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Top tips for choosing a good value, powerful vacuum cleaner – including Vax Power 6 vacuum cleaner review
When looking for a good value, powerful vacuum cleaner, I’d recommend keeping an eye out for these features:
- lightweight and portable – whether using an upright or cylinder vacuum cleaner, it still needs to be light enough to carry when needed
- powerful suction motor (watts/air watts) – the amount of power required will depend on the vacuum cleaner’s purpose: pet hairs, allergen reduction, hard floors, short/long pile carpets etc
- HEPA filter – increases the amount of dust retained in the vacuum cleaner
- (bagged or bagless) large dust container capacity – it’s inconvenient if you have to empty the dust container before you’ve finished vacuuming
- accessories – a variety of accessories to help with cleaning eg, upholstery, crevices etc
- sufficient handle/hose length – whether using an upright or cylinder vacuum cleaner, it should be the correct height for you so that it’s comfortable to use
- sufficient power cord length – long enough power cord to vacuum a room without having to unplug and move to another socket
- power cord storage – ideally, it should have inbuilt power cord storage so that it’s tidier when not in use
- great reviews – as always, read other users’ reviews to get an idea of the vacuum’s pros and cons
For us, the most important features when choosing a vacuum cleaner, were that it was powerful with good HEPA filtration – two features that our previous (old) vacuum didn’t have, but which we needed due to asthma symptoms.
It also needed to be a compact-sized cylinder vacuum as we were running out of storage space!
This Vax Power 6 vacuum cleaner review is for you – it includes a list of Dyson vacuum cleaners ideal for allergy sufferers too!
– what the filter and power ratings mean
– EU regulations for lower wattage limit
– the pros and cons of using a bagged or bagless vacuum cleaner
Our previous vacuum cleaner used bags which constantly split causing the dust to go everywhere, making it even more difficult to breathe. I know that isn’t the case with all bagged vacuum cleaners, but with the added “nuisance” of having to buy vacuum bags, I decided that our new vacuum cleaner would be bagless with reusable filters.
So, which vacuum cleaner did we choose?
The Vax Power 6 vacuum cleaner – it matched all criteria at a good value price.
Best value, powerful vacuum cleaner review – Vax Power 6 Cylinder C89-P6-B
Vax is the UK’s best selling floorcare brand, with a comprehensive range of everything you need to care for your floors.
I mentioned the Vax Power 6 vacuum cleaner in my steam cleaner review, when I was telling you about Vax’s excellent customer service to replace the floor head (it had accidentally broken).
By the way, it’s just a coincidence that we use a few Vax products at home – I hadn’t noticed it was the case until starting this website.
Our criteria is that they’re good value, good quality and worth their price – and Vax products just happen to tick those boxes.
Vax Power 6 Cylinder features
Vax Power 6 Cylinder C89-P6-B
The Vax Power 6 Cylinder vacuum cleaner works well and is a convenient size to carry and store in a small space.
It’s features include:
- single cyclone technology (to separate dust and dirt from the airflow) for less clogging and maintenance
- powerful performance 2000 watts with 360 air watts
- HEPA Class H12 post-motor filter
- variable power to easily control amount of suction required
- combination floor head for carpet/hard floors
- bagless container with reusable filter
- accessories such as floor tool, crevice tool, dusting brush and upholstery tool
7m power cord- 2.5m hose
- suitable for hard/carpeted floors
- large 3 litre capacity
- weighs just 5.4kg
- 2 year guarantee
Ah, well spotted – even though I bought it after 2014, the Vax Power 6 Cylinder vacuum cleaner was made before the EU regulations lowered the wattage limit.
Despite the EU regulations, vacuum cleaners with high wattage are still allowed to be sold until stock runs out. The Vax Power 6 is available at Jacamo.co.uk, TheBrilliantGiftShop.com, Amazon and FiftyPlus.co.uk (with spare parts available from Vax).
Unfortunately it’s fast going out of stock, so you may need to check out Vax cylinder vacuum cleaner or other alternatives below.
What’s it like using the Vax Power 6 Cylinder vacuum cleaner?
The Vax Power 6 Cylinder vacuum cleaner does a great job of vacuuming the carpets, and it’s well-designed and comfortable to use:
- its small size and weight makes it portable enough to use on the stairs, and small enough to easily store
- you can feel the powerful suction in the floor head as it goes over the carpets, being properly cleaned
- large, see-through container shows all the dust and debris being collected, whizzing around inside the container
- the long hose is a convenient length, as is the long power cord; I can vacuum my sitting room and kitchen/diner without having to switch sockets
- re-usable filter cuts down the cost of replacements
- variable suction speeds for use on different floor surfaces
- blockage warning light
- the dust container is just one-click to remove and empty
- in-built power cord storage which takes just one-click to auto rewind, ensuring the tidy vacuum storage
Could you use the Vax Power 6 Cylinder vacuum cleaner with allergies or asthma?
Dyson is one of the few manufacturers that offer this feature
If you have allergies or asthma, it’s important that the room is properly ventilated and doesn’t become overly dusty during/after vacuuming – that’s why you’ll need a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter.
The Vax Power 6 Cylinder has HEPA Class H12 which retains 99.5% of dust via the filter, but the specification doesn’t mention HEPA-tight construction.
For that reason, if your asthma or allergy symptoms are severe, I’d suggest using a vacuum cleaner with a higher HEPA rating as well as HEPA-tight construction, so that no dust escapes.
UPDATE: Dyson is one of the few manufacturers with vacuum cleaners approved for allergy sufferers by the Allergy Standards Limited. These have a high HEPA rating with HEPA-tight construction; perfect for use by asthma or allergy sufferers:
- upright vacuum cleaners – DC55, DC41 MK2 Animal, DC41 MK2 Multi Floor, DC40 Multi Floor and DC40 Animal
- cylinder vacuum cleaners – DC53 Total Clean, DC39 Animal and DC28c
The easiest way to clean and care for the Vax Power 6 Cylinder vacuum cleaner
– place a carrier bag over the end of the container before opening it. That way all the dust will go straight into the bag rather than the atmosphere
– remove the pre-motor filter (the soft round filter with the rubber edging), and get rid of all the dust by tapping it against the edge of the bin, or a wall outside. Then it’ll be ready for a wash and re-use.
Once you’ve finished vacuuming the floors, just switch it off, unplug and auto-rewind the power cord.
Unclip the dust container and empty the contents. All parts of the Vax Power 6 Cylinder vacuum cleaner can be wiped clean, and the pre-motor filter is fully washable.
Find out what the ratings mean so you know which kind of vacuum cleaner’s best for you
Why is the HEPA rating important?
Vacuum cleaners use suction to draw dust, dirt and debris (such as hair, pollen and spores) into the container, whilst the air is filtered back through the exhaust. This process makes the HEPA rating important.
Without a good HEPA filter, your vacuum cleaner blows dust and other allergens through the vacuum exhaust and into your room.
HEPA stands for “high efficiency particulate air” and is a guideline as to how much dust, dirt and debris the vacuum cleaner actually retains.
All HEPA rated vacuum cleaners filter particles as small as 0.3 microns. The ratings relate to how many of those particles it lets back into the atmosphere.
– HEPA filters use a tight fibre mesh to trap/block the air particles from passing through
– S-Class filters use an electrostatic charge to attract and hold the air particles to a mesh filter
These are the HEPA ratings:
- lowest: H10 retains 85% of the particles
- H11 retains 95%
- H12 retains 99.5%
- H13 retains 99.95%
- highest: H14 retains 99.995%
If your vacuum cleaner’s HEPA rating is as low as H10, it’ll still blow 15% of those particles back into the atmosphere, making it quite a dusty house.
The term “HEPA” refers to the filter, not to the vacuum itself. If your vacuum has a lot of crevices or isn’t properly HEPA-sealed, then dust, dirt and debris will escape regardless of the HEPA rating.
What’s the difference between Watts and Air Watts?
Watts – a unit of power measuring the energy consumption in an electric circuit.
Air Watts – the amount of power the vacuum cleaner converts into suction.
A cylinder vacuum cleaner uses more air watts as the suction travels the length of the hose (it may need around 220 air watts). Whereas, an upright vacuum cleaner may only need 100 air watts to be just as proficient.
In 2014, the EU ruled that:
- manufacturers should not make or import vacuum cleaners exceeding 1,600 watts
and
- each vacuum cleaner should have a minimum level of performance. It should be clearly labelled with an A to G rating for its energy efficiency, cleaning performance and dust emissions
In 2017, the limit will be lowered to 900 watts.
A vacuum cleaner doesn’t necessarily need high wattage for excellent suction, it just needs to use the energy more efficiently.
Which should you choose – a Bagged or Bagless vacuum cleaner?
Here’s a summary of the pros and cons of using a bagged or bagless vacuum cleaner:
Bagged vacuum cleaner
Pros
- more hygienic as you don’t come into contact with the collected dust, dirt and debris
- less chance of allergy/asthma symptoms
- no need to clean the filter
Cons
- ongoing cost of replacement bags and negative impact on environment
- bags can split whilst being used
- not easy to see when the bag is full up
- can’t easily retrieve an item if accidentally vacuumed
Bagless vacuum cleaner
Pros
- no ongoing cost of replacement bags
- easily see the dust, dirt and debris being vacuumed
- easily see when the container is full
- easily retrieve an item if accidentally vacuumed
Cons
- dusty and unhygienic when emptying container
Whichever vacuum cleaner features you decide to choose, depends on the intended use.
Which will you choose?
Other vacuum cleaners
I’d recommend the Vax Power 6 Cylinder vacuum cleaner but, as it’s no longer being manufactured (due to the EU regulations) and I don’t know how long before existing stock sells out, you may prefer to use an alternative.
Here are some options for general use, but I’d strongly recommend getting a Dyson vacuum cleaner (shown above) if you’re an asthma or allergy sufferer:
| Product | Approximate Price | Seller | Upright/Cylinder Bagged/Bagless | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hoover PurePower | £80 to £90 | Argos | Upright Bagged | capacity: 4.5 litres power cord: 4.5 metres weight: 6.5 kg Energy rating: A (includes HEPA 10 filtration) |
| Panasonic MC-UG342WP47 | £80 to £90 | The Cooperative Electrical | Upright Bagged | capacity: 6.1 litres power cord: 6.7 metres weight: 10 kg Energy rating: B |
| Vax Air Silence C86-AW-Be | £250 (£100 in sale) | Amazon | Cylinder Bagless | capacity: 2.5 litres power cord: 7.5 metres weight: 5 kg Energy rating: A 6 year guarantee (includes HEPA filter) |
| Dyson DC28C | £250 to £330 | Currys | Cylinder Bagless | capacity: 2 litres power cord: 6.5 metres weight: 5.2 kg Energy rating: A 5 year guarantee (includes HEPA tight construction and filtration) |
| Dyson DC50 | £270 to £290 | Argos | Upright Bagless | capacity: 0.8 litres power cord: 7.6 metres weight: 5.2 kg Energy rating: A 5 year guarantee (includes HEPA tight construction and filtration) |
| Miele C3 Total Solution Allergy PowerLine | £280 | John Lewis | Cylinder Bagged | capacity: tbc power cord: 7.5 metres weight: 5.4 kg Energy rating: D 2 year guarantee (includes HEPA 13 filtration) |
| Vax Impact 702 U86-IB-Be | £60 | Argos | Upright Bagless | capacity: tbc power cord: 8 metres weight: 6.8 kg Energy rating: C 2 year guarantee (includes HEPA filtration) |
Note: this review is a general resource, not intended to be professional advice.
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Thanks for your detailed article!
I have a bagless vacuum cleaner and I noticed the last time I pulled it out of the cupboard that my lodger has let the canister get well beyond the full line. It was quite a chore to get all of the dog hair and fluff out because it was so far up – is there anything else I should do on the maintenance side other than clean the filters after this?
Thanks again for post.