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Looking for a vacuum cleaner guide? You’re in the right place.

We’ve compiled everything you need to know about vacuum cleaners in our guide.

After reading this guide, you should understand the differences between the types of vacuum cleaners, and understand how to buy a vacuum cleaner in Singapore.

In this article, we’ll cover:

There are 8 main types of vacuum cleaners in Singapore. These are: 

When it comes to vacuum cleaners in Singapore, upright vacuums and stick vacuums are the go-to choice for most households. 

Upright vacuums are popular because they have strong suction power and are great for cleaning carpets.

A lot of Singaporeans also like stick vacuums since they’re compact and slim, and don’t take up much space. (If you’re a fan of Dyson, all their vacuums are stick vacuums!)

We’ll discuss each vacuum cleaner in our vacuum cleaner guide, so you can figure out what works best for you. 

If you tend to snack while working or need to clean up small messes, a handheld vacuum will be your new best friend. 

It's small, lightweight, and easy to use, making it great for spot cleaning. You can also use it in tight spaces or on sofas and inside your car.  

Another perk is that it's cordless, so you can take it anywhere without needing to be near an outlet. Just let it charge while you're working, and it'll be ready to use when you need it.

However, they do lack the power and capacity of a full-sized vacuum, and they’re not ideal for a deep clean.  

To summarise, here are the pros & cons if you're thinking of buying a handheld vacuum cleaner:

Pros  

Cons  

Cylinder vacuums are super powerful and can clean just about anything.

How do these differ from stick vacuums and upright vacuums?

With cylinder vacuums, there’s a flexible hose that connects the main body of the vacuum to the nozzle.

This allows you to move around easily while you’re cleaning, and you can easily use the nozzle to clean small/awkward spaces (like the gap below your sofa).

In terms of functionality, cylinder vacuums are great for deep cleaning hard floors, carpets, and furniture. 

The downside is that these vacuums aren't great for wet messes – they only handle dry messes well.

Here’s a quick recap of the pros and cons:

Pros  

Cons 

Next up in our vacuum cleaner guide... stick vacuums!

Stick vacuums are compact, lightweight, and slim, making them easy to use and maneuver around the house.

There are both corded and cordless options, but most people go for cordless options. 

The main selling point of stick vacuums is that they’re great for quick and light cleaning, especially for edges and corners. 

So, if you’re the kind that prefers to spread out your chores (ie: clean for 15 minutes every day, rather than doing a 1 hour deep clean on the weekend), then the stick vacuum is a good choice for you. 

Also, some stick vacuums have parts that can be bent, folded, or taken apart to save space in your storeroom. 

When you consider how small flats are these days, this is a GODSEND. 

Once you’re done cleaning, you can easily dismantle your stick vacuum and store it away, and free up some much-needed space.

Here are the rest of the stick vacuum’s pros and cons:  

Pros 

Cons  

For attachments, note that stick vacuums offer fewer attachments as compared to cylinder vacuums.

Stick vacuums tend to just come with a few basic attachments, because they’re designed for quick cleanups rather than deep cleaning. 

Upright vacuums are a popular choice for households, combining the best of both cylinder and stick vacuums. 

On the plus side, they are corded, so you won’t have to worry about them running out of battery. 

They are easy to maneuver, and ideal for deep cleaning multiple surfaces.

But on the flip side, upright vacuums tend to be slightly heavy, because of their powerful engines. 

They can also be loud, which might scare your kiddos or fur babies.

To recap the pros and cons:

Pros  

Cons 

Robot vacuums are a godsend for busy bees who don't have the time or energy to clean their homes manually every day. 

Here's how you can use these:

With all the advantages that robot vacuums offer, what’s the catch?

First, the effectiveness of your robot vacuum really depends on how advanced the sensors are.

Some cheaper models don’t have great sensors – so they’ll constantly bump into your furniture, get trapped underneath your table, or try to enter your toilet even if you’ve marked it out as a no-enter zone on the app.

Also, while robot vacuums are great for general maintenance, they’re not used for deep cleans.

So, you can use a robot vacuum to get rid of surface-level dirt and dust, you’ll still need to use another vacuum cleaner (like an upright vacuum or a stick vacuum) to clean more thoroughly every few weeks.

To recap the pros & cons: 

Pros 

Cons 

That’s all we have for you on robot vacuums for now. 

(PS: If you want to read a more in-depth guide on the different types of robot vacuums and how to choose a robot vacuum, check out our guide to buying a robot vacuum in Singapore.)  

We keep talking about wet and dry vacuum cleaners – and that’s because these are so versatile and handy.

Now, when you talk about “wet and dry”, this is technically more of a feature rather than a category.

For example, there are upright vacuums that are wet & dry vacuums, and there are also wet and dry stick vacuums that are wet & dry vacuums.

But if you’re looking for a wet and dry vacuum, your best bet is to search specifically for "wet and dry”, and for from there. 

This is easier than looking at individual brands and then trying to figure out whether their models are wet and dry.

Another thing to keep in mind for wet and dry vacuum cleaners is that these come with different tank capacities.

Generally, tank capacities range from 7 litres to 70+ litres. 

With a smaller tank, you need to refill the tank more often. But your vacuum cleaner will be lighter, and easier to use.

With a larger tank, you need to refill the tank less often. But your vacuum cleaner will be heavier, and harder to move around. 

So how do you choose the capacity of your tank? Think about the size of your home and how often you’ll be using your vacuum cleaner, and go from there! 

An anti-dust mite vacuum cleaner is exactly what it sounds like. 

They often include HEPA filters and are specifically designed to remove dust mites, as well as other allergens and pollutants.

Although anti-dust mite vacuums come in many different forms, they are typically sold as handheld models that can be used on beds and mattresses. 

Car vacuum cleaners are handheld vacuum cleaners that are designed specifically for cleaning your car. 

These are small and portable, making it easy for you to target smaller debris and crevices in your car. 

Of course, an important aspect of a vacuum is its suction power. 

Suction power is measured in Air Watts (AW). The larger the number, the stronger the suction.

Different vacuum cleaners have different strengths of suction powers: 

As you can see, cylinder vacuums tend to have stronger suction power. That’s why these are the best for deep cleans!

If you're looking for a cordless vacuum, don't forget to check out its battery life as well.

Battery lives vary from 15 minutes to an hour, with the standard timespan being 30 to 47 minutes.

Some cordless vacuums also come with batteries to swap out (so you can continue cleaning while the other battery charges).

Just remember that the actual run time might be different from what the manufacturers claim on their website.

Manufacturers usually provide an estimated battery life based on optimal conditions (ie: assuming that you’re constantly using your vacuum on low power), but your usage may vary in real life. 

So that’s battery life – how about charging time?

Cordless vacuum cleaners need to be charged for a long time (up to 5 hours!), even though they only run for less than an hour. 

Some folks like to charge their vacuum cleaner overnight, but make sure you don't overcharge it – this makes the battery worsen over time.

You can always check your user manual to see how long to charge your vacuum cleaner, for the best results.

So we’ve explained the differences between the types of vacuum cleaners, and discussed suction power, battery life, and more.

Now, the next question we'll address in our vacuum cleaner guide is... which vacuum cleaner should you get?

We’ve got quite a few answers for you - it all depends on your environment at home:

If your home has mostly carpeted floors and you have pets that shed, an upright vacuum cleaner with a motorised brush roll is a good choice. This type of vacuum cleaner is powerful and can effectively remove pet hair from carpets.

If you have a mix of carpeted and hard floors, a cylinder vacuum cleaner with adjustable suction power and different attachments for different surfaces may be more suitable. This type of vacuum cleaner is versatile and can be used for a variety of cleaning tasks.

If you only have hard floors without carpeting, you’ve got many options – you can go with a cylinder vacuum cleaner, a stick vacuum cleaner, or a robot vacuum.

If you have limited storage space, a stick vacuum cleaner is a good option as it is lightweight, compact, and easy to store. This type of vacuum cleaner is ideal for quick clean-ups and smaller homes.

If you have a lot of stairs in your home, a handheld vacuum cleaner is a practical option as it is easy to carry around and can be used for spot cleaning on stairs and in tight spaces.

If you have a large family and someone’s always spilling something, a wet & dry vacuum cleaner can be very useful. This type of vacuum cleaner can suck up both liquid and solid debris, making it a versatile cleaning tool.

Additionally, robot vacuum cleaners are useful for pretty much everyone – these clean your floors automatically, and you can use them for daily maintenance (although you’ll still have to do your deep cleans once or twice a week).

If your family often has allergic reactions, an anti-dust mite vacuum cleaner is great for reducing the amount of dust mites around the home. 

Finally, if you want to give your car a good cleaning, a car vacuum cleaner can be very useful. 

Here’s a quick summary:

Who would've thought that vacuum cleaners had so much to them?

But when it comes to choosing the right one for your home, you have to be smart. 

Don't just go for the shiny new model with all the bells and whistles. Think about what you need! 

How big is your place? What kind of floors do you have? How often do you clean?  

Would a cylinder vacuum work better even if it's harder to store, or is an upright vacuum a better fit for you?

These are the things you will need to consider. 

Thank you for joining us on this ride to learning more about vacuum cleaners in Singapore – we hope you've found this guide helpful!

PS: Want to make your vacuum cleaner purchase more affordable? 

With Singtel PayLater, you can pay for your appliances & devices in instalments of between 12 to 36 months.

And there are no interest payments or bank charges on your bill!

Shop vacuum cleaners on Singtel.com.