stains, it’s worth investing in a model that is specifically designed to tackle these problems, so check the specification carefully. Upright models with brushes that gently scrub the carpet fibres, either on a rotating brushbar or on individual spinning brushes, will tend to give a deeper clean and better results than those with a static row of brushes. Some carpet cleaners have a pre-treatment system with special stain-busting solution that gets to work on soiled areas before washing with the machine.
• Quick clean, quick dry
  If you want the quickest results from your carpet cleaner and need your carpets dry again as soon as possible, look out for models with technologies designed to speed up the washing and drying processes. These could include heated cleaning, where heat from the machine is applied to the carpet during washing, and dual air path technology, which delivers consistent suction across the entire width of the floor head.

Vax LiFE unplugged

Just launched, the new U91-LF-B LiFE unplugged bagless upright vacuum cleaner from Vax takes all the pain out of vacuuming. If you struggle to lift your heavy, upright vacuum cleaner and hate negotiating the power cable, then you’ll love this lightweight, cordless model. There are no cables to trip over, no bending down to plug it in and no worrying about whether the cable will stretch to the top of the stairs.

It has an ultra slimline shape and weighs just 3.4kg, so is a lot lighter to carry than conventional upright vacuum cleaners. This means it’s ideal for anyone with a bad back or mobility problems. It’s easy to store too, as it takes less space than a bulky, full size cleaner and looks so good you won’t mind if it’s left out of the cupboard for a while.

The downside with many cord-free appliances is that the convenience factor is offset by a lack of power and poor battery performance. Vax LiFE is different because you get all the benefits of a cordless, lightweight vacuum cleaner without losing anything in performance. In fact, tests show that LiFE offers the same – if not better – suction performance than a corded upright. It uses Vax WindTunnel technology to lift and trap dirt and dust, so it doesn’t scatter back onto your floors. You can quickly switch between carpet and hard floor modes using the control on the handle.

LiFE uses Lithium ion battery technology, which is designed to maintain consistent strong power until it’s completely drained, so you don’t experience ‘slow fade’ while you’re cleaning. One full charge should be all that you’ll need to vacuum your whole house and power level lights let you know exactly how much charge you’ve got left, so you won’t get caught short.

Find out more at the Vax LiFE unplugged website  or the main Vax website.

The idea with the Match range is to mix and match your preferred type of carpet cleaner with add-on kits that are designed to tackle particular problem areas in your house. These include kits tailored for homes with pets, or those that have particularly difficult stains, or those that need protecting against future damage. By picking the right type of cleaner for your home and then adding one or more kits, you can tailor make a carpet cleaning solution that best suits your particular needs.

The carpet cleaners in the Match range vary from the more manoeuvrable and lightweight ‘Classic’, for smaller homes and apartments, to the larger, more rugged ‘Power’, which pumps jets of cleaning solution into the carpet fibres for a really deep clean. They’re designed to be as easy as a regular vacuum cleaner to use and have powerful suction that sucks out the dirty water. This suction means they don’t leave carpets soggy and you can walk on the carpets again within a couple of hours.

The largest and latest kit is called ‘Pet & Stubborn Stains ’ and includes a pre-treatment applicator and special pre-treatment solution that gets to work on difficult stains before you use the machine to wash it. It also has a big bottle of Vax Ultra solution for use in the machine and Carpet Guard spray to protect carpets after washing. This kit is currently only available to buy direct from the Vax site, but will be out in high street shops next year.

30 years later the Vax multi-function cleaner is still the favourite choice in many homes, because of its unique flexibility to wash carpets, suck up spills and dry vacuum carpets or hard floors – all in one easy-to-use, large capacity machine.

To celebrate its 30-year history as the UK’s favourite floorcare brand, Vax has just launched a limited edition family of ‘30^th Anniversary’ carpet cleaners and vacuum cleaners, which includes the latest version of the iconic 6131 multi-function machine.

All the products in this collection have an introductory price of 30-50% below the RRP, which gives shoppers something to celebrate too. They also look pretty smart, as they have a special edition colour scheme of graphite and original Vax orange, which really sets them apart from previous Vax ranges.

At the top of the vacuum cleaner range is the VZL-6017AN Mach 7. This bagless upright has WindTunnel technology that traps the dust and dirt more effectively as you clean, for excellent dust pick-up. It also uses multi-cyclonic suction power, which means that dust collects in the container, not the filter, so its filters don’t get blocked and it doesn’t lose suction. This means there’s no drop in performance, even as the dirt container fills up. The Mach 7 is a good all round the home cleaner, as it can be used on either carpets or hard floors, plus it has an extra long stretch hose so you can clean right to the top of your staircase without having to move the machine. With washable HEPA filters and no bags, you won’t need to spend money on replacements either, and as it has 6-year guarantee you can be sure that you’re covered should anything go wrong.

There are five other vacuum cleaners in the Anniversary range, including four from the Power range, which was first added to Vax’s line-up in January of this year, plus the G:2 Pet cylinder vacuum cleaner. Three of these are ‘Pet’ models, which means they have anti-bacterial HEPA filters and an air-driven TurboTool that is specially designed to lift pet hairs off carpets and upholstery, and can be also used to great effect on stairs. A TurboTool is also included on the Mach 7.

There are two upright carpet cleaners in this new range – the Rapide Spring Clean, which is lightweight and easy to manoeuvre, and the Rapide PowerJet Pet, which has larger capacity tanks and uses ‘PowerJet’ technology to give a really thorough deep clean. PowerJet works by pumping jets of cleaning solution into the fibres. The brushes works with the solution to lift dirt and stains from the carpet, which is then sucked back up into the dirty water tank.

They are as easy to use as a regular dry vacuum cleaner so are a really good way of getting carpets looking new again, without the hassle and expense of replacing them or getting in professional carpet cleaners.

You’ll be amazed at how much fresher your carpets will look, smell and even feel, as the suction action of the carpet cleaner lifts the carpet pile and removes trapped dirt to makes it feel softer and springy again. 

The V-124 Dual V from Vax is one carpet washer that has been consistently praised by all of these groups since it launched last year. It frequently gets given top marks in feedback on retailer sites and last year  the independent consumer reviews magazine Which? recommended it to readers as a ‘Best Buy’. More recently the Dual V was awarded ‘Best Floorcare Product’ at the IBA industry awards.

Hosted in association with IER magazine on 25th June, the Independent Business Awards celebrate the achievements of companies, innovations and people within the independent electrical industry. ‘Best Floorcare Product’ is awarded to the most innovative floorcare product from the past 12 months.

A combination of votes sent in by readers of the magazine and a panel of industry judges on the day rated the Vax V-124 Dual V carpet washer number one in this category.

To win the award the Dual V beat a very strong line-up of finalists that included the Dyson Ball DC-24 vacuum cleaner, Miele S7 vacuum cleaner and Bissell ReadyDry carpet cleaner.

It’s undoubtedly the unique combination of unbeatable carpet cleaning performance, innovative design and good after sales care that make the Dual V such a success. One of it’s biggest selling features is that it has a 6-year parts and labour guarantee, which is unmatched in the market.

In addition, the Dual V has a number of patented technologies including twin air path extraction, heated cleaning and unique spinning SpinScrub brushes that lift embedded dirt trapped in carpet pile to give fantastic deep cleaning performance. Its Dual V air path gurantees consistent suction across the whole width of the floorhead, so your carpets dry quickly and you can walk across carpets again without getting soggy feet.

It’s also designed to provide faster, more hygienic cleaning as it’s got separate water tanks and an Automix system that mixes the cleaning solution and water for you. You can use it straight out of the box and removable brushes mean it’s very is easy to clean.

The Dual V is very versatile too, with a powered SpinScrub hand tool that’s great for tackling stubborn stains, for cleaning stairs or for upholstery. 

One reviewer tried out her new Agility on a piece a carpet that had recently been cleaned with a hired machine that had given her a lot of trouble. She was over the moon with the results: “the amount of dirt that came out was unbelievable, the colour of dark chocolate. The carpet was left nearly dry and we almost needed sunglasses, it was so bright!” As well great cleaning results, she loves the convenience of having her own machine at hand to use whenever she needs. Unlike hiring a machine, there’s no need to rush to get all the rooms in the house done at once.

Another Amazon reviewer chose the Agility to clean up their filthy carpets rather than another model they were considering that had some negative reviews. So they decided to spend a bit more on the Agility instead. Was it worth the extra money? This reviewer definitely thinks so: “that old saying is true ‘you get what you pay for’! I am SO glad I did buy this carpet cleaner.”

One lady had such good results from the Agility that their “husband now says we don’t need new carpets”. This demonstrates perfectly how washing your carpets can be a great way to save money and avoid the hassle having to buy and fit new ones. She adds that the Agility is “easy to use and excellent value for money”.

Another reviewer agrees: “This is really worth the money. Brought me 3 year old carpets up like new. Easy to use on carpets and furniture. The fact that the water is heated meant that the carpets were dry within a couple of hours.”

Customers that have previously only used a canister style of carpet washer are often amazed at how quick and easy to use the latest generation of upright models are. For instance, this reviewer says: “The last home carpet cleaner we had was the orange cylinder Vax many years ago – it worked well and lasted a long time but was pretty hard work.” After buying an Agility upright, the reviewer writes: “Just used this for the first time on a carpet in real need of cleaning – amazing. Easy to set up, easy to use and so very efficient!”

Another Agility user agrees: “We used it to clean a very dirty cream carpet – it’s much easier to use then the old orange VAX carpet cleaner! Just fill up the tank & plug it in & off you go.” They add that while the machine is heavier and bulkier than a canister, so you need a bit more storage space for it, “it did a brilliant job & left the carpet only slightly damp… it’s a brilliant thing to have.” Unlike many other upright models, the Agility has a folding handle to make it as easy to store away as possible.

The innovative and award winning Dual V has patented technologies including heated cleaning and revolutionary spinning brushes that lift dirt and odours trapped deep in carpet pile. Powerful twin air path extraction technology means carpets dry quickly, so you’ll be using your room again in no time.

As it washes carpets, removes stains and also sucks up spills, it’s ideal for busy family homes. It’s easy to use and very versatile with tools for removing spots and stains, cleaning stairs, upholstery and car interiors.
 
The Dual V requires no assembly and its brushes are removable for easy cleaning. For hygiene and optimum cleaning results it has separate water tanks and an Automix system that mixes cleaning solution and water, saving you time and effort.

Rather than replacing carpets you can save money and hassle by revitalising them with a Dual V. Although dry vacuuming removes the surface layer of dust and debris, dirt gets trodden deep into the pile damaging the fibres and leaving carpets flat and lifeless. Washing with Dual V also helps remove common triggers of allergies, such as dust mites and pollen, making it ideal for allergy sufferers.

The V-124 Dual V has a market leading 6-year parts and labour guarantee, supported by a UK based Customer Care Line open 7 days a week.

To vote for the Dual V to win ‘Best Floorcare Product’ visit the Awards website and fill in the online form.

 Voting ends on Friday 29th May 2009, so don’t delay!

After using it to clean his kitchen carpet tiles, another customer agrees it is “an amazingly good cleaner” and left his carpet looking like new. While he recommends using earplugs for use and points out that the brushes will need cleaning thoroughly to get rid of hairs, he says “operation is quick and easy, covering a good area before refill”. 

Another user of the site argues that while it’s “heavy to control in small places,” it is otherwise “an excellent cleaner, dries superb, would highly recommend this cleaner.” One customer remarks that she decided to buy her own carpet washer after borrowing a friend’s and being impressed by the results. After weighing up whether to buy a Vax or a Bissell, she decided on the Dual V because of its “fantastic price” and wasn’t disappointed: “brilliant, and so easy to use. As it has movable brushes and heated water, the results are even better than the cheaper models.”

Another customer who also bought the Dual V recently says it “works well for ordinary household use.” He advises that it may need a second clean to get out any stubborn stains but concludes that overall it’s a “Great machine” and “Great value deal through Amazon.”