BELLS AND WHISTLES MAY IMPRESS potential buyers, but homeowners' ultimate satisfaction with their central vac will have more to do with how it handles dirt and dust. Filtered systems trap dirt in a filter and deposit it in a bag or canister; cyclonic units use centrifugal force and gravity to separate particulates from the air. Both setups have their pros and cons.
According to Thinkvacuums .com, a retailer that sells vacs from several manufacturers, the best systems are those that intrude the least on users' daily lives—meaning they have no dirty bag to empty and don't blow dusty air outdoors.
Below is a general breakdown of the various systems available.
Cyclonic vacs suck air into a chamber and whirl it around like a tornado. This causes heavy dirt to fall into a bucket. Although some models then blow unfiltered fine dust outdoors, good ones send the dirt through a foam filter first. Available from Hayden and Electrolux.
A bag unit uses a cloth or paper bag to catch dirt, then routes the air through a dust filter on its way to the motor. This system doesn't need to be exhausted to the outside, but the owner does have to remember to change the bag. Makers include PowerStar, NuTone, AirVac, and Eureka.
A self-cleaning bagless vac combines the advantages of cyclonic and bag units with a filter that empties itself into the bucket after each use. The user need only empty the bucket every three to six months. Makers include Beam, NuTone, Eureka, Hoover, and AirVac.