Bagless vs. Bagged Vacuum Cleaners

Among the most recent ways to categorize vacuum cleaners is bagged or bagless. A bagged vacuum cleaner works in the traditional way of using a replaceable bag as a filter to trap the dirt while allowing air to flow through the bag. Bags must be replaced when they are full. Bagless vacuum cleaners use filters to trap dirt and debris in a dirt cup or chamber that can then be emptied. Is a bagless model better than one that needs vacuum cleaner bags? It truly depends on your family and its needs.

Vacuum Cleaner Bags

Bagged vacuum cleaners require that you change the bag when it becomes full. Replacing the bag isn’t a huge chore and most vacuum cleaner bags are not expensive, though it may be inconvenient to have to remember to check if the bag is full. Some models requiring vacuum cleaner bags have an indicator light that will let you know when the bag needs to be changed. A benefit of vacuum cleaner bags is that there is not a lot of contact with the dust and debris in the bag. Slip out the old bag and throw it away.

Pros:

Less mess. With a bag, there’s little to no chance that your dust will wind up back on the floor or in your face.

Better for allergy sufferers. Bags keep dust and allergens completely separate from the person who is doing the vacuuming. As a result, disposing of dust is much less likely to cause an allergic reaction.

Less maintenance required. Vacuum cleaner bags take a lot of stress off your vacuum cleaner for several reasons. First, filters are built into the bags themselves, so you don’t need to clean the filters. Second, the bags hold more dirt than their bagless counterparts, so you don’t need to dump the dirt as often.

Cons:

Eco-unfriendly. While most vacuum cleaner bags are made largely of paper, they also contain other materials and may thus be unrecyclable. As a result, you toss both the bag and the trash and they will likely wind up in a landfill.
Expensive. While vacuum bags are unlikely to break the bank, they do cost money– money that is, quite literally, thrown away.

Bagless Vacuum Cleaners

With a bagless vacuum cleaner, there is less worry about forgetting to empty the vacuum cleaner because there is a clear view of the dirt and debris in the cup. Once the dirt meets the fill line, it’s time to empty the cup. Sounds easy, right?

However, many models also have filters that either need to be brushed, washed and fully dried, or completely replaced. Emptying the dirt cup itself can be a messy process depending on your vacuum cleaner. Dust often billows back out of the cup, or you may even have to shake or pull out compacted dirt from the bottom of the container. However, if you accidentally vacuumed up something that you need to retrieve, it is easily removed from a dirt cup.

Pros:

Eco-friendly. Bagless vacuum cleaners have reusable filters and, of course, there are no bags that wind up in the unrecyclable trash.

Less costly. Once you buy your bagless vacuum cleaner your spending is complete– no need to keep investing in bags to keep your house clean

Cons:

Messier. Dumping the vacuum cup means sticking your fingers in dust and dirt, and coping with the resulting dusty residue.

More time-consuming. With a bag, you just pull out one bag and pop in another. Bagless cups, however, require careful cleaning and drying. Even worse, you’ll probably need to clean out the cup more often than you ‘d have to replace a bag.

More likely to cause allergic reactions. The dusty “blowback” from a bagless vacuum filter can easily set off an allergic response.

The Bottom Line

There is no best choice when it comes to vacuum cleaners. The decision will depend on your needs, cleaning habits, pocketbooks, and allergies.

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  • Gary and his team are great. I have used them several times at different rentals with great results. Would recommend to anyone in need of carpet cleaning.

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    Collin Goodletson
    5/19/2022

    I had a very positive customer experience with Advanced Carpet Care. I found them to be customer friendly and enjoyable to work with. They were flexible and accomodating to my schedule and willing to move most items to clean under furniture.Our carpets smell fresh and look new and I felt good giving a local company my business. I will definately call them the next time I need my carpets cleaned!

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    A Google User .
    6/26/2016

    Gary literally came to my rescue!! Another cleaner cancelled on me on the morning of the scheduled cleaning and I had to do a walk-through with our landlord that same day. I called Advanced, spoke to Gary and he squeezed me into his schedule. He arrived when he said he would, and the carpets were cleaned in plenty of time to do the walk-through. Gary did an amazing job!! The carpets came cleaner than I expected them to, and he even helped me out with a couple of spots on the linoleum in the kitchen without my asking! I will definitely use Advanced in the future and will highly recommend them to anyone!

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    A Google User
    6/26/2018
  • Very good work!!! We have carpets that we were ready to tear out they were so bad. Advanced got all the stains out, were quick, and honest. We would recommend this company to everyone. They really know what they are doing! We don't need to get new carpeting anymore! Thank you.

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    Google User
    7/11/2018

    I can't recommend Advanced Carpet Care enough. Their work is excellent and the prices are great too. They came with 2 workers, which really speeds things up. They also helped move all my furniture out of the way so they could clean as much carpet as possible. I typically see carpet cleaners just go around obstacles, but these guys actually move stuff so they can be very thorough. After they left, the carpet looked like new and smelled fresh. We've been putting off a carpet cleaning because of the chemicals, but these guys can use non-toxic solutions and still leave you with really clean carpet. If you need a little more cleaning power, they can use a mild detergent that is still very earth-friendly. Lastly, they are a local business, and I prefer giving my money to the smaller, service-minded businesses over a huge corporation.

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    Corey Coogan
    6/26/2015

    I have been using Gary and the guys at Advanced Carpet Cleaning for over 20 years now and just wanted to say Thanks so much for a fantastic job once again! I had a couple of spills this time that I never thought would come out. Of course, Gary got them out and the carpets look great! Gary and his team are friendly, efficient and always do a wonderful job! I would highly recommend them!

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    A Google User
    6/26/2018