You're right in the middle of vacuuming your living room and smoke starts pouring out the side of your vacuum cleaner. The next day you visit the vacuum repair shop and the technician tells you that that the repair of your antiquated vacuum is going to cost you two hundred dollars. At this point you decide to buy new, but which vacuum is the best buy for the money? The two most popular brands of vacuum cleaners on the market are Dyson and Hoover, but which is better. Three variables to consider when buying a vacuum cleaner are cost, capabilities, performance and durability.

The main difference between Hoover and Dyson vacuum cleaners is price point. Dyson vacuum cleaners have always been known to be higher priced than Hoover claiming that you get more vacuum and higher performance for the money. The current Dyson price point for a vacuum cleaner ranges from just under four hundred dollars to the just under six hundred dollars with seven different models to choose from.

Hoover on the other hand has over thirty five upright units ranging from sixty dollars to just under four hundred dollars for the top of the line Hoover platinum series upright. When considering what to pay for a vacuum I always look at the warranty. The warranty is usually a good indication of how firmly the manufacturer believes in the vacuum cleaner it is selling. With Hoover's new Platinum line Hoover has increased their warranty to six years giving the platinum line of vacuums an extra year over Dyson. In the area of warranty and price Hoover beats out Dyson hands down.

The capability of a vacuum cleaner should be matched to the tasks it has to perform and the environment the vacuum cleaner is going to be used in. For people with multi level homes a lighter vacuum cleaner should be used for ease of carrying it from level to level. People that use a vacuum cleaner for cleaning drapery or baseboard areas should look at a vacuum cleaner that has a plethora of vacuum tools, extended wand length and lots of accessory tools. In Dyson's case all of their upright vacuums come with a detachable wand and tools designed for other cleaning tasks. In Hoover's case they the Platinum Lightweight bagged upright does not have a detachable wand, but do come with an extra small canister vacuum to compliment the upright.

Although Hoover gives you an upright and a canister vacuum all the in the same box I found that having to use two vacuums instead of one unit took not only extra time but also extra storage space. Hoover recently introduced their version of a cyclonic upright called the UH70015. This vacuum cleaner comes with an aluminum lightweight wand, stretchable eight foot hose and dusting brush. Both manufactures products do a great job in fulfilling all the tasks that a vacuum cleaner has to perform but for ease of use Dyson makes cleaning a pleasurable experience. Dyson Vacuum cleaners seem be one step ahead of Hoover for maneuverability and the refinement in both looks and engineering.

In the vacuum world cyclonic technology seems to be a synonym for increased performance, but how much better is the cyclonic vacuum over its predecessors. Having professionally reviewed over forty different vacuum cleaners and working in the wholesale cleaning industry for over 15 years I do see that the cyclonic vacuum does have its advantages. A cyclonic vacuum seems to suck up more debris from baseboard areas and has more retention of dirt around the brush area on hard surface floors. On the other hand the power of a cyclonic vacuum can cause havoc on delicate materials such as cotton. Rug edges also seem to pose a problem by getting more easily sucked up by a cyclonic over conventional vacuums cleaner. When looking at performance be careful to look at the areas that you are vacuuming and match its power to the types of materials you are going to clean.

When you're thinking of paying a high price for a vacuum cleaner, durability is always a concern. If you look at the life of a vacuum cleaner versus the price you're paying, the top end Dyson would cost you one hundred and twenty dollars a year if the vacuum cleaner lasts five years or the life of its warranty. In Hoover's case, if the Platinum Cyclonic were to last you six years, or the life of its warranty you would be paying sixty seven dollars a year. Looking at the durability of higher end retail vacuums I would base its life expectancy on the warranty of the unit. Most higher priced vacuums cost more to repair, and in the case of catastrophic failure you would be better to discard the vacuum than to have it repaired. For this reason I would always base the life expectancy of a higher end vacuum of the length of the warranty. With the exception of the vacuum cleaner being broken by owner neglect the vacuum cleaner should cost very little to fix with the assistance of the warranty covering most of the bill.

Overall if you're looking to save some money and get a new vacuum cleaner every five or six years the Hoover Platinum Cyclonic seems to be the better buy. With just under two hundred dollars in savings the Hoover unit has a better warranty and will perform the same tasks as Dyson's most expensive vacuum. Dyson does have some other features such as ball technology which enables the user to maneuver the vacuum for efficiently. If you're looking for these types of features Dyson's lineup might be better suited to your needs.