





| The Top 10 Ten Vacuum Cleaners |
| The first vacuum cleaner invented by Ives W. McGaffney was a manual one called the "whirlwind", in 1868, from Chicago. The first electric vacuum cleaner was invented by Melville Bissell, from Grand Rapids in Michigan in 1876. Upright vacuum cleaners usually clean by using a rotating brush roll that removes the dirt through a combination of sweeping and vibration. The suction is caused by the difference in air pressure. A pump reduces the pressure in the tube then pushes the air through the carpet and through the tube and into the bag, or if it's bagless, into the cylinder. There are two types of upright vacuum cleaners, the dirty-fan direct air and the clean-fan indirect air. The dirty-fan vacuum cleaner has a fan close to the opening - the dirt goes through this into the bag. Due to their large fans and short air paths they create an airflow from very little power. Clean fan vacuum cleaners have their motors after the bag. Dust is removed from the air-stream and into the bag before it goes through the fan. The motor is cooled by the air flowing through it. They are less efficient than the dirty-fan vacuum cleaners as they generally require much more power to achieve the same results. Which qualities should we look for in a vacuum cleaner? We think it should be reliable, kind to the environment, powerful enough to suck up dirt, dust mites and possibly even fleas in homes with pets, and safe. It should also be sturdy enough to take the knocks and bumps of a working life, but light enough to move around easily. It should also be versatile - able to cope with the variety of vacuuming tasks around your home. |
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